Weather Pulse Blog

Jackie Meretsky

I often hear people saying that warmer climates bring simpler and less expensive lifestyles. Having lived in the north east for most of my life, I have definitely bought my fair share of winter coats over the years and with the boots craze this year in NYC, I still haven't found a storage unit in my building to fit the myriad of wedges, flats and stilettos I accumulated. Like clockwork, just when you think you've got the right combination of sweaters, boots and coats - the fashion magazines authoratively tell us what is in and what is out for spring and summer. Necklines plunge, hems raise and in short (pun obsessed today) less fabric becomes the rule.

Pending what could be a very active hurricane season, I hope to be spending most of my summer weekends in the Hamptons. I made the inaugural trip last weekend for the "unofficial start of summer" (that saying is almost as annoying as "April Showers bring May Flowers", but not as classic).

Ok, you can probably sense the underlying rip current of sarcasm, not to be confused with bitterness. It really stems (in keeping with the May flowers theme) with my recent bathing suit shopping experience. It seems to me that logically, less material would mean less expensive because of less fabric used.

With bathing suits, less fabric = more money. Go figure!

How wrong am I. It is immaterial (pardon the pun) for me to even begin to explain how frustrating bathing suit shopping is for all of womankind. Three way mirrors are unforgiving and if that doesn't frustrate you, then trying to tie your halter top up will. What is equally daunting is that the less material used in the construction of the swimming costume (which is what some of the elaborately adorned suits should be called), the more expensive they are.

A few factors that support my thesis:

1. I was shopping on the Upper East Side in Manhattan

2. I was looking for either white or brown, thus limited by the color selection

3. I only went to two bathing suit stores

I did manage to find something I liked, in Espresso brown, for approximately the price of a bottle of Roederer Cristal champagne (1999). Now all I have to find is a chic cover up in eyelet.

Posted by Keith Davis at 03:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Gary Archibald, Weathercaster

I hope that you enjoyed your Memorial Day long weekend!

So it’s back into the fold we go here at NBC Weather Plus… Speaking of which, I had previously written a blog about the merry band of weather nuts we collectively have working here to provide you with comprehensive and accurate weather forecast news and information – the Weather Plus storytellers! I affectionately referred to them as “The Saturday Crew”. We work the weekends, hence the fitting name. Now lets take a look at “The Midday Crew” with photos taken impromptu (by yours truly) today… It’s another great group of pros that I have the pleasure of working with day in and day out.

I like taking self-portraits with the gang here…it’s one of the things I like to do with cameras…Check it out.

First up – the lovely and talented Lily West (whose birthday happens to be today – HAPPY BIRTHDAY LILY!) She’s THE executive assistant to our boss, the esteemed Dan Abrams (attorney and star media personality extraordinaire).

Next up we have meteorologists Kevin Maloney and Mike Carloni – the young guns behind the scenes who do such a great job with the national forecast.

Some of our personalities (photos with me) include the beautiful and talented Jackie Meretsky (Jackie and I go way back…literally and figuratively…we co-hosted together for THE WEATHER NETWORK – Canada’s equivalent to The Weather Channel here in the USA… Who would have thought that a few years later we would be teamed up again, in NYC! It’s great to be reunited with a good friend and colleague!!)

Jeff Ranieri…what can be said about this gentleman. He’s a star through and through. He looks like a Hollywood actor, anchors the weather for the Today Show…he’s funny as heck too. Jeff and I tag team the afternoons on Weather Plus. He’s a dynamite meteorologist and a real pro. It’s a pleasure working with him.

Byron Miranda is new to our team here at Weather Plus but not a stranger to the airwaves with loads of experience. He’s as polished as they come – a meteorologist who is razor sharp, smart, and has that great smooth delivery. Anyone on-camera can learn a lot from Byron. He has an infectious laugh too. What a great guy. We are very fortunate to have him on assignment with us!

Working the web today is Keith Davis – he’s in charge and always on top of it. Another rock solid team-player who works his magic behind the scenes, always calm, collected, understated, diligent… Just a real pro.

Another great group of individual who comprise the team here at Weather Plus. I hope you liked the look behind the scenes.

Cheers!

GA

Posted by Keith Davis at 05:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

Gary Archibald, Weathercaster

I have to say that I am truly blessed – spoiled in the very best way working with a great team of what I call the nation’s “storytellers”. Yes, I am a story-telling specialist – the ongoing, ever changing, often times enthralling, powerful, tragic, and omnipresent saga that is the weather. There is in fact a lighter side to this story about storytellers. In fact, behind the scenes at NBC Weather Plus and MSNBC, we do enjoy working together, thriving in an upbeat, active, energetic beehive, and the epicenter of news broadcast.

About to go on-air for Weather Plus

To give you, my friends, a better indication of who we are as a team on the weekends (the Saturday crew as I refer to our band)…take a look at the photos taken by yours truly on Saturday May 26th, 2007 while working the weekend shift for MSNBC and NBC Weather Plus.

The MSNBC set

You can from these images get a sense of the great colleagues and friends that I have here – all of us under the umbrella of GE-NBC Universal.

Members of The Saturday Crew

In these photos I am pictured along with the extraordinary likes of the very talented, dynamic, smart and beautiful following young ladies:

All smiles with Alex Witt, MSNBC anchor

News anchor star Alex Witt of MSNBC (what a delight – so smart, so engaging, so much positive energy emanates from her and so funny!)

Britta Merwin and me

Meteorologist and weathercasters Britta Merwin and Michelle Grossman (they are too wonderful for words really – it’s a blessing to work with and know them)

In the Weather Plus studio with Michelle Grossman

Web producer and designer Mara Sonnenschein (a joy, and she has a great sense of humor to boot)

Web Producer Mara Sonnenschein needs a lot of coffee!

I also work Saturdays with Director Pam Solovay (whose last day before her maternity leave was today – she’s going to be missed beyond words until she returns no doubt – my congratulations to Pam and her hubby as baby soon makes his or her arrival – we are all so happy for them!!).

Pam "controls" it all

Rob (left) and Mike, world-class meteorologists

In addition, I have the pleasure of working with meteorologists Michael Dangolovich and Rob Janiec. These gentlemen are world-class forecasters who are also a delight to work with.

Andy Foord at the controls

Andy Foord is another dynamite director on the WX+ side. It’s amazing what Andy and Pam do behind the scenes to put pictures and sound together on the fly – live! He’s quite the sports nut – hockey being a favorite so you know that Andy and I get along very well (I’m Canadian – we love hockey and the people who love it too).

I hope that you liked the tour and the look at just a few of the special people I am privileged to work with on a regular basis.

Cheers!

GA

Posted by Gary Archibald at 03:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Michelle Grossman, Weathercaster

I just got back from a vacation in the Bahamas last week; my very first visit to the lovely island. Below is a photo from the trip.

First thought when you look at the picture is... paradise, right? The way the palm tree branches are actually horizontal from the wind driven rains??? Ok, so I'm sounding a little facetious and maybe I mean it, in that way, a teensy-bit. But, the truth is, the washout of a day was actually welcomed.

In the past, a day like this would have had me nervous. The trip was only four days long, to begin with, and losing an entire day would have put a serious dent in my sunbathing schedule -- the real reason you go away before summer, right? But nowadays, a rain day is an excuse to kick back and catch up on the latest reading, tv, etc. - - guilt free. Besides, being a weathercaster, I felt good for the Bahamian people. They are in need of some soaking rains; a fact that was confirmed time and time again by the taxi drivers.

Anyway, the washout required me to rethink how the day's events would unfold. Instead of the obligatory sightseeing, beach activites or local downtown stroll, I was free to do absolutely, positively NOTHING.

So, what did I do? Well, I read a book. One of those trashy, guilty pleasure type novels. The typical summer read. It takes place in a uppity beach town. Twenty-something boy meets twenty-something girl on summer vacation - boy and girl fall in love - - young girl breaks young boy's heart. I was not happy with this ending because I was really rooting for the guy. His ex-girlfriend, a.k.a. first love, had just ended their two year relationship before the start of summer break. He learned to love again only to be betrayed again by his summer crush. Sad.

After I finished the book, my day got more interesting. I played some pool (not the interesting part) and lost miserably. Then I spotted a checkers board across the rec room. I honestly don't know the last time I sat down and played a game of checkers. I must have been ten years old. This fact was made clear when it became hugely apparent that the game was lasting way too long, due to the lack of any strategy from myself and my opponent. Then I ended the day with a nice long nap.

All-in-all it was a very cathartic day; almost child-like. I may even incorporate some checkers playing or old school board games into my free time more often. Let me know what you do on your rainy days!

Posted by at 10:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Gary Archibald, Weathercaster

Here’s another in our weather devices/instruments series – this one is unique and not well known… sunshine recorders. Check it out…

Sunshine Recorders are used to indicate the amount of sunshine at a given location. The results are used to help provide information on the climate of an area and some of the fields it is of importance to are science, agriculture and tourism.

Traditionally, sunshine recorders are divided into two groups. In the first group the time of the occurrence of the event is provided by the sun itself and in the second a clock type device is used to provide the time scale.

The older type of recorders required the interpretation of the results by an observer and these may have differed from one person to another. Today, with the use of electronics and computers it is possible to record the sunshine duration that does not rely on an observers interpretation. At the same time the newer recorders can also measure the global and diffuse radiation.

One such type of sunshine recorder (and perhaps the most widely used to this day) is…

The Campbell-Stokes recorder (sometimes called a Stokes sphere) is a kind of sunshine recorder. It was invented by John Francis Campbell in 1853 and later modified in 1879 by Sir George Gabriel Stokes. The original design by Campbell consisted of a glass sphere set into a wooden bowl with the sun burning a trace on the bowl. Stokes's refinement was to make the housing out of metal and to have a card holder set behind the sphere. The unit is designed to record the hours of bright sunshine which will burn a hole through the card. However, at sunrise and sunset the sun is lower in the sky and will tend to leave a scorch mark on the card which may at the extreme end be difficult to see.

Campbell-Stokes recorder

The glass sphere - typically 10 cm (4 inches) in diameter - is designed to focus the rays from the sun onto a card mounted at the back and is set on a stand. The card is held in place by grooves of which there are three overlapping sets, to allow for the height of the sun during different seasons of the year. In the northern hemisphere the winter card is used from the 15th of October to the 29th of February, the equinox card from the 01st March to the 11th of April and the 03rd of September to 14th of October. The summer card is therefore used from the 12th of April to 02 of September. Each card is marked as to the hour, with local noon being in the centre, and is read in 10th's. The unit is set in a stand facing south to enable the maximum amount of sun to be recorded. Of course it is of great importance to set the unit in an area where the sun will not be blocked by buildings, trees or flagpoles.

Sunshine recorders…interesting don’t you think? Next time around, I will discuss the unique device that was designed to measure the height of the base of a cloud…

Cheers!

GA

Posted by Gary Archibald at 11:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Gary Archibald, Weathercaster

The fourth installment of the weather devices/instruments blog series answers the question: What weather device measures the moisture content in the air (humidity)? The answer is: a hygrometer.

Hygrometers are instruments used for measuring humidity. A simple form of a hygrometer is specifically known as a "psychrometer" and consists of two thermometers, one of which includes a dry bulb and the other of which includes a bulb that is kept wet to measure wet-bulb temperature.

Evaporation from the wet bulb lowers the temperature, so that the wet-bulb thermometer usually shows a lower temperature than that of the dry-bulb thermometer, which measures dry-bulb temperature. When the air temperature is below freezing, however, the wet bulb is covered with a thin coating of ice and yet may be warmer than the dry bulb.

Relative Humidity is computed from the ambient temperature as shown by the dry-bulb thermometer and the difference in temperatures as shown by the wet-bulb and dry-bulb thermometers. Relative humidity can also be determined by locating the intersection of the wet- and dry-bulb temperatures on a psychrometric chart. One device that uses the wet/dry bulb method is the sling psychrometer, where the thermometers are attached to a handle or length of rope and spun around in the air for a few minutes.

A sling psychrometer

Other types of hygrometers are also commonly used to determine the ambient humidity. Such devices frequently use a human or animal hair under tension. The traditional folk art device known as a "weather house" works on this principle. In order to see changes that occur over time, several hygrometers record the value of humidity on a piece of graduated paper so that the values can be read off the chart.

Hydrometers are valuable tools especially during active rainy seasons particular to the Cetranl and southern Plains of the U.S. (during the early Spring to late Summer).

Next up: An instrument (peculiar in nature) used to measure the amount of sunlight falling on a specific location. Any guesses? Stay tuned!

GA

Posted by Gary Archibald at 03:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Gary Archibald, Weathercaster

And now for the third part of my ongoing series of weather devices and instrumentation. Aropos, considering that May is a highly active month for severe weather in the form of thunderstorms, I introduce you, my friends, to lightning detectors.

A lightning detector is a device that detects lightning produced by thunderstorms. There are three primary types of detectors: ground-based systems using multiple antennas, mobile systems using a direction and a sense antenna in the same location (often aboard an aircraft), and space-based systems.

Ground-based and mobile detectors calculate the direction and severity of lightning from the current location using radio direction-finding techniques together with an analysis of the characteristic frequencies emitted by lightning. Ground-based systems use triangulation from multiple locations to determine distance, while mobile systems estimate distance using signal frequency and attenuation. Space-based lighting detectors, on artificial satellites, can locate range, bearing and intensities by direct observation.

A lightning prediction and warning system at C.B. Smith Park in Pembroke Pines, Fla.

Ground-based lightning detector networks are used by meteorological services like the National Weather Service in United States and the Meteorological Service of Canada, and by other organizations like electrical utilities and forest fire prevention services.

Remember – such detectors are not toys and should be handled by trained weather professionals under conditions of the greatest precautionary safety measures.

Next up in the series: a device used to measure humidity! Stay tuned and thanks for dropping by.

Cheers!

Gary

Posted by Gary Archibald at 02:42 PM | Permalink

Meteorologist Jeff Ranieri

Thought I would share this with all of you as it's huge news internationally. I should first tell you that Weather Plus is now global as we broadcast to CNBC Asia. Ok, now back to the story...I was doing weather for the overseas network and saw an interesting change of topics. Instead of raw business data topping headlines out of the break it was the weather.

The segment before my weather hit was a phone interview from a field reporter. The reporter described strong storms that led to record rainfall and some rejuvenated hope among locals. My segment was up next and closely linked as I started on the rain in Australia as well. It was quite the experience to listen to the concern over the drought and how much even a few rain drops meant to some people who have not seen this much rain in years. It really helps put our Southeast drought into perspective. Our drought has happened for a few seasons but in Australia there has been a drought in some parts for nearly a dozen rain seasons.

WATCH: Jeff Ranieri Talks Drought

What you will read below is email I sent to our weather staff on the rain Down Under.

SUBJECT LINE: FROM CNBC AUSTRALIA - RAIN TOPS HEADLINES!
Topping the biz headlines in Australia today is the rain. A large part of Southeastern Australia has been in a drought for over a decade and they finally got some rain.

Wompinie, Australia picked up 3.21 inches of rain from Thursday -- > Friday. The rain total is more than they have recorded in a single day in over ten years!!!

Wompinie is near Sydney and Melbourne.

Rain is in the long range forecast for next Mon, Tues, Wed. This recent rain is only a band-aid on the situation as many lives have been altered from the bone dry weather in past years.

Jeff Ranieri
Weather Plus Meteorologist

Posted by Jeff Ranieri at 07:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Gary Archibald, Weathercaster

This is the second blog installment of several to come -- the topic: weather devices. Next up, let's take a look at the barometer – an essential weather measuring device, and an integral part of the meteorological forecasting arsenal.

A barometer is an instrument used to measure atmospheric pressure. It can measure the pressure exerted by the atmosphere by using water, air, or mercury. Pressure tendency can forecast short term changes in the weather. Numerous measurements of air pressure are used within surface weather analysis to help find surface troughs, high pressure systems, and frontal boundaries.

Types of barometers… they do indeed vary but measure the same thing…take a look.

Water-based barometers
This concept of "decreasing atmospheric pressure predicts stormy weather" is the basis for a primitive weather prediction device called a weather glass or thunder glass. It can also be called a "storm glass" or a "Goethe thermometer" (the writer Goethe popularized it in Germany). It consists of a glass container with a sealed body, half filled with water. A narrow spout connects to the body below the water level and rises above the water level, where it is open to the atmosphere. When the air pressure is lower than it was at the time the body was sealed, the water level in the spout will rise above the water level in the body; when the air pressure is higher than it was at the time the body was sealed, the water level in the spout temperature will raise the water level in the spout. A variation of this type of barometer can be easily constructed.

Water Barometer

Mercury barometers
A standard mercury barometer has a glass column of about 30 inches (about 76 cm) in height, closed at one end, with an open mercury-filled reservoir at the base. Mercury in the tube adjusts until the weight of the mercury column balances the atmospheric force exerted on the reservoir. High atmospheric pressure places more downward force on the reservoir, forcing mercury higher in the column. Low pressure allows the mercury to drop to a lower level in the column by lowering the downward force placed on the reservoir. Since higher temperature at the instrument will reduce the density of the mercury the scale for reading the height of the mercury is adjusted to compensate for this effect according to the indication of a mercury thermometer included in the instrument case.

The first barometer of this type was devised in 1643 by Evangelista Torricelli. Torricelli had set out to create an instrument to measure the weight of air, or air pressure, and to study the nature of vacuums. He first used water, but it required a glass tube 60 feet long. He then used mercury, perhaps on a suggestion from Galileo Galilei, because it is significantly denser than water. To create a vacuum with mercury takes less than three feet, which makes its use more practical than a water barometer.

Torricelli documented that the height of the mercury in a barometer changed slightly each day and concluded that this was due to the changing pressure in the atmosphere. He wrote: "We live submerged at the bottom of an ocean of elementary air, which is known by incontestable experiments to have weight".

The mercury barometer's design gives rise to the expression of atmospheric pressure in inches or millimeters (torr): the pressure is quoted as the level of the mercury's height in the vertical column. 1 atmosphere is equivalent to about 29.9 inches, or 760 millimeters, of mercury. The use of this unit is still popular in the United States, although it has been disused in favor of SI or metric units in other parts of the world. Barometers of this type normally measure atmospheric pressures between 28 and 31 inches of mercury.

Design changes to make the instrument more sensitive, simpler to read, and easier to transport resulted in variations such as the basin, siphon, wheel, cistern, Fortin, multiple folded, stereometric, and balance barometers. Fitzroy barometers combine the standard mercury thermometer with a thermometer, as well as a guide of how to interpret pressure changes.

Aneroid Barometers
An aneroid barometer uses a small, flexible metal box called an aneroid cell. This aneroid capsule(cell) is made from an alloy of beryllium and copper. The box is tightly sealed after some of the air is removed, so that small changes in external air pressure cause the cell to expand or contract. This expansion and contraction drives mechanical levers and other devices which are displayed on the face of the aneroid barometer. Many models include a manually set needle which is used to mark the current measurement so a change can be seen. A barograph, which records a graph of some atmospheric pressure, uses an aneroid barometer mechanism to move a needle on a smoked foil or to move a pen upon paper, both of which are attached to a drum moved by clockwork.

Aneroid barometer

Next time … a discussion on rain gauges.

Posted by Gary Archibald at 07:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Gary Archibald, Weathercaster

This is the first blog installment of several to come – the topic: weather devices. Let’s go with it shall we? And first up…let’s examine the anemometer (it’s a word that defies proper pronunciation – at least for me…). But is nonetheless a useless weather-measuring tool. Let’s take a look.

An anemometer is a device for measuring the velocity or the pressure of the wind, and is one instrument used in a weather station. The term is derived from the Greek word, anemos, meaning wind. Anemometers can be divided into two classes: those that measure the velocity of the wind, and those that measure the pressure of the wind, but as there is a close connection between the pressure and the velocity and a suitable anemometer of either class will give information about both these quantities.

There are just a few different types of anemometers.

Cup anemometers
The simplest type of anemometer is the cup-anemometer, invented (1846) by Dr. John Thomas Romney Robinson, of Armagh Observatory. It consists of three or four hemispherical cups, mounted one on each end of a horizontal arm, which lie at equal angles to each other.

A hemispherical cup anemometer of the type invented in 1846 by John Thomas Romney Robinson

A vertical axis round which the cups turn passes through the centre of the arms; flow of air past the cups in any horizontal direction turns the cups in a manner that is proportional to the wind speed. Therefore counting the turns of the cups over a set time period gives the average wind speed for a wide range of speeds.

Windmill anemometers
The other forms of mechanical velocity anemometer may be described as belonging to the windmill type. In the Robinson anemometer the axis of rotation is vertical, but with this subdivision the axis of rotation must be parallel to the direction of the wind and therefore horizontal. Furthermore, since the wind varies in direction and the axis has to follow its changes, a wind vane or some other contrivance to fulfill the same purpose must be employed.

A windmill style of anemometer

An aerovane combines a propeller and a tail on the same axis to obtain accurate and precise wind speed and direction measurements from the same instrument. In cases where the direction of the air motion is always the same, as in the ventilating shafts of mines and buildings for instance, wind vanes, known as air meters are employed, and give most satisfactory results.

Sonic anemometers
Sonic anemometers, first developed in the 1970s, use ultrasonic sound waves to measure wind speed and direction. They are capable of measuring wind velocity in all directions. The spatial resolution is given by the path length between transducers, which is typically 10 to 20 cm (approx. 5-10”).

3D ultrasonic anemometer

Sonic anemometers can take measurements with very fine temporal resolution, 20 Hz or better, which make them well suited for turbulence measurements.

Wind speed and direction – they are important data points that we in the weather business need to know to better understand active weather developments and effects. Anemometers are as you have just seen, an integral part of data essential weather data-collecting apparatus… next up, in a future blog…I’ll look into BAROMETERS.

Cheers!

GA

Posted by Gary Archibald at 07:00 PM | Permalink

Gary Archibald, Weathercaster

It’s feeling like summer in parts of the nation this week – the Southwest for example is hot and dry. Yuma, Casa Grande, and Phoenix, Arizona have been under the sun (quite literally), and that blazing sunshine, coupled with high pressure and thermal low-pressure systems pumping in the very warm air, has produced temperatures in the 100 – 105 range! That’s hot.

And it’s not the kind of weather situation that one wants to take lightly; in fact, no matter where you are – the sun's rays (UV in particular), even when it’s cloudy (to a lesser degree), are penetrating your protective layer: your skin. Know that skin cancer, especially among younger Americans (especially teens) is a significant problem. Pre-mature aging too is not cool in my books – I think that you would agree. PROTECT YOURSELF. You know the drill. And take a look at his, a refresher of sorts from our friends at www.wikipedia.com:

UV index is an international standard measurement of how strong the ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun is at a particular place on a particular day. It is a scale primarily used in daily forecasts aimed at the general public.

Its purpose is to help people to effectively protect themselves from UV light, of which excessive exposure causes sunburns, eye damage such as cataracts, skin aging, and skin cancer (see the section health effects of ultraviolet light). Public-health organizations recommend that people protect themselves (for example, by applying sunscreen to the skin and wearing a hat) when the UV index is 3 or higher; see the table below for complete recommendations.

Posted by Gary Archibald at 06:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Meteorologist Jeff Ranieri

While it’s not the weekend I did manage a day off to recover after our crazy weather lately. I decided to spend part of the day sleeping in and the other half relaxing outside.

There’s a cool breeze in the city and when the wind blows it’s a bit chilly, when it stops it’s just perfect to lay out and get sun. The temperatures on this day were not that warm with upper 60’s and low 70’s. Even with a bit of a cool feel in the air my crazy brain and body decided it was time to bake after a long and drawn out last leg of winter. I grabbed the sunscreen, the magazines, and some snacks and headed for the pier. I probably should explain if you have never been to NYC there are mainly three options to lay out and get sun.

*Your Rooftop

*Central Park

*Grassy park piers

My choice was one that is close by and a favorite, the Christopher Street Pier.

Ok, back to my day… I stepped outside in shorts with almost a confident walk to the water like it was 90 degrees out or something. I got a few look wearing shorts but I only had a few blocks to get to the pier and I was really hoping somebody else was in need of some rays as well. I got to the pier and was happy to see I was not the only insane person to lay out in the cool. I set up on the grass with my towel, ipod and a stack of magazines. What I would learn next in one of the magazines is the weather really is everywhere these days.

While the weather was around me the brain was floating off at this point into a vegetative state that is only good for mindless entertainment reading. I pulled from a stack a magazine that was a mix of entertainment and legitimate interviews. Yes, I did say legitimate and entertainment in the same sentence! I was halfway through the magazine and came across an ad that grabbed my eyes. It was really unexpected from a designer that I love, Diesel.

The clothing brand as you can see from the ad actually made a reference to global warming. They are clearly selling new waterproof boots that can withstand global warming.

The boots are tagged as global warming ready. I wonder if Diesel knows something about the future that we don’t?!!?

While global warming is a hot topic and debated often it is clear to me that when the fashion industry jumps aboard it is no longer a subject for weather geeks.

So now it’s not only a controversial topic but according to some brands it can even be fashionable to wear global warming tagged items. I think one person who might be disappointed in the ad is Al Gore. In the picture they look like women’s boots. I wonder if they will make the male version of the boot? If they do will Al Gore will be the next Diesel model for the shoes?

While I only lasted about an hour in the sun we know the ads like the one for Diesel or Al Gore’s book will likely last much longer as mother natures changing weather conditions brings more and more attention to the controversial topic.

Back to the day off and maybe to the Diesel store soon to see if they have the male version of the boot.

Jeff Ranieri

Posted by at 09:09 AM | Permalink

Meteorologist Jeff Ranieri

It was another beautiful spring morning on Wednesday as some overnight rain had cleared out the pollen and the early morning sun was starting to shine down the hallway to my bedroom. I woke up on time without hitting the snooze button this time as I had a very important meeting with some top notch planting experts. Who exactly are these experts??? I was heading for a one on one interview with a part of Martha Stewart's gardening team. I got dressed, grabbed some coffee and with planting on my mind I made sure to water my new and colorful plants. One quick look at the clock and it was time to catch a cab.

• In the cab... Traffic is slow but I'm still on time at this point.
  
• I arrive and get a guest badge and then head right up to the Martha Stewart floor.
  
• I meet up with the Nicole ( PR Dept.) who is dressed in green and ready for our segment & Tony (Martha Stewart Living Gardening Editor)

Ok, now it's time to start the shoot. Our first segment was on Spring Gardening. I took off the jacket, rolled up the sleeves and tossed the tie! We started with a 20-30 inch pot and our goal was to plant a mini garden. We chose to plant tomatoes as these are great for spring and relatively hard to kill off -- perfect for me! I was a bit surprised and really had no idea a garden could survive in a potted atmosphere and thrive. This of course is great news especially if you live in a city environment. Tony even suggested starting with a large pot if you are a beginner since it's much easier to focus than tend to a huge garden.

RELATED: Create A Container Garden

We have the plants and the pot now and it was time to get going. I dug the hole and Tony put the tomato plant in the soil. I was probably a bit naive to think we would only plant tomatoes. He then proceeded to have me help add in other types of plants in our garden. Tony suggests mixing up the vegetables in the pot to add variety. The layout of our pot was now a "Patio Tomato" plant in the center and then surrounded in a circle of various herbs. The most important thing I learned here is when you mix with other vegetables you want the dominant plant in the center and low to the ground vegetables surrounding your center plant. This technique is used so the tomato plant is not overshadowed and shaded by the other plants.

We were finished in a matter of minutes with a garden that would produce tomatoes in 40-70 days, not bad. This quick turn over from flower to fruit in 40-70 days is again with a "Patio Tomato". If you head off to look for tomato plants make sure to check the label since there are several different variations of tomato plants that can take much longer to bring you fruit. It was that easy and our mini garden is now finished!

At this point I'm trying to think how I can escape out of the studio with this expertly finished potted garden *-)> We still have more work before we are done with Martha Stewart's team.

My attempt to garden at home!

From the garden to incredible flowers. Part Two of Martha Stewart and the Gardening Team!

The morning sun was up full now and shining into the studio loft space. Next on our agenda was Flower Box planting and how to add a vibrant touch of color to your life. I must admit I felt like an mini expert in this department after my recent planting but Tony (Martha Stewart Living Gardening Editor) certainly had some expert ideas that left me thinking about my own spring flowers.

He rolls in the next cart for our interview and it is one of the most beautiful displays I have ever seen. It was almost as if it was transported right out of the pages of the Martha Stewart magazine. The first thing that came to mind was how it looked like a living lavender bouquet that would be delivered to your home.

More of my NYC garden.

I was in awe of the gorgeous display... Martha Stewart is not paying me to gush, I promise! Tony was very humble and simply related the immaculate flower box creation to getting dressed in the morning. What exactly does this mean? As you look for flowers you should pick a variety of plants with similar shades of color and then you are sure to have a gorgeous living display. In our particular flower box we had about 4 different plants that ranged from a white and purple mix to a strong pop of lavender color on some pansies.

WATCH: Jeff and Tony talk gardening

As you could see in the video coordinating the plants like you would with a suit - shirt - and tie can make a huge difference. Tony's expertise and easy tips helped me to realize that the Martha Stewart looking flower box is possible and is something that can surely live off the pages of the magazine. Our expert also stressed that keeping flower boxes watered is extremely important as eventually most of the box will become more root bound with eventually less soil.

After finishing the segment and going home that night I realized that I committed the ultimate in color clashing in one of my flower boxes. I'm still not sure if I will revamp this as I would hate to rip the plants up for the sake of plant fashion. If there is a Mr. Blackwell of planting he may come after me this year but at least next spring when I start planting I will have all of the tools to create a breathtaking display. Either way it would be hard to hard to say I'm missing some color in my life right now.

Have fun planting as you add some Veggies and Color to your garden and make sure to check out the Spring May issue of Martha Stewart Living which features Tony and some incredible color!

Thanks Tony and Nicole!

Posted by Jeff Ranieri at 04:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

Meteorologist Britta Merwin

As trees are budding, flowers are blooming, and people remember how much they love to be outside it brings about the question, what is the best season? Sometimes the answer depends on where you live. My favorite season is the same whether I am back home in Littleton, Colorado or working here in the New York City Metro Area. Here are some hints. I love the perfect temperatures, the longer days, and the balance between two extremes. That’s right, spring is the best season for me!

The first two weeks of May are beautiful in New York City. Central Park is full of green trees and people breaking from the hibernation of winter. The best part of spring, at least in the northeast, is the combination of pleasant temperatures and lower humidity. In summer the temperatures reach into the 90s and combined with 90% relative humidity that transforms the subways of New York City into boiler rooms! Spring feels just right, it is warm enough to leave the jacket at home and dry enough to not have to choose your hairstyle based on the amount of moisture in the air.

My second favorite part of spring comes from growing up in Colorado. Although the northeast gets thunderstorms as well, my home state is located right next to Tornado Alley. As a huge meteorology nerd I am fascinated by severe weather. Nothing is more exciting then waking up early on a spring day to sunny skies, then seeing the clouds darken during the afternoon as daytime heating starts cooking up the storms. Then as the anvil clouds push higher into the atmosphere the winds begin to blow and the lightning dances across the sky. The terrifying and amazing power of super cells inspired me to learn about the atmosphere and start a career that can help people stay safe when it comes to severe weather.

So now it is up to you the readers and viewers! What is the best season? Is it the intense heat of the summer, the bold colors of the fall, the powdery snow of winter, or the balanced happiness of spring?

Posted by at 05:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

Jackie Meretsky

If excessive usage of MAC bronzer (in Golden) makes me a tanorexic, then I am the first to admit that I suffer from tanorexia. A trip to the cosmetics mecca Sephora yesterday told me that I am not alone in my quest to achieve the perfect golden shade from head to toe.

PHOTOS: Tanorexic Celebrities

From liquid self tanners to powdered bronzers to the new airbrush spray guns, clearly the George Hamilton hue has not gone out of style DESPITE the sun’s notorious reputation for causing skin damage. The sun has become the new junk food that you know you shouldn’t be consuming too much of, but you can’t quite get it out of your diet. Sunscreen has become the new treadmill – 40 minutes in the sun requires a high SPF – just like a 400 calorie doughnut requires a 45 minute run on an incline of 15%.

Every once in a while, a study comes out boasting about the merits of Vitamin D. Hooray! Break out the Hawaiian tropic oil and let’s start baking! Not. The vitamin D studies are similar to the very infrequent but always popular studies that boast a high carb diet. It sounds good, but common sense tells you not to get attached to the idea. It’s hard not to associate a suntan with good health and vitality given the beautiful glow your skin emits with the right amount of exposure. In fact, just a small amount of sunlight is needed for the body to produce vitamin D – but by the time you have gotten a suntan – you’ve probably gotten more Vitamin D than you need.

Here’s the ominous truth: more than 1 million new skin cancer cases are likely to be diagnosed in the U.S. this year. Yikes. The sun is also playing a trick on youth because the visable effects of skin damage can show up years after the exposure. It’s like a sugary diet that you blindly consume for years and then all of the sudden your teeth start decaying and (gasp) falling out.

Fortunately, for tanorexics like me, there are a plethora of alternatives that give you stunning flaxen golden color without harming your skin. Decleor self tanner has become a staple in my medicine cabinet and I go through more MAC bronzer than the make-up artists here at Weather Plus headquarters. Once in a while, I cheat in my diet and my sun exposure, in fact sometimes at the same time. I’ll lie in the sun for 20 minutes and devilishly drink a Frappucino with whipped cream – I know, I’m such a rebel. But I can’t say that I’m happy with myself afterwards!

Posted by Jackie Meretsky at 09:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)