Monday, April 25, 2011

Weathercaster-go-round (and Slush for Wednesday?)

A quick potpourri of Minnesota weathercaster info....

Chikage Windler announced tonight that she's leaving for Indianapolis. Next Sunday will be the last day Chikage graces the KSTP airwaves. Chikage leaves big social media shoes to fill as she was a real trailblazer among local television weathercasters. This follows relatively quickly on the heels of Erik Maitland's leaving FOX 9. Watch his curtain call here.

The weather-go-round continues as well. The Strib weather column published this late Sunday evening includes the possibility of slush for Wednesday morning. Select text includes:

"Models may be exaggerating the risk of slushy snow at the tail-end of the storm Wednesday, but I wouldn't rule anything out at this point. Let's see a few more model runs, but know that rain may mix with a little wet snow Wednesday morning with a potential for a couple inches of slush, especially north/west of the metro."

17 comments:

  1. Right now, NWS, weather.com, and Kare 11 are all saying possible flakes for Wednesday morning.

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  2. As interesting (and cold) as the models look, there is NO WAY that a sane Met should predict accumulating snow at this juncture of the game. It is simply too warm & too late in the season to do so. Plus, this storm is coming up from the south so...

    Don't get me wrong, somebody in MN will receive accumulating snow late Tue into Wed, but odds are that this will occur north of the MSP metro. Flakes will definitely mix in with the rain, and on some surfaces the snow may stick, but it will melt within hours.

    Perhaps I'm gun shy now?

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  3. WOW! When I spoke about two weeks ago that 'cooler' storms were coming and that the potential for snow would be there with each storm I didn't expect it to linger into this week as well,temps are going to be close to support snow Tuesday night,with the spring were having I won't bet against snow happening in effect enough could fall for 3rd place,and this will not be the last potential snow either,May will come in really cold,Sunday looks like over 20 degrees colder then normal with snow/flurries nearby. THE NEVER ENDING WINTER CONTUIES!

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  4. What's the read on this storm? Is the hunch that it'll be an off-and-on rain or that it'll come down steady all day/night? Belinda Jensen said she expects both Twins game to be played as scheduled. That surprised me, considering the marginal conditions in which they canceled Friday's game.

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  5. I think the Twins cancellation the other night was not entirely based on the weather. Sure, they used that as an excuse, but they really wanted to play another day to give players rest, score bigger concession sales another day, etc.

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  6. I realize that too, Bill...but it sets a precedent. Are you saying you think she's right???

    The way I see it, Tampa's back in July, so why play in misery? I'm fine with watching in the rain; I just hope they can make a cut and dry decision (no pun intended) before I spend all the gas money to get there!!!

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  7. Bill may have been right, but that would have been a real cold rain, whatever the reason it was the right decision, the last thing you need is to have a player or two from each side going on the DL b/c of muscle pulls. Based on the 26th 0z run of the Nam...I would be very much surprised if tomorrow's game is played

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  8. I'm going to miss Chikage. I've said this before on Twitter and I'll say it again...there is no one that covered weather in the Twin Cities on the social networking sites like she did. There are some big shoes to fill. She always took the time to answer questions people had on Twitter and she was a huge help during weather events providing updates and assurance that my chase target in western WI was a good one back when we had the MDT risk day. Never met her in real life, but based on the messages, she seems like one of the nicest people you'll ever meet.

    That's all I got. I'm done talking snow chances for the season. It's almost May. I don't we get much more than a slushy coating anyway. No big deal.

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  9. @AB I don't think there's an issue with precedent setting on games played in rain or threatening rain. They can decide whether to play on an individual basis.

    @Ryan I'll add that Chikage was very open to the general theme of what TMF does, and just very open in general. Some other mets seem very closed and protective.

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  10. what a raw day,temps contiue to slowly cool,its 43 at noon,wont take much of a drop for snow to mix shortly,in fact the NWS just updated their discussion and are 'NERVOUS' about a possible change over to all snow after 4/5pm from area west of metro to metro and into wisconsin,something to keep an eye on,the winter that doesnt want to leave,what spring!!!

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  11. twins game cancelled due to weather,thats as many as they had all of last year,going to be alot of doubleheaders!

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  12. Of course, the rain is now dying down, 2 hours after the announcement (figures), but I think most fans are grateful to know ahead of time, rather than get down there and not have a game. According to NWS, Thursday (make-up day) should be a nice day for baseball...certainly nicer than today, whether it keeps raining or not!

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  13. Re: Chikage's departure... here's an interesting article about the challenges faced by women weatherforecasters: http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/463155-Women_and_Weather_Jobs_The_Big_Freeze_Out.php

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  14. Plymouth Weather LoverApril 27, 2011 at 12:21 PM

    How about a big May snowstorm, just to top it off? Maybe we can cool enough for late in the weekend to get some snow. Why not? Wouldn't that be a perfect ending? If it is going to as crappy as it is out, why not set some records?

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  15. Unrelated question to the topics above...do any of you guys have a GREAT weather app on your smartphones? I have WeatherBug and RadarNow, but I can't help but think there's a better one out there somewhere.

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  16. Anyone catch the latest blog from PD last night/early this morning,he shows a graphic of the highs and lows for next two weeks,the high temperature from may 9th thru the 12th is 40-45 with lows 30-35,come on is anyone buying these temps,seriously that's damn cold for mid-may if they come to fruition it could actually snow as well if we had thus temps,thoughts anyone?randyinchamplin or Novak what you say?

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