Soaring Eagles & Biting Beetles Take Over the Lafayette Sky

This guy was sitting in a corn field (10-6-08), I'm guessing about 100 yds. from the road. I just happened to be driving by on my way back from a job on Manson Colfax rd. He was about 2 miles east of US 52. I looked over and did a double take, and sure enough, there he was. So I backed up and took this picture of him (see attachment) I had to zoom all the way in. This is the first time I've seen one this close & plain as day, outside of a zoo! Very surreal. This is a big bird! He must have had a hankering for some field mice :) Have a great day!

This is the bald eagle taking flight! Awesome!

Pete Wargo

It doesn't get much better than this! I think Pete's cool pictures sums up our incredible pattern. Normally I track clouds and storms, but in this pattern it is all about the eagles and temperatures taking flight. Here come the 80s once again! There have been a few complaints....but not because of the weather! Check out a friendly e-mail from my weather watchers Charlotte in Monon.

Mike,
THE ASIAN BEETLES ARE HERE IN FORCE! FIRST THE PIRATES NOW THEM . OH WELL IT WAS STILL A NICE DAY. HAVE A GOOD EVENING. CHARLOTTE

These Asian Lady Beetles were attacking me out back when I was doing my weather teases for our main shows yesterday. There were so many of them you could actually grab them out of mid-air. I had Alex the beetle man hold them while I took their picture! Thanks Alex! Luckily, these beetles were not big biters like the ones that found my neck! They are always a sign of unusually warm autumn weather here in Indiana and they also bite usually during our first couple of early Spring weather snaps after cold winter weather. Normally these ladies are out telling us we are having true Indian Summer, but this year of course we have yet to have our first widespread frost and hard freeze so it looks like our beetle crop this year will be stronger and last longer.

I will have more on these good bugs gone bad tonight and why some folks have to vacuum them out of their homes! Also, check back to see if we will set any records and oh yes.....SNOW trying to move our way for Halloween! Have we ever had snow on Halloween? I will answer this question tonight on the news and here on the blog. Check out the big flip in the pattern heading our way for Halloween above! This is the pattern I expect to evolve....we have been talking about an early snow here on the blog for a few weeks in November, but we can't count out October just yet for producing what I call white gold! Niccole, our evening anchor was joking with me about changing her costume after this forecast to the abominable snowman. I told her she was too kind of a person to be a scary monster but it would be fitting for a pattern that could take a CHILLING change. I can see it now....kids will be saying treat or snow this year instead of trick or treat. You better have the treats ready because it could be quite cold. I on the other hand will have both ready for them in the forecast if this forecast verifies. A lot still has to happen for this to verify but I had to put this forecast out there to make sure you do not regret not taking advantage of this great outdoor weather while we have it and the fact that all the meteorological teleconnections, analogs, and models are screaming something big for us in the 3 to 4 week range! Tom Harmeson our Chief Videographer took a picture of the woolly worms that just seem to get darker and darker.

It was also great hanging out with Justin New our weather blogger extraordinaire! He has a great future as a meteorologist. I showed him a few things I look at and his eyes lit up! I think he is ready for another big winter of blogging! Justin and I came up with an idea of giving all of our other weather bloggers a chance to have a station tour and maybe even a cookout. I will brainstorm this idea with management and try to make it happen. Have a great Friday!

Last but not least..tonight is also Dancing with the Stars at the Grand Ballroom at the University Plaza Hotel in West Lafayette. I cannot thank my dance instructor Samantha Roth enough for bringing me along. I had no dance experience coming into this thing and over the last month I have come a long way. In some ways it was more challenging to me than running a marathon. I had to come out of my shell so to speak and tonight I will be ready to RRRRRRRRRRRRRUMBA!! I will have pictures coming your way that is for sure. I like to laugh at myself this should do it!