Beach Clouds

Have you noticed the cool clouds over our area recently? With the setting sun, the towering cumulus look spectacular. Almost like you were at the beach. In fact, the wind flow for the last week has been from the northeast. This is a little unusual. The atmosphere has been unstable enough to produce severe thunderstorms. Mainly due to large hail.

Get the number right!

A recent email that I sent to Roanoke Times columnist Joe Kennedy about problems with local phone books:

----------------------

Hi Joe,

Hope all is well with you.

Your recent columns on the phone books were interesting. But I would settle for phone book/books that have correct listings.

Our latest dilemma? One of the directories has the WDBJ Weather Department number (777 3265) listed as the Roanoke County non-emergency police number (which is actually 562 3265)

The confusion seems to stem from the fact that most Roanoke County police numbers do indeed start with 777.

Needless to say, this has resulted in some interesting phone calls, especially on Friday and Saturday nights.

Some hang up immediately after we answer "Weather Department" and immediately call back, over and over and over as if somehow they'll get the right connection eventually.
Some hear our greeting, pause and then tell us their story anyway. As soon as the caller says "I have a restraining order on my husband" we politely interrupt and get them the police number.
Some are completely amused by this mistake and insist on sharing their needs and concerns without any desire to connect with police. Perhaps they think the TV station is their advocate.

Who knows, maybe some day we will get a breaking story. But I doubt it. I hope the 2008 phone books do better!

Warmest regards,

Robin John Reed, CBM
Chief Meteorologist
WDBJ-Digital Television

Update Your Blog!

Ok Jim, you’re right. I haven’t been updating my blog often enough. Jim is a good friend and an even better meteorologist in Memphis. I’ll let the readers check out WREG’s web site and figure out who Jim is. Anyway he makes a good point. Folks use blogs to stay connected because we are often far flung. But it’s hard for us older folks to remember to write them. We are pretty good with email but my youngest son informed me rather curtly recently that email is old school. All things cellular are in. Text message dad. Heck, the keys are so small on my phone I have trouble pressing the right ones to make a text message. Then I sign them "Dad". My son laughs again. Dad, I know it’s you. It came from your cell phone. And to think that around the Roanoke Valley today, hundreds of young folks graduated high school and they are our future. And they can text message. I wonder what the new thing will be next year. Sigh.

Did you miss the Bedford Strawberry Festival this year? Apparently it was earlier than past years but it was great fun for the whole family. A record crowd on Saturday. Put it on your calendar for next year. You can pick your own berries if you like.