A very special Tuesday Talk is on the horizon, given by Hansville’s popular weather guru, Greg Johnson. Also, in case of really terrible weather or worse, a reader shares some good advice, below, and at last we have an important announcement from the Parks Department, one that many of us have been hoping to hear. Shock, Awe, Drizzle!
Mostly drizzle. Johnson, founder and operator of Skunk Bay Weather (www.skunkbayweather.com), has put together an all-new presentation on the unique, maddening but always interesting weather in Hansville. In addition to seeing what remarkable happenings he has captured on his four live cams, Johnson now has a drone! You’ll see the amazing aerial photographs he has taken with his Mavic Pro. You don’t want to miss his mystical images of the northern lights and his tips on how to improve your chances of spotting them next time they’re set to appear. Johnson has also created a wonderful short film for us, set to music, that he calls Pacific Northwest Weather Eye Candy. It’s beautiful.
Think weather forecasting is akin to tea leaf divinations? Johnson will explain the challenges of forecasting weather in our area, and how the new GOES-S satellite launched last month will help. The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites are operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, with NASA responsible for research and development. Among the benefits, satellites improve hurricane, tornado and thunderstorm tracking, provide earlier warnings of heavy rainfall and flash floods, monitor conditions that could affect air transportation safety, and much more.
Join us on Tuesday, April 17 at 7 p.m. at the Greater Hansville Community Center, Buck Lake Road, Hansville for “Shock, Awe and Drizzle—Skunk Bay Weather’s Show.” I should add, for newcomers like myself, that Skunk Bay doesn’t smell, never did. In 1792, Captain Vancouver “while strolling along the beach” with his men, writes that “one of the gentlemen knocked down an animal about the size of a cat with a stone and as he was going to pick it up it ejected a fluid of the most offensive smell.” They took off. He later decided the animal was a skunk. Hence, Skunk Bay, a beautiful spot.
More Early Warnings
Hansville resident Chris Brinton has a very good idea she’d like to share: Kitsap County ALERT is a free service that allows you to sign up and receive accurate and up-to-date information about incidents that may have a significant impact on residents. These emergency alerts could be related to specific hazards that require action, such as evacuating, sheltering in place, boiling water, and so on.
You can receive notifications on your cell or landline. Add your address for geographically targeted alerts. Sign-up at www.kitsapdem.org.
Buck Lake Playground Comeback
Good news: the Kitsap County Parks Department has approved a budget of about $200,000 for the construction of a new playground at Buck Lake Park. Over the past three years the former playground was dismantled as equipment became unsafe. Parks Director Jim Dunwiddie, who manages Kitsap’s 73 parks on 10,478 acres, says pre-planning is starting soon and that the playground should be completed by the fall of 2019.
There will be a public meeting (no date as yet) to get your input. What would you like to see in a playground? Bring your ideas.
Annette Wright was an editor and writer for women’s magazines in NYC for 25 years. You may contact her at wrightannette511@gmail.com
