Year after year, that flaky groundhog gets tons of press just for crawling out of his hole and telling us it's still winter. (In February. Real tough prediction there, pal.)
But way before Punxsutawney Phil wakes up, Banner Elk, North Carolina hosts the Wooly Worm Festival, in which a fuzzy black-and-brown worm tells us not just whether, but how long and harsh winter is going to be.]]>
If you've been paying attention to the news you may have noticed that there's been a sharp increase in the amount of tornadoes in the US this year. Just yesterday, another storm pounded a town near the Canadian border in North Dakota, damaging about 15 homes. Blame it on global climate change, chalk it up to coincidence or do something about it--and go check it out yourself!]]>
Mexico wasn't the only place hit by severe summer weather this week. Two storm systems collided in the Midwest sending people all of the way from Colorado to Ohio ducking for cover: Twenty-five people were killed, millions of dollars in roadways were washed out and homes collapsed due to high winds and flooding. Better double check those driving and lodging plans if you're hoping to squeeze in a Matt Gross-style road trip this summer.
In Wisconsin heinous storms resulted in more than $30 million in weather-related damages. Lori Getter the state's Emergency Management spokeswoman told CNN.com:
Mother Nature has been really cruel to our state the last four or five days. For many of these people, they've lost everything.
More rainfall led to heavy flooding after high winds whipped through towns in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Gov. Jim Doyle declared a state of emergency:
It's really awe-inspiring to see how much damage has been done and what this water has done.
The severe weather also hit Oklahoma, parts of Texas, Nebraska and Iowa: proof yet again that some of the biggest storms aren't always tropical.
Related Stories:
· Midwest Flooding coverage [CNN]
· Hurricane Dean Lands in Mexico, Tourists React [Jaunted]
· Hurricane Coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: CNN]]]>
Hey, it turns out it ain't all sunshine and days on the beach Down Under. They don't even seem to be having that drought they were complaining about: in fact massive storms are causing chaos on the east coast of Australia, especially in Sydney's state of New South Wales.
The worst hit areas are the Hunter and Central Coast regions north of Sydney. Sadly, at least nine people have died in the storms, mostly when their cars have been washed off roads. A Qantas plan was even struck by lightning on its way into Sydney, but landed safely. If you can change your travel plans, try and avoid this pretty part of Oz for a while, and wait until the sunny days return. Shouldn't be too long--they do call it the lucky country.
Related Stories:
· Australia Travel [Jaunted]
· NSW Floods Gallery [news.com.au]
· Bring on the Sun [Jaunted]
[Photo: Leorex]
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