MTWX's WunderBlog

The scars on the Earth will heal, but the scars on our hearts are forever...

Posted by: MTWX, 4:47 AM GMT on April 27, 2012

Today marks the 1 year anniversary of one of the largest tornado outbreaks in US history.

We were extremely lucky here in Columbus, MS! Tornadoes ripped through every one of our neighboring counties that day.

A total of 358 confirmed tornadoes responsible for 322 deaths occured over the 4 day period.

Below are some of the surveyed paths around my area (sorry they are not all here,but it would take up too much space)

Jackson NWS coverage area

Birmingham NWS coverage area

Memphis NWS coverage area

NOTE: All above links go to the individual site pages where images were borrowed from, and include all of the tornado survey reports for their respective coverage areas.

This outbreak was without a doubt extremely heartbreaking, but it definitely was an eye opener for me personally. After regaining communications with friends that were directly affected by these tornadoes two days after the storms, I soon realized how bad their individual situations were. Their areas have not received any assistance from anyone, with the primary focus of the news coverage and aid on Birmingham and Tuscaloosa. Our local community volunteer groups had mostly headed to Tuscaloosa and north to Smithville. I didn't quite know how to get aid to the more rural areas destroyed by these violent storms...

PORTLIGHT ON THE MOVE

After following their work after Hurricane Ike and the earthquake in Haiti, I contacted Portlight for assistance. I already had the truck loaded up to make a run to deliver need supplies to the folks of rural Cullman County, AL (were my friends live).
After my first delivery I was able to get a better handle on the situation and relay the info back to the folks at Portlight. They in turn routed supplies they had to the area I was in, which made the living conditions in the small rural community around Hanceville a lot more tolerable!

Over the course of the next few weeks I continued, with the support of other volunteers and Portlight, to move supplies into Hanceville and other hard hit areas. The locations we supplied were without potable water and electricity for 2 weeks following the storms.

Here are some images from our routes traveled and our relief effort...

Tuscaloosa 1 year later... The scar will be visible for years, but will eventually heal...

FROM MYSELF AND THE PEOPLE OF THE ARAB AND HANCEVILLE COMMUNITIES, THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE FOR US PORTLIGHT AND ALL OF THE VOLUNTEERS WHO GAVE UP THEIR DAILY LIVES TO ASSIST THEIR NEIGHBORS!!

Categories:Extreme Weather Severe Weather Tornado

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Top Ten Montana Weather Events of the 20th Century

Posted by: MTWX, 6:46 PM GMT on April 11, 2012

Just ran across this article from my home state. Enjoy!#10). July 5, 1937. The temperature topped out at 117°F at Medicine Lake in northeastern Montana. This tied the all-time high temperature for Montana previously established at Glendive on July 20, 1893. Combined with the -70°F at Roger's Pass in 1954 (#6), this makes the all-time temperature range recorded in Montana 187°F! This is the most extreme temperature range experienced in any of the 50 United State...

Categories:Extreme Weather

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Fishing Report this weekend and a Garden update.

Posted by: MTWX, 2:57 PM GMT on April 09, 2012

This weekend got out on the water a couple times. Friday evening, took the family down to the Lock and we did pretty well. The kids had a blast, and they caught about a dozen fish. Unfortunately for me, I was too busy detangle lines and rebaiting the kids hooks to wet a line myself. My daughter did manage to catch two nice "keepers", a 2 lb Crappie and a Bluegill that was about a pound (picture to be posted soon). My youngest son caught his first fish too. Most...

Categories:Fishing Gardening

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Fishing Report/ Outlook for this weekend

Posted by: MTWX, 2:59 PM GMT on March 23, 2012

Last weekend I went out and fished a number of locations for a variety of species to try to draft a reliable report for all types of anglers.Below the Stennis Lock and Dam the Blue Cat and White Bass bite is hard to beat when the gates are open (catches of 15-20 good sized fish of both species were witnessed by me). When they are closed the Gar take up residence and the bite for the other species slows to a crawl, though an occasional good fish is still not out of ...

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Weekend Fishing/Happy Birthday to Me!!

Posted by: MTWX, 2:24 PM GMT on March 13, 2012

Every year for my birthday, I head down to the Gulf Coast for a charter fishing trip with my good friend Capt. Robert Brodie. Every year he manages to get me and my guests on the fish! Well enough of me rambling, I'll let the pictures do the talking!! (photos courtesy of Robert Brodie, and Team Brodie Charters)If you would like to charter Capt. Brodie, all his information is on his website . A half day charter is $375 and a full day is $475 (for up to 4 anglers...

Categories:Fishing

Updated: 1:05 AM GMT on March 28, 2012

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