Warming Up/Walmart Service Pleasant Surprise

HURRICANES AND WEATHER
Friend in Dallas told me his co-worker arrived at the office saying he had just had an accident on the ice. In the just the last hour or so, the temperature in Dallas has finally climbed above freezing and the warming trend should continue overnight as warmer air begins its push back up and over this arctic air mass. Look for dense fog around the Houston area--a Dense Fog Advisory is in effect until 6 am. Dallas has a Freezing Fog Advisory but that should be modified to a Dense Fog Advisory overnight as temperatures continue to climb. Bottom line is that if you have to travel overnight, look out for fog. If you are planning to travel northward early Wednesday, ice won't be the problem--it will be dense fog.

Winter Weather Advisories/Watches/Warnings are still in effect for much of the country including a long line from Texas to New England. There are also winter storm warnings for many locations in the Rockies, mountains of Nevada and southern Sierra and the mountains in Idaho, Oregon and Washington state. Flood watches are in effect in Arizona where rain is a problem.

On Wednesday, the bitter cold will persist over the northern plains and western Great Lakes states where highs will only reach the single digits. Temperatures will moderate across the southern plains.

Houston, Wednesday will be much milder with highs near 60 after morning lows in the 40s. Look for balmy conditions Thursday through Saturday. Next cold front arrives Sunday, bringing chilly conditions for Hanukkah. Mild temperatures return by Christmas.

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
Let's do fog or niebla, pronounced knee-A-blah. Be careful driving tonight. Use those low beams in the niebla.

Give the gift of language this holiday season...order our award winning Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco from our web site, http://www.frankandpaco.com/. You can also order from http://www.venturaes.com/, www.dololanguages.com, www.carlexonline.com,www.thecuriousmindstore.com, www.amazon.com, www.bestbuy.com, and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/. This is truly the gift that keeps on giving because they will benefit from the cognitive improvements, language learning brings, for their entire life. If you are more interesting in a full immersion type product, go to http://www.frankypaco.com/.

AND MORE
Finished up helping Santa today. I was very impressed with the service at Walmart in that I was attended to immediately. I picked out a bicycle and the worker, who helped me, arranged to have it by the gardening checkout so I could finish the rest of my shopping. That just helped so much!

Happy shopping and be careful in that fog!
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Freezing Rain Advisory/Bible on One Page/Poll Results and New Poll

HURRICANES AND WEATHER
I'm shivering as I write this...just thinking about how cold it is for much of the country. My sister was visiting from New Mexico and I heard her tell a colleague (over the phone) that it is cold in Houston. Poor thing...she was going right from the cold water into the deep freeze as she was facing snow and ice upon her return home this evening. The problem in Houston is that often when it is cold, it is also humid. And that dampness just goes right through you. Combine that with the wind and it really can be bone chilling even if it is in the 40s.

And the 40s are mainly what we have in the Houston area this evening. But to the north, temperatures could dip to freezing and that combined with some drizzle could cause some slick spots. So, the National Weather Service issued a Freezing Rain Advisory for locations north of a line running from Columbus to Livingston. So...no ice in Houston or even Katy. If you are planning to drive north (say 290 or 45 or 59 north), watch for slick spots on overpasses and bridges. As of 8 pm, I found some freezing drizzle reports around Dallas and as far south as Hearne there was a report of mixed precipitation.

Well, that old shallow arctic air nipped us again. The models just don't see it. So, we have some chilly air very close to the surface. But it could be much worse. My in-laws in Council Bluffs, Iowa awoke to negative single digits. On Tuesday, highs around Minot, North Dakota and International Falls, Minnesota won't get out of the negative single digits.

There is a swath of winter weather advisories, warnings etc. from central Texas into Pennsylvania and then secondary lines through the southern Rockies, mountains of California, Oregon and Washington state, and from Kansas through Nebraska, Iowa and into Michigan. On Tuesday, look for wintry weather from Memphis into the Great Lakes. It will be balmy across the southeast U.S. with thunderstorms possible from New Orleans to Atlanta.

Houston, it will be cold (in the 40s) and cloudy all day on Tuesday. Some light rain is possible. Wednesday will be slightly warmer with balmy, mild conditions returning on Thursday. Look for another dose of cold air Sunday. Hanukkah will be cool, but Christmas will be mild.

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
According to the U.S. Naval Observatory, winter doesn't officially start until 6:04 am on December 21, but it sure is wintery around the country. So, let's do winter, or invierno, pronounce een-vee-AIR-noh. Watch for ice on the road during invierno.

It's not too late for Christmas to order our award winning Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco from our web site, http://www.frankandpaco.com/. You can also order from http://www.venturaes.com/, www.dololanguages.com, www.carlexonline.com,www.thecuriousmindstore.com, www.amazon.com, www.bestbuy.com, and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/. The youngsters will be entertained (and educated) long after the presents have been opened!!! If you are more interesting in a full immersion type product, go to http://www.frankypaco.com/.

AND MORE
If you like to read the Bible, my Aunt Pam sent me this amazing link: http://www.jrsbible.info/bible.htm. You can look up any verse or passage with just a couple clicks--easier than paging through the Bible and not so heavy. Thanks Aunt Pam!!!

Here are the results for what people like the most about the holidays: 55% said seeing family, 11% said seeing friends, 33% said giving gifts and zero percent said getting gifts. Our new poll has to do with how you think this winter compares to what is normal for your area.

I put up a photo of the big full moon a few days ago. Also, there is a photo from the great time at the Ramirez party. Santa Claus showed up and took a picture with Sarah, my niece Sophia and me. Remember how warm it was Saturday? Well, he was mighty toasty in his Santa suit but he was still plenty jolly. He asked Sarah which presents she wanted for Christmas and she said "All of the presents". That had him laughing so hard, his tummy shook like a bowl full of jelly. Ho! Ho! Ho!

Well stay warm everyone and be careful driving!
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Unsusually Warm Houston/Bitter Cold Elsewhere/Blue Poinsettias

HURRICANES AND MORE
Big contrast in temperatures across the nation!!! Also wintry weather in Missouri and from the Rockies into the northern Plains (where there are blizzard warnings for the Dakotas and Montana). It is going to be bitterly cold in Montana and the northern Rockies where highs will be in the negative singles and negative teens. I'm shivering just thinking about it.

Houston, we are back to clouds and humidity and Sunday will be unusually mild. There will be some showers but rain is most likely on Monday. A cold front brings some drier air by late Monday. But that will be short lived and it really looks like there will be warm weather through Christmas.

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
Let's do party or fiesta, pronounced fee-EH-stah. It is one fiesta after another this time of year.

Don't forget to order Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco from our web site, www.frankandpaco.com for fastest delivery. You can also order from www.venturaes.com, www.dololanguages.com, www.carlexonline.com,www.thecuriousmindstore.com, www.amazon.com, www.bestbuy.com, and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/. These DVDs make great stocking stuffers. If you are more interesting in a full immersion type product, go to www.frankypaco.com.

AND MORE
HEB has the coolest blue poinsettias with glitter on the leaves...so neat! I think they must have fed white poinsettias blue colored water--a technique similar to what they do with carnations. The color is somewhat variegated--a pretty effect.

Enjoy the weekend!
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Weekend Forecast/$1 Car Wash/Biggest Full Moon

HURRICANES AND WEATHER
It's quiet now out east, but the northwest and Rockies and even the southern ranges in California are being hit with wintry weather. The really cold air is sliding south out west, but it looks like it is going to get stuck...an amplified pattern with a fairly deep and persistent trough (containing the cold air) out west and the warm air over the southeast. Climate Prediction Center is forecasting above normal temperatures over the southern Plains and Texas through the 26th of December. So, you probably shouldn't be looking for a white (much less a cold) Hanukkah or Christmas there.

Saturday will be bitterly cold with Cut Bank, Montana not getting out of the single digits. It will also be very chilly across the Great Lakes and northeast. North Dakota won't get out of the teens. Compare that to the southeast and southern plains which will be in the 60s and 70s.

Houston, the weekend will be cool in the mornings and mild in the afternoons. It will become muggy and there could be some showers on Sunday. Look for skies to become cloudy again on Saturday morning.

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
Let's do moon or luna, pronounced LOO-nah. Be sure to check out the full luna tonight!!! See "And More" section for more about that.

We ship our award winning DVD, Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco, daily. And if you are concerned about getting them in time for Christmas, we offer UPS and USPS priority shipping. Get your copies of Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco from our web site, www.frankandpaco.com. You can also order from www.venturaes.com, www.dololanguages.com, www.carlexonline.com,www.thecuriousmindstore.com, www.amazon.com, www.bestbuy.com, and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/.

AND MORE
Tonight, Friday, 12/12 will be the biggest full moon since 1993. For more information, go to:
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_11199195. Should be great viewing with the clear skies!

Gordy found the best car wash deal hands down. Mister Car Wash has a $1 wash at their new location on Dulles across from Dulles High School. Yes...it's true and you are not imagining!!! He used it today, and he reports that there are even people drying the car as you come out from the wash. He also said the vacuums are free. I don't know how they can afford to do this, but they are doing it!!!

Happy Weekend!
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Weekend Forecast/Snow Report

HURRICANES AND WEATHER
There was a lot of excitement around here...some of it not so fun. The NWS had to extend the winter weather advisory this a.m. due to so many accidents. NWS says there were between 0.5 and 3 inches across the Houston forecast area. Wow!

The same storm system was responsible for 50 hail reports and at least 1 tornado in the southeast U.S. And there are numerous winter weather advisories/watches/warnings in the east and northeast and southern Mississippi/Alabama. Also, there are winter weather advisories for much of the Rockies and northern Plains, the Intermountain Region/western Oregon.

Friday will be very cold for the Great Lakes and Northern Plains with many locations having highs only in the teens. Look for snow in the northeast and over the Great Lakes and rain in the northwest with snow in the higher elevations.

For Houston, after a morning of freezing temperatures, mainly outlying, a nice warm up into the 60s with sunshine. Saturday will start in the 40s and warm into the 70s with clouds returning. A few showers are possible Sunday. Next front (a weak one) arrives Monday. Weather will be very mild for the next 8 to 10 days.

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
Let's do ice or hielo, pronounce ee-EH-low. Watch out for hielo on the road.

Kids grow up so fast. Their brains are amazing sponges and research shows that they learn multiple languages easily and effectively. Don't let this gift giving season go by without getting the youngsters you know our award winning DVD, Let's Learn Spanish with Frank and Paco, today from our web site, www.frankandpaco.com, and you will get shipping within 24 hours. You can also order from www.venturaes.com, www.dololanguages.com, www.carlexonline.com,www.thecuriousmindstore.com, www.amazon.com, www.bestbuy.com, and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/. Before you know it, they will have outgrown that optimal learning window.

AND MORE
Remember I told you that FortBendNow.com had covered me talking to Lexington Creek Elementary. Well, they put up some video, http://fortbendnow.com/. Look on the right side and you can watch it. You'll learn so much, you'll just be amazed--tee hee!

Happy Friday!
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

It's Snowing Even More!!! Winter Weather Advisory Issued!!!

HURRICANES AND WEATHER
Don't laugh my friends from the north...this is a big deal here in Houston!!!

It is so very pretty, but if you don't have to be out driving this evening, please don't do it! We are now under a Winter Weather Advisory until 4 am Thursday morning. Here is the latest from the local NWS office:
THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM. THURSDAY.SURFACE TEMPERATURES HAVE DROPPED TO FREEZING ACROSS THE AREA.LIGHT SNOW MELTING ON CONTACT WITH THE GROUND HAS BEGUN TO FREEZEON BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES. LIGHT ACCUMULATION OF ICE WILL OCCURON ELEVATED ROADWAY SURFACE SUCH AS BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES. THESNOW IS EXPECTED TO END BETWEEN MIDNIGHT AND 4 AM CST.ROADS...BRIDGES...AND OVERPASSES IN THE WARNING AREA ARE SLICK AND HAZARDOUS. ACCUMULATION OF ICE ON ROADWAYS...BRIDGES ANDOVERPASSES WILL MAKE TRAVEL TREACHEROUS.

This isn't the same as what happened four years ago on Christmas Eve, but it is really something. Sometimes we miss these things because the upper level disturbances which give them the energy they need to happen, are often not well predicted by the forecast models. Looking back on last night's model runs, I have to tell you that all of the models were showing things drying out by now--before it would have gotten cold enough for snow. Mother Nature still has some tricks up her sleeve. As of about 9 pm this evening just about every location in the Houston area (including Galveston) is reporting light snow. Temperatures are freezing already. So exposed bridges, overpasses will be getting icy. Stay home!!! And watch out for the morning commute in case there are still some icy spots.

Look for sunshine to return in Houston on Thursday. Highs will be in the 50s and freezing temperatures in the morning. Friday will start in the 30s again (freezing for outlying areas) and highs will be reach the 60s. Look for milder temperatures over the weekend.

The weather is very messy and problematic for the southeast and eastern seaboard into New England. There is even a snow warning for Mississippi where a lot of snow will fall. Flood watches are in effect for Alabama, Georgia and much of the southeast. There will be some severe weather in Georgia and Florida.

On Thursday the wettest locations will be in Florida and along the eastern seaboard. It will be bitterly cold in Minnesota with some locations only reaching the single digits.

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
It is snow or nieve, pronounced knee-EH-vay. Wow!!! Would you just look at that nieve!!!

And what is better to do on a cold night like this but stay inside and watch entertaining (and educational) videos with your youngsters. You can order your copies of our award winning DVD for children, Let's Learn Spanish with Frank and Paco, today from our web site, www.frankandpaco.com, and you will get shipping within 24 hours. You can also order from www.venturaes.com, www.dololanguages.com, www.carlexonline.com,www.thecuriousmindstore.com, www.amazon.com, www.bestbuy.com, and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/.

AND MORE
The snow storm of Christmas 2004 dropped a foot of snow along the coast. Victoria and Brazoria county were some of the hardest hit spots. In Missouri City, we had an accumulation of 1.5 inches. The snow storm of 1895 dropped 10 inches of snow in Galveston and 20 inches in Houston. That is the most snow I have ever heard of for Houston. On average, we get some snow every 3 to 4 years. We average freezing rain about once a year.

Be safe everyone but enjoy the view!!!

Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

It's Snowing!!!

It is snowing in Missouri City as of 4:45 pm this Wednesday, December 10th. Check out the photos at right.

Here is the official statment from the NWS. More to come!
AN UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGIONLATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING BRINGING THE POSSIBILITY OF ANYLIGHT RAIN CHANGING OVER TO LIGHT SNOW AND OR A MIX OF LIGHT SNOWAND RAIN. THE SNOW SHOULD BE PRIMARILY CONFINED TO AREAS MAINLYNORTHWEST OF A LINE FROM FREEPORT TO PASADENA TO LIBERTY AND MAINLYFROM AROUND 6 TO 9 PM. TEMPERATURES NEAR THE SURFACE SHOULD REMAINABOVE FREEZING THROUGH MID EVENING. THE SNOW SHOULD BE LIGHT ANDVERY LITTLE IS EXPECTED TO ACCUMULATE ON ANY SURFACE OTHER THAN INFIELDS... YARDS...AND ON THE TOPS OF CARS. NO SNOW IS EXPECTED TOCOLLECT ON ROADS. ANY LEFT OVER WATER ON ROADS COULD POSSIBLYBEGIN TO FREEZE AFTER 11 PM FOR ELEVATED ROADS AS TEMPERATURESDROP TO NEAR FREEZING.

Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman