From: Norman McLeod, Florida DAte: Mon, 16 Nov 1998 16:44:03 -0500 (EST) 1998 Nov 15/16 brought the beginning of the Leonid increase with two -8 fireballs in just over an hour. The first one at 255 EST (755 UT) had a 10-minute train ; the second at 350 EST (850 UT) was deep in my ESE only 10 degrees up with train 10 seconds. Two full hours 326 - 526 EST (826 - 1026 UT) had Leonid rates 5 and 14 in sky LM7.3. I watched 235 - 545 EST (735 - 1045 UT) with the best sky conditions seeing 32 Leonids. Just after stopping the ground at 602 EST (1102 UT) was lit by an estimated -6m Leonid in the SE ; I saw a brilliant orange train for 3 seconds -- best sunlit train I've ever seen. Leonid magnitudes from sky LM7.3 only : -8....2 Leonids -2....2 -1....3 0.....4 1.....5 2.....6 3.....3 4.....1 5.....4 6.....2 Total here is 32. Average magnitude 1.22 using all of them : omitting the two brightest ones lowers the average to 1.83m. I had to wait a couple of hours out there for clouds to move on. Napping under a sheet and sleeping bag to avoid mosquitoes was very hot ; temp in low 70's under the clouds. After clearing it cooled down about 5 degrees but the mosquitoes stayed rather bad. I had to keep the fanning up most of the time with a piece of cardboard -- good also for cooling off and defogging my glasses. Tonight looks quite good with the worst of the clouds moving out by dark. They all seem aimed at South Carolina. Any problems with clouds should be localized and brief.