D26-Lancaster Fanning Saturday, February 18,1989 by Bonnie Brechbill Franklin Co. Correspondent CHAMBERSBURG “Statis tically speaking, two droughts do not often occur back to back,” loc al melerologist Robert Sellers told members Of the Franklin County Crop Management Association. “But I don’t like the way the weather is behaving right now,” he added. “There’s very little moisture.” Sellers spoke to the farmers at an educational meeting held at the Franklin County Extension Office February 9. Sellers, who has been observing the weather since 1933, gives daily forecasts on a local radio station. He uses regional forecasts, such as those emanating from Baltimore and Harrisburg, and tailors them to the local area using his past experience. He defined weather as the Franklin County CHAMBERSBURG (Franklin) Andrew Fitz of Waynesboro was re-elected chairman of the Franklin County Conservation District Board of Directors at their recent reorganization meeting. 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AI?P ★ Double swinging hay hauling tailgate ★ Barn door type tail gate ★ Slide out cattle chutes HEWEY WELDING 80x5312, RD 4 ” Lebanon, PA 17042 (717) 867-5222 Weather Man Doesn’t Like Weather’s Behavior movement and behavior of the layer of air that blankets the earth. Weather occurs in the lower layers of the atmosphere. In explaining last summer’s heat, Sellers said that a big high pressure ridge built up in the upper atmosphere over the center of the United States. “It just sat there and warmed up,” he said. “Dry, clear air heats up.” An unusual pattern in the jet stream is causing the current out of-the-ordinary winter weather, Sellers said. The jet stream was discovered and named during World War n. With the invention of the jet airplane, bombers could make higher and faster bombing runs over Okinawa and Japan. Pi lots on those runs discovered a stream of air moving at 50-75 miles an hour high over the earth. The movement of the jet stream Conservation District Elects Officers while Donna Hays of Spring Run was re-elected secretary-treasurer. Richard Stoner of Grecncastlc was appointed to serve a four-year term as a director with the Frank lin County Conservation District. Two landowners were approv ed for conservation planning as sistance. They are Michael Black available ★ Diamond Flooring ★ Pull out panel tailgates ★ Any size grain chute is caused by the unequal heating of the earth’s surfacr by the sun. Our weather depends on the loca tion of the jet stream. “The jet stream snakes around the Northern and Southern Hemi spheres,” Sellers said. “This year, we have a subtropical jet stream. It’s giving southern ‘Florida the warmest winter weather they’ve had in a long time. “Here, our heavy rains and snows-called norlheasterners come up from the Gulf of Mexico. This winter, our weather is com ing from the West Coast and Can-' ada. The moisture is being precipi tated out over the Rocky Moun tains.” There is a chance for some precipitation on the air flow from Canada, which picks up moisture over the Great Lakes. “The way the jet stream is mov ing now, it is not favorable for heavy precipitation in the Middle and Garry Quell, both located in Hamilton Township. John Akers, district conserva tionist for the USDA Soil Conser vation Service, gave a report of his office’s activities for the month. The directors present included Andrew Fitz, Glenn Dice, Wilbur Kline, Galen May, Charles Myers, and Richard Stoner. ■jdL FINEST QUALITY r\% SEEDS AT \ >W COMPETITIVE PRICES % ALFALFAS WL 316 Big Ten Vernal WL 320 Edge Buffalo CLOVERS Arlington Medium Red HAY MIXES TO ORDER SOYBEANS OATS" Williams 82 Ogle Pella Noble 4^ ON RODENT ii^m CONTROL fWfH RODENTS carry diseases which can endanger the health of your poultry flocks. Your business is raising them. Ours is protecting them. Since 1928 Pest control is too imi We Specialize In Sanitizing And Disinfecting Houses Atlantic states, and the 90-day forecast calls for this to persist. It looks like a dry spring unless the air flow changes,” Sellers said. He acknowledged, however, that the rate of accuracy on long range forecasts is not high. “Meteorolo gy is not an exact science,” he said. “There’s different winter weather in western Pennsylvania than on this side of the mountain,” Sellers added. “They get heavy snow squalls. Our mountains, which run northeast to southwest, iefinitely affect our local weath er.” “People say that the weather is iifferent now than when they were kids,” said Sellers. “It seems .hat way because we don’t live long enough to see the whole ey rie.” In looking over temperature re cords from the 1800 s to the pre sent, Sellers noted that the warm jst periods were in the 19305, and he coldest winters occurred in the 1960 s and 19705. In 1961, 75 nches of snow fell locally. “Over he past few years, the average emperature for the United Slates overall has been down a little,” he said. Lancaster, PA 397-3721 Lewistown, PA 248-0983 State College, PA 237-7607 >ortant Sellers is not a firm believer in he greenhouse effect. “I haven’t een evidence that it has taken ef ectg yet,” he said. “I have to be hown.” In response to a question from . the audience, Sellers discussed cloud seeding, which has been a controversial local issue in recent years. In the years .1960-1966, Chambersburg was in a dry, north west air flow pattern and was 40 inches short of rain in the six-year period. Cloud seeding was used at that time to enhance nature’s pro cess. “When clouds were favor able for a thunderstorm, they were seeded with silver iodide to try to squeeze more moisture out of them,” Sellers said. He also said that during that dry period, orchardists used cloud seeding to keep clouds from build ing up hail. “You can’t stop a thunderstorm. There’s so much energy there such tremendous updrafts and downdrafts,” he said. Sellers concluded by saying that he thinks there are two things man will never be able to do-pre dict the weather with 100 percent accuracy, and control the weather. Belarus A I W v/ B U Y Barn MODEL 250 T Equipment ® J-STAR p STARLINE Ip BUTLER A JAMESWAY K BERG Golf miller. T 25 Baclhoe Linder.. .31 T 42 Bickboe L«der... SI. 420 AN4WD 57 505 70 525A4WD 70. Trade-In ..$11,995 562 4WD w/c«b 70. Mmy ..$13,679 820 4WD 85 . More .$13,995 822 4WD w/cb 85. Size* ..$14,795 922 4WD w/cib... 100. 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