Good Question Mailbag: Target Field Turf Design & Flight Numbers

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Josh from Apple Valley wants to know: How do they make the designs in the grass at Target Field?

The outline of the state of Minnesota coincided with the 2014 All-Star Game, and it's become popular with fans.

The Twins say they used an outline of the state in the grass, and then the grounds crew uses brooms and rakes to make the blades of grass lay in the opposite direction of the surrounding grass.

Kevin wants to know: How are flight numbers -- like "United Flight 5581" -- determined?

Experts say traditionally, eastbound and northbound flights are assigned even numbers. West and southbound flights have odd numbers.

Some airlines will use an odd number for an outbound flight and even number for an inbound flight.

But again, it all depends on the airline and the system they have in place.

Jim from Robbinsdale wants to know: Why does the National Weather Service issue thunderstorm and tornado watches and warnings for just half a county?

For example, they may say there's a thunderstorm warning for "eastern" Ottertail County.

This began a few years ago. Because some counties are so big, like St. Louis County up north, only a portion of the county may be impacted.

So, hypothetically, they wouldn't want to warn the people in the southern part of the county when only the northern half should be on watch.

Basically, they don't want to put people on high alert unnecessarily.

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