Unusual weather creates danger around the world

Not to contradict Bob Dylan, but you might need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.

If the weather service issues a warning, it's a good idea to pay attention.

We received several tragic reminders of that this weekend.

On Sunday, the Atlanta Falcons won a chance to play in the Super Bowl, but while that game was going on, four people were killed at Albany, Ga., bringing to 19 the number of people who died in two days of tornadoes across the South -- 15 in south Georgia alone.

Italian authorities are being criticized for failing to take action prior to an avalanche that killed six and left 23 missing at the remote Hotel Rigopiano. Authorities are considering bringing in heavy equipment five days after the collapse.

Dutch skaters were ignoring warnings about thin ice, and as a result, many of them had to be hauled out of the chilly waters of canals and lakes across the Netherlands.

Several people have died in unusually cold weather in Serbia, fog and slippery conditions were disrupting travel around London's Heathrow Airport, and four people died skiing, snowshoeing or sledding in Austria.

Southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas came to a halt a week ago because of an ice storm -- that turned out to be less severe than predicted -- and Tuesday's forecast shows a 30 percent chance of rain or snows.

Daily highs are expected to be above freezing, but it's always smart to pay attention when a change in the weather is forecast.

Global warming and "green energy" are contentious issues in the current political climate, but it's good to see Kearney getting involved with the solar energy business.

Kearney economic development officials failed to attract a Facebook data center to a 160-acres technology park, but now have a chance to host an $11 million, 5.8 megawatt electrical generation project proposed by SoCore Energy.

That's not a huge amount of energy, enough for about a thousand homes by some estimates, but it might put Kearney on the map for tech companies considering green energy power.

The Kearney City Council will consider a 25-year lease agreement for the project Tuesday.

On the subject of being "on the map," NET Nebraska's "Nebraska Stories" segment about the 20th annual Buffalo Commons Storytelling Festival should help continue to raise McCook's stature as a home for creative cultural events.

You can view it online here.