Saturday Evening...

Watching the severe weather event unfold in the Lower Mississippi Valley this evening. Already, quite a few tornado warnings have been issued, and this system will probably produce a lot of wind damage (either from tornadoes or straight-line winds) this evening and tonight from the Lower Mississippi Valley eastward through the Tennessee Valley and Deep South.

For us, it will all be a matter of instability. The wind fields and shear with this system are quite impressive. However, the forecasted level of instability in our viewing area is not.

If we do manage to get dewpoints on up toward the mid 50s tomorrow, then certainly a few strong to severe storms will be possible. At this point, I think the best chance for severe weather will be midday Sunday through the afternoon, roughly from Interstate 85 eastward. At this time, I don't think the severe weather threat is a huge one, but we will certainly be watching it closely for you tomorrow. Keep it tuned to News 14 Carolina.

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Life with a Potty Training Two Year-Old

As I have mentioned before, I have 3 daughters, and our middle daughter, Grace, is potty training. Let me give a quick disclaimer...this story has a certain "gross factor" ...you have been warned.

Those of you who have been through potty training kids know that potty training really comes in stages. Well, Grace has gotten the daytime 'weeing' potty training down now....rarely ever has an accident. However, she is still working on getting the 'shooing' part of potty training down. We think her biggest problem is simply recognizing what the need to 'shoo' feels like.

At any rate, the other night, we were all in the living room and we noticed Grace going into her look of concentration that often times immediately precedes 'shoo.' She did not have any bottoms on because it was the time when we were about to put her bedtime diaper on. So, quickly my wife scoops her up and begins to run to the bathroom. As soon as she scoopes her up, we both see that the 'deed' is already in progress, and the only real option at this point is to continue to quickly try to get her to the potty. I remain in the living room with our oldest daughter. I see my wife round the corner, Grace in arms, and then I hear a loud THUMP and a grotesque-sounding scream.

So, quickly around the corner I go, and what do I find??? Let me tell you, this is not a sight you see every day, nor is it one I really want to see again. I see the scene and immediately can tell what has happened. The 'deed' I previously mentioned came free en route to the bathroom. It happened to fall right in front of my wife. She then promptly stepped on it, slipped down, and fell. To her credit, she managed to gently set Grace down as she tumbled to the floor. But there she was, streaks of 'shoo' all over the floor, covering my wife's foot, and smelling like a bed of roses.

So, what was my reaction to all of this? Like any good father (as soon as I realize everyone is OK), I reach over and grab the video camera to document this moment for the ages. My wife loved that...let me tell you. But it was a moment too good to pass up.

So, I thought I would share this little ditty with you.....

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Windy and Warm Thursday

Pretty impressive winds across the Carolinas...in the Triad area, winds have been gusting between 40 and 50mph this afternoon. For the Charlotte region, wind gusts between 30 and 40mph have been common. Those windy, dry conditions have fanned the flames of a major fire in Raleigh this afternoon. I have been watching our sister News 14 Carolina station in Raleigh covering the fire this afternoon....winds have been really hindering the fire extinguishing efforts.

By the way, the peak wind gust registered today on the new anemometer atop the Swinging Bridge at Grandfather Mountain was 93mph!

Along with the winds, the warmth has been impressive as well...many folks were up into the lower 70s today.

Still watching the weekend system. Models are wanting to really hold on to the cooler, stable air across much of North Carolina Sunday...I am not fully convinced of that scenario yet, but I am not quite as concerned about the possibility of severe weather as I was a couple of days ago. Could change though....

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This afternoon...

An upper level disturbance will move overhead later today. Earlier, that disturbance fired off some storms over eastern Tennessee, and now we are left with decaying showers over the NC mountains as of this typing just prior to noon.

As the disturbance moves our way, I am forecasting the possibility of scattered showers and storms this afternoon over the southern Piedmont of NC. If we do get a few storms going, some marginally severe hail will be possible. We will watch it closely.

For the Triad viewing area, the prospects for a storm are lower, but still, scattered showers are quite possible, especially from the Triad itself and points southward.

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Wednesday Morning...

Watching the potential for a few storms later today. Will post more information as time allows.....gotta get shows completed for both the Triad and Charlotte markets today....

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