Severe weather is heading towards the East Coast and the Weather Channel and news outlets are urging viewers to be vigilant and monitor the forecasts for their respective areas.
Ladies and Gentlemen, we're about to have some weather porn! Especially with the potential for a derecho headed our way! I'm so excited!
For those who do not know, weather porn is when an epic weather event occurs and newscasters and weathermen/women hype up the event to make you believe the world might actually end. Storms of the century, hail the size of golf balls, tornado threats in metro areas, flooding that can carry away small animals...this is the makings of weather porn. I will sit, eyes glued to whatever screen I can find, and monitor the "deteriorating conditions" until it happens outside my window and my attention will be diverted to the real thing.
Oh and a derecho is a fast moving, long lived widespread (at least 240 miles wide) epic windstorm made up of severe thunderstorms that can cause wind starting at 50 mph. Derechos are rare (though we had one last year). They typically form out of a bow shaped storm system so monitor the radar and see what happens. They also produce amazing shelf clouds too (and damaging winds/hail/rain).
I'm pretty morbid for liking this stuff but I grew up flipping back and forth between Gilligan's Island and the Weather Channel. I'm serious, I would sit and watch the Weather Channel for HOURS. I could predict what Local on the 8's would say but I still watched with deep fascination. I loved "Storm Stories" and Jim Cantore is my idol. I'm headed into journalism because I didn't study meteorology but I guess if I fail as a journalist I could always study atmospheric sciences. :-/
Point is I love the weather and I love coverage of disasters. I don't like death and destruction. I do not wish people would die and tornadoes would rip children out of the arms of their mothers. I was deeply saddened by Moore and Joplin and every time a tornado heads towards St. Louis I worry about my friend, Connie. But there is something to be said for the sensationalized coverage of dangerous weather events. I'm fascinated, captivated and want to know what will happen next.
Hopefully tomorrow's weather will be excitement worthy but I stress this, when I say I hope we have no casualties due to the weather. I am not a sick individual I just love it when Mother Nature gets a little angry.
Until next time....
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