Weather News

“They like to enjoy themselves. They like to spend, and they have money.”

Broward County tourism officials are expecting to lure more Canadian visitors than ever because of the new strength of their currency against a weakened U.S. dollar. via WTVJ Miami Channel 6

“We're thinking about selling in the spring because it takes so much to heat this place”

Nowhere in America, it seems, are people more apprehensive about the prospect of a $3-a-gallon winter than in Maine.

Motorists nationwide may grumble about gasoline prices now hovering around $3 for a gallon of regular, but home heating oil that soared this month to $3.09 a gallon _ breaking the $3 barrier for the first time _ is the focus of concern in Maine.

The reasons for Maine's vulnerability are clear:

It tops the list of states most dependent on oil heat, with 80 percent of homes relying on No. 2 oil or kerosene. It's one of the nation's coldest states, with the northern city of Caribou often singled out by the National Weather Service as having the lowest temperature among the Lower 48. In terms of per capita incomes, Maine is generally ranked as the poorest state in the Northeast. And lots of older homes lack adequate insulation, making them harder to heat. Read more

“There were skilled enough individuals on board this ship. They didn't carry out their missions correctly”

Coast Guard investigators on Sunday were trying to determine whether a cargo ship's speed and possible communication problems led to a collision that resulted in the San Francisco Bay's worst oil spill in nearly two decades.

A preliminary Coast Guard investigation found that human error, not mechanical failure, caused the ship to sideswipe a support on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.

'One of the things we are looking at, as with any investigation with the weather conditions we saw _ specifically heavy fog _ would be what speed was the ship traveling and was that appropriate given the visibility at the time?' Coast Guard Cmdr. Brendan McPherson said Sunday. Read more

A Russian tanker broke in half during a storm on Sunday, spilling 1,300 tonnes of fuel oil into the Kerch Strait between the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, a transport ministry spokeswoman told AFP. via XtraMSN Real Estate

“Illnesses that come from animals are one of the greatest threats to the survival of the human race that we know. We can't predict when a new microbe is going to come along, and we can't predict what form it will take”

A top U.N. influenza called illnesses from animals "one of the greatest threats to the survival of the human race" and urged Asia to keep watch for a sharp rise in bird flu outbreaks as winter approaches. via Pravda

Q:I want to make a quick, inexpensive improvement for window efficiency. I thought about making some exterior storm windows myself. They don't have to look great. What storm window design do you suggest?

A: Building your own storm windows can offer an excellent payback. This is true even if you already have double-pane thermal glass in your existing windows. Especially if you are not interested in a professional appearance, the material cost is low and it requires just simple tools and minimal carpentry skills. Read more

“I feel that the Department of Justice trivialized my husband's service. And, it seems to me it was written by someone who has no idea of what it's like to respond to an emergency.”

The waiting has been torture for Susan Falkouski but it's finally over. It was hard enough for her to lose her husband Rensselaer Assistant Fire Chief Mike Falkouski - a 37-year veteran of the Fire Department - ... via The Record

Showers, thunderstorms or freezing rain were expected in several parts of the country on Saturday, including a Pacific storm that forecasters said would slam into the Northwest.

The Pacific storm was expected to bring wet weather across the region, with rain extending from the northern Rockies to Central California.

A storm system in the Mid-Atlantic and Great Lakes regions was expected to bring gusty winds, rain and possible inland snow showers as far as southern New England.

In the central U.S., rain was expected in the northern Plains and upper Mississippi Valley. The precipitation could possibly be mixed with freezing rain in the northern Dakotas. Read more

New Jersey got its first snowfall of the season late Friday and early Saturday, with the white stuff coming down in the state's mountainous northwest. via WNBC-TV New York

“The risk of flooding has diminished and the outlook is for tide levels to fall”

Cars drive through flooded streets in Great Yarmouth. The threat of serious flooding along England's eastern coast diminished after officials said the main tidal peak had passed, although storms were still ... via TurkishPress.com

“The only thing that we know that's caused this is some lunar tides”

The eastern side of this North Carolina resort island is accustomed to seeing beach erosion, but after tide changes and a recent offshore hurricane, the west side is experiencing the same. via News Observer

“We are just seeing a reflection of all the factors out there that are affecting consumers”

Most retail chains suffered through a dismal, record-warm October, with leader Wal-Mart Stores Inc felling short of Wall Street same-store sales estimates and the apparel sector continuing to struggle, Experts ... via Earth Times

A low pressure system moving from Scandinavia to Central Europe could cause high winds and heavy snowfall, a European weather service said Thursday. via USA Today

“A tidal surge of up to three metres is making its way down the North Sea which could coincide with peak high tides”

East Anglia most at threat from unusual conditions Better prepared than 1953, says Environment Agency David Adam, environment correspondent Thursday November 8, 2007 The Guardian Gordon Brown convened a meeting ... via Guardian Unlimited

Southwest Ohio Christmas tree growers have been hit hard by this year's heat and drought. via Nbc4i.com

“My goal was lofty, but all citizens must cut water use as much as they can”

As North Carolina struggles with what's now the worst drought in its recorded history, conservation measures taken across the state are yet up to the standard demanded by Gov. via News & Record

“That's not going to help crude values”

Oil futures advanced toward $100 a barrel Thursday as severe weather forced additional North Sea oil platforms to shut down and fire hit at a Texas refinery, stoking concerns that supplies of oil, gas and ... via Ann Arbor News

People in the Waikato District are being warned to stay away from shallow lakes that may contain the blue-green algae cyanobacteria. via The New Zealand Herald

“We do understand, of course, that our friends here are anxious to make a difference. However, the figures simply do not add up”

Ending imports of fresh food from Africa under the pretext of combating climate change risks destroying entire communities that have become dependent on the trade, Ghana's High Commissioner to Britain said on ... via Corporate Social Responsibility News

“This weather is pretty typical for November. It's just that we had such a warm October, it may be a little hard to shift gears.”

Posted by Sue Weibezahl Porter November 07, 2007 9:48AM The cold front that's moving through the area has Central New Yorkers breaking out the winter coats and gloves. via Post-Standard