Time For Spring Cleaning...

I spent some of today cleaning up the leaves that fell from my 3 large oak trees last Fall & then used them as insulation in case we had some Winter freezes.  We all know this Winter has been very mild and there is very little chance for a freeze as the higher sun angle has our "normal" daily high above 70 now.

Computer models are developing a west coast trough with minor disturbances sweeping up in a SW flow over us.  That will result in above normal temps (normal high 71) for all of next week.  In fact, we could flirt with 80+ giving us a real feel of Spring. 

60s & 70s have soared all the way up into Montana with Glasgow as warm as us.  Northern Canada continues to suffer with the super cold air (35-40 below zero), but I see none of that chill coming our way.  The Great Lakes & Northeast will receive some of that cold delaying Spring for several more weeks.  The West Coast trough will finally bring some much needed rain to California & the desert SW.

The lack of rainfall over the Mississippi River basin to our north is very welcomed since the River at the Carrollton gage will stay around 17' for the next 3-4 days.   There should be a 2-3 foot drop in the River during the next 2 weeks.

Finally, after seeing the folks rushing to buy up water and supplies in a panic due to the Coronavirus, a doctor friend reminded me most folks don't react that way when a hurricane is coming.  In fact the CDC's death toll from the flu outbreak in the U.S. in 2017-18 topped 61,000+ and I don't remember any panic then.    Just me, but is this another media overhype?  Granted, the health experts claim this virus is 20 times more potent than the flu, but the number of people infected with the flu is in the multi-millions while the coronavirus number thousands.   A well respected President once said..."the only thing we need to fear is fear itself"  How true.  Stay tuned!