MyFox
 

Weather or Not

by ChrisHiggins from FOX 2

Last Post 10 days, 12 hours Ago


Chris's Corner - 5/31/2008
May 31, 2008 | 7:38 AM
Category: Weather
Report This Post

Hello once again from the desert!  All is going well over here as I've really settled into what I guess is going to be my routine. I can hardly believe that I'm already one month into this deployment... but that's still a long way from home.  The weather here just keeps getting hotter.  Today we hit the highest temperature yet for the year...113.  However, unlike the early days, the winds have changed direction and we now get a nice fetch of tropical humidity off the Persian Gulf... it makes a St. Louis summer day feel chilly.  Fortunately, my body has quickly adjusted to the heat.  I can also add a new phenomenon to my meteorological experiences book...desert dust devil!  We had one spin up just south of the base this afternoon and I had a great view of it on my walk home.  It must have been 2000' high and it looked every bit like a rope tornado...minus the cloud above.  Winds in those things can get pretty feirce... upwards of 50 to 60 mph in the stronger ones.  It was amazing how long it lasted... a good 15 minutes and it was barely moving.  I would have taken a picture for you but cameras are not allowed on that part of the base.

My first care package arrived from home and my wife didn't dissapoint.  She sent my favorite peanut butter cookies which held up suprising well on the 10 day trip.  Speaking of care packages, I've been overwhelmed by the kind thoughts, prayers and generous offers coming from the viewers back there in St. Louis.  The folks at Fox 2 tell me they are receiving offers daily from you guys to see if there is anything you can do to help get me through this deployment.  Well, I am blessed to have a large and carrying family who has been keeping me well supplied here.  So rather than ask you guys to send anything to me directly, I would rather ask your assistance by helping out a cause that will benefit some of my brothers and sisters in uniform.  

You have no doubt heard the stories done by Andy Banker about a charity called "A Soldiers Wish List".  Jill Hampton (you know her as web girl I believe) spoke with the woman who runs the organization and she says she has 150 service members on her list who do not yet have sponsors...and summer is her slowest time of year.  What you guys could do that would do more to raise my spirits than anything...is to sign up with "A Soldiers Wish List".  My goal is to help them get all 150 of those service members matched up with a sponsor before Independence Day.  With the your help...I know we can do it!.  Just go to their website and see how you can help.

Soldiers Wish List

If you guys sponsor all 150 soldiers....I'll do something crazy for you... like shave my head :)  Oh..wait... it's almost there already :)

Thanks again to all of you for the wonderful thoughts and prayers.  Keep them coming because I can tell you... I need them...we all need them.  The days are getting longer and that homesick feeling keeps sneaking up on me.  I"m not here nearly as long as some folks.  It amazes me how they are able to pull it off.

I don't know when my next update will be... but until then...take care and God Bless!

-Chris

62 Comments |  Add a Comment

Member Comments Total Comments: 62
Page 1 of 4
1
2
3
 Last
dorfmunder read my blog view my photos
May 31, 2008 | 8:37 AM

Very good to get an update from you. Wishing you and all our men & women a very safe deployment and happy reunions when you get back home.

I wish I could personally thank each and every one of you, blanket statements just don't seem to express it well. But the best all of us can do is to send our best wishes and prayers, plus all the thanks our hearts can contain.
AngelaHutti read my blog view my photos
May 31, 2008 | 11:15 AM

Hey Chris! Thanks for the update. We think about you often and we're sending you all best wishes. I think you're going to have many takers on your Soldier's Wish List request. You missed an active night of weather last night. Strong to severe line of storms dropped south across the Metro after 9pm. Heavy rains, high winds, and large hail...getting reports of quarter to golf ball size hailstones from some folks. Tornadoes dropped just north of the viewing area...reportedly at least three in the Springfield, IL area. I think you’ll keep your dust devils.
ChrisHiggins read my blog view my photos
May 31, 2008 | 11:47 AM

Hey Angela,

I have to laugh... because i've been watching the severe weather over there from over here. The whole time difference thing can really play with your brain though. Just like when I was watching the Cardinals games on the west coast live from the DFAC (air force speak for Dining Facility...aka chow hall) during BREAKFAST! Nothing like watching a ball game with your powdered eggs and bacon :) I actually called up the radar from my room this morning (my time) and watched as the storms rolled into St. Louis....930ish PM your time last night. I was concerned about hail hitting the house and/or our cars. The last time I was gone this long...3 years ago...my wife's car was totaled in the huge Ladue hail storm...just 3 weeks after we paid it off. Guess who just paid of her car? Yup...my wife...so I was nervous about getting swacked again...lol.
ChrisHiggins read my blog view my photos
May 31, 2008 | 11:50 AM

And dorfmunder... thank you so much for the kind words. Blanket statements may not seem like much from your perspective... but trust me when I say from over here... they can mean the world. If you have a chance, please do check out the soldiers wish list website. You might just be able to help out a servicemember who needs a helping hand. That would me the world to me!
labrat read my blog view my photos
May 31, 2008 | 12:04 PM

chris, count me in on the soldiers wish list. as for silverhawk, he changes what he wants just about everyday. i think i got it settled though, so he should be getting one in a couple of weeks. he told me choc chip cookies hold up really well, so i think i better make some.. :)
take it easy!
WEAXWATCHER read my blog view my photos
May 31, 2008 | 1:47 PM

Hey Chris glad to see you settlin' in!!! You missed a doozie of a storm last night. We had 1" diameter hail here at SCOTT it was cool. Have fun and get home safe!
fox2fan4weather read my blog
May 31, 2008 | 2:14 PM

That picture gives me a good laugh....the perfectly black background! :) Nice job on the security.

I'm not sure were you're sleeping, but if you look off in the distance you might seem some green birds I used to take care of. I really miss them....in a way. Hunks of junk, but nice and versatile. They really abuse those things.

Good luck! It won't be long and you'll see the thermometer over 120. Put it on that asphalt and your eyes might pop out of your head. Here's good advice....FOOT POWDER on the hour!

Take care.
WebsterGroves read my blog view my photos
May 31, 2008 | 6:47 PM

Hey Chris - great to hear from you and glad to hear things are going well! Take care over there.
AngelaHutti read my blog view my photos
Jun 1, 2008 | 8:33 AM

Uh oh, more hail on Saturday night. I'm sure you were watching during breakfast. Maybe you should tell your lovely wife to keep that newly paid off car in the garage! :-)
BRTNWXMAN read my blog view my photos
Jun 1, 2008 | 10:39 AM

Hey Chris, good to hear from you buddy. You look pretty spiffy in your uniform :) Angela isn't kidding, Brighton had two hailstorms in two consecutive days. I believe they had sub-severe hail on Friday, and golf-ball sized hail yesterday evening. We didn't get anything here though, other than heavy rain, a few pings of hail, gusty winds, and lightning. What a difference a couple of miles can make!
Here's a radar shot of the supercell that went through on Friday:
Photobucketf

Take it easy Chris, and be safe!
reb333 view my photos
Jun 1, 2008 | 11:16 AM

Chris,
I understand the concern for hail and cars. We were parked in long term at the airport and getting "updates" on the storm from home. The car is a month old.
It's great hearing from you. You sound like you're getting adjusted. We'll be anxiously awaiting your safe return and more updates in the mean time.
jeepers4559 read my blog view my photos
Jun 1, 2008 | 2:03 PM

Hi, Chris! Sounds like lovely weather! 113 AND humid? Oh ugh! :p


Friday night was wicked here. I had to drive from far West County to Lambert and back to get my husband from the airport. Let's just say it was scarier than any driving that I've done in about a decade (which was an El Nino where I had to do a lot of Marin driving). Thought that I could do it during a period of dry time and boy was I wrong. Pop up cells with SHEETS of water where you had to pull over and just wait until you could see. I'm no slouch now with driving in weather, but let's just say that I'd rather not do that again.
labrat read my blog view my photos
Jun 1, 2008 | 10:37 PM

gonna send my first care package to my adopted troop tomorrow. thanks for mentioning that chris. hopefully the other soldiers can get matched up. c'mon everyone! you can either send just 1 care package or send packages the whole time they're deployed.
step up!!!!!!!
Medic06 read my blog view my photos
Jun 2, 2008 | 4:42 AM

I will be getting on the lsit with my wife soon!
Flaglady read my blog view my photos
Jun 2, 2008 | 7:21 AM

I spoke with the President of A Soldiers Wish List last night. She is already getting contacted by those who want to adopt.

I am sure your wish for the 150 to be adopted will be granted by the wonderful viewers and bloggers of Fox2
VBallR read my blog
Jun 2, 2008 | 8:06 AM

Hi Chris,

Thanks for following up on that for me. I have adopted soldiers from A Soldiers Wish List in the past and it is a very good organization. My soldiers have since returned home though. My one guy was a BlackHawk helicopter mechanic stationed in Kosovo. My most recent gal was a medic in Bagram and I actually got to meet her in person a couple of months ago when she came to St. Louis on vacation. How cool is that?

Glad to know that your family is taking good care of you! I'll adopt another soldier through Julianne.

Warmest Regards.
mr_wildflower read my blog view my photos
Jun 2, 2008 | 8:10 AM

Hey Chirs..... Glad to see that you havn't got caught in a Camel Stampede....... Hope you are making the best out of your time there.....

All the soldiers are in my prayers and hopefully you'll be back soon.....
asmerelda read my blog view my photos
Jun 2, 2008 | 8:25 AM

Hey Chris you know we are all behind you and miss you and our prayers are with you and please do somethin about the gas LOL
JillSTL read my blog view my photos
Jun 2, 2008 | 9:31 AM

Dust devils! They were the best on the playground at school growing up! We'd run and try to chase them, then try to get in the middle. Aw ... good times!

Just keep in the shade as much as possible ... that hot weather makes you realize why they siesta in Mexico! It's just too hot in the afternoon ... good time for a nap!

Thanks for the new pix!


-- Jill --
The Web Chick
ultimatemilitarymom read my blog
Jun 2, 2008 | 9:39 AM

thank you so very much for the get infomation about our organization ASWL
and to know how in awe we are of you. as a mother of a wounded soldier and speaking for so many, having someone who is visably a part of our great military and someone to who so many look up to. you really make a difference. one of my soldiers once told me "who would care what happens to us,we are just military"
but as I told him and tell so many ."thank you for what you do,so the rest of us dont have to " we are so grateful for what you and the rest do for us daily.
and being an "adopted" mom to over 42,000 who have come through our website to have that piece of home, and to know they really are important. I thank you also
we have had over 28,000 "adopters" from all over the U.S. and foreign countries. like Japan,Sweden,Switzerland,Germany,Australia, Austria,Canada also sign up to send packages and to make the connection to our troops.
Page 1 of 4
1
2
3
 Last


Write your comment below:




ChrisHiggins

I am the weekend weather guy at Fox 2 and also a weather officer with the US Air Force Reserves. I recently returned back from deployment to the desert of the Middle East where I supported Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom and Joint Task Force Horn of Africa.

Member Since: 9/13/2006


 

View All Photos


RSS: XMLWhat is RSS?