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Here are the temperature extremes for September 27 & 28, 2004

Monday
88/60

Tuesday
81/60

Looks like rain may find its way into the forecast Thursday evening!

Goody, Goody!

This Date in History

"Hey Jude" breaks records
1968

The Beatles' single "Hey Jude" hits the top of the charts. The song had debuted two weeks earlier at No. 10, the highest spot ever achieved by a new release up to that time. Over seven minutes long, it was the longest song ever to hit No. 1, a record it holds to this day.

Paul McCartney wrote the song about the same time that John Lennon was divorcing his wife Cynthia. McCartney once claimed the song started out as "Hey, Jules," and was meant to console John and Cynthia's son, Julian. Some listeners hear the song as a prophetic lament for the approaching end of the Beatles themselves, who split up in early 1970.


Miles Davis dies
1991

Jazz trumpeter Miles Davis dies in Santa Monica, California, at age 65. The son of a St. Louis dentist, Davis began playing trumpet at age 13 and was playing with local jazz bands by his late teens. He moved to New York to study at Julliard and became roommates with saxophone great Charlie Parker. Davis struggled with heroin addiction but kicked the habit by 1954, the year he began releasing successful singles, including "Blue 'n' Boogie" and "Walkin'." He assembled a jazz group called the Miles Davis Quintet, which became enormously popular, releasing classic albums like Round Midnight (1956). In the 1960s, Davis became interested in rock and began fusing jazz and rock to create an innovative sound. His 1968 album Bitches Brew was a major hit. Davis continued to produce popular recordings until his 60s. He died of pneumonia and other ailments.


www.historychannel.com

Journal

It's going to be an exciting week at the homestead. The new electronic drumset I ordered should be arriving(hopefully early in the week) and, not to give too much away, a new "stringed" instrument that I have made the commitment to learn will be arriving as well.

Let's just say, if you come see me at "the house" get ready for noise!

On a sad note, I've chosen to put my electric 'geetar' up for auction on ebay along with some timbalitos that were collecting dust. Oh well, I had too to keep the house from looking like a used instrument store.

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Here are the temperature extremes for the weekend of September 25/26, 2004

Saturday
87/62
Sunday
86/62

Looks like a relatively strong cold front is going to push our way this weekend bringing a good chance for rain and a cool-down.

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Here are the temperature extremes for September 24, 2004

87/66

The record high for this date is 101 set in 1926.

Journal

"Texoma Speak"
Part One

I've lived in Texoma(Western North Texas & Southwest Oklahoma) all but 9 years of my life (1st 6 years of childhood in Kansas, 3 years in the U.S. Navy). If there's one thing that I'll never get tired of here is the unique vocabulary. Like terms of endearment you hear in public places. I was in a restuarant the other day when a customer finished a sentence calling her female server "puddin'". I couldn't help but grin from the corner booth. Puddin'.... a creamy, custard-like dessert usually served in small portions. I thought "how cute" in kind of an old fashioned sense. I wonder what the 20 something server thought? Nowadays (among my generation) a name like 'puddin' may be reseved for a family member or close friend.
Of course, our vocab isn't different just because of colorful terms of endearment. Oh no! Verbs and adjectives galore!

One of my faves is "rooint". You know "I left my car window open when it rained and my notebook got rooint(ruined)".

How about "frog strangler"? That's what ya get when heavy rain begins to pool on the roads.

Stay tuned for more!

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Here are the temperature extremes for September 23, 2004

82/68

Now that's more like it!

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Here are the temperature extremes for September 22, 2004

90/64

This is the 12 consecutive day that our high temp has been in the 90s.

yuk

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Here are the temperatures extremes for September 21, 2004

91/71

The record low for this date is 38, the lowest temperature ever recordrd in Wichita Falls in September.

Journal

Fillin' in for "Megs"(Meghan Danahey) this week. I could get used to this shift. Get to sleep in, get the house to myself(just me and the dogs) for a few hours. Plus, there's not as much on-air time on this shift as there is in the mornings(save for severe weather). The only downside to working this shift is the only time I see my kids is in the mornings as they rush off to school. I get to see my wife only if she "waits up" for me. In the evenings, my wife has to play single parent. I wouldn't wish that upon my worst enemy. Parenthood is by far the toughest job I've ever had. But, I wouldn't have it any other way.

I recently read of a well-liked weathercaster in Detroit who turned down a 3year/$1 million contract and got out of the "biz" so he could be home with his children regularly. Now it would take me something like 30 years to make 1,000,000 dollars so I dont think I would turn down that kind of loot. The good lord knows we have some bills to pay. But I can certainly understand wanting to be there to take part in your children's lives. My son is two years old, and he's just flat out cute (chip off the ol' block). I keep tellin myself: "Self...you better dust off the cam-corder cause that 2 year old cutie will be all grown up before you know it!". I've heard too many grown-ups say "I wish I had been there see my kids grow up". I could very well be one of those grown-ups if I stay in this line of work. What else would I do? I play the drums, but that wont make me a livin...heck, I'd be gone in the evenings doin that too!

...hmmm...

When I get home I'm gonna dust off the cam-corder.


John Cameron

This Date in History

Kennedy proposes joint mission to the moon
1963


An optimistic and upbeat President John F. Kennedy suggests that the Soviet Union and the United States cooperate on a mission to mount an expedition to the moon. The proposal caught both the Soviets and many Americans off guard.

In 1961, shortly after his election as president, John F. Kennedy announced that he was determined to win the "space race" with the Soviets. Since 1957, when the Soviet Union sent a small satellite--Sputnik--into orbit around the earth, Russian and American scientists had been competing to see who could make the next breakthrough in space travel. Outer space became another frontier in the Cold War. Kennedy upped the ante in 1961 when he announced that the United States would put a man on the moon before the end of the decade. Much had changed by 1963, however. Relations with the Soviet Union had improved measurably. The Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962 had been settled peacefully. A "hot line" had been established between Washington and Moscow to help avert conflict and misunderstandings. A treaty banning the open air testing of nuclear weapons had been signed in 1963. On the other hand, U.S. fascination with the space program was waning. Opponents of the program cited the high cost of the proposed trip to the moon, estimated at more than $20 billion. In the midst of all of this, Kennedy, in a speech at the United Nations, proposed that the Soviet Union and United States cooperate in mounting a mission to the moon. "Why," he asked the audience, "therefore, should man's first flight to the moon be a matter of national competition?" Kennedy noted, "the clouds have lifted a little" in terms of U.S.-Soviet relations, and declared "The Soviet Union and the United States, together with their allies, can achieve further agreements--agreements which spring from our mutual interest in avoiding mutual destruction."

Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko applauded Kennedy's speech and called it a "good sign," but refused to comment on the proposal for a joint trip to the moon. In Washington, there was a good bit of surprise--and some skepticism--about Kennedy's proposal. The "space race" had been one of the focal points of the Kennedy administration when it came to office, and the idea that America would cooperate with the Soviets in sending a man to the moon seemed unbelievable. Other commentators saw economics, not politics, behind the proposal. With the soaring price tag for the lunar mission, perhaps a joint effort with the Soviets was the only way to save the costly program. What might have come of Kennedy's idea is unknown--just two months later, he was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. His successor, Lyndon B. Johnson, abandoned the idea of cooperating with the Soviets but pushed ahead with the lunar program. In 1969, the United States landed a man on the moon, thus winning a significant victory the "space race."

www.historychannel.com

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Here are the temperature extremes for September 20, 2004

93/65

The record high for this date is 103 set in 1954

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Here are the temperature extremes for September 19, 2004

94/69

Just a thought

If all I'm remembered for is being a good basketball player, then I've done a bad job with the rest of my life.

-Isiah Thomas

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here are the temperature extremes for September 18, 2004

96/70

the average hi/lo for this date is 86/63

This Date in History

Space Shuttle unveiled
1976

On September 17, 1976, NASA publicly unveils its first space shuttle, the Enterprise, during a ceremony in Palmdale, California. Development of the aircraft-like spacecraft cost almost $10 billion and took nearly a decade. In 1977, the Enterprise became the first space shuttle to fly freely when it was lifted to a height of 25,000 feet by a Boeing 747 airplane and then released, gliding back to Edwards Air Force Base on its own accord.

Regular flights of the space shuttle began on April 12, 1981, with the launching of Columbia from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Launched by two solid-rocket boosters and an external tank, only the aircraft-like shuttle entered into orbit around Earth. When the two-day mission was completed, the shuttle fired engines to reduce speed and, after descending through the atmosphere, landed like a glider at California's Edwards Air Force Base.

Early shuttles took satellite equipment into space and carried out various scientific experiments. On January 28, 1986, NASA and the space shuttle program suffered a major setback when the Challenger exploded 74 seconds after takeoff and all seven people aboard were killed.

In September 1988, space shuttle flights resumed with the successful launching of the Discovery. Since then, the space shuttle has carried out numerous important missions, such as the repair and maintenance of the Hubble Space Telescope and the construction and manning of the International Space Station. To date, there have been more than 100 space shuttle flights.

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here are the temperature extremes for September 17, 2004

99/69

yuk!

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here are the temperatures extremes for September 16, 2004

94/71

The record hi/lo for this date is 102/47

Confession

I really like Reese's Puffs Cereal.

No. Wait. I really, really like Reese's Puffs cereal!

Weather Wisdom

Did you know that if you hold your arms straight out (opposite each other) with your back to the wind and turn 30 degrees clockwise, your left hand will be pointing toward low pressure and your right hand will be pointing towards high pressure?

Watch our for crows and grackels!

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Here are the temperature extremes for September 14, 2004

91/70

The record low for this date is 45 set in 1945

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Here are the temperature extremes for September 13, 2004

95/66

Good News!

I have changed the settings of this web site to where you dont have to register or create your own blog in order to comment on any entry you see here at "Wichita Falls Weather". Now, anyone can comment unconditionally.

This Date in History

Children's author Roald Dahl is born
1916

On this day in 1916, Roald Dahl, author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1964) and James and the Giant Peach (1961), is born in South Wales.

Dahl's childhood was filled with tragedy. His father and sister died when Dahl was three, and he was later brutally abused at his boarding school. After high school, he traveled widely, joining an expedition to Newfoundland and later working in Tanzania. In World War II, he joined the Royal Air Force and became a fighter pilot. He flew missions in Libya, Greece, and Syria, and was shot down in the Libyan desert, suffering serious injuries. (He saved a piece of his femur, removed in an operation after the accident, and later used it as a paperweight in his office.)

After he recovered, Dahl was sent to Washington, D.C., as an attachý. There, the writer C.S. Forester suggested he write about his war experiences, and 10 days later Dahl had his first publication, in the Saturday Evening Post.

Dahl wrote his first book, The Gremlins, for Walt Disney, in 1943, and the story was later made into a Disney film. He wrote several popular adult books, including Someone Like You (1953) and Kiss Kiss (1959), and began writing stories for his own four children in 1960. James and the Giant Peach and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory became bestsellers. He also wrote the screenplay for Charlie (with a title change-the movie was called Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968), and a James Bond film, You Only Live Twice (1967).

Dahl did most of his writing on the family farm, writing two hours every morning, two hours every afternoon, and tending to the animals in between. He was divorced from his wife, Oscar-winning actress Patricia Neal, in 1983, and remarried. He died in 1990 at age 74.

www.historychannel.com

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Here are the temperature extremes for September 12, 2004

94/64

The average high temperature for this week in September is 88.

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Here are the temperature extremes for September 11, 2004

93/60

the record high for this date is 107, set in 2000

Journal

This picture sums up just how exciting the weather has been lately.


shhhhhhhhh!

Just a Thought

Don't cry because it's over....smile because it happened

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Here are the temperature extremes for September 10, 2004

88/56

The record hi/lo for this date is 104/49

Weather Wisdom

Did you know that rain typically begins as snow that thaws on it's decsent to Earth? This explains why the tallest mountains remain snow capped during the warmest season.

This Date in History

Final episode of Late Night with David Letterman
1993

Late Night with David Letterman airs its last episode. NBC had been showing reruns of the program since June, when Letterman made his last original episode, with guest Tom Hanks.

Offbeat comic Letterman, passed over by NBC for the host's seat on The Tonight Show after Johnny Carson's retirement, left NBC to launch a show on rival network CBS.

David Letterman was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1947. From an early age, he aspired to host his own talk show. He became a stand-up comic and a wacky weatherman on a local TV station. After years on the stand-up comedy circuit, he made his first appearance on The Tonight Show in 1978 and served as the program's guest host 50 times. In 1980, Letterman had a short-lived morning variety show, The David Letterman Show, which won two Emmys.

He launched his popular late-night TV show in 1982. His offbeat humor and goofy stunts spoofed traditional talk shows. By performing stunts like wearing a Velcro suit and throwing himself at a wall or tossing eggs into a giant electric fan, Letterman gained a devoted following, especially among college students. Regular features included his "Top Ten List," "Stupid Pet Tricks," and tours of the neighborhood. He also frequently wandered with his camera into other NBC shows in progress. The show won five Emmys and 35 nominations during the course of its more than 11-year run.

When Johnny Carson announced his retirement in 1992, Letterman and rival comic Jay Leno engaged in a heated battle for the coveted job. When Leno was chosen as Carson's successor, Letterman left NBC for CBS, where his new program, Late Show, outperformed Leno's show almost every week in its first year. However, Leno pulled ahead the following year and maintained a strong lead. Letterman underwent emergency heart surgery in 2000 and was off the show for five weeks.



www.historychannel.com

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Here are the temperature extremes for September 9, 2004

85/52

The morning low of 52 breaks the record for the morning low for this date(53) set in 1962.

Just a Thought

"The proper function of man is to live, not to exist..."

-Jack London

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Here are the temperature extremes for September 8, 2004

84/53

The average low temperature for this week in September is 66

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Here are the temperatures extremes for September 7, 2004

85/56

The record high for this date is 103 set in 1931.

This Date in History

Buddy Holly is born
1936

Rock pioneer Buddy Holly is born on this day in Lubbock, Texas. Holly popularized the standard rock band format of two guitars, a bass, and drums. Legendary artists Bob Dylan and Paul McCartney were among the many musicians who have named Holly as a major influence.

As a child, Holly played piano, guitar, and fiddle. In high school, he formed a country group, Western and Bop Band, with friends. The band got some local radio play and recorded demo tapes, some of which were later released after Holly's death. Holly and two other musicians signed a contract with Decca under the name Holly and the Two Tunes, but the company chose not to release at least one of their recordings: "That'll Be the Day." Later, as lead singer for the Crickets, he recorded the song, which became a hit.

Holly and drummer Jerry Allison opened for a variety of well-known stars, including Elvis Presley, inspiring Holly to switch from country to rock and roll-a move that catapulted him to stardom. Holly and the Crickets had a regular radio show in the mid 1950s and toured the world. His blockbuster hits included "Peggy Sue," "Oh, Boy!," "Maybe Baby," and "Early in the Morning." His short life came to a tragic end on February 3, 1959. Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper, fellow performers in the Winter Dance Party Tour, had chartered a plane to avoid driving from Iowa to Minnesota in bad weather. The Beechcraft Bonanza aircraft crashed a few minutes after takeoff, killing everyone onboard. Holly was 22.

Several posthumous collections feature Holly's old demos and incomplete recordings. His life was the basis for the feature film The Buddy Holly Story and the stage musical Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, and a new generation was introduced to him through the 1987 popular movie La Bamba, based on Valens' life. Holly was also memorialized by Don McLean in the 1972 No. 1 hit "American Pie."


www.historychannel.com

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Here are the temperature extremes for September 6, 2004

87/64

These temps could be used as a forecast for the next 5 or 6 days

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Here are the temperature extremes for September 5, 2004

92/70

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Here are the temperature extremes for September 4, 2004

89/68

The high temperature on this date in 2000 was 111, the warmest temp ever recorded in the month of September(in Wichita Falls).

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here are the temperature extremes for September 3, 2004

87/64

On this date in the year 2000 the high temperature was 108

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here are the temperature extremes for September 2, 2004

87/67

Average high for this date is 92

This Date in History

JAPAN SURRENDERS
September 2, 1945


Aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, Japan formally surrenders to the Allies, bringing an end to World War II.

By the summer of 1945, the defeat of Japan was a foregone conclusion. The Japanese navy and air force were destroyed. The Allied naval blockade of Japan and intensive bombing of Japanese cities had left the country and its economy devastated. At the end of June, the Americans captured Okinawa, a Japanese island from which the Allies could launch an invasion of the main Japanese home islands. U.S. General Douglas MacArthur was put in charge of the invasion, which was code-named "Operation Olympic" and set for November 1945.

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here are the temperature extremes for September 1, 2004

86/64

Weather Wonders

http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/goes/misc/040831/040831_g12_vis_2_anim.html

Here's another stunning example that nature's most destructive storms can be beautiful from afar(space even). The link above should take you to a recent satellite movie of Hurricane Frances. Dial-up users shouldn't bother unless you have a lot of free time on your hands.

For more info on Frances go to http://www.nhc.noaa.gov