It's Thursday, the day this blog answers your questions. This week's questions were asked of me while in line at the grocery store, at the gas pump, at a bar (I hope I understood the question she asked), in my man cave and via e-mail. BTW, if you want to ask a question, it's okay to ask me while I'm sipping a bourbon, but you're likely to get a more lucid answer if you send me an e-mail. "rdefranco@wwnytv.net" is my cyberspace place. Or you can leave a comment on this web page. Feel free to ask me any questions about weather, forecasting and 7NEWS casts. However, as you know, I can't answer questions about dating habits, likes, dislikes, shoe sizes, most loved movies, addresses, height, weight, and favorite thing to do on Saturday night - of the 7NEWS reporters and anchors. That would just be wrong. It would be fun, but it would be wrong. So with that said, here goes...

QUESTION ONE: Western New York off Lake Erie doesn’t get as much lake effect snow as the Tug Hill area off Lake Ontario. Why is that?

ANSWER ONE: The most important reason is Lake Erie often freezes over by mid to late winter. Lake Ontario, on the other hand, only freezes over twice in a hundred years because of its great depth. Once the lake freezes over, lake snow is pretty much history.

QUESTION TWO: Is it true that because it’s so mild right now, we will get a bunch of snow and cold at the end of winter to even things out?

ANSWER TWO: Not necessarily. Mama Nature doesn’t really keep a score card. We could sail right through winter and stay mild. Or the large scale weather pattern could change in a week and the pounding could begin and last until July 4th. That date was just an exaggeration for effect. I hope.

QUESTION THREE: Of the 6pm news team on 7NEWS, who is the most quiet and shy off air?

ANSWER THREE: Me. Except on some Saturday nights. And an occasional Friday night. And the odd Wednesday.

QUESTION FOUR: My Dad said when he was young they called the Celsius temperature scale something else, but he can’t remember what. Do you know?

ANSWER FOUR: Probably what he is referring to is the Centigrade temperature scale. Celsius and Centigrade are the same scale, but the term “Centigrade” is not used much anymore. Kinda like your mom’s old cassette tape player.

QUESTION FIVE: For as long as I can remember you have called St. Lawrence County, “The Big County” during your weather report. I read that St. Lawrence County is now using that phrase to promote themselves. Did you get credit for coming up with the name? Did you get any financial reward?

ANSWER FIVE: NO, I DIDN’T! HEY, WHERE’S MY FINANCIAL REWARD?!!! Honestly, I don’t know if I am the first person to use the phrase. And even if I am, I’m thrilled they are using it and no credit is expected or necessary. Go SLC!