Scott Fillmer

This Friday for Friday Feet the plan was to focus on the day at hand, Good Friday.  We had a nice relaxing day at home on Friday in preparation for the Good Friday service and it ended up being one of the more memorable services that either Deborah or I have been to in years.  Just about half way into the service the tornado sirens started sounded.  The service was interrupted for about 30 minutes while we all hunkered down to one side of the worship area.

What made the service so memorable was how unscripted the whole evening was.  As we came back together and stared to focus on what makes this day special, the hail, thunder, and lightning started to come down in full force.  This was not a “traditional” service but the way it came together was so special.  I am thrilled to be a part of a church that is willing to interpret worship in many different ways.

On the way home it became apparent that the storm system that went through the area had made its way out to our property.  Tree after tree had been uprooted, snapped in half, and literally thrown all over the place.  The photo below at night was what we found as we drove in from the service.  A cedar tree topped and covering the road.  Once morning arrived we found about a 75 foot pine tree that was just blown over, making my Friday Feet image.

After surveying the damage out this way we found out that there were one and possibly two tornadoes that came through the property.  They were small, but had two visual sightings and see to skip around the houses for the most part.

Happy Easter to everyone.

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A rare snowstorm hit the state of Alabama this weekend.  It was 3,319 days since any measurable snow was recorded at the Birmingham airport and today they reported 2 inches of snow.  That said, we are two hours southeast of Birmingham so I am sure it has been even longer down here.  It was quite a storm and it snowed almost all day today until the sun went down.  It is supposed to get into the mid-20′s tonight so all that snow is going to freeze and should stick around at least until tomorrow.

I took these images today on my way to Cornerstone and some here at the house once I got home.  No telling when the next heavy snowfall will come down to Auburn so I tried to take as many photos and video as I could.  The one unique shot here is of our tree swing.  This will make just about every weather season we could get from the same angle.  I now have Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, snow, rain, and several others which I will post all together.  You can see all the photos from the snow storm on my flickr account here or go right to the March 2009 Snowstorm gallery.

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This was one heck of a snow storm we had today, and I had to go over to Auburn to take some photos of Samford in the snow.  Over the past two days we have had tornado warnings, then 70 degree sunshine, and the very next day we had several inches of snow.  I did manage to get out and take several shots of the snow storm today and didn’t want to put them all in one post so here are some photos of Samford Hall on Auburn University in the snow along with one shot of Toomer’s Corner Drugs as well.

Every time you think you have seen every angle of one building (Samford Hall) something happens to make for a great new and fresh image.  I took these about 7:30am before the snow really got going today, and I wasn’t alone, there were crowds down on campus by the time I got there and I did see that Aubie made an appearance in the snow as well.

It must have been about 8-10 years since it has snowed this much in Auburn so there are a few images of Samford in the snow but I am not sure what the record is for total accumulation, but we came close today.

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These two storms look like they could really do some damage once they reach the U.S. coast.  Right now both are predicted to reach hurricane status over the weekend and then hurricane Gustav looks like it will go to the Louisiana side and hurricane Hanna the Florida side. Sorry no photography posted other than the hurricane graphic, I will get back to posting some images soon.

On an interesting note.  I work with domain information and registrations and often buy domains for my personal or business use.  Did you know that all hurricane domain names have been purchased by speculators through the end of the current hurricane name cycle. Right now, hurricane names are release up to the 2013 hurricane season.  If you take that list and look at some of the unique names on the list, then compare them to registered domain names (like hurricanenestor.com), you can systematically go through the list and see they are already reserved as far out as 2013.

Domain names are the last relestate frontier, and most are worthless, unless you actually want to use one for your name, business, or product.  Some Karen out there might be a windy kind of gal and want the domain hurricanekaren, but your name is on the list for 2013, so sorry, you missed that one.

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Taken during heavy gusts and rain out the back door of our house.

Tropical Storm Fay made its way across our corner of Alabama yesterday and last night, bringing some great rain to a drought area. Tornado warning after warning came and went, but the most we got here is a good solid day of soaking and some wind. A great day to stay inside and watch the weather.

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Has anyone else here in the southeastern part of Alabama (namely Auburn-Opelika) been following the progress of tropical storm Fay? That’s us below, just about between the 8 on “8 AM Sun” and the “D”. Doesn’t actually look like it will reach hurricane strength now, but it keeps going back and forth.

I usually follow hurricane season via the National Hurricane Center from NOAA pretty close sine we have a small interest down in the gulf coast right now (our sailboat). It has been a while since Auburn was hit by a tropical storm, but they do get up this way once in a while, and we could really use the rain.

This has been a crazy track to follow. First it was going into the Gulf, then up to Atlanta, then out to the Atlantic, now, the latest has it moving right over our area, just south of Auburn-Opelika? Not only does it seem to change by the hour, but it seems to be moving very very slow.

If it moves over the Auburn area, it isn’t going to be here until Sunday (right now). Earlier predictions were giving us some rain by Wednesday (tomorrow). I would be happy for it to wait until Sunday, I was planning on photographing the Auburn Woman’s Soccer on Friday against Grambling State. Seeing that it is the opening game of the season, I don’t think they want it called by a hurricane.

Here is hoping we get hit with a good soaking of rain, but after the woman finish playing soccer on Friday.

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Hurricane Dean has now been upgraded to a category 4 hurricane and is headed for the Gulf of Mexico. Several amateur radio nets have now been activated, and all the net information can be found at http://www.hwn.org/

Dean looks like it will make landfall around Cozumel and then pass on into the gulf where it should strengthen again before hitting landfall somewhere around Brownsville, TX, according to the more recent forecasts from NOAA and the National Weather Service. Timing of this storm is interesting for the amateur radio crowd since this is the weekend for the large ARRL National Convention in Huntsville, AL. A large number of radio operators go to the Huntsville hamfest each year but this year a larger number will be making the trip because ARRL’s convention going on at the same time. Many hams I know in the Alabama gulf coast have already left the gulf area to go to Huntsville, but all will be keeping an eye on Dean this weekend from up north. 73, KI4WLR

Other Posts Related to this Topic

• Gustav and Hanna Looking for a Place to Land
• Tropical Storm Fay is a Welcome Arrival Here
• Hurricane Dean and Erin Now Active in the Gulf
• Good Friday Tornadoes with Minor Tree Damage :: Friday Feet
• Rare March Snowstorm in Auburn 2009

The gulf now has a few storms, tropical storm Erin and hurricane Dean, the first hurricane of the 2007 Atlantic season. Dean looks like it will have plenty of time and water to strengthen into this weekend and it is projected to reach Mexico as a category 4 storm. You can see the current projections at The National Hurricane Center from NOAA.

Hams have long been a part of ECOMM (emergency communications) in times of bad weather, especially when hurricane Katrina hit. Some of the programs available for radio operators to get involved are RACES, ARES, SKYWARN, and several ARRL training classes and also the ICS from FEMA, and also MARS if you are a General license meet certain requirements, listed below.

• Be 17 years of age or older
• Be a U.S. citizen or resident alien
• Possess a valid Amateur Radio license issued by the FCC
• Possess a station capable of operating on MARS HF and/or VHF frequencies
• Agree to accept strict monthly requirments for on-air participation

above as noted in QST September 2007 issue

Coming up in other posts I will expand on each of these and explain what training I plan to do or have done to be a prepared amateur radio operator in times of need. Your local club should have information on each of these programs and there are plenty of places to use your radio operating skills in an emergency. 73, KI4WLR

Other Posts Related to this Topic

• Gustav and Hanna Looking for a Place to Land
• Hurricane Dean Has Been Upgraded to a Category 4
• Good Friday Tornadoes with Minor Tree Damage :: Friday Feet
• Rare March Snowstorm in Auburn 2009
• Samford Hall and Auburn University in the Snow