ever recorded in 93 years. The last hurricane to approach the Cape was Belle in 1978. Over the past years, hurricanes have jfeissed our area. "The experts aren's too sure why, but they are leery that one of these days a hurricane will hit and people won’t take the warnings seriously," Roop cautioned. Roop said fishermen have a natural instinct about the weather. "Thunderstorms often move with the tide, and the older fishermen know that,” he said. Roop is in contact with meterologist Marty Ross of the National Weather Service in Atlantic City in the case of severe storms or other hazardous weather conditions. MODERN DAY CHANGES have had an effect on just who finds weather information useful. Although farmers haven't called Roop up for weather information, he has heard from another sector of the working community — lawyers! It seems that these days weather sometimes plays an important part in court cases. Lawyers call up for high and low temperatures over a long period of time and for other information. "A few years ago when they had a plane crash at the airport, they wanted weather data," Roop said. Another person called when they had a. dispute with a heating company over degree days. Another time the compressor

WITH SON Eric checking out the innerds of Che rain gauge, also on the front lawn of the Rqops Lower Township home.

on an air conditioning unit blew up and the electric company said it was caused by a severe electrical storm. Roop found out that there wasn’t any storm or any lightning that day and the company backed off from their position. Roop has also been called in cases involving car accidents. "They call to see if it froze on a certain day," he said. Sometimes they just want him to interpret charts. Roop also draws up tide tables, gives past weather history and other data pertinent to.a^comprehensive look at th8 weather over the past years. "WHAT I D REALLY LIKE to do is measure wind to determine the average wind speed. You heed special equipment to do this," Roop said wistfully. "If I could just get that equipment then I could help people with windmills.” Roop noted that Cape May County is one of the windiest places in the United States. "There are figures which show Atlantic City is windy — and we’re windier than that." Roop said the National Weather Service would help supply equipment, but they are suffering from the same budget cuts as other services. "I keep asking Nunziata for the special wind equipment, but they don’t have any to spare. I keep asking and they keep laughing," Roop added Roop’s hobby takes countless hours and ironically, his regular job is at the Magnesite Plant, the plant that once gathered weather data for the county. THE WEATHER KING’S dedication to Cape May County weather is a daily, continual job which he finds exciting and interesting. His involvement seems natural, as his great-grandmother, Laura Little of West Cape Mty, kept diaries on the weather and his grandmother Alberta Hand also had great interest in the elements. Roop’s three children — Eric, 12, Andrew, 3, and Shannon, 5 — bounded inside the house to listen to their father's explanation of weather data. Andrew came over and looked closely at the digital weather computer. It seemed as if Roop’s love 4nd i enthusiasm for his "hobby" would inspire his children to carry on the family tradition. Roop looked at his oldest son. "I giiess he does have some interest," he said quietly.

The

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FRI., SIT. I SUN. OPEN AT 0 AM FOR BREAKFAST LUNCH AND OWNER 6 LATE SNACKS

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now open daily 4:30 pm •DimERS •COCKTAILS 106 DECATUR ST , CAPE MAY Early Diners ’ Specials Daily! Ik. 4:30 to 6 p.m. jROks ;

PROBABLY TAKEN a found the turn of the century, this old photograph of the firehouse at Franklin and Washington Sts., Cape May was taken from a glass negative now beloriging to Paul Andrus of Cape May. A couple of fire'horses are outside one of the five firehuse bays (by this time, Cape M^y wasn’t taking any chances with being under-equipped with fire apparatus). Behind the firehuse. right, is the old Franklin Street ElemenUry School. The fire bel, nowadays displayed in front of the new fire house, is housed in an elaborate cupola. Trolley tracks run along in the foreground, and overhead wires, a couple runing to the building, help date the photo.

MIKE and ANN MELLON formerly of Chez Michel Room in the Lodge Hotel are now in the BAYVIEW GARDEN ROOM in the SHELTER HA VEN MOTEL I ‘ IN STONE HARBOR Presenting.... •Finest In Continental Dining • Table Side Service •European Wines • Exotic Dessert Coffees at • / Chef Mellon's Award Winning Restaurant

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or Lunch from 1f1:30 to 2

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YOUR HOSTS, JOSEPH AND MARIE SCIARRO, WELCOME YOU TO DINE IN WILDWOOD'S FINEST RESTAURANT

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la^Zt^YMTYjtTTirTTjtTYatXOrP C4PE MAV COUNTY MAGAZINE / 7

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