August 25, 2009

Warm and Dry Ahead


I don't want to hype the heat, but it will be warming up a bit in a few days. But before I talk about that, check out all the action in the Pacific visible satellite image (see image). Two tropical storms over the southern Pacific, a nice midlatitude cyclone in the central north Pacific, low stratus off of California, and thunderstorms over the Colorado Rockies. Something for everyone!

A weak front passed through this morning, but only trace to a few hundreds of an inch of rain fell. As the front moved through skies opened over most of the western side and temperatures rose into the upper 60s and lower 70s today. Tomorrow (Wed) will be a step up in temperature, but Thursday will be the big day as ridging aloft develops and offshore flow strengthens at low levels. So I would expect mid to upper 70s tomorrow and mid-80s over the lowlands (away from water) on Thursday. A weak front will follow on Friday morning...but few if any showers will reach the western interior...although some showers may occur on the coast. The front will bring the temps back into the mid-70s..which is normal for this time of the year.

So nearly perfect weather...you don't need a meteorologist for a while. That is why I am heading to the San Juans to give two public lectures...see info to the right if you are interested.

Several people have asked me what is happening with the coastal weather radar. Well, my colleagues in the National Weather Service and their contractor are hard at work evaluating sites with the aid of some of us at the UW. Work is going well and a report will be made public early this fall with potential sites. But we still need for the remaining money to pass through Congress...and our U.S. Senators are working on this, with the help of our local congressmen. Looks good.

19 comments:

  1. How can you not have a meteorologist with so-called 'perfect "weather"'?? If you don't need a meteorologist, you don't have weather.

    And it's far from perfect for lots of us. Please, please, please remember that!!

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  2. Mr. Mass. Can you explain a little about occluded fronts? Thanks. Randi of Packwood WA. home of interesting weather

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  3. If you have Atmosphere you have weather. Could you change the name to Bad Weather Is My Life?

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  4. natchrl8r, I can't change the name to that, because I'm not a fan of bad weather...

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  5. Cliff, back on global warming; I'm obviously not a scientist but as a lay person I don't dispute global warming. I'm more convinced by data that carbon dioxide and consequent global warming are human caused problems that are occurring than I am by the arguments of opponents to those related phenomenon and resulting effects.

    I'm posting a few links to sites that discuss the subject and related subjects, including Little Ice Age and solar activity and carbon dioxide levels going back as far as 400,000 years.

    Carbon Dioxide variability seems to have been a "constant" in earth's existence, as have phenomenon that have had atmospheric altering effects not unlike humanity's global warming, i.e., basalt out pouring episodes, comet and asteroid impacts, etc, if perhaps not as dramatically as mankind induced effects.

    http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/warming/etc/graphs.html

    http://arstechnica.com/science/news/2009/08/another-little-ice-age-solar-activity-and-climate-change.ars

    http://www.atmos.washington.edu/1998Q4/211/project2/group4.htm

    http://www.grisda.org/origins/10051.htm

    Thanks for your discussion of this important topic.

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  6. Cliff

    What are the chances of us getting nice weather on Labor Day Weekend? I am getting married on that Saturday and would really like a sunny and 70 plus degree day. The weather of the past couple of days would be perfect! I know it's still a ways out but are there any clues yet?
    Thanks!

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  7. Oh no, you said 'nice weather'. Mr Hermit who doesn't get out of his cave much will object with the temerity of a Junior Leaguer who has sweated at a golf event.

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  8. perfect weather for me would be a few days of thunderstorms.

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  9. Early congrats weathernerd!

    The moon looks amazing tonight and I actually saw a meteor last night, even though I am surrounded by the lights of Lk Union. It was so clear and cool out, it felt like fall.

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  10. Thanks for the early congrats Jessica.

    And you're right, it did feel a bit like fall, especially this morning. But it turned out to be a beautiful late summer day.

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  11. How was the clear weather this morning any different than the uncomfortable clear weather this afternoon? When the phrase "but it turned out..." is used, it implies it was somehow different.

    Beautiful fall and winter weather is hopefully not too far away.

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  12. I can't believe I'm going to do this but....here goes.

    If I had your address Weather Is My Life, I would send you a tube of Arnica gel for that huge welt and bruise you've given yourself from beating your head against the wall in this forum.

    But you aren't going to convert those that want to marvel at weather - all weather. It's too big a topic to use anything but generalities and Good is a word that works for this forum.

    Maybe some other forums that might suit your preferred discussion:

    http://gearybehaviourcenter.blogspot.com/2008/10/effects-of-weather-on-daily-mood.html

    http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/11/09/weather-can-change-your-mood/

    http://summersad.ning.com/

    And the one that put me on the floor w/ giggles:

    http://johnteshblog.typepad.com/john_tesh_blog/2009/02/does-weather-affect-your-mood.html

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  13. Thanks Jessica. :) It's best to understand that I'm not trying to "convert" anyone, just informing people that different people have different opinions and that fact should be recognized. :) Using subjective terms and assuming and implying that everyone agrees (hence making it somehow objective in a sense) does not work with subjective opinions.

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  14. Problem is Weather is that you have done that about 3 million times. ( told us about subjectivity) In fact when you say "Beautiful fall weather" (meaning cloudy, cool and moist in your terms) can be a let down for you. We can have the warm indian like summer days in the fall. So when you say "Beautiful fall weather", you should have said "Beautiful fall weather mixed with crappy weather" according to your terms. You assumed the fall is laden with the weather you like. It is sad when someone looses their choice on how to feel about a state of something when you can not change that something like the state of the weather. This isn't about subjectivity in the end, this is about someone who lost their ability to choose how they feel.

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  15. Josh, usually there are a lot of nice fall days in October, November, and the first half of December before the first day of winter. :)

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  16. First real rain that I've seen in a long time this morning in W.Seattle. My young cats are confused...

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Please make sure your comments are civil. Name calling and personal attacks are not appropriate.

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