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.