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.

I sure hope so. Today and last night notwithstanding, I thought we were over most of the wintry stuff so I sure hope the old adage rings true.

Here’s the history/etymology (I think) for those that are interested in that sort of thing.

Stay dry and tornado-free!