There are no coincidences. It's amazing how the right people cross your path when they're supposed to: teachers, mentors and personal heroes.

I stumbled upon Barry ZeVan (the Weatherman) in 1982, working at a national cable news channel in Connecticut. When a position became available at Channel 11 Barry encouraged me to go for it. "You will LOVE Minnesota: the people, the lakes. Oh, there's plenty of manic weather, too" he laughed. He was right. Barry has a new book out on Amazon: "My Life Among the Giants, A Memoir." It's a fun, poignant, worthy read. Thank you Barry.

No serious drama cooking on the maps, just an inch or two of fresh snow today — plowable amounts over southwestern Minnesota. Another clipper whips up a coating Tuesday, but the big weather story is a jolt of Pacific air, warming us to 40 degrees by Friday with a few rain showers possible — vague hints of what's to come. We end the month on a relatively mild note, which should spill into March.

Saturday was the 10th day of subzero chill this winter. Average is 23 days. It may have been the last subzero swipe of winter.