Weather

Finally Feeling Like Summer

Tuesday, May 14th, 2013, 6:56pm

(ABC 6 NEWS) -- The smell of fresh cut grass, the sweet taste of ice cream, and the sound of music in peace plaza, all signs that summer may finally be here.

"Oh god it's great," said Bernadine Hollins.

With so many out enjoying it, it's clear this warm weather has been missed.

"Well, we've been stuck inside all winter so the first day we had to come out and enjoy it," said Jenna Deetz.

Peace plaza was abuzz with many having the same idea.

"Eat outside and have a drink," said Cheri Graffenius.

This extra-long winter has made the sun feel even sweeter.

"I mean it just snowed like last week," said Deetz.

No one has been missing the warm weather more than the businesses that count on it.

"We've been looking forward to this day for a while," said Aaron Richard.

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Rain Moves in Wednesday

Submitted by Chris Kuball, Storm Tracker 6 Meteorologist

Tuesday, May 7th, 2013, 4:15pm

The sun fades away Wednesday, giving way to clouds and eventually rain into the afternoon and evening. Scattered showers and thunderstorms will take us into Thursday. There's little organization to the cluster expected so no severe weather is forecast. Rain amounts near 1/2" for most are likely. With rivers already running high, we'll be tracking river stages closely. However at this point, area watersheds should be able to absorb this rain.

Temperatures are slowly cooling. Those east on Wednesday will be the warmest getting into the 70s, more 60s west. 60s take over for the rest of the week. Eventually a cold front early Saturday knocks temps back into the 50s.

That cold front is responsible for a couple of light showers, mainly before sunrise on Saturday but shouldn't cause any issues.

Tonight: Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower & middle 50s. Wind: Calm.

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Cleanup from Record Snow Continues

Submitted by KAAL_Web_Staff

Monday, May 6th, 2013, 6:30pm

(ABC 6 NEWS) -- The historic spring storm that hit last week brought record-breaking snowfall totals, and it also brought a lot of damage.

Cleanup has officially begun at Oakwood Cemetery in Rochester. More than 100 trees were damaged in Thursday's snowstorm, creating a mess and adding to an already busy spring.

"This is a lot of work for us that we really didn't need. I would guess this is gonna take at least two weeks to get the trees cleaned up and get everything chipped," said Kyle Lee, the cemetery's superintendent.

There are trees down all around the cemetery, but fortunately there was no serious damage done to any of the memorials there.

"We'll get a lot of traffic in here over the next couple weeks with families coming in. It is disheartening for families to come in and see this, the way it is," said Lee.

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May Snow Hurts Business Even Before Falling

Submitted by KAAL_Web_Staff

Wednesday, May 1st, 2013, 6:50pm

(ABC 6 NEWS) -- Today is the first day in May. Can you believe we are talking about a few inches of snow?

We've seen it time and time again, living in the Midwest, it's obvious snow comes with the territory. But a snowstorm in May? Really?

"I'm not liking it very well, we dairy farm and this could possibly hurt the alfalfa fields and it'd be nice to start getting into the fields,” said Beverly Johnson of Kasson.

A few 70 degree days had most of us thinking we escaped the long winter, but mother nature strikes again, and she's hurting businesses that depend on warm weather.

"As soon as the sun came out, business picked up. As soon as the forecast came out it went right down the tubes," said Bruce Houston, Owner of Houston’s Greenhouse.

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Heaviest Snow for Some in Over Two Years!

Submitted by Chris Kuball, Storm Tracker 6 Meteorologist

Friday, February 22nd, 2013, 5:16pm

Heaviest Snow for Some in Over Two Years!

Here's some of the snow reports passed along from the National Weather Service. A couple of communities had an array of widely ranging totals from viewers about 6-9 1/2" range(Albert Lea, Mantorville, Owatonna) In those instances, the average or co-op observation is shown.

Most places fell in the 6-8" range but some communites rounded out the lower end of our expected range at 4-6". Some isolated spots eclipsed 8".

For some, it was the highest amounts seen in years. Officially at Rochester International Airport, 7.2" of snow fell with this storm, the highest amount from any one storm since 16" fell on December 10th & 11th, 2010.

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As Temps Drop Problems Come with Garage Doors

Submitted by James Wilcox, ABC 6 News Anchor

Wednesday, December 5th, 2012, 2:46pm

As Temps Drop Problems Come with Garage Doors

As temperatures begin to drop – albeit slowly – the Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota (BBB) is offering some tips on choosing a garage door repair company. Though there are many reputable firms to choose from, the garage door industry has historically had some issues; typically with non-local businesses claiming a local connection.

“Most business owners know that many customers prefer to deal with a local company,” said Dana Badgerow, president and CEO of the BBB of Minnesota and North Dakota. “To capitalize on that, some out of state firms purchase local phone numbers which re-direct to call centers elsewhere. While this practice is not uncommon, we prefer it when companies are upfront about their location and clear in regard to their local presence.”

To help consumers avoid problems and find reputable companies, the BBB offers these tips on hiring a garage door repair firm:

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How to Prepare for Winter Weather

Submitted by KAAL_Web_Staff

Saturday, November 10th, 2012, 8:15pm

(ABC 6 News) -- Saturday marks the end of Winter Weather Awareness Week. A week set aside to look at the dangers of winter weather and learn tips to prepare.

Winter occurs every year. We know it will get cold, we know it will probably snow, but for some reason it catches someone off guard every time, rescues go out once or twice a year says Austin Fire Chief Mickey Healey.

On average about 50 people die due to cold or winter related events. Winter is not to be messed with and there are very simple steps you can take to prepare yourself. Check ahead, check weather forecast says National Weather Service meteorologist Todd Shea.

Chief Healey suggests checking to make sure you have hats, boots and gloves. Something as a barrier between you and winter.

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