Warmer temperatures boost US economy

Spring’s thaw is reviving the economy, too.

A recent batch of government and business reports show a U.S. economy emerging from winter’s deep freeze.

 Economists had expected growth to accelerate in 2014 after two years of slow and steady improvement. But an unusually bitter winter sent factories, hiring and consumer spending into hibernation.

 Now, as temperatures rise, the economy is regaining momentum. Factories are busier. Consumers are spending more. Banks are making more loans to businesses. Companies have bigger plans to invest in plants and equipment. And the improvement appears to be widespread across the country.

 

“The weather really played havoc. There were ice storms in Georgia. That is not something you see every day,” said Michael Dolega, senior economist at TD Economics. “Now, as Americans have dug themselves out and everything has melted, you’re going to get a bounce back.”

 

 

"Pollen" Vortex set to hit Northeast this Spring!

First came the “polar vortex” — now it’s the “pollen vortex.”

Forced to lie dormant by the long, brutal winter, trees are now set to start reproducing like crazy — and create a massive amount of pollen that could wallop your sinuses.

Pollen count in the Northeast will soar to high levels, when warm temperatures will prompt plants to create the sniffle-inducing substance, reports Pollen.com, which offers allergy “forecasts.”

April is generally the worst month of allergy season, but the pollen count this month has so far been the lowest in the past decade, likely due to chilly temperatures, the online magazine Slate reported.

Farmer’s Almanac 2014: Get Ready for Long, Hot Summer

According to the Farmer’s Almanac, the New York area will be very hot and humid during this year’s summer. Temperatures are expected to start rising in June and will be accompanied by lots of rain and thunder. The hot and humid weather is expected to last partway into August. Following this, the Almanac predicts there will be a hurricane on the East Coast sometime between September 16 and 19, reports the New York Post.

Meteorologists seem to agree with the Farmer’s Almanac. They predict that there is a 50% chance that an El Nino could form. If it does, it will likely result in higher temperatures, rain and a warmer winter.

One good note for New Yorkers is that the Farmer’s Almanac is predicting a clear night for the Fourth of July, the New York Post notes.

 

 

Deadly Tornadoes Struck This Past Weekend

The quiet 2014 severe weather season turned grimly violent over the weekend, as multiple deadly tornadoes ended a record-long start to a year without a tornado fatality. Media reports put Sunday's death toll at 18, with 16 of deaths in Arkansas, one in Iowa, and one in Oklahoma. Hardest-hit were Mayflower and Vilonia, Arkansas, located about fifteen miles north of Little Rock. A large and powerful tornado that had been on the ground nearly an hour carved through the region near sunset, killing at least ten people.

Spring Cleaning Series - How to improve indoor air quality

Filters, filters, everywhere

To combat poor air quality in your home year-round, a quality air purifier is a solid first line of defense, whether it’s a HEPA model to trap airborne particles or has a carbon filter to eliminate chemicals, odors, and the like. Naturally, no thorough spring-cleaning job would be complete without checking in to see if your air purifier’s filter needs replacement (check with the manufacturer’s recommendations regarding filter replacement or cleaning).

That said, there are other filters and screens around your home in addition to air purifiers that you should remember: furnace filters, air conditioner filters, dryer lint screens, vacuum cleaners, range hood screens, bathroom exhaust fan grilles, etc. And once you’ve finished cleaning or replacing all the filters in your home, why not introduce nature’s preferred pollutant filterer, a houseplant, to your shiny, sparkling and IAQ-improved abode?

Spring Cleaning Series - How to improve indoor air quality

Vapor steam cleaners: A multitasking, IAQ-improving powerhouse

Most of us have been there: On our hands and knees with a bucket and bottle of harsh chemical cleaner trying to restore the kitchen floor to its former, sparkling glory. Vacuum cleaner-esque in appearance and Italian in origin, vapor steam cleaners not only de-germ, disinfect and eliminate dirt, mildew, mold spores and a variety of allergens from hard sealed surfaces such as floors, countertops, and tile … many models work their deep cleaning and, most importantly, dust mite-killing magic on upholstered furniture, bedding and carpets as well. Their one not-so-secret nontoxic ingredient: tap water and not very much of it.

Aside from being more effective than noxious chemical cleaning solvents, vapor steam cleaners work fast, zapping household contaminants before there’s any chance of cross-contamination. Plus, as the preferred cleaning tool in hypoallergenic environments, no air quality-compromising fumes or sticky residues are left behind.

Spring Cleaning Series - How to improve indoor air quality

Suck it up: Invest in a HEPA vacuum filter

Is your trusty vacuum cleaner, the most crucial of all spring cleaning tools, about ready to bite the dust instead of suck it up? Use this unfortunate occurrence as an opportunity to invest in a vacuum that harnesses HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) technology.

Although they’re great at removing clumps of dust and dirt, traditional vacuums with standard filters also do a bang-up job of recirculating tiny-teeny fine particles (pollen, animal dander and dust mite feces for example) around your house. This, of course, is bad news for those suffering from asthma and allergies. Vacuums with HEPA filters, however, remove 99.97 percent of allergens of .3 microns. In other words, they suck up pretty much everything. Although more expensive, HEPA vacuums can help to dramatically improve indoor air quality – just be sure to look for true HEPA filter models and not “HEPA-like” models.

Spring Cleaning Series - How to improve indoor air quality

Homemade cleaners: Tried, true and grandmother-approved

Just as swapping out synthetically scented products with fragrance-free alternatives can help to improve indoor air quality, so does concocting your own cleaners. Added bonus? You’ll save a few bucks. There are numerous reliable recipes available for effective DIY household cleaners that employ items that you may already have around the house: baking soda, white vinegar, lemon juice, salt, hydrogen peroxide, and more. And if you’re still hung up on scent, adding certain essential oils not only boost the stain-removing and sanitizing abilities of the cleaners, but also make the proceedings a bit more olfactory-friendly.

Spring Cleaning Series - How to improve indoor air quality

Eau de nothing: Opt for fragrance-free cleaning products

Nothing says spring like inhaling an invigorating whiff of “alpine meadow” after going to town on the kitchen with a surface cleaner. However, those reassuring scents that signal a state of clean are rather dirty in composition: there are more than 3,000 petroleum-based chemicals used to manufacture fragrances found in household cleaners and other consumer products. Overwhelmingly, these chemicals, often responsible for triggering asthma, allergic reactions and a host of respiratory ailments, are not listed on the product packaging.

So how to avoid? When restocking your arsenal of cleaners and laundry products, opt for unscented/fragrance-free varieties. Or, go with an eco-friendly scented cleaner produced by a company that’s transparent about what exactly goes into each bottle. Generally, the scents found in these products are naturally derived and safer. The Environmental Working Group’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning is a good place to start your reconnaissance work to learn more about cleaning products free of artificial fragrances and other dubious chemicals.

5 Spring Cleaning Ideas to Improve Indoor Air Quality (Series)

Ah, springtime! Time to throw open the windows and sponge, sweep, swab, squeegee, scour, scrub and scrape your home into a speckless state of perfection. Or, at the very least, it’s probably a wise idea to stash away the snow boots and give the contents of your fridge the seasonal once-over.

Spring cleaning also provides us with the opportunity to zero in on and ideally improve the indoor air quality of our homes. For many, the aim of spring cleaning is to achieve a state of spic and span nirvana that’s capable of knocking the socks off even the most fastidious mother-in-law or anyone else who relishes nothing more than detecting – and gleefully pointing out – spots that, whoops, you “missed.” 

To reach this state, we often find ourselves employing products to help give our homes a spotless, mother-in-law-proof glow. Yet at the same time, these same products can compromise indoor air quality and, as a result, our health and overall wellbeing. In fact, air pollutants are two to 10 times higher indoors than they are outdoors. The household cleaners that we spritz and spray during zesty spring cleaning sessions – and throughout the year – are among the culprits.

Follow along as next week we provide five suggestions on how to breathe easy and improve the indoor air quality of your home this spring, while also leaving it dirt-free and in apple pie-order.

Cold, Snow Will Fade to Spring Warmth

That harsh blast of cold air that changed rain to snow here in the Northeast Tuesday night will be quick to leave.  Rain changed to wet snowflakes Tuesday night as temperatures quickly plummet into the 30s. But, as quick as the cold blast came in, it will quickly bounce back.  The jet stream will retreat back to the north Wednesday and Thursday, which will allow some of the southern warmth to build back northward.  Highs will rebound into the mid-50s in New York City by Thursday.

Fun Weather Facts!

In light of the random and unusual weather conditions many area across the United States have been experiencing of late, enjoy these Fun Weather Facts!

1. In 1859, the largest known geomagnetic storm struck the Caribbean, causing an aurora and telegraphs could even operate without a power source.

2. Circumhorizontal arcs (loosely known as fire rainbows) are the rarest of all naturally occurring atmospheric phenomena.

3. The winter of 1912 was so cold that Niagara Falls froze over.

4 .Most people notice a distinctive smell in the air after it rains. That smell after rain is caused by bacteria called 'actinomycetes'.

5. There is a persistent storm in Venezuela that produces lightning 140 to 160 nights a year, 10 hours per day and up to 280 times per hour and has been going since at least the 16th century.

6. There is enough energy in one bolt of lightning to power a home for two weeks!

7. The Earth sees about 760 thunderstorms every hour, scientists have calculated.

8. Carbon dioxide is a trace gas and by itself will produce little warming. Also, as CO2 increases, the incremental warming is less, as the effect is logarithmic so the more CO2, the less warming it produces.

9. Temperatures have been cooling since 2002, even as carbon dioxide has continued to rise.

10.  The winter of 1932 in the US was so cold that Niagara falls froze completely solid!

11.  The speed of a typical raindrop is 17 miles per hour.

12.  Snowiest city in the U.S. : Blue canyon, California.

13.  Rain contains vitamin B12.

14.  Oak trees are struck by lightning more than any other tree.

15.  Moist air holds heat better than dry air.

16. Men are 6 times more likely to be struck by lightning than women!

17.  It snows more in the Grand Canyon than it does in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

18.  It is possible to see a rainbow at night!

19.  In ten minutes, a hurricane releases more energy than all the world's nuclear weapons combined!

20. Dirty snow melts faster than clean.

21.  Contrary to popular belief, lightning travels from the ground upwards not from the sky downwards.

22.  9 out of 10 lightning strike victims survive!

23.  -40 degrees Celsius is equal to -40 degrees Fahrenheit.

Top 7 ways to save money on your Home Insurance

1. Improve your credit score

Insurance providers, not only those who specialize in homeowner's insurance, now give weight to a customer's credit rating when charging the rate on their policies. Insurers look at the number of claims their clients will file in one year and then price their policies based on how much will be enough to cover the minimum amount of liability. Based on several studies, consumers with low credit scores are more likely to file claims than those with higher scores. Hence, consumers with higher ratings get the better terms and rates. To get you the better price, the following steps will improve your credit score by as much as 30 points and in as little as 30 days. These tips are recommended by the Budgeting section of The Nest:

-          Reduce your total outstanding debt.

-          Be on time with payments; always avoid late payments.

-          Ensure that your credit report is error-free. Immediately dispute any discovered error.

-          Put off any new charges on credit cards until the next billing cycle.

2. Purchase all your insurance needs from one same company

Many insurers offer package discounts. Rather than buying your auto, home and other policies from separate companies, bundling them up and buying them from one company can save up to thousands of dollars. Being a repeat customer by renewing with the same company should also save you money.

3. Increase your home security and lower your risk

Stronger locks, a burglar alarm system, shatterproof glass, stronger roofing materials, storm shutters, etc. - these not only make your home more secure and disaster proof, they can also qualify you for discounts. Increasing home security means you are a lesser risk in the eyes of the insurer.

4. Opt for paperless billing and payment

Some providers will charge their customers for paper billing and those who send their payment checks via mail. Some offer discounts to customers who opt for automatic deduction on their credit or checking accounts.

5. Update your home

If your home is an old one, updating its features can lower the level of risk that an insurer will attach to the home. Updating wiring and plumbing systems, for example, can get you discounts on your premium. The same applies to home fixtures, appliances and similar objects.

6. Being a senior citizen can get you discounts

Homeowners who are fifty-five years old or older may qualify for discounts on their premiums. Many insurance providers give out discounts to the elderly. There are also companies who offer lower rates to retirees who are likely to spend a great deal of their time in their homes and, hence, would be able to attend to a problem and probably prevent it from causing damage.

 

7. Make yearly appraisals

Do this not only on the home itself but also on personal items covered by your policy. The value of homes and possessions do change over a period of time. We have witnessed how many homes saw their values take a plunge at the height of the housing crisis. This is why a yearly appraisal is necessary. To reflect the true worth of the items covered by policy.

 

 

                                   

 

 

Will this Hurricane Season be a Bad One? - Colorado State University Predicts Below-Average Activity in 2014

The 2014 hurricane season is expected to have a below average number of named storms and hurricanes, according to Dr. Phillip J. Klotzbach and Dr. William Gray of Colorado State University (CSU).

In its annual preseason forecast released Thursday, the team expects a total of nine named storms, three hurricanes and one major hurricane (Category 3 or higher) in the Atlantic Ocean basin. This forecast is below the long-term average of 12 named storms, six hurricanes and three major hurricanes each season.

The forecast from CSU calls for fewer named storms and hurricanes than the forecast released by The Weather Channel about two weeks ago. That forecast called for 11 named storms, five hurricanes and two major hurricanes, which is slightly below the long-term averages.

These forecasts cannot predict the details of any potential landfalls. Therefore, residents of the coastal United States should prepare each year no matter the forecast.

 

 

2014 hurricane season forecasts from The Weather Channel (TWC) and Colorado State University (CSU) compared to average (AVG).

 

Warmest weather so far this season is finally arriving!

A surge of warmth is forecast to spring across the Midwest and East Thursday into Friday, bringing temperatures into the 70s.  The pattern has the potential to bring some of the highest temperatures of the season so far! It will be dry and mild - we can finally shed our jackets and long sleeves and get outside!

 

 

 

Highest Temperature So Far This Year

Location	Highest Temperature (Degrees Fahrenheit)
New York City	67
Boston	65
Philadelphia	69
Washington, D.C.	73
Detroit	64
Chicago	68
Buffalo, N.Y.	68
Indianapolis	68
Cleveland	71

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Can Severe Weather Ever Be Avoided?

Severe weather can be both fear-inducing and awe-inspiring. The threat to lives and property that occurs during a severe weather event can create panic that lasts well after an event is over, even for people who did not live through the event themselves. People may cope with these fears by trying to find a way to take control of the situation, be it by preparing for an emergency weather event, living in an area where their most-feared weather threat is less likely, or for some, finding a cause of blame when tragedy does strike.  Many times after a dangerous weather event occurs, some will be quick to blame the victims for not doing more to prepare, or even for choosing to live in an area where such events are likely to occur. However, with the United States' widely diverse geography and large population, is there really anywhere a person can live where they can expect to completely stay out of harm's way?  In the 3,794,101 square miles that make up the United States there are over 313.9 million people. To try to live in areas with no severe weather risks is impossible. Even areas that are less likely to see a certain extreme may not be immune. Earthquakes have hit Maryland. New Hampshire has had tornadoes. Snow has fallen in Georgia.  To actually feel in control of a weather situation, people should have emergency plans for if a disaster does occur. They can also visit certified and reputable organizations such as the Red Cross to donate to those in need following a natural disaster.

 

 

Do You Need to Keep the Tissues Close?

Winter thaw means it’s time to deal with another beast of weather’s burden: spring allergies. As the temperatures begin to rise and plants begin to blossom, they bring with them the all-too familiar sound of sneezes and sniffles.

Approximately 40 million Americans suffer from seasonal allergies and see a surge of symptoms in spring. “Allergy and asthma patients already have a chronic sensitivity to things like pollen, mold and other airborne allergens, but they can also be more susceptible to rapid changes in temperature and moisture,” Dr. Clifford Bassett, an ambassador for the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, said in a statement. “A blending of the winter and spring means these patients are at risk of multiple symptoms simultaneously.”

According to experts, this allergy season will be particularly harsh thanks to the brutal winter weather that preceded it. ”What we’re seeing is the snow cover is starting to melt in surrounding areas, and what that does, that puts mold spores into the air,” Dr. William Reisacher of NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center told NY1. “And many people who are sensitive to mold, and even not sensitive to mold, react when mold spores are high.”

Baby, it was cold out there this March!

What spring?

Many parts of the northern and eastern USA took a serious chill pill in March, and several places probably will record one of their 10 coldest Marches.

"Several cities in the Upper Midwest, Great Lakes and northern New England are flirting with a top 10 coldest March," says Weather Channel meteorologist Chris Dolce. "It's a huge turnaround from two years ago in March 2012, when many of these same cities saw their warmest March on record."

Dolce reports that Burlington, Vt., and Caribou, Maine, are seeing their coldest March since weather records began. (Burlington's weather records began in 1884 and Caribou's in 1939, according to the National Weather Service.)

Despite what happens in the final days of the month, both cities are likely to see top 10 coldest Marches.

Other cities that have been unusually frigid in March include Green Bay, Wis. (fourth coldest), Buffalo (fourth), Detroit (sixth) and Chicago (eighth). Most of those cities should remain in the top 10 regardless of temperatures this weekend.

Nationally, according to data from the National Climatic Data Center, 2,071 record low temperatures have been set this month, compared with 242 record high temperatures.