400 AM CDT THU OCT 11 2012

TODAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGH IN THE UPPER 60S. SOUTHWEST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH SHIFTING TO THE NORTH 10 TO 15 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON.

TONIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. COLDER. LOW IN THE LOWER 30S. NORTHEAST WIND 5 TO 15 MPH.

FRIDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGH IN THE LOWER 60S. SOUTHEAST WIND 10 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 25 MPH.

FRIDAY NIGHT…A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH MIDNIGHT…THEN THUNDERSTORMS LIKELY AFTER MIDNIGHT. WARMER. LOW IN THE MID 50S. SOUTH WIND 10 TO 15 MPH. CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS 70 PERCENT.

SATURDAY…CLOUDY. THUNDERSTORMS LIKELY IN THE MORNING…THEN A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AFTERNOON. BREEZY…WARMER. HIGH IN THE UPPER 70S. SOUTH WIND 15 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 30 MPH. CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS 70 PERCENT.

SATURDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY. A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH MIDNIGHT…THEN A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AFTER MIDNIGHT. LOW IN THE LOWER 50S. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 40 PERCENT.

SUNDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. COOLER. HIGH IN THE UPPER 60S.

SUNDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOW IN THE UPPER 40S.

A powerful and potentially-dangerous storm front is developing which forecasters say could bring tornadoes and other severe weather to Iowa this weekend. Meteorologist Kevin Deitsch, at the National Weather Service, says our long dry spell is about to end, but not quietly. “A pretty strong system moving out of the southwest will eject from out of the Four Corners region northeast, up towards Iowa,” Deitsch says. “A pretty strong system will pull up quite a bit of moisture with it. We will see quite a bit of rain and with that, comes the potential for thunderstorms, some hail, wind and even tornadoes are possible with these storms.”

Deitsch says the storms will likely get their act together somewhere near the Missouri River on Saturday. He says the storms will likely develop over eastern Nebraska and western Iowa and push east across Iowa during the afternoon and evening. The storm system should be out of Iowa by late Saturday night, Deitsch says. The National Weather Service will monitor weather conditions for the Iowa State-Kansas State football game on Saturday, with an 11 A-M kickoff. Back in November of 2005, a tornado was reported directly west of I-S-U’s packed Jack Trice Stadium moments before the Iowa State-Colorado game, though the twister caused no damage.

(Radio Iowa)

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353 AM CDT WED OCT 10 2012

TODAY…SUNNY. HIGH IN THE LOWER 60S. WEST WIND 5 TO 15 MPH.

TONIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. NOT AS COOL. LOW IN THE LOWER 40S. SOUTH WIND 10 TO 15 MPH.

THURSDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGH IN THE MID 60S. SOUTHWEST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH SHIFTING TO THE NORTH IN THE AFTERNOON.

THURSDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOW IN THE LOWER 30S. NORTHEAST WIND 10 TO 15 MPH.

FRIDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGH IN THE LOWER 60S. SOUTHEAST WIND 10 TO 15 MPH.

FRIDAY NIGHT…CLOUDY. A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH MIDNIGHT…THEN THUNDERSTORMS LIKELY AFTER MIDNIGHT. WARMER. LOW IN THE MID 50S. CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS 70 PERCENT.

SATURDAY…THUNDERSTORMS LIKELY. BREEZY. HIGH IN THE LOWER 70S. CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS 60 PERCENT.

SATURDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 30 PERCENT CHANCE OF SHOWERS. LOW IN THE LOWER 50S.

The first of four drought workshops organized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture was held Tuesday in Omaha. U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack said this year’s historic drought has highlighted the “resiliency” of American agriculture and the capacity of farmers to embrace new technologies and new techniques.”One of the reasons why we’re potentially going to see yields a little bit higher than we anticipated is because of our farmers acceptance of new seed technologies, in particular, that have allowed yields to be greater than anticipated because the crops are more resilient,” Vilsack said. “At the same time, our farmers have embraced conservation…and perhaps they’ve been able to retain the moisture more effectively than they have in the past.”

Vilsack, a former Iowa governor, said the lack of new Farm Bill will likely delay the federal response to the drought. He added the drought’s impact extends far beyond the family farm. “I think we learned today there are a lot of implications to this drought that you might think of at first. Just as an example, the impact on tourism, the impact on energy supplies, the impact on water resources for our communities,” Vilsack said. “This extends, obviously, beyond the serious impact it has on our producers.” Many workshop attendees agreed the livestock industry faces the biggest challenges in the months ahead – with tight supplies of feed grains and high prices.

Matt Swantek, an Iowa State University Extension swine program specialist, said pork producers are definitely concerned about cash flow. “What’s it going to take to stay in business and be able to…maintain livestock numbers? When this does turn, it’s going to be a turn for the good, which has always been the case in the past,” Swantek said. “But if we don’t have pigs out there to take advantage of it, there’s not going to be an opportunity (to stay in business) long term.” Three more workshops are scheduled to discuss resources available to assist with drought recovery efforts. Those meetings will be held in Pueblo, Colorado; Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and a site to be determined in Ohio.

(Radio Iowa)

A man whose face many people in southwest Iowa and eastern Nebraska have seen on television during the weather segments, and who reports weather data to the National Weather Service and other media outlets, including KJAN, is retiring from his post. Ray Book, from Harlan, says after 13-years of reporting daily weather data such as precipitation, temperatures and other weather phenomenon, he’s calling it quits. His last day was today (Tuesday). Book served an official observer and reporter for Harlan. He’s kept the records and reported directly to the National Weather Service each day since he took over the duty in December of 1999. That means faithfully reporting that information every day at 7-a.m., rain or shine, blizzard or hail. He says he’s seen it all over the past decade or so. The hardest part of the job he said, was measuring snowfall.

He says when people question how the amounts can vary so much, whether it’s rain or snow, he tries to explain it to them. Ray says rain and snow do not fall in equal amounts across the same area, as evidenced during this year’s drought. The drought has been the big news story this year, aside from politics. Ray has his own thoughts on the drought. He says he hopes we get some moisture. If we don’t next year won’t look good at all, but Ray says weather runs in cycles, and he thinks it will eventually all “even out.”

He started out recording his information in a book on a daily basis, and his reports at the end of each month. But, technology changed all that. He says in 2009, he started filling out the information on a computer program to the National Weather Service in Valley, NE. That information would be compiled and sent on to Washington, D.C. He also sent the same information to the local newspaper, and an Omaha television station. Ray said he’s enjoyed the job, and responsibility that comes with reporting data every single day, but the 71-year old says he’s ready to spend some time traveling, with his wife, Maxine.

The couple has five adult children. They’ve been married for 49-years. The job of reporting the weather now, falls on Dan Crees, at Crees Garden Center, in Harlan.

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355 AM CDT TUE OCT 9 2012

TODAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY. A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF LIGHT RAIN EARLY IN THE AFTERNOON. BREEZY…COOLER. HIGH IN THE UPPER 50S. WEST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH INCREASING TO NORTHWEST 15 TO 20 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON.

TONIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. COLDER. LOW IN THE UPPER 20S. NORTHWEST WIND 5 TO 15 MPH.

WEDNESDAY…SUNNY. HIGH AROUND 60. WEST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. NOT AS COOL. LOW IN THE LOWER 40S. SOUTH WIND 5 TO 15 MPH.

THURSDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGH IN THE UPPER 60S. SOUTHWEST WIND 5 TO 15 MPH SHIFTING TO THE NORTH 5 TO 10 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON.

THURSDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOW IN THE UPPER 30S.

FRIDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY. HIGH IN THE LOWER 60S.

FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY…THUNDERSTORMS LIKELY. LOW IN THE LOWER 50S. HIGH IN THE LOWER 70S. CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS 60 PERCENT.

The National Weather Service in Omaha has extended the Red Flag Warning to cover Harrison, Shelby and Pottawattamie Counties in southwest Iowa. The warning is in effect until 6-p.m.  Previously, the warning covered those counties along and north of Highway 30. In addition, the Grassland Fire Danger Index will be in the EXTREME category today for the counties mentioned.

Officials say low humidity, winds gusting out of the southwest from 15-to 30-miles per hour will combine to create explosive fire growth if a fire should develop. Fires are especially possible in extremely dry fields and grassy areas. Outdoor burning is not recommended, and most counties in the area have a burn ban in place.

A Red Flag Warning mean that critical fire weather conditions are occurring or will shortly.

Counties: MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE–

THE GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER INDEX WILL BE IN THE EXTREME CATEGORY THIS AFTERNOON. EXTREME FIRE DANGER MEANS THAT FIRES START QUICKLY…SPREAD FURIOUSLY AND BURN INTENSELY. ALL FIRES ARE POTENTIALLY SERIOUS. ALL OUTDOOR BURNING SHOULD BE AVOIDED IN AREAS WITH EXTREME FIRE DANGER.