Whether you are getting ready to go to the beach, or the mountains, or on vacation to a locale you are not familiar with, being able to track the weather is important... and fun!

Even if you're not going anywhere... we all like to know what the weather is going to be like wherever we are. Right?

But who has the time to log on to the Internet and then bounce around from site to site trying to find the weather information that you need?

Sometimes it's not so much a matter of time as just not wanting to do it. That's usually what the case is for me, I simply don't want to spend the time and energy looking online for a website that has the weather information I'm looking for.

So what are the options when you want to find updated weather information in a hurry, without all the fuss and muss? Fortunately there are a few nifty little weather tools that you can download to your computer that will help you to keep track of the weather -- any time, any place.

You can even download them to your laptop to take along with you on the road!

I saw a report a week or so ago on ABC News about weather insurance.

Sometimes it's referred to as vacation insurance or travel insurance.

Several online companies are offering what they call "vacation insurance," deals in which they will reimburse any parts of a vacation that are ruined.  "We will cover them if their vacation is rained out," Jeff Boyd, CEO of Priceline.com, told Good Morning America.  -- ABC News

These days, more and more companies and services are providing weather insurance to protect you from things like rain delays at sporting events and concerts, as well. And companies are even offering weather insurance for those times when a complete change of plans are required (due to the weather) at your own outdoor events, including weddings.

Here's more about weather insurance...

I once heard someone say that teachers coined the phrase "The Dog Days of Summer" because they all got to lay around like dogs and do nothing during the hottest part of the year -- like dogs get to do every day of the year. 

Of course, that's not true, but do you know where the phrase really came from?

Here are some really fun pictures you can create using just a blue sky, some clouds in the sky, and various props of your of choosing. The best part: No photo editing is needed! Yet the end result will look so amazing, that people will think your photos aren't real. Have a look...

Large white snowflakes falling from the sky - meandering slowly to the ground below. The brown grass below slowly turning snow white. People hustling to and from their cars into their homes and stores.

It's beautiful! To a southerner. But as I found out this week, it's all a matter of perspective.

Are you looking for a website where you can get a weather forecast, historical weather data, or just general weather information for your hometown? Or maybe you're going on a trip and need to know what to pack.

Here's a list of some of my favorite websites for weather information.

It's my formula and I'm sticking to it. This year's Super Bowl will be a high scoring affair. It will be a shootout between Tom Brady and Eli Manning. In the end, though, it'll all come down to pressure. High pressure. Remember, my prediction is for entertainment purposes only. Please, no wagering.