Scarlet Pimpernel

Going to be an interesting first half of January it appears, for sure! Things will go back and forth on individual vorts and shortwaves, but you have to like the multiple opportunities that seem to be available. Right now, can't ask for much more than that.

Sad news today...Jimmy Carter passed away at 100 years old. No matter one's politics, he exemplified what it is to be an upstanding and generous human being. He will be missed. I still remember years ago he appeared on Jay Leno's show, and did a demo of hammering some planks together (as he would do building his Habitat for Humanity houses). Leno had difficulty trying to hammer the nails in (much to the amusement of the audience!), and Jimmy Carter showed him how to do it correctly. The man could literally pound the hammer twice on the nail and it was done, even as old as he was then!

True story...for that first 2010 storm (Feb. 5-6), I purposely picked up some Becks beer (yeah, I know, not the best) to enjoy during that event! Becks for the BECS!!!

You'll shoot your eye out, kid! Life Buoy for you!!

Happy Christmas to all! Best wishes to all for a wonderful Holiday! Since there's some discussion of movies, here are some that I always like every year (at least as many as I can watch): --Scrooge (the one with Albert Finney, from the early '70s, a semi-musical) --It's a Wonderful Life --Die Hard (yes, it's a Christmas movie, much discussion was had about that a few years back!!) --Miracle on 34th Street --Christmas Story (a Finnish version, very touching and nice!) --A Christmas Story (yeah, that one, with Ralphie and the Red Ryder BB gun!) --Home Alone --The Santa Clause --Any of the old animated classics...Grinch who Stole Christmas, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, etc.!

Mmmm, who doesn't like MINT at this time of year! Myself, I love the Holiday mint M&Ms!! Stock up on those every December!

Isn't that what we want to start seeing, though? Some really nice, even wacky solutions showing up in the deterministic and individual ensemble members out at longer range. Then of course hopefully hone in on a real one as it gets closer in time. I thought that was a problem last year, with all the drool-worthy looks for February in the extra-extended ensembles and such. It looked great on those plots, but we never really saw the "big, wild hits" show up, even from individual ensemble members. I think it was @Bob Chill who pointed that out, saying that while it looked great on those extended means, he wasn't too thrilled with what was "under the hood."

Does this post break the record for the number of different emoji reactions? It's like an ensemble spread!

Damn. sun angle is working against us now after the official solstice late last night!

Likewise, I live in suburban MD now. For several years I lived in DC, around the Capitol Hill neighborhood. But even there, I noticed the amount of snow I got was more than what DCA reported (not hugely different, but noticeable!).

Not only a shutout prior to that big storm, but record warmth that December beforehand! I still recall going out Christmas Eve and it was literally hazy and humid out. A lot of people like to frown on that winter as a one-and-done failure. That is sort of true, but I think people overlook that we actually were a little colder than normal that January (when the blizzard occurred) into the first half of February. We also did get a small snow/ice event around Presidents' Day. And I think there were a couple of other at least small trackable threats that ended up not happening.

Meh...DCA will still find a way to never record more than 17.8 inches, even while locations right nearby are pushing 3 feet!!

Yeah, unreal to think that the December 2009 HECS was just the start (actually, it started earlier that month with a light amount of snow on the "famous" Dec. 5!). I still have to say, that 12 day period from Jan. 30-Feb. 10, 2010 was the most concentrated snowy period I've seen, and I grew up in northeast Ohio where I've experienced a lot of snowy winters! In that 12 days, we got two moderate events and two HECS-level storms, and I measured a total of 46.8" in that time.

I was just thinking this the other day, at least for this area. Yeah, haven't had any snow this month other than maybe a couple of stray flakes. But to my knowledge, it's been one of the colder Decembers I can remember in awhile. Not extreme, but some solidly cold days and nights. Not those nearly 65 degree humid evenings! In fact, I saw that even DCA is about a degree or so below normal on the month so far. So if we avoid any torch the rest of the month, I'd have to say it's more in line with a "typical" December than we've seen.

Uh, oh...are cute puppies and fuzzy bunnies at risk of being kicked?? The advertised pattern going into the first part of January does look good, though I understand the caution (especially after what happened last winter, weeks of "great looks" that disappeared as it got within 10 days). I'd take a solid, moderate warning-level event any day, that sticks around for a bit afterward! Funny that SNE'ers would be angry at "only" a 3-6" storm! In these parts, there'd be partying in the streets if an area-wide event like that occurred!

On the grounds of the apartment complex I used to live, there was a deer family with a doe and two fawns that would come by this courtyard area and just hang out, eat the grass, whatever. I could actually sit there on the steps watching them from literally maybe as close as 20 feet and they didn't seem to mind me (or my camera, taking photos). I actually think they got used to me, I saw them there quite often. So here's your daily dose of cuteness!...

There's a @ravensrule comment in there somewhere, I'm sure!

Wow, that's a BIG squirrel! I didn't know they had antlers either!! Fattening him up I see, to have venison for Christmas dinner?! (That second photo, looks like he's thinking, "Dafuq you lookin' at???")

Yes, happy anniversary to you @mappy!! Hard to believe it's been 15 years since that amazing December HECS at the same time!

Would you believe, I've just written a masterpiece as I was tying my cravat! Yes, a little Christmas ditty for the season, appropriate for the Panic Room! I hope the Reaper @WxWatcher007 approves! Well, here it is... The Twelve Days of Reaping On the first day of Christmas, the Reaper gave to me… Ji canceling winter in a pear tree! On the second day of Christmas, the Reaper gave to me… Two skeletons! And Ji canceling winter in a pear tree. On the third day of Christmas, the Reaper gave to me… Three shovels digging! Two skeletons, And Ji canceling winter in a pear tree. On the fourth day of Christmas, the Reaper gave to me… Four gravesite headstones! Three shovels digging, Two skeletons, And Ji canceling winter in a pear tree. On the fifth day of Christmas, the Reaper gave to me… Five…Hapless…Souls! Four gravesite headstones, Three shovels digging, Two skeletons, And Ji canceling winter in a pear tree. On the sixth day of Christmas, the Reaper gave to me… Six gallows waiting! Five…Hapless…Souls! Four gravesite headstones, Three shovels digging, Two skeletons, And Ji canceling winter in a pear tree. On the seventh day of Christmas, the Reaper gave to me… Seven scythes swathing! Six gallows waiting, Five…Hapless…Souls! Four gravesite headstones Three shovels digging, Two skeletons, And Ji canceling winter in a pear tree. On the eighth day of Christmas, the Reaper gave to me… Eight souls a’screamin'! Seven scythes swathing, Six gallows waiting, Five…Hapless…Souls! Four gravesites headstones, Three shovels digging, Two skeletons, And Ji canceling winter in a pear tree. On the ninth day of Christmas, the Reaper gave to me… Nine Debbie-downers cryin’! Eight souls a’screamin’, Seven scythes swathing, Six gallows waiting, Five…Hapless…Souls! Four gravesite headstones, Three shovels digging, Two skeletons, And Ji canceling winter in a pear tree. On the tenth day of Christmas, the Reaper gave to me… Ten axes grinding! Nine Debbie-downers cryin’, Eight souls a’screamin’, Seven scythes swathing, Six gallows waiting, Five…Hapless…Souls! Four gravesite headstones, Three shovels digging, Two skeletons, And Ji canceling winter in a pear tree. On the eleventh day of Christmas, the Reaper gave to me… Eleven brand new caskets ! Ten axes grinding, Nine Debbie-downers cryin’, Eight souls a’screamin’, Seven scythes swathing, Six gallows waiting, Five…Hapless…Souls! Four gravesite headstones, Three shovels digging, Two skeletons, And Ji canceling winter in a pear tree. On the twelfth day of Christmas, the Reaper gave to me… Twelve weenies jumping! Eleven brand new caskets, Ten axes grinding, Nine Debbie-downers cryin’, Eight souls a;screamin’, Seven scythes swathing, Six gallows waiting, Five…Hapless…Souls! Four gravesite headstones, Three shovels digging, Two skeletons, And Ji canceling winter in a pear tree!!!!! Happy Reaping!

FYP!! Big Di*k? Big Dog? Birth Date? Bull Durham? A holiday celebrated in Great Britain the day after Christmas?? Don't know at all what you mean!!!

To paraphrase LOTR: Weenies: "The beacons! The beacons of the Panic Room are lit! Weenies call for aid!" (Long pause...) @WxWatcher007: "And the Reaper will answer! Muster the skeletons and headstones!"

I totally hear you on that (as much as I love snow), having dealt with a similar situation when my daughter was doing ballet years ago. The school let students participate in the Washington Ballet's "Nutcracker" each year, and she was in that a few times. Typically nothing bad in terms of weather occurred (other than rain!). But in Dec. 2013, there was some ice event the night I had to take her downtown to the Warner Theatre in DC for one performance, and that was an adventure I could have done without!

A bad-tempered and bitter (old) man.