Morning All,
   Happy Friday...hope it's a GOOD one, if you know what I mean!  I apologize for not keeping my word on the April updates.  There was no cell phone reception in South Dakota where I have been for several days for work.  But that's how it goes.  After a rough ten plus hour drive out on a blowing snow I-90, we had a relaxing day (yet a long way from home) visiting the Black Hills and other sites near Rapid City.  The Workshop was a solid one, with some neat ideas, events, and future thoughts shared.  I just got back yesterday afternoon and started mids last night, so I best hit the hay pronto.  But first, thought I would BREEZE it.
   Weather news had been quiet until yesterday.  A bowling ball of a system, as us mets like to call the potent ones, dug out of the southern Rockies early yesterday and created a massive dry punch into OK and TX.  This sprung fires in the already dry vegetation areas, including close to OK City.  Even some residential neighborhoods went up in flames.  Not good at all.  Humidities were about 10-15% with 40-55 mph winds.  Brutal. On the leading edge of the dry punch, tornadic storms developed late yesterday afternoon in eastern Oklahoma and oscillated in intensity much of the night across MO/AR/LA/MS/TN.  Tornadic storms came close to the home of Wal-Mart...sorry Jamie and Miles.  And sorry Scruff for mentioning her and Miles in the same sentence.  But yes, ugly night in AR.  Unfortunately there were fatalities with one twister, which sounds like it could be categorized as a big one later today as the damage is surveyed.  Powerful thunderstorm redevelopment is expected this afternoon in parts of AL/GA/TN/SC.  The Atlanta area could be ground zero for some big time late afternoon action.
   As for us...well we will be quiet and dry this Holiday weekend.  There is a chance for a little light rain Easter night in Minneapolis, but otherwise, all quiet.  An active pattern from west to east across the central and southern part of the county looks to continue though next week, with a couple more bowling balls advertised.  We shall see, but at this point it would seem likely.  Fire concerns in TX/OK will definitely continue.
   I have no pics today, and I have little for humor.  I also have no retort right now for the rival blog, the Gust.  That time will come though, and it won't be pretty and it won't be proper.  In the meantime, I'll hit the sack.  Everyone else get ready to enjoy the weekend.  Check out this link when you have time, which is about the awesome field experiment that is set to go in the next couple weeks across the southern and central Plains.  I've heard several exciting speeches about this the past two weeks.  It's titled Vortex II: www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2009/20090406_tornado.html

From the 'Sota to the 'Dota ... mmmbooyah,
MTF