Timothy Lawton

After waiting for more than 25 years I finally saw a big thunderstorm down The Shore. I have been going to the Jersey Shore for about a week a year for my entire life and every year the weather never cooperates. I chase storms and I never see more than a bit of rain when I’m on vacation. Despite the fact that this makes the rest of my family happy it has been a bane to my existence for decades. Outside of a few rumbles of thunder and a few lightning streaks the storms always seemed to fall apart as they approached or move around us. Between my complaints and the lack of storms my sister even took to calling me the “storm repellent”. Finally this year things sort of changed.

On Sunday morning about 5 AM I was awoken from my sleep by a tremendous clap of thunder. I quickly sprung forth from my bed, dressed, and proceeded to go see what was happening outside. To my shock a ferocious storm was just descending on the tiny bungalows of our neighborhood. After so many years I was treated to a storm with wonderful lightning, potent thunder, and torrential rain. This fortuitous event was followed by a week of storms playing their usual role of how I got the appellation, “storm repellent”, but the fact that I FINALLY got to see a storm kept my attitude positive about the situation.

Yet, God was good to me, as normal, and even more was in store. On my last day down The Shore I wrestled all day with when I would leave. Similar to most of the week thunderstorms were raging all over New Jersey and the surrounding states. Similar to the rest of the week they were continuing to avoid the area that I was in, but as the day progressed it looked like I might get missed again. I kept my spirits high resigned to the thought that I had at least saw one big storm, but hope was revived as another line of storms developed to the west. The little glimmer of possibility made me decide to stay a little longer. Thank God I did!! Around 5PM the skies darkened and the radar returns to the west of us consolidated into a deep dark red blob moving steadily in our direction. The pre-storm lightning show was so impressive that dozens of people stood outside their vacation houses oohing and aaahing like they were watching fireworks. People were taking pictures and my nephews ACTUALLY seemed impressed enough with the cloud formations, thunder, and light show to be interested in me explaining what it was that they were witnessing. And when the sky finally did open up about 6pm the monsoon that was unleashed possibly had gusts up to seventy miles per hour.

So, my long storm drought is over. My family can also rejoice because not one minute of beach time was lost to either storm. All in all it was a tremendous beginning and ending to my vacation down The Shore. Thank you God!!

     About three weeks ago Emerson, NJ and several surrounding towns were slammed by an extremely rare hail storm. Some of my students referred to it as snow. This was largely due to the fact that the roads had to be plowed and people had to shovel their walks and driveways. I was told that golfball sized hail still remained the morning after by someone who was an eyewitness. Now on July 7th, 2009 this phenomenon was practically repeated in and around Yonkers, NY. I have heard no first hand reports, but pictures made it clear that at least shovels and possibly plows were again needed. Maybe the persistence of the upper level low over our region for the past 5 weeks may be the cause for these storms. Yet, we have to wonder at exactly how exceptional this series of events are. Remember an unusually prolific hail storm with extremely dense territorial coverage struck from PA to NJ to NY to CONN in April.

     I know that Michael Jackson was one of the most famous pop stars of all time, but his death does not warrant twenty-four hour a day coverage. This is not the most important story in the world. There are wars, political issues, and other far more pressing matters. The House of representatives just passed a Cap and Trade bill that could destroy the economy of this nation, Iran could be near a revolution, and billions of people around the world live on less than two dollars a day. These are the stories that should be on the news. These are the things we should be talking about. Michael Jackson was a gifted performer and he will be missed, yet the world WILL continue to spin despite what some with a penchant for hyperbole may think!!!!!!

So far the Yankees are off to a bit of a slow start, but there’s still a 151 to go before the playoffs. I can’t believe I actually miss Lame-Rod’s bat and fielding, but I do. I think it’s great that Posada hit the first homerun in the stadium. I was hoping it would be him or Derek Jeter. Either of them deserved it because they’re both lifelong Yankees. (At least they should be. Just like Bernie Williams.)

Spring weather in New Jersey is usually boring and this year is generally not an exception. Yet, we did have that awesome widespread hailstorm. I’ve never seen a hailstorm cover so much of our area before. Usually it’s very isolated, but this event covered about 70 to 80% of our region. Another unusual fact about the storm was that the hail wasn’t round, but more like lifesavers or certs. Everyone I spoke to said that their hail was flat as well.

And as of now I haven’t heard of any previously unproven species being found or figured out, what if anything will happen when our solar system crosses the galactic equator in December 2012. ENJOY!!