This morning it was warm – 39° – and raining; now it’s 27° and sunny (but also windy).

Yesterday’s ice storm brought down quite a few tree branches, including one in our front yard. I suppose I should get out there and finish removing it from the tree (since currently it’s still attached, hanging by a small strip of wood), and then figure out if/when the city yard-waste crews will be making the rounds.

Sputnik reported 0° at 8:00am. I don’t think we’ll be going anywhere today….

Warm this morning (43°), but also windy and raining.

Due to young Mr. Jacob’s general lack of urgency in getting ready for school, and Papa’s failure to keep a close eye on the time, we were several minutes late to the bus stop this morning; and the bus was a few minutes early. It was a near thing.

This morning’s weather, crummy as it is, still qualifies as an improvement over yesterday: Monday morning, we woke up to temperatures just below freezing, with a weak drizzle of rain, and ice everywhere. It wasn’t enough ice to coat the trees (and bring down limbs, snap power lines, etc.), but it was quite sufficient to glaze the roads and make driving on secondary streets – left unsalted as part of a recently-announced city cost-cutting measure – quite treacherous.

But Jake made it to school yesterday, Sam made it to preschool, and nothing bad happened to any of us. I even won a dollar in County Market’s Christmas promotion, so it was a day both adventuresome and profitable.

I looked out the office window just now, and saw…snow, the first of the season.

It’s coming down pretty hard, but the ground is warm enough yet that it’s not sticking.

I think Jennifer is out driving in it, too. Poor Jennifer.

Rather chilly at the bus stop this morning: a mere 49°, according to NOAA.

(Before the temperature drops too much further, I need to find myself a new jacket. The one I wore last year doesn’t fit so well any more.)

Rain this morning, as the remnants of Hurricane Ike make their way north after stomping on Texas the other day.

No thunder or lightning that I’ve noticed, just a strong, steady downpour.

NOAA reports that as of 4:00pm, the temperature in Champaign was 89°, and the dewpoint was 79°.

Usually a dewpoint that high means some heavy weather is on the way, but the current radar is quite empty of excitement.

Strangely cool today: the high was only 75°.

It’s been a nice break from temperatures in the 90s.

Rain this morning, then the sky cleared and the temperature shot up.

At 4:00pm, it was 87°, dewpoint 72°. Given the conditions, it was probably unwise of me to walk two-thirds of the way home from work, but that’s what I did. (It always makes me cackle a bit when I catch the bus for home closer to home than where I catch the bus to work….)

Just now, thunder rumbles outside. Jennifer reports frequent lightning. (I’m too lazy to look out the window, myself.) Radar shows a thick band of ugly weather, coming at us from the west.

We’re in for a noisy night, I fear.

NOAA says:

TODAY
MOSTLY SUNNY. HOT. HIGHS IN THE LOWER 90S.
LIGHT AND VARIABLE WINDS EARLY IN THE MORNING
BECOMING SOUTH 10 TO 15 MPH IN THE LATE
MORNING AND AFTERNOON.

It may be cheaper to take the bus to/from work instead of driving the Explorer, but it’s not always more comfortable.