Love Of Satellite Pictures...

This is a continuation of yesterday's post regarding how I see things through our modern satellite technology.   You will rarely see any of these features discussed by your local weather-caster.  For example, we are approaching the Winter Solstice/Shortest Day for the northern Hemisphere.  You can actually see how the southern hemisphere has more sunshine all the way down to the South Pole, while the northern hemisphere sees no sun across the Arctic/North Pole.

It's so cool to watch the Earth's shadow come around as our Planet rotates on its axis.  Back in 1971, when I started in broadcasting, we received 4 still pictures a day.   Now you can follow fronts and cold air push in behind them.

There is snow on the ground from Kansas to Ohio and you can tell the difference between clouds & snow since the snow doesn't move!

Fluffy high level cirrus/ice crystals lows difference from the low level cold air clouds over the Gulf.

What do the local weather-casters show?  Mainly the upper level water vapor with no mention of the low level cloud features.                                                                                                                      

The main weather focus for the next 2-3 days will be the formation of a Gulf low on Saturday well south and east of our coast.  We'll get some rain from it on Saturday into Sunday, but the brunt of the storm will be from Mobile Bay eastward.  The super cold is still up in Canada with no signs of that coming our way until after the New Year.

The current chill over the lower 48 will retreat for Christmas week with much of the country without a white Christmas.  Good news if you have to travel back to family.  Bad news if you enjoy the white stuff at this time of the year.

Tomorrow will be a sad day for me, not because I have minor hernia surgery in the morning.  Rather, this will be my first operation without having Nancy Parker covering it for Ch. 8.  Don't pray for me, but pray for Nancy's children & husband (Glynn) who have to go through their 1st Christmas without her.  RIP Nancy