Briefly
By News-Argus Staff
Published in News on March 11, 2005 1:53 PM
Wild weather ride
Hold on to your hats, Wayne County could be in for another wild weather ride over the next few days when everything from storms to snow is possible.
There is the risk of severe weather this afternoon, mainly in the form of isolated thunderstorms and damaging winds, between 2 and 6 p.m. as an approaching cold front mixed with daytime heating.
Behind the front, the potential exists for snow mixes with rain showers late tonight and again on Sunday, possibly in the morning and again Monday morning. Snow, with accumulations of up to 5 inches, is much more likely in the mountains and Piedmont area.
Forecasters with the National Weather Service in Raleigh say what actually happens depends on the timing and location of cold fronts sweeping across the state and the formation of a surface low pressure system and where it tracks.
Wayne residents are advised to listen for severe weather watches and warnings this afternoon and those planning to travel to western parts of the state should monitor forecasts for snow.
The only sure thing in the forecast is windy weather today and Saturday with gusts up to 30 mph, but possibly 50 mph during thunderstorms. Also certain are temperatures well-below normal through the middle of next week with highs in the low 50s and lows in the 30s.
First purple martin
You know spring is just around the corner when the purple martins start showing up. The first reported to the News-Argus was this past Saturday when Hugh Bass called to say he had seen a scout bird at his home on Saulston Road. Bass said he expected the remaining birds to arrive soon.
Bass, who has been keeping martins for about 10 years, said he has 36 gourds waiting and hopes to have about 60 martins before the summer ends and they head back to South America for the winter. For the record, spring officially begins on Palm Sunday, March 20.