Kristi_Powers's Blog

On Thursday afternoon our future here in Houston & Galveston looked dark and gloomy as Ike loomed offshore ready to strike our shore. 

Here in the newsroom, management decided a backup plan was needed - just in case KRIV gets knocked off the air.  They decided to send a news team up to our sister staiton in Dallas (KDFW).  Damali Keith (anchor), Denise Albert (producer) and I (weather) were the chosen ones to head for the hills.  The station chartered a helicopter to take us up to the Big "D".  This was a military helicopter ... i won't lie - it was a rough ride (and I have a really strong stomach).  I was OK, but the other 2 weren't. 

Once we arrived in Dallas, we went to the hotel (to check in and nap for an hour) ... then off to the station for a crash course on their weather computer (so I can make local graphics for Houston).  The weather guys up there were very helpful.   They seem like a fun group of guys. 

By midnight, the graphics were made, makeup was on and our show was ready to go ... now - the "LONG" wait.  

We sat nervously watching our station broadcast the landfall of Ike.  We hoped we didn't have to go on the air because if we did - that meant there was some serious damage to the staiton (and possibly our homes).

We were on standby from midnight to 11am ... and they never needed us.  The station lost power, but we never lost generator power.  I was never so happy NOT to go on the air!!!

Now it's a long anxious ride back to see how Houston and the surrounding areas faired...and our own properties.

We stopped in Huntsville to refuel and to get clearance from the FAA to fly back to the station (located near 610 & 59).  The FAA had restricted airspace on Sunday to military, govenrment and medical personnel .  Understandable ... considering there were still search and rescue missions going on.  After we got clearance, we had to wait for the weather to clear.  Meantime, two military helicopters landed.  It turned out to be Gov. Rick Perry and his staff.  They were headed to Galveston to look at the damage and do a press conference.  We chatted briefly and then they left.  We left right after them.  From Huntsville right down to Houston we saw aerial evidence of the damage.  I snapped a few pictures from our 52-hour whirlwind trip.

After seeing/hearing about the LA quake last night ... I thought ... has Texas ever had an earthquake?  The answer - YES!  

There was a historic earthquake in Valentine, TX (that's in west Texas).  Certainly, no love there!!! It happened on August 16, 1931 and the magnitude of the quake was 6.4 (larger than the 5.4 magnitude quake that happened yesterday in LA).

One other historic earthquake I should mention is the New Madrid quake.  It's just north of Memphis, TN (in Missouri).  I lived in Memphis and learned a lot about this earthquake prone area.  I know it sounds weird, but this area does have frequent seimic activity. The New Madrid quakes happened WAY back in 1811-1812 with magnitudes between 7.5-8.0!!!

Have you ever been in an earthquake? Share you story with us! Was it scary? Did you feel it?

I've never been in an earthquake ... I don't know what I would do (other than freak out) if I found myself in the wrong place at the wrong time.  What would you do?

We continue to watch Dolly closely ... it sits right over the tip of the Yucatan Peninsula (which is where Cancun is located).  While the Tropical Storm sits over land, it tends to produce friction and help tear the storm apart.  Dolly will stay intact enough to maintain Tropical characteristics.  In fact, Dolly is excpected to decrease in forward speed (right now it's moving NW at 15mph, with 50mph winds).  Usually a decrease in forward speed leads to an increase in wind speed.  Dolly could become a hurricane by Tuesday. 

Right now models are in good agreement (keeping it south of us ... between Corpus Christi and northern Mexico).  This set up puts us on the rainy side of the system (the right, front quadrant) ... so look for better rain chances on Wed. & Thurs.

Dolly should be inland by Thursday afternoon.  We'll get back to normal by the weekend.

You'll want to stay up to date on this storm since it's so close to southeast Texas.  Check out our Weather Section on this website.  We have a hurricane toolbox, my tropical tracker, and live hurricane briefings at 11am and 4pm to help you stay safe!

Here we go this year! 

T.D. #2 sits waaaaaaaayyyyyy out in the Atlantic (about 230 miles from the Cape Verde islands off the coast of Africa).  This is rather unusual for this time of the year.  You don't typicvally see storms form off the coast of Africa until AUgust and September.

  T.D. #2 is weak - 35mph (that makes it a Tropical Depression - barely).  It's moving W/NW at 9mph.

It will get stronger ... conditions ahead of T.D. #2 look favorable.  When it becomes a Tropical Storm, it gets named.  The next name on the list is "Bertha".

It's expected to curve back out into the Atlantic and not be a huge threat to us here in the Lone Star State, but we'll continue to monitor it ... and you shouold do the same!   We'll keep you posted on the air and online here at myfoxhouston.com.  Click on the "Weather Tab" and you'll find a "Tropical Weather Tab" on the left side of the page.  It's a very cool, interactive website.  If you click on the "US View" (above the map) it'll zoom out and you can drag the map over into the Atlantic and see the latest track for T.D. #2.

Are you ready for hurricane season? Blog it here.

Hellllllooooooooo Houston!  My first day is finally here!  I'm so excited to be here forecasting the weather in this vibrant, friendly city (which has really good food - by the way)!!!

My day started at midnight ... shower, hair, makeup, breakfast ... I got to the station just after 2am to start working on your forecast.  I wanted to give myself plenty of time (in case computers crashes, or I just couldn't remeber how to run them after my memory overload of computer training last week)!

Showtime ... 5am to 9am ... went smoothly ... thanks to my floor crew for holding my hand and telling me where to stand, how much time I had, and who to toss to.

It's now time to eat lunch and take a nap!

I'll be back in tomorrow to do it all over again!

I know many of you have blogged in "well wishes", "welcomes" and "good lucks" ... thank you so much!  I hope this is the start of a lengthy friendship with all of you who watch on televisoin and on the web!

What questions do you have for me?  Anything you're dying to know?  Get to know me better ... blog it here!

Sunny Skies!

NO MATTER HOW YOU SAY IT ... THIS IS GOODBYE FOR ME HERE AT FOX 35.  IT TRULY IS BITTERSWEET! 

I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 3 1/2 YEARS AND SEEN SO MANY CHANGES ... A BRAND NEW STUDIO SET, THE ADDITION OF THIS WEBSITE I'M BLOGGING ON, AND THE ADDITION OF THE 5PM, 6PM AND 11PM NEWSCASTS.  THESE TOOLS ARE ALL AIMED AT YOU, THE VIEWER, AND SERVING YOU TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITIES.

I'VE ENJOYED MY TIME HERE AT FOX 35.  THERE ARE A LOT OF GOOD PEOPLE IN THIS NEWSROOM - A FRIENDLY, FUN, AND HARD WORKING STAFF.

AS FAR AS MY NEW WEATHER GIG GOES ... I WILL BE STAYING IN THE FOX FAMILY.  I'M JUST HOPPING OVER THE POND (A.K.A. THE GULF OF MEXICO) TO HOUSTON, TEXAS.   I WILL BE DOING THEIR MORNING SHOW FROM 5AM-9AM (M-F) ... BASICALLY, I'LL BE JIM VAN FLEET IN HOUSTON (MINUS THE SINGING) !  :)

IT'S TRULY BEEN A PLEASURE TO BRING YOU THE WEATHER EVERYDAY ... I HOPE YOU FOUND IT FUN AND INFORMATIVE.  

NO MATTER WHERE LIFE TAKES YOU ... MAY SUNNY SKIES STAY WITH YOU ALONG THE WAY!   

HOUSTON, HERE I COME!!!

KRISTI :)  

Everyone keeps asking me when our rainy season typically starts ... for Orlando & Melbourne  - May 26th is the start date.  In Daytona Beach , it typically starts around May 28th.

Last year it started around June 2nd.

2006 - May 26th

2005 - May 27th

When do you think the faucet will switch to "ON" for the 2008 rainy season? 

If they find this guy ... what do you think his punishment should be?

A special treat this Easter weekend (and a few days after) ... space lovers can check out the International Space Station (I-S-S).  It's orbiting 220 miles above earth and you can see it with the naked eye as it streaks across the sky for a few minutes each day. 

You just have to know where and when to look for it!!!

First - the "times" to watch ...
From Orlando it is visible: 

• Saturday March 22 at 05:44 AM 
• Sunday March 23 at 06:07 AM
• Sunday March 23 at 08:50 PM
• Monday March 24 at 06:30 AM
• Monday March 24 at 09:13 PM 
• Tuesday March 25 at 08:00 PM 
• Tuesday March 25 at 09:37 PM
• Wednesday March 26 at 08:24 PM
• Thursday March 27 at 08:47 PM 

Second - the "where" to look ...

You can find out exactly where the International Space Station or the Space Shuttle is predicted to pass through your sky during the next 10 days. Enter your location from a list at heavens-above.com (if you register first you can save your location and don't have to reenter it every time). Then next to "Satellites, 10 day predictions for:" click "ISS" or "STS-123". To see the ground track with time marks for your local time zone: click the date of the pass you're interested in then click "Click here" under "Ground Track".

You should check the predictions each day though. The shuttle has to change its orbit to approach and depart the station and the station's orbit may be "boosted" while it is docked.  If the time of your visible pass(es) is near docking or departure you can see both objects following almost the same orbit, one after/beside the other!

Happy Hunting!  You won't see it Sunday morning ... it'll be too cloudy and rainy!!!

Let me know if you see it over the next couple of days.  Even better, if you take pictures - post them here and share them with us all! :)

Man it's been really nice this week!   Even better, it holds through the weekend! :)

I'm looking for increasing clouds by Friday evening ... and just a 20% showers around 6-9pm Friday (mainly from Lakeland to Sanford across too the east coast). 

The rain ends overnight Saturday and the first half of your weekend looks warm!  Mid 80's warm! 

Sunday, I've put a 20% showers in ... but bottomline, don't cancel any outdoor plans over the next 3 days!

NOTE for SPRINGBREAKERS / BEACHGOERS ... watch out for JELLYFISH near the coast AND be careful if your in the water ... the RIP CURRENTS are bad right now.  Rip currents will be worst from 2pm - 8pm Friday (during outgoing tide).  If you see a red or purple flag flying at the lifeguard station ... be careful in the water ... the rip currents are bad (red) and there is dangerous marine life (sharks or jellyfish) near the shore (purple). 

Will you head out to the beach this weekend? Or will you wait until Spring Break is over? 

I couldn't resist a little alliteration in the title!  :)

Yes ... we are the envy of the entire nation right now ... our weather this weekend is GORGEOUS!!!  My cousin is in Washington D.C. right now (she lives here in Central Florida) ... she said it was 17*F there ... they can have it! 

Sunday looks just as nice as Saturday ... maybe a few degrees warmer.  I'm shooting for a high of 78* in Orlando ... it should be a little cloudier near the coast and temperatures will be in the low 70's!

This weather is perfect for all the Bikeweek revelers.  That's not the only event in town.  We have the ESPN weekend going on at Disney and Seaworld's new waterpark (Aquatica) opened today!!! 

How are you going to spend your Sunday (outside in the nice, comfy weather)?  Will you go to any of these events?

IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE IT'S BEEN 10 YEARS SINCE THE 1998 TORNADO OUTBREAK HAPPENED HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA. 

I REMEMBER IT VIVIDLY.  I WAS WORKING AT MY FIRST JOB (JUST UP THE ROAD IN GAINESVILLE, FL) AND I WAS DOING WEATHER THAT NIGHT.  WE HAD SEVERE WEATHER ALL EVENING IN NORTH FLORIDA AND I STAYED LATE TO HAND OFF MY SHIFT TO THE AM WEATHER GUY.  I WENT TO BED THAT NIGHT THINKING ... WE HAD DODGED A BULLET IN MY VIEWING AREA.  UNFORTUNATELY, FOLKS HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA WEREN'T SO LUCKY. 

THE FEB. 22-23, 1998 TORNADO OUTBREAK WAS THE DEADLIEST IN FLORIDA HISTORY.  42 WERE KILLED AND 260 WERE INJURED.  THERE WERE 7 TORNADOES THAT TOUCHED DOWN DURING THE EVENT. THEY HIT 5 COUNTIES (LAKE, SEMINOLE, BREVARD, VOLUSIA, & OSCEOLA).  BUT THE F3 THAT HIT IN OSCEOLA COUNTY NEAR KISSIMMEE IS THE ONE WE REMEMBER MOST.

I WENT TO THAT MOBILE HOME PARK (WHERE THE MAJORITY OF THE DEATHS OCCURED) BACK IN 2005.  I WAS REPORTING - IT WAS MY STORY FOR THE DAY.  IT WAS TRULY HEARTBREAKING.  I ONLY FOUND ONE PERSON WHO WOULD TALK TO US ON CAMERA.  AT LEAST A DOZEN PEOPLE TOLD ME THEY COULDN'T TALK ABOUT IT AT ALL.  IT WAS TOO PAINFUL AND EVERYTIME THEY THOUGHT ABOUT IT ... IT WAS LIKE THEY WERE RELIVING THAT NIGHTMARE.  I FELT FOR THOSE FOLKS AND AFTER 3 YEARS, I HAVEN'T FORGOT THEM.

I HOPE YOU TAKE TIME TODAY TO REMEMBER THIS SOMBER DAY, THE PEOPLE WE LOST, AND THOSE WHO ARE STILL STRUGGLING.  

 DO YOU REMEMBER THESE TORNADOES?    

HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A TORNADO?  BEEN A VICTIM / SURVIVOR?  DID YOU HEAR THE INFAMOUS TRAIN SOUND?  SHARE YOUR TORNADO STORIES HERE.

Hour by hour the weather forecast is looking better and better for the Great American Race!!!

We're still watching a storm system over Texas ... severe weather breaking out there right now (Sat. ~6pm).  This system has decided to slow down and get better organized.  That bodes well for Sunday's Daytona 500 weather!!!

It now looks like the rain stays completely out of the picture!  Yeah!!!  "Gentlemen start your engines!"  The winds will be blowing out of the South 5-15 mph.  We'll see increasing clouds all day as the storm system approaches.

It looks like the cold front doesn't arrive until Monday morning ... about 8-9am in Gainesville and about 1-2pm in Orlando.

Bottomline, dress in layers!  A short sleeve, long sleeve, and light jacket ... that way you're prepared.  Don't forget to wear sunscreen and sunglasses! The sun is still strong this time of the year in Florida and you will get burned!  Have a blast at the Speedway!

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE DAYTONA 500 HOUR-BY-HOUR FORECAST!

LOOKS LIKE WINTER WILL LAST A LITTLE BIT LONGER ... ACCORDING TO "PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL".  HE SPOTTED HIS SHADOW AROUND 7:30AM THIS MORNING IN FRONT OF HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE IN PENNSYLVANIA. THAT MEANS THERE'S GOING TO BE SIX MORE WEEKS OF WINTER!  IF HE'S RIGHT, WINTER WILL END ON MARCH 20th. 

THERE IS ANOTHER GROUNDHOG IN THE FORECASTING BUSINESS!  "GENERAL BEAUREGARD LEE" HAD A DIFFERENT FORECAST FROM "PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL".  "GEN. LEE" CALLS LINBURN, GEORGIA HOME.  HE DID NOT SEE HIS SHADOW ... CALLING FOR AN EARLY SPRING!

OK, I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING ... ONCE AGAIN WEATHER FORECASTERS ARE DISAGREEING!!!  ha ha!!!  I GUESS WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE WHICH ONE WILL BE RIGHT!!! 

LET'S GET A LITTLE BETTING STARTED!!!  I'M PUTTING MY MONEY ON "GENERAL BEAUREGARD LEE"!!!  BRING ON THE SPRING ... AND ALL THOSE APRIL SHOWERS THAT COME WITH IT!!!  :)

WHO'S YOUR MONEY ON?

I was reading Truthguys blog about all this much needed rain we've been getting during our "Dry Season".  It has been nice to see the wet stuff! 

I thought I'd do some checking ahead on the Temperature and Precipitation outlook through Spring.  Sorry Truthguys ... it looks warmer & drier than normal over the SE (& FL) through May!  Let's hope we keep getting all this rain so our Fire Season is almost nonexistent!

How are your lawns & landscapes fairing this dry season?  Have you been getting the rain at your house?