Jayme_K's Blog

Hi All...
While the weekend starts on a sizzling note (114 degrees today!)...keep your eyes to the sky! Looks like the big area of high pressure responsible for our latest warm-up, begins to move Southeast of Utah, sets up a good flow of moisture from the East, and ultimately raises the weekend rain chance. If this pans out, temperatures will drop like a rock Sunday (102?) and heavy rain might develop into Sunday afternoon/evening. Along with the rain, expect gusty winds, perhaps some blowing dust and that deadly cloud to ground lightning. Keep it tuned to fox 10 and we'll keep you up to date. Have a good weekend!

O.K., So our morning bookers here at Fox 10 are sending me out to the PBR Bull Riding Extravaganza going on this weekend at Jobing.com Arena in Glendale. You can catch the live report on AZAM tomorrow (Friday) 8:20. Here's the catch....I'm the one on the bull!!...which is total BULL! Apparently they have an entire "get-up" for me..tight bull riding pants, vest...etc..the bull was desribed as "one that loves the cameras" and "is rather gentle" just like the one in the Earnhardt Auto commercials. If anyone out there has any tips or experience in dealing with "Bulls" and "bull riding"...please!!, Do share!

Any other boaters,fisherman or water lovers out there?? Let's talk about our lakes! All of our recent snow and rain has given our waters a boost. Heck, Horseshoe is full for once, Bartlett is brimming, the salt chain is looking sweet and Pleasant in just that...pleasant! The fishing should be killer once all of the water warms and stabilizes. I'm interested in hearing about your favorite lakes and what you're fishing for these days. My lake of choice is Bartlett. A bit of a drive from the East Valley but, when the bass or crappie bite is on... look out!!

Hi Everyone,

Well, it's been on the toasty side for a few weeks now. Certainly not our Summer peak just yet...just curious, when do you consider it to be "to hot"?? Is 104 in the range or does the mercury need to soar higher? I'm thinking 112 is ridiculous!

Hey Guys and Gals.....

So, I was checking out some of the longer range computer forecast models this afternoon. Go figure, looks like a MAJOR weather shift coming to our part of the world this week! We're talking temperatures here. Valley highs by next Sunday possibly approaching 100 degrees. Who's ready for some "real heat"??? Those of you that are new to the Valley, I'm sure you've heard the stories, "frying eggs on the sidewalk" and the whole "It's a dry heat"...whatever!! It's getting hotter! Let's talk about your thoughts on our changing weather.

Hey guys...

Just a quick weather note here.....We're expecting quite a surge of wind across the entire state Tuesday and early Wednesday. Northern Arizona will likely see the brunt with gusts nearing 60 MPH in many cases. Gusts should hit 45 MPH in the valley, continuing South towards Tucson. Blowing sand and dust may also lower visibilities to under a mile at times. High profile vehicles (I'm not talking limos here), SUVs, buses etc, may have a few problems on the highways Tuesday afternoon. Winds will likely relax Wednesday evening as the storm passes off to our East. Returning to a more tranquil pattern of lighter winds and warmer daytime highs by Thursday. As of right now, the weekend looks Awesome! Be safe.

Jayme 

Hi Everyone...

Just wanted to drop an "El Nino" update on you!! Looks like the famous weather phenom is actually starting to fade away and should have less of an impact on global weather then previously thought...Remember our valley snow and frigid air a few weeks back? How about the 138" lake effect snows back East? Can't forget the SUB-ZERO cold in the Midwest or the deadly Central Florida tornadoes....the list goes on and on. Well, all of these weather extremes can be tied to "El Nino", which has a nack for re-writing the record books everytime the pattern surfaces. So, What does this all mean for Arizona weather this Spring and Summer?? Will "El Nino" have a last gasp and pound us with weather extremes before it's all said and done, or will we coast freely into the unrelenting Summer heat? Here's what I'm thinking....Winter here in the Valley is on the way out. Computer models are consistently hinting at a major warm up in the next 3 weeks...perhaps  highs in the 80's on a more regular basis. Rainfall amounts will likely remain rather light, snow up in Northern AZ?? Don't count on it ..(unfortunately, we need it for our reservoirs like Bartlett Lake). Sometimes the tail end of weather events like "El Nino" can really boost Spring and Summer temps across the Southern U.S. (not good for us!) ...The Pacific Hurricane season could also be active this year. This could actually have an impact on the Monsoon here in the Southwest. Increased thunderstorm activity over mainland Mexico could send energy North into Arizona. This could cause our storm potential to surge causing more dust storms (stronger winds), heavy rain and a very rare but possible tornado or two. One note here...Increased storm activity this Summer may bode well for Summer temps as increased cloud cover could keep us a few degrees cooler on any given day. Let's see what happens and remember, don't throw tomatoes at the weatherman!

Cheers. 

Hey Everybody!!!!

So...I made a quick road trip up to "Arcosanti" yesterday. For those of you that don't know about Arcosanti....allow me to enrich you! Arcosanti is up in Mayer, AZ...about 65 miles North of Phoenix, straight up the 17. It's a concept community that focuses on a "minimalist" lifestyle, IE: living and working within steps of eachother, growing your own food source...an alternative to urban sprawl and materialism..the list goes on and on. You can actually see the place from the highway and make an exit at Cordes Junction to get there. Anyway, we went up there yesterday to see some of the recent additions they've made to the main building and we were pleasantly surprised. One thing I noticed was the widespread use of solar power. You can see the solar plates and battery terminals kind of spread around in different rooms, each conducting it's own mission. While solar power is harnessed in different spots across the state, it amazes me that it isn't used on a regular basis. Do any of you out there use solar power at your homes?? Maybe to heat the pool or perhaps run a few small lights or appliances? The Arizona Sun is big and bright...why not??

Hi Everybody...
Had a chance to meet up with some Valley Boy Scouts this morning and I'll tell you, This weekend is going to be huge for them. The group will hopefully collect 200,000 pounds of non-perishable food Saturday to donate to Arizona soup kitchens and pantries. The event is called "Scouting for food" and the goal is to re-stock the organizations that were depleted during the holidays giving others a helping hand. Now the Scouts can give back, something the bunch is very good at. Homeowners across the Valley and State were given door hanger tags as a reminder to put all canned goods into a bag that will be picked up between 10 A.M. and Noon on the 3rd of February. If you recieved a door tag...HELP OUT!!! Side note here...The scouts will only visit neighborhoods that were tagged.

If you travel the Loop 101 or watch the local news, you're likely familiar with the whole photo radar concept. How would you feel if the cameras were to show up on say the I-10 or the Loop 202??? There's talk in the Governor's office to make this a reality. What are your thoughts?? I spoke with a few folks this morning and reactions were mixed...yes & no. Do you think it's a violation of your rights or an added safety measure to crack down on speeders and reckless drivers??

Hey everybody....
Can you believe it?? After a seriously lack luster Arizona ski season last year, Flagstaff's Snowbowl is finally opening this weekend, January 20th. A sidebar here..I think snowbowl opened once last season,anyway... who's going??? I'm thinking our next weather maker will leave a calling card of an additional 2-4" of powder snow for Saturday's main event. This approaching system could also bring some soaking rains to a few valley locations (wouldn't that be nice:) The good news here is that record breaking cold will not accompany the front like the one earlier this week. My landscaping around the house will appreciate that! Also, catch our ski reports this weekend, Fox 10 news 5,9 & 10.