Remembering Bernie...

It's hard to believe my Dad would have turned 100 this year.  Unfortunately Pop passed away a month short of his 81st birthday 19 years ago. He was a stern Dad, a great little league coach & a proud Father when I became the first in our family to graduate from college.  I had him on my weather program several times and he enjoyed the spotlight.  His obituary called him "Mr. Personality" & I thank him for that trait.

One thing about his generation is that they didn't take many pictures.  He was a proud army veteran (good looking if you asked me!) & still looked healthy in the above photo with my younger sister Carol.  I miss my Dad because I was never able to see him much.  I left home at 17 for Ann Arbor & then my jobs took me to Tampa, Dayton & New Orleans.  I don't think I was ever home for Father's Day once I left for college.   I envy those of you who still live near family & can go visit anytime you want. Don't waste your opportunity.   Enjoy your parents while you can.  Seems the same fate has repeated itself for me as my 3 sons live in Montana, Colorado & Oklahoma.  Reminds me of an old Harry Chapin song called "Cats in the cradle.  Bernie, Pops, Dad, we miss you each year.  Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there.

Weather-wise, we're still mainly dry although some showers are around Houston, across central Louisiana and along the Florida beaches.  The stalled upper low over the east is finally leaving while another smaller upper swirl is moving into Arkansas.

There are no fronts near us so our higher rain chances will be due to increase low level moisture (dew points in the 60s up to Green Bay) and weak upper disturbances .   We're hot now until late September with the only relief being the cooling daytime showers that bubble up.

The Saharan Dust layer remains impressive as the Tropics are very quiet.  NHC has mentioned the cluster off the Carolina coast has a slim (10%) chance that it might become a "sub-tropical"  low.   Farther to the east is yet another swirl on the north edge of the dust layer.  Let's hope NHC doesn't waste another name on this year's list.  Stay tuned!