Filet Mignon Weather to a Hot Chocolate Advisory all in One Weekend

Saturday December 4, 2010 (10 a.m.)

It was another fun morning on Good Morning Jacksonville. You see anchor Len Kiese along with the one and only Chef Robert. The chef starts off our weekend on the right foot every single weekend. Len and I cannot thank Chef Robert enough for always adding that extra spice to our show. Len grew up in Baltimore, Maryland and I was raised in Bowie, Maryland just outside Washington, D.C. So if you here a strange accent every once in awhile that is why. Yes we miss the blue crabs and crab cakes but life is good here in Florida with outstanding people, fishing, and a wider variety of seafood to boot! Chef Robert takes care of us and now only is he a great cook and guy but we both learn so much from him. I now know not to cut into my meat to check if it is rare, medium or well done. It allows all the juices to escape. You want to make a fist and then use your opposite hands pointer finger to press down on the area just to the right of the base of your thumb. A loose grip...is rare....a medium grip is an example of medium and a tight fist is well done! It really works. I have done it wrong all these years but now know better thanks to Chef Robert.

We do have a lot of fun behind the scenes and this week was no exception. I wolfed down an entire piece of filet mignon during the commercial. I was on seconds before the last weather segment even began. Poor Len just had to wait since he had a couple minutes of news to read before he could eat. I did save him a little sliver....lol. Usually I wait until the end of the show to eat...but that filet was just too good, just like today's weather. Make sure to check out all of the chef's recipes on our web-site at http://search.firstcoastnews.com/default.aspx?ct=r&q=Chef%20Robert.

Now I am calling today's weather filet mignon weather. It should live up to the hype and even though I am sure it will not be quite as good as that melt in your mouth fillet I had it is still our weather pick of the week. How do scrumptious highs near 70 sound with plenty of sunshine? Okay well get out and enjoy because this will not last long. You can see why above. We have an Alberta Clipper coming at us from the northwest with plenty of howling wind and snow for areas from Wisconsin and Indiana to North Carolina. Today we just happen to be in its warm sector. If  you are heading to Charlotte, North Carolina for the ACC championship game take your umbrellas and winter jackets. The Noles and Hokies better have their running game ready to go and their thick cleats. Temperatures will fall into the 30s with rain showers changing to wet snowflakes before ending. Here at home we should remain pleasant through the evening with middle 50s to near 60 at the beaches even at 8 p.m. this evening. We may not be this warm again for at least a week if not longer so take full advantage of it.

If you do not want to listen to me....you better listen to Willie the Chihuahua from Lafayette, Indiana where they have had 3 inches of snow and at least another 1-2 inches on the way! Willie is not happy and does not like snow even in his warm dog sweater...probably because he is too low to the ground, lol. He is almost buried and 3 inches of snow to him is like 3 feet. He wanted me to warn you that this is not just any cold front but an arctic front and it means business. Willie wants you to remember your pets even here in Florida! Lafayette will have lows near zero this week with blowing and drifting snow becoming an issue by tonight. A special thanks to my friend and weather watcher Justin New who lives in Indiana. Since cold air invasions all go through Indiana before reaching Florida this time of year, he will keep us updated with pictures and give us fair warning before these cold blasts reach our palm tree paradise. These pictures really are beautiful and yes I think we will now all heed the warning and take this polar blast coming our way seriously. Thanks again Justin! I do miss the Golden Shovel contest we had for the first person to guess when the first inch of snow would be in Lafayette. So whoever guessed correctly just know I am thinking of you and you know if I was not working this weekend I would be there.

Here in Florida and Georgia we will not have to worry about shoveling snow but we will have the coldest weather of the season on the way with a hard freeze likely for inland locations by Monday morning and a freeze to the beach by Tuesday. Wind chills in the teens and record-breaking temperatures are looking like a done deal. The arctic cold front that brought snow to Indiana will arrive here late tonight. Right now I only have a brief sprinkle or shower possible for us late tonight. The big story is we go from a filet mignon weather to a hot chocolate advisory Sunday. We will finish out our weekend with highs only in the 50s and a howling northwest wind will make it feel more like the 40s even in the middle of the afternoon. Here is the latest 10 day forecast with all the cold hard facts exclusively prepared by your first coast weather team. This morning we had dramatic howling music behind it as it came out and for good reason. Yes, those lower 20s are for real and not typos.

Just take it one day at a time! Time to hit the grocery store, not for bread and milk like my Midwest friends but to pick up packets of hot chocolate and marshmallows! I may even need to head out to the pet store and see if they have any dog sweaters for my dog BJ. He is a coton de tulear that only weighs 8 pounds. His breed is from Madagascar and he is one of a kind. I do not want him to freeze in his tracks. I better take Willie's advice. Have a great weekend and I will check back with you soon.