The map on the left is the severe outlook from the SPC for Thursday. I think the northern extent is probably a CYA factor as the main low will be to our South which would tend not to promote strong storms around here. We should get rain and some thunderstorms for Thursday midday through the evening. Then there’s a break for a couple of days. Friday should be cool and cloudy and Saturday will have some sun and be more seasonable. Sunday the rain returns with perhaps some thunderstorms. Depending on the track of the shortwave and timing, the risk of strong storms may be a bit more interesting but certainly not a slam dunk.
On This Date In History:Hernando De Soto was promised the governorship of Florida by the King of Spain if he explored and settled the land at De Soto’s expense. No one else had ever been successful doing it but De Soto gave it a try. Now, the Spanish were pretty lousy at foraging for food and so if the Indians didn’t give them any, then they went hungry. In 1539, De Soto landed near Tampa Bay with 622 men and other supplies, including 13 Spanish hogs. They were going to breed the hogs along the way and use them for food in case of emergency. Pigs are also great snake killers so they may have served a duel purpose. Even though the men got hungry, De Soto refused to allow the pigs slaughter, forcing the men to even eat the dogs before they touched the pigs, which grew in number to 300. On This date in 1541, De Soto crossed the Mississippi River with his pigs. He was the first white man to see the “Big Muddy” but he found no treasure. So he returned back across the river, pigs in tow, much disheartened. By 1542, De Soto died. He probably got malaria around the swamps of the river that he discovered. The pig herd had grown to over 700 and with their benefactor six feet under, they were quickly auctioned off. However, many Spanish pigs escaped and mated with the wild pigs native to the land. The result may have been this:
This boy in Alabama in May 2007 shot this wild pig of over 1000 pounds measuring over 9 feet from snoot to tail. The boy used a .50 caliber pistol! The Spanish pigs are characterized as small range pigs with prick ears, heavy coats and long snouts. This “Monster Pig” or “Hogzilla II” has some of those characteristics. Here is more about it:
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On This Date in 1886 A new and exciting drink was sold in Atlanta, Georgia. It was made with Coca, which is the derivative of cocaine. It proved quite popular. It is known as Coca-Cola but the formula was changed long ago. I’m just not sure when the slogan “have a coke and a smile” was coined….perhaps shortly after the first one was sold!
