The "Weather Girl Bandit"

Everyone loves talking about the weather, including robbers. Just when you think you've seen it all, out comes a story of the "Weather Girl Bandit" in LA, California. Check it out! --Brent

Cops Claim They Have 'Weather Girl Bandit'
California Woman Asked Bank Clerks About the Weather While Robbing Them

LOS ANGELES, March 23, 2008 —

The woman suspected of being the "Weather Girl Bandit" is in custody in Los Angeles.

Authorities say Felicia Jones surrendered to police and federal agents yesterday.

Police say she's suspected of robbing four banks -- and earning the nickname "Weather Girl Bandit" because she allegedly handed bank tellers notes demanding money while chatting with them about the weather.

Authorities received tips on Jones' whereabouts after photos from bank surveillance cameras were shown on television and elsewhere.

Jones is expected to appear in federal court tomorrow to face charges of bank robber

Once in a Lifetime Easter!

If you haven't noticed, Easter is early this year. Easter is always the 1st Sunday after the 1st full moon after the Spring Equinox (which is March 20). This dating of Easter is based on the lunar calendar that Hebrew people used to identify Passover, which is why it moves around on our Roman calendar.

Here's some interesting facts I was given by our own Mike Stevens. Who just happened to be researching them for his church.

Easter can actually be one day earlier March 22) that is rare.

The coolest part is that this year is the earliest Easter any of us will ever see the rest of our lives! And only the most elderly of our population have ever seen it this early (95 years old or above) before. And none of us have ever, or will ever, see it a day earlier! Here’s the facts:

1) The next time Easter will be this early (March 23) will be the year 2228 (220 years from now). The last time it was this early was 1913 (so if you’re 95 or older, you are the only ones that were around for that!).

2) The next time it will be a day earlier, March 22, will be in the year 2285 (277 years from now). The last time it was on March 22 was 1818. So, no one alive today has or will ever see it any earlier than this year!

So make it an Easter to remember. It's a once in a lifetime chance to celebrate it this early in the year.

--Meteorologist Brent Watts

Wise County Tornado

This email comes from a viewer/web surfer from Wise Co., VA, the site of a devastating tornado last week. We don't see damage like this very often. As you'll see from the email, many of the homes were Victorian, built in the 1800's; certainly not up to today's building standards.

Our thoughts and prayers are with those folks. Read the email below and visit the link to see an amazing slideshow of damage photos.
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For all those with ties to Wise Co VA, you may have heard that Big Stone Gap
was hit with a F1 tornado this past Tuesday March 4, 2008 at 4:55pm. Most of
the damage was in the Poplar Hill area.

Eddie Kilbourne, a local photographer and has over 309 pics on his photo
site. It is recommend to click on slideshow, (far right top of the page),
and just let it run. The pictures are phenomenal!

CLICK LINK FOR SLIDESHOW:
http://kilbournephoto.smugmug.com/gallery/4461486_7fH8D#262371746

When Big Stone Gap boomed in the 1890's - early 1900's, the iron ore, coal
and land barons built their Victorian style homes here; obviously not to
modern day code. Many of the trees that fell were grand monarchs over 100
years old - oaks & hickories fell like twigs.

One can only imagine the damage an F5 would do,

FROM: WVa genealogist – Debra Rookard

Severe Weather Phobia

It was quite the active day across SW Virginia. A large low pressure system and trailing front created strong storms with heavy downpours and gusty winds.


While their were no reports of tornadoes touching the ground, several doppler indicated tornado warnings were issued.

This meant the radar was looking at wind velocity, coming toward and away from the radar, and detected twisting winds within the cloud. This twisting is the first sign a tornado is forming. Once the winds begin twisting in the cloud, there's a chance it could make it to the ground. This is why we need to warn you.

Thankfully, we're not in the middle of tornado alley. From 1950 through 2001, 376 tornadoes were documented in Virginia. That is an average of 7 tornadoes per year.

If you're overly cautious, or you have "astraphobia" (fear of thunderstorms), you might want to invest in an underground storm shelter.

These concrete boxes are placed in the ground. The walls are 3" thick, the ceiling and floor are 4" thick, and the shelter weighs approximately 12,600 lbs.

This model is also the shelter of choice for President Bush on his Crawford, Texas ranch.

While most hold a maximum of 8 people, during a severe weather outbreak in Kansas, 20 people packed into one to avoid flying debris.

Cool stuff, huh?

Click here to see more photos of the storm shelters.


--Meteorologist Brent Watts