Did you see this? An article at Wired Science explores the idea that urban sprawl, plus climate change, combined to manufacture last year’s devastating downtown tornado.

“The conditions that brought in the storm were the hammer,” analogized Purdue University climatologist Dev Niyogi, “but local features were the chisel. They pinpointed the severe weather.”

That tornado cut through town a year ago today, and as I type this it’s a mild rainy day inside the Perimeter, but just a few blocks from here houses still show their scars. If you know someone who was hurt personally when the sky came down to Atlanta that day, give them a call. Buy them a drink. Remember that strange and powerful day.

Atlanta isn’t really a winter town.  People don’t particularly get excited about winter here, and for good reason.  There isn’t really much special to do.  The best thing you can say about winter here is that it is fairly mild, and as a former Michigander I do appreciate that.  But without the snow, what makes winter special?  

Some of my ideas are sadistic, like hoping for snow or ice so I can watch everyone freak out and buy a week’s worth of water.  Others are masochistic, like the fact that I’ve been told the notoriously cold Nantahala River in North Carolina is warmer in the fall and winter because of the inversion effect.  I have no idea what this actually means scientifically or if it is true, but the disturbed part of my brain thinks that now might be a great time to go paddling.  

So what is there to actually do in the winter that you can’t in the summer?  Some things I am planning to enjoy:

• Make my annual trip to Lenox Mall – I manage to avoid Lenox Mall for most of the year.  I have gotten to the point where I only go during the Christmas season, and I have to admit that I enjoy going for the people watching as much as for the shopping.  Lenox is always good for people watching, but not as good as during the holiday season.
• A cup of tea at San Fransisco Coffee Roasting Company – I spent an hour in a plush leather chair chatting with a friend at my favorite local coffee shop.  Granted, I spend lots of time at SFCRC anyway, but the weather makes it feel more indulgent.  Having just finished finals, I am fine with that. 
• See A Christmas Carol at the Alliance – this is one of those “I have memories of doing this as a kid” things.  I’m going to try and get over there this year.  The AJC gives it a good review.  

Arby’s getting guerrilla in their weekend efforts locally? That seems like big news.

The fact that WGCL advertisers their weather personality with just her first name? Dagmar-tastic.

More photos and MySpace profile of the raven-tressed Canadian, if you’re so inclined.

What with the plume of gray smoke this morning and the closing of Techwood Drive, I’m hoping everyone made it in to work, school and the flow of life A-OK this morning.

For my part commuting was noticeably similar. No big deal, in fact.

If you’ve got a horror story or a good picture of the smoke from your vantage point on the fire (like this woman) please share either.

Just a quick note, for those of you who don’t check these sorts of details first thing Candlemas morning: Lilburn’s resident weather-predicting groundhog, General Beauregard Lee, Esq., has predicted an early spring. He an Punxsutawney Phil don’t agree, again, this year. The North will get weeks and weeks of winter, yet. We will not.

This is a for-sure thing. The man’s a damn general (and, I think, a lawyer), after all!

Good people, it is 72 degrees outside and today is January 7th. I say this, yes, I say this as a Yankee in your fair city, but I say it all the same: What the hell? We are not hardly past the Winter Solstice and I’ve got long-tailed birds outside my window dancing and flirting like French courtesans.

I like winter. I like it a lot. I like having a few months when my house isn’t an outpost in a jungle of bugs. Please, please don’t let this go on so long that the bugs unpack their things. Not yet.

Yet… yet it is so nice outside that I feel like I should get one good gulp of spring in before it’s gone again. I should hit the zoo or eat outside or do something outdoors to take advantage of this. But what?

You tell me, Atlanta. It’s taking me all my rational thought just to remind myself not to put on a sweater on account of it is January.

I’m starting to imagine what the Dirty Dirty would be like if we step the water rationing up a notch and it starts to look a little like the scene in Mars Attacks? Batman 45? where the townspeople and news anchors stop using hygiene products and/or water for fear of being contaminated with some freaky toxic concoction…

Anyone know what the hell I’m talking about? Because I don’t…

Traffic is horrible, but we desperately need the rain.

Stay safe today.

Real, pouring, running-down-the-streets, honest-to-goodness rain! In East Atlanta. I know it won’t make a dent in our rain deficit, but it sure is nice to see. I think I actually forgot what it sounded like.

My plants are digging it. I can tell.

Yeah, I know entries about the weather are kind of boring, but this is a pretty big deal. Anyone else getting a good thunderstorm?

File this under: Tell me something my nose and sinuses don’t know. Atlanta is number ten on the Asthma and Allergy Foundation’s 2007 Allergy Capitals list. The Southeast is well-represented on the list. Well, duh.