Don't Singing Blues because of Bad Weather

If you find yourself shying away from singing during certain weather conditions, you don't have to anymore. The tips below will show you how to avoid those singing blues when bad weather arrives.

Believe it or not, the weather is a key factor in the success of your singing voice. Dry weather can cause you to have a "dry mouth" or "dry throat." Then there are temperature extremes - from extremely hot to freezing cold temperatures.

The extreme cold weather can cause colds, runny noses, the flu, and sore throat - all hindrances to your singing. The extreme hot weather can cause loss of breath and difficulty when holding long notes. High humidity, high pollen levels, etc. - all these can affect your singing in a negative way!

Moisture and Breathing Problems while Singing

With too much moisture in the air or high pollen levels, you might experience heavier breathing than usual, especially when singing. To help, try taking slow, steady breaths before your singing event. Practice the song through a few times and practice breathing in between lines of the verses. If you practice "when" you will breathe and then think it through as you are performing, you will find it easier to keep your breathing right throughout the song.

Getting air in between lines or after several words of the song will keep the flow of air steady as you are singing and will also eliminate that panicky feeling of heavy breathing.

Extremely Cold - Colds, Flu bugs, Runny Noses and More!

If you are very sick or have a fever then you probably need to cancel your singing event. If you only have a common cold, runny nose, or minor sore throat, there are ways to help your voice and combat these problems. With a runny nose, use nasal spray before singing to clear out any extra mucous.

With a sore throat, use honey and lemon mixtures to help soothe your throat before performing. If possible, take the mixture with you to the event and take a break to use the solution half way through the performance when singing multiple songs. In case of an emergency, find some soothing cough drops with honey and lemon. If your throat is severely sore and it hurts to swallow, try postponing your singing event until it feels better.

With a stuffy nose, use a humidifier the night before near your bed. There are also medicines to help clear the nasal passages such as Vicks (TM) vapor rub.

Itchy Throat Syndrome

When you have an itchy throat, the dreaded coughs when singing can be torment! Avoid eating or drinking items that make your throat dry on the day you are to perform. Drink plenty of liquids to keep your vocal cords lubricated. While singing, avoid breathing in through your mouth if possible. When dry air hits a dry throat, the "itch" happens! Breathe in through your nose between lines of your song. Practice doing this beforehand so you won't feel awkward.

To protect your vocal cords, try these tips:

* Practice singing in the shower for added moisture.
* Drink plenty of water each day.
* Keep a humidifier on hand.
* Limit dairy product intake on the day of your performance.
* Add lemon to your water.
* Use honey regularly to soothe your throat.

These singing tips will help you to be more prepared the next time you run into bad weather.

Ideal Home Weather Station

Have you ever considered buying your very own home weather station? Not that I'm selling them, but I believe I may be able to help you decide what to look for.

There are certainly many good reasons for having a modern weather station set up and working in your home.

Not the least of these is that they have never before been so easy to install and use, never had so many useful features, and certainly never been such good value.

How Your Own Home Weather Station Will Benefit You

The overall benefits of a home weather station are huge.

Modern home weather stations bring the outdoors inside to you, as outside weather sensors frequently and regularly transmit weather information to an attractively designed receiver/display unit, which can be set up almost anywhere in your home.

Home weather stations can provide crucial information about approaching bad weather, as well as giving you valuable data you can use to help maintain your garden, greenhouse, pond or aviary, or even to decide what to wear when you venture outside.

But best of all, they provide a painless way of understanding the weather, and what drives it. After all, weather provides the background to all our outdoor hobbies, sport and recreation. And many people have found that a strong appreciation of weather has led in many unexpected and enjoyable directions.

So there could be any number of reasons why you first considered a weather station as a possible addition to your home, including just a general interest in weather.

Let's think about what the ideal home weather station might be.

The Ideal Home Weather Station

Firstly, it should be a wireless weather station - no worries about where the cables go. And it certainly will be able to record temperature, humidity, air pressure, wind strength and direction, and rainfall.

Next, the radio's range must be great enough so that you have no problems with installing the sensors in the best place to obtain realistic weather data for your location - no problems with trees or buildings affecting your results because your best position was out of radio range. No problem about the room the receiver goes in because the ideal transmitter can handle a wall or two. And it should be able to operate free of any governmental restrictions on radio frequency, allowing fast and reliable data updates. Most of the likely problems are overcome with a radio range of 300 feet (91m) or more

Thirdly, your temperature sensor is shielded so your readings are not affected by direct heat from the sun.

Fourthly it should be easy to install. A purpose built stand would be nice.

So far so good. You'd be up and running in no time at all, and you'd be able to place the receiver in a location that suits you rather than the radio link.

Now you have a couple of concerns about temperature and wind strength, as it affects your garden. A few programmable warnings would be nice.

And so would a charting facility so you could review changing patterns over the last few hours, or days, or months, for almost any variable.

In fact, you can see a few good reasons for linking your weather station to your computer, where some well designed software allows you to follow up a whole range of thoughts and trends.

You've noticed that there are a number of private weather stations on the net, reporting online data just like you are getting from your set up. But there's a gap in information in your area, and you feel like you'd like to join the network - maybe even become a volunteer weather station in your area. And after a little bit of research, you find that it's no problem at all.

Even better, you've just found a large group of interesting people with similar interests to yourself, scattered over the country, even the world.

All of these features can be found in quite a number of home weather stations, ranging in price from less than $150.00, if you are prepared to look around. However, like most things in life, you tend to get what you pay for, and the better models start around the $450.00 mark. Keep the name "Davis" in the back of your mind.

This doesn't mean that the lower priced home weather stations should be disregarded, particularly if your budget is tight. It just means that your weather station will work better and last longer if you take some care in setting it up and maintaining it, including early preventative maintenance.

Bring When Camping in the Heat

Beat the heat when camping.

Camping without the proper equipment isn't the best idea. Those that have already learned the lesson will tell you this, but why go through the pain yourself?

Check out the weather

If you know that you're going to be heading to a warmer camping site, then it's time to investigate the weather conditions and what kinds of temperatures you can expect. Many places are warmer in particular times of the year, so you may want to avoid such months.

Needless to add, no amount of research will prepare you if the weather takes an out of the ordinary turn. However, do plan, in as far as possible, for worst-case scenarios.

Water-The Camper's best friend.

Don't'tcompromise on the quantity of water that you carry, as many greenhorns tend to do. The benefits of carrying enough water far outweigh the inconvenience of lugging the extra weight.

And that's a fact!

You want to bring at least a gallon of water per person per day that you will be camping. Yes, this will be heavy, but it's a lot heavier to carry someone to safety should they get dehydrated.

Carry a reasonable supply of electrolyte salts with you. These salts come in powder form, which can be dissolved in the water you are carrying. Or carry sports drinks that contain electrolytes. Your body needs to regularly replenish these essential salts in hot, humid conditions.

Mmm! Tastes good too!

Eating smart

While you may not feel like eating in the heat, you need to balance your liquids with food. This helps to keep your body in balance. The human body is a delicate system of electrolytes that can fall out of balance easily in extreme weather conditions.

Nibble on something every time you take a swig of water. A couple of nuts or pretzels will suffice. A salty or sugary snack is best.

The right gear

Keep you head protected from the sun with a hat or visor. Try and wear light colored clothes and apply sunscreen on parts of your body that are bare.

While the heat might feel bad, the heat with a sunburn feels even worse.

Make sure that you can bring first aid equipment as well as a way to signal for help if you need a rescue.

Two's company

Of course, camping with someone else is best, especially in more extreme weather conditions.

Cold Weather and Frozen Pipes

Cold weather is a big problem for home and property owners- especially if you’ve moved and your home is setting empty. Why? PLUMBING!

If your home gets too cold, the water in your pipes can freeze overnight and then burst in the day when it warms back up. This leaves the potential for extensive flooding and water damage to your home. The pipes you need to be most concerned about are those that have the most exposure to the cold -- outdoor hose faucets, swimming pool supply lines, underground sprinkler systems, and plumbing in unheated basements, crawl spaces, attics and garages. Pipes that run against exterior walls are also at risk.

What to do…

When it’s cold outside, you should periodically check all the faucets in your home. If it doesn’t work or water is just a trickle you may have frozen water in your pipes. Attempt to locate the frozen area by looking in the area most likely to freeze- i.e. the coldest. Use a heat lamp, space heater, hair dryer or electrical heat pad to begin to thaw out the pipes. Remember to keep the faucet open as you work. That's because running water will help melt the ice faster. Apply heat until full water pressure is restored, then consider going to your neighborhood hardware store to purchase insulation for the areas of the pipe that froze (to help prevent it from happening again).

DO NOT use any sort of blow torch or open flame to warm the pipes. I can not stress this enough, so let me say it again. DO NOT use an open flame. First off, an open flame is a fire hazard and if you are working in a confined area there is a threat of carbon monoxide poisoning. Every year there is a story in the news of some person burning down their home or suffocating themselves to death while working on frozen pipes.

The second reason not to use an open flame is if it gets too hot you can melt your pipes (especially PVC plastic pipes). Third, too much heat too quickly creates the potential for an explosion. That’s because water expands as it gets hot. A blow torch or other device will cause the water to boil, and boiling water trapped in the middle of a frozen pipe has no place to expand- so it explodes.

The last piece of advice is always the best... If you fail to unthaw the pipe, call a licensed plumber before the pipe breaks.

How to keep it from happening…

- Your home should have inside valves on your outdoor water supply lines. Close them, then open the outside faucet and let the water drain. Leave the outside faucet open all winter.

- Drain and store outside garden hoses.

- If you haven’t already done so, drain the water from your swimming pool and lawn sprinkler system. As mentioned above, insulate plumbing that's most susceptible to freezing. You can find supplies at your local hardware store, Home Depot, or Lowes.

- During severe cold weather, let the faucets drip. Although it's no guarantee, even a trickle of water can help prevent pipes from freezing and an open faucet gives the water someplace to run once it starts to warm up.

- Keep the home temperature set to no lower than 55 degrees Fahrenheit. I know it’s tempting to turn the thermostat down when you leave town for a few weeks or if you have an unsold home that is setting empty, but the higher heat bill is quickly offset by the cost of repairing a pipe and cleaning up water damage.

- Lastly, if you experience flooding or water damage from a broken pipe, be sure to watch the home for mold or mildew. Black mold can be a serious after effect to a flooded home that’s far worse to deal with than the actual water damage.

Bad Weather

Don't Get the Singing Blues because of Bad Weather

If you find yourself shying away from singing during certain weather conditions, you don't have to anymore. The tips below will show you how to avoid those singing blues when bad weather arrives.

Believe it or not, the weather is a key factor in the success of your singing voice. Dry weather can cause you to have a "dry mouth" or "dry throat." Then there are temperature extremes - from extremely hot to freezing cold temperatures.

The extreme cold weather can cause colds, runny noses, the flu, and sore throat - all hindrances to your singing. The extreme hot weather can cause loss of breath and difficulty when holding long notes. High humidity, high pollen levels, etc. - all these can affect your singing in a negative way!

Moisture and Breathing Problems while Singing

With too much moisture in the air or high pollen levels, you might experience heavier breathing than usual, especially when singing. To help, try taking slow, steady breaths before your singing event. Practice the song through a few times and practice breathing in between lines of the verses. If you practice "when" you will breathe and then think it through as you are performing, you will find it easier to keep your breathing right throughout the song.

Getting air in between lines or after several words of the song will keep the flow of air steady as you are singing and will also eliminate that panicky feeling of heavy breathing.

Extremely Cold - Colds, Flu bugs, Runny Noses and More!

If you are very sick or have a fever then you probably need to cancel your singing event. If you only have a common cold, runny nose, or minor sore throat, there are ways to help your voice and combat these problems. With a runny nose, use nasal spray before singing to clear out any extra mucous.

With a sore throat, use honey and lemon mixtures to help soothe your throat before performing. If possible, take the mixture with you to the event and take a break to use the solution half way through the performance when singing multiple songs. In case of an emergency, find some soothing cough drops with honey and lemon. If your throat is severely sore and it hurts to swallow, try postponing your singing event until it feels better.

With a stuffy nose, use a humidifier the night before near your bed. There are also medicines to help clear the nasal passages such as Vicks (TM) vapor rub.

Itchy Throat Syndrome

When you have an itchy throat, the dreaded coughs when singing can be torment! Avoid eating or drinking items that make your throat dry on the day you are to perform. Drink plenty of liquids to keep your vocal cords lubricated. While singing, avoid breathing in through your mouth if possible. When dry air hits a dry throat, the "itch" happens! Breathe in through your nose between lines of your song. Practice doing this beforehand so you won't feel awkward.

To protect your vocal cords, try these tips:

* Practice singing in the shower for added moisture.
* Drink plenty of water each day.
* Keep a humidifier on hand.
* Limit dairy product intake on the day of your performance.
* Add lemon to your water.
* Use honey regularly to soothe your throat.

These singing tips will help you to be more prepared the next time you run into bad weather.

Severe weather

Severe weather is any destructive weather phenomenon. The term is usually used to refer to severe thunderstorms and related phenomena, such as tornados, hail, and downbursts.[1][2] Severe weather can also refer to snowstorms, ice storms, blizzards, flooding, hurricanes, and high winds.

Terminology

In its broadest sense, the term "severe weather" is defined as any aspect of the weather which can "pose a threat to life and property".[3] This can include phenomena such as tropical cyclones, ice storms, wind storms, blizzards, heat waves, and severe thunderstorms. However, as stated above, common usage of the word refers to severe thunderstorms, with three-quarter inch size hail, damaging winds in excess of 50 knots (58 miles per hour) , and/or tornadoes.

Severe Summer Weather

Severe summer weather can be put into three different categories. These are approaching severe, severe, and significant severe. Approaching severe is defined as hail between 1/2 and 3/4 inch diameter or winds between 50 and 58 M.P.H. (50 knots). In the United States, such storms will usually warrant a Significant Weather Advisory. Severe is defined as hail 3/4 inch diameter or larger, winds 58 M.P.H. or stronger, or a tornado. Significant severe is defined as hail 2 inch in diameter or larger, winds 75 M.P.H. (65 knots) or stronger, or a tornado of strength EF2 or stronger. Both severe and significant severe events will warrant a severe thunderstorm warning from the National Weather Service or Environment Canada if the event is in the United States or Canada, respectively. If a tornado is occurring or if it is likely one will occur, the severe thunderstorm warning will be superseded by a tornado warning, which warns for other elements of a severe thunderstorm as well as the tornado itself.

Initiation

Organized severe weather tends to occur in the same conditions which cause ordinary thunderstorms: atmospheric moisture, lift, and instability.[3] Clouds are little more than condensed water vapor, and thus high atmospheric moisture, signified by a high dew point, aids the development of the clouds which become thunderstorms. Instability is defined the tendency for a parcel of air near the earth's surface to keep rising when forced upwards by a source of lift. When sufficient air starts to rise due to this instability, this air also cools and expands, and the moisture contained in the parcel condenses creating the cloud itself. Sources of lift include geographic features, such as mountains, and air mass boundaries such as cold fronts, warm fronts, and dry lines.

A wide variety of conditions can cause severe weather. While in general, the criteria above will produce generic thunderstorms, any of several factors can turn those thunderstorms severe; for instance, a pool of cold air aloft can aid in the development of large hail from seemingly innoccuous thunderstorms. However, the most severe hail and tornadoes are produced by supercell thunderstorms, and the worst downbursts and derechos (straight-line winds) are produced by bow echoes. Both of these types of storms tend to form in environments high in wind shear.[3]

Florida Keys Weather

The weather in the Florida Keys is the main reason people visit. Pale, trodden winter-weary northerners come each winter to revive their spirits and escape the snowy misery that lies back home. In summertime, hot city-weary visitors come from Miami to escape the urban heat and get out on the water. It seems Florida Keys weather is always better than elsewhere, and that's part of the reason why people love it here. Spring is great too, with Winter winds finally, thank goodness, dying down so boaters and anglers can relax out there on the seas. Not that wind is bad for fishing, but it's not fun driving a small boat through 3 and 4-foot waves when the wind kicks up.

Luckily, wind is really the only downside of winter, and that itself doesn't really bother most people (just the boaters). Otherwise, the months of December, January, February and March are wonderfully sunny and temperatures in the the 70's and 80's with the occasional cold spell causing the thermometer to dip into the 60's (oh my)! Needless to say, these months are our busiest, since it's when the weather is the worst up north, and best down here. Water temperatures are in the low 70's in winter, so it's warm enough to swim or snorkel or dive, but a wetsuit is good idea if you plan on staying in the water for longer than a short dip. If you go snorkeling or diving, a wetsuit in winter is a good idea because you'll want to stay in the water long enough comfortably in order to explore the reef.
Spring

Spring is perfect weather here, with water temperatures warming up a bit and winds dying down. It's 80 degree weather from here on out for a while but it's not humid yet so a very pleasant season.

Summer

Summer is hot but not as humid as other parts of Southern Florida, since we are tropical islands with ocean breezes and lots of trees. In fact, people come here in summertime from other parts of Florida to escape the heat, humidity, and summertime blues. The end of summer is probably the quietest time in the Florida Keys, since hurricane season really starts to get serious now. The official start of hurricane season is June 1, but we start to watch the radar closely for real storms in August. This continues through October, so August and September are probably the quietest and therefore cheapest times to come to the Florida Keys. Then at the end of October, we get Fantasy Fest in Key West, and the crowds start rolling in again, right on through the Christmas season. Christmas is a very busy time in the Keys, because weather now is really perfect (cooled off a little, and not extremely windy yet). Fantasy Fest is about the time the summer and autumn heat start to pull back a bit, giving relief to everyone around. However, not much relief from the weather is ever necessary, since the Keys have wonderful weather all year long. Minus the possible hurricane, that is!