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Hi everyone, I only have a couple weeks before I leave for a new chapter in my life and my best bud has been asking me to take him and his boy on a trip. Ohio is only an hour away for us and is significantly warmer right now. Was wondering if anyone could tell me how bad the snow cover is and if we have a chance at some clean ground.

There's been a lot of bad weather across most of the United States lately and I'd assume other parts of the world are having their share. I know at least for Colorado it has been unseasonably warm and dry. I'm at an elevation just over 6000 feet (1829 meters) and in 2020 our first snowfall came on September 8th, average is late September. The first snow in Denver for 2021 was a week ago today, December 10th and even then we only got about an inch. The weather has also been warm with temperatures over 70F (21C) in December, even warmer in other parts of the state. While this isn't uncommon in the southern part of the country, its quite rare here. Two days ago, on Wednesday Colorado was hit with a storm which produced crazy fast winds. Mixed with it being so dry, parts of Colorado were covered in dust. Where I am, there wasn't really bad dust but wind gusts were over 60 mph (100 km/h). Areas in the state had gusts nearing 100 mph (160 km/h)! So apart from no snow this holiday season and Christmas decorations blown across the neighborhood, I can't complain. I hope everyone else is doing fine as well, despite the weather.

Set some records here in the Omaha metro last night, Recorded -30C (-23F) last night at the campus. No clue what it got to at my house as my thermometer quit at 5 below about a week ago and hasn't moved. Lots of folks without power and the rest of us doing California style rolling black-outs. Anyway, here's a few tips for you southerners that ain't used to such temps from an old mountain : Keep your generator and running automobiles away from the house. Do Not idle in the garage- the carbon monoxide will ensure you will cease to notice the weather permanently. Do not use charcoal or propane grills to try and warm your place up, that is just as dangerous as sitting in a running car in the garage. Turn your sinks on to a slow trickle- hot and cold water. Flush the toilet every so often. This will help prevent pipe freezes. Trust me, a slightly higher water bill is cheaper than a burst pipe. If your pipes do freeze DO NOT try to use a torch to thaw them. (Been at least half a dozen house fires here from knuckleheads doing that stuff) Shut off the water to you house at the main cutoff valve. That way when things do thaw out you don't flood your home and make a bad situation worse. (If you have a well, shut off the breaker to the pump too!) If you have a gas stove, light the burner with matches and simmer a big pot of water (or melted snow) this will help to keep the temp up a bit in your home. DO NOT try to run the oven- most modern ovens are electric autoignition and will just risk becoming a bomb. Most importantly, bundle up. And please, get somewhere warm if you can if the house temp drops below freezing...it isn't worth dying for and insurance covers damages... I'm in my sleeping bag with all three pugs, so make it a three dog night and you will be fine!

Something that I have always wondered about collecting fossils is it seems depending on the seasons and there are always better times to go. Of course, it entirely depends on the environment of deposition of the locality but in terms of areas like creeks or rivers that cut through formations, when is it really the right time to go? Of course there are variables like how much traffic is there, what times or weather does the area see, and temperatures. I can argue that spring can be the best time because fresh material and its been releasing fossils throughout the winter. On the other hand, I can argue that in the fall can be the best because of the amount of storms that must have occurred since the spring and material was being washed out all year. I believe there is correlation to higher temperature and more easily eroded material providing more fossils. I also believe in going when no one else will, like the winter. And there is always at the end of a big storm. But no matter how much I like to speculate, one day you can go and have tremendous luck, and other days there just isn't as much material. Thoughts?

Hey all, it looks like even with the heavy rain I will still be able to make a break out at low tide, I figure it should be safe enough if it’s low tide because I can stay closer to the waves and away from the cliff. Just wanted to have an epic hunt at the end of 2018. I will probably do a Matoaka-Brownies combo hunt and try to get out there by 11 when the rain has died down a bit. not really expecting to find anything big. Still, it never hurts! Any of you heading out? Cheers, FA

Be careful out there folks. I don't know how the weather is out there for most of the places but Texas is under a excessive heat spell right now. Central Texas is seeing highs at 108 to 110 this week. Stay hydrated and wear sun protection. Or stay indoors and keep out of the heat.

Flying reptile exhibit, fossils crushed when burst pipe causes ceiling collapse at Clemson geology museum Fix News Carolina, January 04, 2018 http://www.foxcarolina.com/story/37191822/flying-reptile-exhibit-fossils-crushed-when-burst-pipe-causes-ceiling-collapse-at-clemson-geology-museum Clemson geology museum temporarily closed due to winter weather damage by Jonathan Veit, Clemson University, January 4, 2018 http://newsstand.clemson.edu/mediarelations/clemson-geology-museum-closed-due-to-winter-weather-damage/ Yours, Paul H.

Cold weather has taken vacation here and Fall is stretching well into snow season. @DevonianDigger and I put new tools to the test and Penn Dixie delivered as usual. I think we moved about a ton of rock The Pile!