Monsoon's Forecast Update for Monday, 6 October 2008
Monday 10/6: a brief sprinkle or two this morning as a strong cold front moves through, then markedly cooler. Breezy early, then winds will become calm. High 62, low 36 (with overnight frost advisories in outlying areas, especially north of Reading).
Tuesday 10/7: pleasant with plenty of sunshine. High 66, low 39.
Wednesday 10/8: a bit warmer, but not warm. Partly to mostly sunny and breezy. High 69, low 44.
Thursday 10/9: partly cloudy; becoming mostly cloudy. High 71, low 48.
Friday 10/10: overcast with some showers in the afternoon and evening. High 66, low 52.
Saturday 10/11: clouds mixed with sun and a nice breeze. High 69, low 50.
Sunday 10/12: partly to mostly cloudy, but rain appears unlikely as of now. High 66, low 52.
Next week: It gets cooler in a hurry. High temperatures will be in the upper 50s to low 60s; lows will again dip into the upper 30s to low 40s. Rain is possible on Tuesday and Wednesday (the 14th and 15th), but otherwise next week is looking fairly dry.
The following weekend: Saturday the 18th looks gorgeous with a high in the mid 60s and a low in the upper 40s. Sunday looks less gorgeous with overcast conditions and rain.
Beyond: Cooler. Highs in the low to mid 50s and lows in the mid to upper 30s as we head into the final 10 days of October…
Monsoon's Weather Update for Thursday, 25 September 2008
Here’s the latest on a tricky coastal storm approaching our area at this hour.
Today: Rain, steady at times, beginning by 4 or 5pm today and continuing overnight. Breezy with a low of 56.
Friday: Breezy, overcast and chilly with temperatures holding steady in the upper 50s and low 60s for much of the day. Expect widely scattered rain and drizzle throughout the day with rising humidity at night.
Saturday: Partly to mostly cloudy with lingering AM showers possible, some of which could be heavy. Humid. I think the rain and sprinkles will be out of here by late afternoon. High 70, low 57.
Sunday: I’m going out on a limb and saying it’s going to be partly cloudy and dry with a high in the mid 70s. Waning humidity.
Next week: Sunny and pleasant to begin the week; next good chance for precipitation is Wednesday evening into Thursday.
I’ll update you if anything changes tomorrow…
Monsoon's Weather Update for Monday, 22 September 2008
Friends,
I thought I’d offer a quick update on the weather, which will be overwhelmingly dry and pleasant.
Monday 9/22: partly to mostly cloudy. High 73, low 54.
Tuesday 9/23: mostly cloudy; then clearing. High 70, low 48.
Wednesday 9/24: AM fog gives way to a clear, gorgeous afternoon. Expect winds out of the northeast at 10-12mph. High 72, low 53.
Thursday 9/25: sunny to partly cloudy with NE winds 12-15mph. High 71, low 51.
Friday 9/26: partly cloudy and breezy. High 72, low 52.
Saturday 9/27: mostly cloudy with some rain possible, especially in the evening. High 68, low 56.
[There exists the possibility of steadier/heavier rain on Friday and Saturday, but forecast models and indications are in disagreement. Right now it looks to me as though we’ll have relatively little rain, but I’ll be sure to update you if my thinking changes.]
Sunday 9/28: partly cloudy and pleasant. High 74, low 53.
Next week: sunny and nice on Monday and Tuesday with highs around 70 and lows around 50. Wednesday looks cloudy and cooler with a shower or two. Thursday and Friday will be markedly cooler with highs in the low 60s and lows in the low 40s.
The following weekend: partly cloudy and seasonably cool. Highs in the mid to upper 60s; lows in the low to mid 40s.
Beyond: Even cooler!
It looks like we will get that rain after all, and sooner than expected, at that. Thursday afternoon and evening--as well as most of Friday--look like relative washouts.
Wednesday 9/24: sunny, breezy, and nice. High 74, low 53.
Thursday 9/25: overcast, breezy and quite cool with rain developing in the afternoon—continuing, steady at times, into the evening and overnight. High 63, low 58.
Friday 9/26: remaining breezy and cool with periods of rain throughout the day and into the evening. High 66, low 57.
Saturday 9/27: cloudy and breezy with a chance of a shower or two in the morning or early afternoon, depending on how quickly this thing arrives and moves out of here; clearing thereafter. High 71, low 53.
Thereafter, my original forecast for this period holds up, though temperatures may be a few degrees cooler than my forecast highs and lows each day. Showers are possible on Wednesday 10/1 and Thursday 10/2, but Friday the third is looking like a real soaker.
Monsoon's Forecast for Monday, 15 September 2008
Friends…
After an unseasonably warm weekend with highs Sunday reaching into the 90s, we’ll settle into alignment with seasonal averages for mid- to late-September: highs in the low 70s, lows in the low 50s. Enjoy!
Weather narrative : Not a lot to report here, my good people. The rest of the week, through the weekend, and even into next week look downright pleasant with a couple little hiccups of warmish temperatures, as the WeatherTable indicates.
Thanks to some heavy rain from the remnants of Hurricane Hanna and some nice rain the other night, we’re all in the “normal” range in terms of precipitation, and almost none of the state is under a drought advisory, watch, or warning—let alone emergency. The next really good chance of rain doesn’t seem as though it’ll roll through here for another 10 days or so—Friday the 26th into Saturday the 27th will bring drenchy rains, as noted.
Beyond the forecast: Pleasant with highs in the upper 60s to low 70s and lows in the low 50s.
Monsoon's Weather Update for Wednesday, 10 September 2008
Friends,
Back-to-School Night is behind us (at least those of us at Mifflin) and most of us will be sleepwalking through the rest of the week.
Here’s an exquisite weather forecast I think you’ll enjoy…
Wednesday is sunny and clear with a high of 73 and an overnight low of 49.
Thursday looks sunny, breezy, and pleasant; high 75, low 54.
Friday will be a bit warmer and somewhat more humid with increasing cloudiness throughout the day. A couple of passing showers and possibly even a thunderstorm are possible late. High 79, low 63.
The weekend looks like a bit of a mixed bag in terms of precipitation, but not nearly a washout. Expect partly to mostly cloudy skies on both Saturday and Sunday. There may be a few showers in the area on Saturday, particularly the afternoon and evening, but I think much of Saturday will be precipitation-free; on Sunday the chance of a shower or evening thunderstorm is a bit greater. High Saturday 79, Sunday 83; lows both days will be in the low to mid 60s.
Next week is shaping up to be quite lovely indeed. Look for highs in the mid 70s and lows in the low to mid 50s. The only potential for precipitation is on Monday (slight chance of lingering AM showers or thunderstorms).
Next weekend will feature one good and one not-so-good day. Saturday the 20th will mimic the weather for much of the previous week, with a high of 76 and a low of 53. On Sunday the 21st, clouds will roll in and rain will fall for much of the day and evening.
The following week will usher in autumn—both literally (the 1st day of fall is Monday 9/22) and in terms of the weather. Highs will be in the upper 60s to near 70; lows will be in the upper 40s to low 50s. Crisp breezes will dominate and jackets will reappear. Leaves will fall, pumpkins will be picked, and all with be right with the world…
Monsoon
Monsoon's Weather Update for Thursday, 4 September 2008
Thursday will be sunny, clear, quite hot again, and a bit humid, with a high of 92 and a low in the mid 60s.
Friday will be partly sunny and warm with humidity—and clouds—increasing throughout the day. The rain and wind from Tropical Storm Hanna (downgraded by that point from hurricane status) are expected to arrive in the evening—look for the first drizzle and showers by 9 or 10pm into the overnight hours. Thunderstorms can mix in here as well. High 87, low 68.
Saturday will see the heaviest rain and winds (and maybe a few storms) from Hanna in our area. Look for intermittent rain punctuated with periods of intense, heavy rainfall. Winds will be blowing at up to 25 mph (sustained) with gusts possible in the 35-40 mph range. Rainfall totals for Saturday alone will range from three quarters of an inch to two and a half inches across the region, depending on the area. Toward Saturday evening, the precipitation starts to pull away. High 77, low 65.
On Sunday we’ll see significant clearing; aside from a stray shower or two possible very early Sunday morning, we should be drying out. Look for partly sunny, breezy, and milder conditions with a high of 84 and a low of 60.
Monday looks great: sunny to partly cloudy with a high of 78 and a low of 56.
A shower is possible on Tuesday, but otherwise the day looks partly cloudy and pleasant with a high of 76 and a low of 55.
The rest of next week is looking lovely: sunny and clear with highs in the mid 70s and lows in the low to mid 50s.
Next weekend is a mixed bag: Saturday the 13th looks OK, if a bit chilly (highs only in the upper 60s and overcast), but Sunday the 14th will be rainy and cool, it appears at this point.
Thereafter: pleasant and mild with highs in the mid 70s and lows in the mid to upper 50s.
Monsoon's Weather Forecast for Saturday, 30 August 2008
Friends…
An updated forecast and WeatherTable…
Weather narrative : Today (Saturday) we could see a quick pop-up line of showers or thunderstorms, but I think most places are going to be dry and rumble-free. After today, the next best chance we have of seeing any rainfall is actually the following weekend, Friday into Saturday. The lack of rainfall we’ve had lately is a trend that looks likely to continue, which could lead to drought warnings (currently Berks is in “normal” status, while Lancaster, Lebanon, and Schuylkill Counties are under a “watch”).
Monday through Thursday (the first four days of September) will feel more like the Dog Days of August that never really materialized this year, with highs in the upper 80s to low 90s. (At least the humidity will stay relatively low—sorry for the pun.)
Perhaps a bit of rain as a cold front moves through around the beginning of next weekend and returns us to more pleasant conditions: highs at or just below 80, with lows in the 50s.
Beyond the forecast: Pleasant with highs in the mid to upper 70s and lows in the mid 50s.
Happy Labor Day!
Monsoon's Weather Update for Friday, 22 August 2008
Friends…
An updated forecast and WeatherTable…
Weather narrative : Tropical Storm Fay has made a left-hand turn into the Gulf of Mexico and will not affect our weather here.
The humidity rises a bit this weekend, but some showers and storms late Sunday into Monday will disperse the heat and humidity, ushering in a pleasant week.
Not a lot of rain is in our forecast—just scattered showers here and there as noted.
Next weekend (Labor Day) is looking fantastic aside from some rain Friday.
Beyond the forecast: After perhaps reaching 90 degrees in the first few days of September, the temperature will drop precipitously, with highs getting only into the mid 70s and lows dipping well into the 50s.
Monsoon's Weather Update for Sunday, 17 August 2008
Friends…
A weather update for y’all as we prepare for the start of another school year…
(On a personal note, it is nice to begin a school year without having to worry about sweating through my clothing for the first month and a half of school. Thanks to our glorious new air conditioning system, my students will be shivering unhappily and I will be in blissful comfort.)
Weather narrative : Aside from some moderate heat and humidity to begin the coming week, the forecast period is pretty much steady with highs settling around the mid 80s and lows in the low 60s. Look for the possibility of rain from Friday night into Sunday morning as the remnants of Tropical Storm Fay (which should be significantly weakened by the time it reaches us due to the fact that it’s traveled so far over land, but still may carry pockets of heavier rain and strong winds) move through.
Next week looks very nice with highs in the low 80s and lows in the upper 50s for the most part. Warming up by the end of the week and (as it appears now) ushering in a miserable, rainy Labor Day Weekend.
Beyond the forecast: Labor Day Weekend is looking cooler and rainy with highs in the 70s, lows in the 50s, and rain possible on both Saturday and Sunday; Monday, September 1st is looking very nice. But hey…a lot can happen between now and then! I will keep you posted…
A Forecast Update From Monsoon
Tuesday 8/12: Partly sunny, breezy, pleasant and a bit warmer than the previous couple of days, but still unseasonably mild. High 80, low 61.
Wednesday 8/13: Sun mixed with clouds and warmer. Slight chance of a passing shower or thunderstorm, especially in the early evening. High 86, low 64.
Thursday 8/14: Partly sunny; becoming cloudy with a shower or two around in the evening. High 81, low 62.
Friday 8/15: Mostly sunny and pleasant. High 79, low 58.
Saturday 8/16: Partly sunny with the slight chance of a shower late. High 82, low 61.
Sunday 8/17: Partly to mostly cloudy with a few passing showers possible in the afternoon or evening; warmer and somewhat more humid. High 86, low 63.
Monday 8/18: Mostly sunny and warmish. High 84, low 63.
Tuesday 8/19: Cloudy and humid with showers and thunderstorms likely. High 80, low 68.
Wednesday 8/20: Partly cloudy, warm and humid. High 87, low 64.
Thursday 8/21: Partly to mostly sunny. High 90, low 66.
Friday 8/22: Hot and humid with hazy sunshine. High 93, low 67.
Next weekend: A return to unseasonable mildness; on Sunday, the high will not even make it out of the 70s.
Beyond: Clear and gorgeous for the first day of school (8/25). High of 74, low 57. After that, we’re looking at another little blast of heat and humidity, but nothing approaching even the mid to upper 90s.
Monsoon's Weather Update for Tuesday, 5 August 2008
Hey again, friends…
Here’s my first official forecast in a little while. A reminder that my predictions are focused on the weather in and around Shillington, PA (where I teach) and that generally minor fluctuations should be expected in surrounding areas.
We have a gorgeous and unseasonably mild stretch in front of us here: low humidity, moderate temperatures, and clear skies dominate the extended forecast.
Weather narrative : Thunderstorms moving across the Midwest will arrive in our area later this evening and overnight. The storms currently affecting parts of Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio are quite violent, but by the time they reach us, they’ll be rather weakened. Still, look for strong winds and heavy rain with some of these storms. On Wednesday, we’ll start with high humidity and a few stray showers or storms, but then we’ll see clear and lowering dewpoints.
For the most part, through the end of this week and into next week we’ll see temperatures and humidity levels more typical for June or September than August. This time of year, highs average in the 85-87 degree range with lows in the mid 60s and high humidity.
After tomorrow, our next really solid chance for rain looks to be Saturday, August 16th.
Beyond the forecast: Believe it or not, the trend is actually for more mild weather, with highs the following week in the mid 70s and lows getting into the low to mid 50s! (Of course, all that can change, but that’s the way it looks to me now…)
Monsoon's Weather Update for Thursday, 5 June 2008
My friends,
I’ve decided to try something a bit new for this forecast: I’ve included a WeatherTable and a standard, day-by-day weather narrative. You’ll enjoy the coming week or so if you like things hot and sticky…
Thu 6/5 - Mainly cloudy with some breaks of sunshine. Temperatures will be fairly moderate, but humidity will make it feel a bit warmer than it is. Look for a stray thunderstorm or two late in the afternoon. High 79, low 64.
Fri 6/6 - Plenty of sunshine, somewhat warm and quite humid. High 86, low 65.
Sat 6/7 - Partly to mostly sunny, hot and humid. High 94, low 69.
Sun 6/8 - Partly cloudy and continued very humid with near-record heat; look for a shower or thunderstorm in the late afternoon or early evening. High 96, low 71.
Mon 6/9 - Partly cloudy and hot with humidity dropping a bit, but the heat wave continues. High 93, low 70.
Tue 6/10 - Sun mixing with clouds. High 89, low 64.
Wed 6/11 - Sunny and clear; moderating temperatures. High 83, low 58.
Thu 6/12 - Partly to mostly cloudy with a slight chance of rain in the evening. High 78, low 57.
Fri 6/13 - Partly cloudy and warmer. High 89, low 63.
Sat 6/14 - Partly sunny and warmish. High 87, low 65.
Sun 6/15 - Sunny to begin with, then turning cloudy and rainy late. High 84, low 67.
Mon 6/16 - Sunny, clear, and pleasant. High 80, low 55.
Tue 6/17 - Sunny, clear, and lovely. High 81, low 58.
Beyond - Weather will be more appropriate for mid-June: highs in the mid 70s to near 80; lows in the upper 50s to low 60s. By the end of June, look for the season’s next heat wave (a prolonged period of excessively hot and abnormally humid days; the guidelines for usage of this term vary, but typically we look for heat indices above 90 for at least three consecutive days).
Monsoon's Weather Update for Wednesday, 28 May 2008
The end is mercifully in sight, and here’s a weather update, my friends, to get you thinking about your summer plans…enjoy!
The weather :
Weather narrative: Tonight will be the chilliest night in the foreseeable future with lows dipping into the mid 40s. By week’s end, temperatures warm into perhaps the low 80s with some spikes in humidity. Right now both Mifflin’s graduation (6/2) and Muhlenberg’s (6/4) look rain-free, with the latter potentially warmer. (Both are indoors at the Sovereign Center, I’m just thinking about conditions coming and going.)
Pleasant conditions will persist into the following weekend, which will usher in very warm temperatures reaching into the upper 80s and perhaps even hitting 90 sometime around 6/8 or 6/9.
Beyond the forecast: A cold front comes through right around the 10th, cooling high temperatures into the low 70s and dropping plenty of rain.
Monsoon's Weather Update for Tuesday, 20 May 2008
My friends,
I’d like to begin by saying Happy Birthday to our trusty companion Sasha, who was born on this day a number of years ago (a lady is never asked to reveal her age).
(And, so she doesn’t feel left out, hello to her younger sister Ruthie too.)
Below is the weather forecast; I will send an update if it appears this weekend’s weather will be substantively different from what I’ve indicated here.
Weather narrative: Rainy and cool today; there’s a chance of a shower or two tomorrow, but it shouldn’t be a washout. Then things really get nice for the long Memorial Day weekend: as of now, Friday through Monday look fantastic.
Next week looks to be rather pleasant as well for the most part, but rain will return by the end of the week. Next weekend is looking wet and dreary, unfortunately.
Beyond the forecast: Looking for a warm-up into early June. Specifically, June 2nd (Mifflin’s graduation) looks to be in the 80s with the chance of afternoon or evening thunderstorms. (At least there’s no need for lining up outside the Intermediate School prior to commencement this year, which will be held in the Sovereign Center.)
Monsoon's Weather Forecast and Imagine Day update for Wednesday, 14 May 2008
My friends,
Imagine Day is an annual event at Governor Mifflin undertaken by the Imagine Project, formed by students in the wake of the Columbine shootings in 1999. The culmination of a week’s worth of events, Imagine Day is an afternoon’s worth of activities involving the entire student body. In the athletic stadium, students can enjoy outdoor activities, watch the performances of student bands, and socialize with their peers in an informal (but supervised) environment. In previous years, Imagine Week has included workshops and other elaborate activities designed to have students interact across their typical peer groups and learn about other cultures and perspectives.
Imagine Day is scheduled for Friday afternoon; rain date is Monday afternoon. To try and help the members of the Imagine Project make a decision about whether or not to postpone the concert, I present the following detailed forecast, with updates to come as they are necessary.
Following the Imagine predictions are forecasts for the rest of the coming two-week period.
Friday, 5/16: breezy and cool with intermittent rain, heavy at times. High 60, low 47.
11am 56 degrees, rain or drizzle; chilly NNE winds 18-12 mph
12pm 58 degrees, showers; chilly NNE winds 8-12 mph
1pm 59 degrees, steady rain, chance of t-storm; chilly N winds 10-15 mph
2pm 60 degrees, steady rain, chance of t-storm; chilly NNW winds 10-15 mph
3pm 60 degrees, steady rain, chance of t-storm; chilly NNW winds 15-20 mph
Monday, 5/19: partly cloudy and breezy. High 66, low 47.
11am 59 degrees, mostly cloudy, light winds; a quick shower?
12pm 61 degrees, partly cloudy, light winds
1pm 63 degrees, partly cloudy, light winds
2pm 64 degrees, partly cloudy, light winds
3pm 66 degrees, partly to mostly cloudy, light winds
Other days…
Wednesday, 5/14: sunny and gorgeous; clouding up later with a thunderstorm possible late. High 82, low 54.
Thursday, 5/15: partly to mostly cloudy and less warm. High 75, low 52.
Friday, 5/16: see above.
Saturday, 5/17: breezy, pleasant, and partly cloudy. High 67, low 49.
Sunday, 5/18: partly to mostly cloudy and windy with a shower or two possible. High 66, low 47.
Monday, 5/19: see above.
Tuesday, 5/20: mostly cloudy. High 65, low 47.
Wednesday, 5/21: mostly sunny and somewhat warmer. High 72, low 51.
Thursday, 5/22: clouds and sun. High 71, low 53.
Friday, 5/23: partly cloudy and pleasant. High 70, low 52.
Next weekend: Memorial Day weekend looks to be rather cool with plenty of clouds but little chance of a shower until Monday. Highs will be in the upper 60s; lows in the mid to upper 40s.
Beyond: The last few days of May look wet and cool before an early-June warm-up.
Monsoon's Weather Update for Wednesday, 7 May 2008
A quick weather update from Monsoon…
But first: congratulations to Senator Barack Obama for his double-digit win in the North Carolina primary and his two-point loss in Indiana; the overall gains he posted in the popular vote and delegate count; and moving us closer to ending this contentious primary battle, knocking Hillary Clinton out of the race once and for all, and allowing the party to focus on defeating McCain in November. (For my previous election coverage, type "Obama" in the weblog's search field on the upper right of the screen.)
Wednesday 5/7: unseasonably warm and mostly sunny with increasing cloud late; a shower or thunderstorm could move through late. High 82, low 56.
Thursday 5/8: partly to mostly cloudy with a shower or two in the afternoon; more frequent showers are likely in the evening. High 77, low 53.
Friday 5/9: overcast, breezy and rather cool with scattered showers throughout the morning and afternoon; tapering to showers in the evening. High 63, low 48.
Saturday 5/10: mostly sunny, breezy and gorgeous. High 69, low 44.
Sunday 5/11: mostly cloudy with evening showers likely. High 64, low 49.
Monday 5/12: chilly with rain and strong winds. High 58, low 43.
Tuesday 5/13: mostly cloudy but clearing late. High 64, low 45.
Wednesday 5/14: clear to partly cloudy and pleasant. High 70, low 48.
Thursday 5/15: overcast with perhaps a shower. High 66, low 46.
Friday 5/16: sunny to partly cloudy, cool and breezy. High 62, low 45.
Next weekend: rainy with highs in the low to mid 60s and lows in the upper 40s.
Beyond: warmer and generally pleasant with highs ascending into the 70s.
Ba-rack, rockin’ it!
A Monsoon Weather Alert for Sunday, 27 April 2008
A strong cold front is moving through, bringing with it moderate to strong winds and some potentially significant precipitation. Rain will begin overnight Sunday and intensify Monday morning and afternoon. Total rainfall amounts could reach an inch or an inch and a quarter. Precipitation may include strong to severe thunderstorms—which would include hail and damaging winds—anytime from late morning through the late afternoon. It all tapers off by the early evening, but clouds will persist into early Tuesday. Monday’s high will reach only the low 60s; overnight low will be in the mid to upper 40s. Tuesday will be markedly cooler with the high reaching only 56; the low Tuesday night will plummet all the way down near freezing.
(Happy Birthday Monday to Harper Lee; Tuesday to Duke Ellington and Eve Plumb!)
The last day of April will be sunny and cool with the slight possibility of showers late. High 58, low 38. (Happy Birthday to Willie Nelson and Kirsten Dunst!)
Thursday and Friday, the first two days of May, look partly to mostly cloudy and a bit warmer with highs in the mid to upper 60s and lows in the mid to upper 40s. (Happy Birthday Thursday to Chuck Bednarik and Joseph Heller; Friday to Christine Baranski and The Rock!)
Next weekend will be warmer still with highs reaching into the low 70s, but there is the potential for some showers and thunderstorms on Sunday.
Next week cools off a bit and will hover around seasonal averages, with highs mainly in the mid 60s and lows in the mid to upper 40s.
MonsoonMonsoon's Weather Update for Thursday, 24 April 2008
The weather :
Weather narrative: Unseasonably warm and dry weather will continue the next couple of days as high pressure stalls over the region. Things will get a bit more turbulent as a slow-moving cold front works through southeastern Pennsylvania over the weekend. There is a small chance of showers or thunderstorms Saturday night and Sunday, but the better chance for rainfall of any note is Monday into Tuesday.
This second cold front will usher in cooler temperatures, with highs staying in the 50s, for the middle of next week. Things get seasonably milder by the end of the week with temperatures rebounding into the upper 60s. Next weekend looks sensational, and beyond that we’re looking into the upper 70s and perhaps 80s the following week.
Good news for Mifflin teachers, though: the newly-installed air conditioning is working reasonably well for most of us, or so it seems. So the days of dreading high temperatures during the school year may be behind us!
Beyond the forecast table: Warmer still with highs in the 80s; rain is possible the 7th or 8th.
Monsoon
Monsoon Martin's Weather Update for Friday, 18 April 2008
My friends,
If you’ll permit me, I have a couple of odds and ends before I bring you the weather.
First, I have an exciting announcement: After six long, pointless seasons, I have officially kicked my “American Idol” habit! I wasn’t “feelin’ it” (as Randy might say) as the season began, but typically became more interested when the field was narrowed down to 12 in previous seasons. But this year, I haven’t watched more than an hour of the show altogether, and the feeling is wonderful. I have missed some truly awful guest stars and song styles: the Dolly Parton songbook, “inspirational” music, and Mariah Carey’s oeuvre come to mind most readily. At long last, I can honestly say that I have absolutely no stake in who wins this thing, no simmering hatreds of overly perky contestants, no hotly contested, cheating-wracked Idol pool with my (current or former) colleagues. I am free!
And yet, I have not quite emerged unscathed from the morass of televised “reality” show competitions. No, I haven’t become hooked on the gleefully vile, gyrating humpanalia “A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila 2” or the cloying ego-fest “Oprah’s Big Give.”
It’s almost worse.
Back in February I heard that a man who substitute teaches in our building once in a while was going to be on a reality show called “Your Mama Don’t Dance.” The premise of the show is that young, professional dancers must partner up with their parents (female dancers with their fathers, male dancers with their moms) and perform a series of routines, week after week. Doug Croner of Gilbertsville—the aforementioned substitute teacher—would be paired up with his daughter, Noelle.
Let me try to state in the briefest terms what this insipid Lifetime network show, airing Friday nights at 9pm, is all about.
First, it is hosted by the almost unbelievably smarmy and cheesy Ian Ziering (pretentiously pronounced EYE-in ZHEER-ing) of “Beverly Hills 90210” “fame.”
Each pair prepares a dance based on the week’s theme—it might be cowboy music, it might be hip-hop dance, it might be showtunes; it will be ridiculous—and is shown in a short taped package rehearsing the routine. Then the pair perform the routine and are rated on a scale of 100 by three judges—choreographer (and former J-Lo beau) Cris Judd, the inexplicably well-known Vitamin C, and the wildly eccentric and inscrutable dancer extraordinaire, Ben Vereen. The scores are invariably inflated, the feedback stunningly incoherent. The two pairs with the lowest scores at the end of each show land in the bottom two; call-in votes determine which pair will survive to next week and which will go home.
On the first episode, Noelle and Doug, horrifically clad in sequined costumes, danced the most cringe-inducing, inappropriately seductive routine (remember, they’re father and daughter) to Britney Spears’ “Toxic,” which was highlighted on the snarky weekend wrap-ups “Talk Soup” (on E!) and “Best Week Ever” (on VH1). We were hooked. (I say “we” because I have involved Wendi in my sickness, and I am not sorry.)
[A note here: I tried and tried to find a clip online of this performance, but could not. For this I am sorry. It really defies description, so if you can ever find it, you won’t soon forget it.]
In subsequent weeks, the performances have only become more disturbing, and somehow Noelle and Doug have made it through week after week. Two weeks ago they performed a hip-hop routine (go to the video entitled “Bottom Pair – Episode 6” if you dare) that surely made Jam-Master Jay spin like a top in his grave—and it wasn’t even the most offensive or “urban” stereotype-laden performance of the night.
In my defense, I typically only watch until Noelle and Doug are on—which, for some reason, happens to be very near the end of each episode. I watch with a mixture of revulsion and bemusement, schadenfreude and an unshakable sense of the coming apocalypse, ultimately rooting against them so I could stop watching this infernal show.
And yet, that strategy has never paid off, as they’ve now made it to the last show, and I’m still tethered to it.
Anywho, this deeply sucky show mercifully has its finale tonight at 9pm, during which the final three pairs (including Noelle and Doug) will perform, and the several hundred people watching live on TV will vote for the winner.
Thanks for allowing me that confession. And now…
Weather narrative: The temperature got into the low 80s in most places within the forecast area (Reading, central and southern Berks County, central and northern Lancaster County) yesterday, and I think we’ll get at least that warm again today and perhaps even again on Saturday.
On Sunday, a front comes through that will cool things off and kick up some breezes; it may bring a few showers, but I don’t think we’ll have significant rainfall. Behind that, we’ll start next week with temperatures that are still higher than normal, but more moderate and pleasant than the highs we’re seeing right now. (“Normal” conditions in our region for this time of year are highs in the low 60s and lows in the low 40s.)
Things get somewhat cooler by the end of next week, with highs only getting into the low 60s and windy conditions making it feel like the 40s or 50s. High temperatures will dip into the 50s in the last several days of April, with the chance of significant rainfall on those days.
Beyond the forecast: As we head into May, things will cool off a bit, as the WeatherTable trend bears out. By the second week in May, though, highs should perk back up into the 60s and perhaps even 70s, for those of you who like that sort of thing.
Monsoon
Monsoon's Weather Update for Wednesday, 9 April 2008
Friends,
Below the WeatherTable is the weather narrative...
Weather narrative: Unseasonably warm temperatures will move in today and tomorrow; a few showers are possible later today. Friday and Saturday will be rainy off and on and potentially rather turbulent: showers and thunderstorms are possible either day.
Look for breezy and cooler conditions Sunday through Tuesday with highs struggling to get out of the 40s; milder conditions will return by the end of next week.
The following weekend (4/19 and 4/20) looks spring-like with highs near (and possibly above) 70. Time to get out the mower!
Beyond the forecast table: Seasonable with highs in the mid to upper 50s and lows in the upper 30s to low 40s.
Monsoon