March 09, 2009

A New Weather Survey

A month ago, we had a weather survey designed to help us understand how people deal with weather forecast uncertainty. This was valuable information, but now we have a follow up. Only take this survey if YOU did NOT respond to the survey in January! We will post results in the next couple of months from both surveys.

Here is the link, but don't try it if you did the last survey...it will mess up the statistics!

We have all the responses we need right now...thanks for all your help...

PS: Several people have asked me whether Costco still has copies of my book. The answer is yes. Unfortunately (for me), they highly discount the book....about the same as Amazon.

PS: Weather is over until this weekend...
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20 comments:

  1. MadeleineMarch 9, 2009 at 6:30 PM

    Please buy this wonderful book at our INDEPENDENT booksellers.

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  2. AnonymousMarch 9, 2009 at 6:45 PM

    I need to go buy this book still! I heard Cliff on the radio and found this blog during my obsessive forecast watching during the Big Snow.

    I am very happy to subscribe to the RSS of this blog, but the graphs often completely mystify me.

    Still, I think I am finally understanding that dreaded convergence! ;-)

    Thanks Cliff!

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  3. JessicaMarch 9, 2009 at 6:57 PM

    OK, I would looovvvve to understand the thinking behind those survey questions! And to have been a fly on the wall, while you tried to decide what the answers would imply...

    So - we woke up to rain but then as the day progressed, and the temps warmed, we then turned to snow. That was the moisture driving the surface temp down, wasn't it? And creating possibilities of snow at lower levels, right?

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  4. BrianMarch 9, 2009 at 6:59 PM

    I'm seeing more and more dark clouds creeping closer and closer to us on Union Hill in Redmond (600'). And a quick look at the radar, shows we might be having two bands of snow coming through. Yay. :)

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  5. DaleMarch 9, 2009 at 7:27 PM

    Got my book at Amazon. Looks like a dandy!

    But it does not tell me whether I should re-cover my outside pipes near SeaTac airport. Had them covered but when I thought the weather was warming I removed the insulation.

    Some reports say from 15 to 25 tonight. 25 my pipes can survive but don't know about 15.

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  6. andycottleMarch 9, 2009 at 7:31 PM

    Hey Cliff...you maybe you can give a little more info on what you said. "weather is over until this weekend".

    Weather is never over! lol.

    But I suppose no active weather till this weekend I guess is what your getting at?

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  7. Cliff Mass Weather BlogMarch 9, 2009 at 7:42 PM

    I take it back (that the weather is over)...that convergence band is like a vampire...it won't give up with a silver stake through its meteorological heart. But once this business clears, a ridge builds in. The only weather is mega cold for this time of the year.

    Regarding books, I agree..it is better to buy from a local, independent bookseller...but the allure of a low price is there for amazon and costco.

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  8. BrianMarch 9, 2009 at 8:13 PM

    Cliff,
    Whats going on with this new CZ? Why is it shifting more south then just going east? If it was going just east, where I live would of been hit. But instead, it decides to go South-East. Is there a chance it could slide just a bit back north?

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  9. mjgrotaMarch 9, 2009 at 9:25 PM

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  10. andycottleMarch 9, 2009 at 9:54 PM

    Oh hey Cliff, just as a bit of humor here and or worth while, and to lighten the frustration of the metro bus service/ coastal radar. We`ll ya know how they do bobble heads of the Seattle Mariner players for their fans.....

    Well maybe they should have 'Cliff Mass' bobble heads for all the fans you have on here and through out Western Wa.

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  11. UnknownMarch 9, 2009 at 10:52 PM

    It would be nice if your survey didn't lock out us Mac Safari users.

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  12. S I G N A L I U SMarch 10, 2009 at 6:53 AM

    Cliff, I think it should be made clear that should it ever be necessary to kill a vampire, a silver stake would be a waste of valuable resources. Save the silver for an arsenal of warewolf bullets and use a good, sturdy oak stake for your slaying. It's really embarassing when the vampire laughs and hisses, "Don't bring a grape to a fruit fight, sucka!"

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  13. TeresaMarch 10, 2009 at 8:17 AM

    Yes, support independent booksellers. For me, however, keeping Costco alive is a good thing as well. They supply decent paying jobs with good working hours to the community.

    Amazon, however, is a well-known sweat shop. My nephew's friend actually brought his Amazon pager to Thanksgiving dinner!

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  14. AnonymousMarch 10, 2009 at 8:53 AM

    I am a mac user. I use both Safari and Firefox. Firefox was fine with the survey.

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  15. ludditeMarch 10, 2009 at 8:54 AM

    Mr. Mass,

    I am a big fan of your blog, and enjoyed your book thoroughly.

    If you please, one complaint about your survey, as alas, not everyone owns a 17-inch wide computer: Apparently the window in which your survey was composed it so w-i-d-e that I must continually scroll left and right to read the questions; faced with the choice of helping you with your survey or not doing so and hence not making myself carsick, I opted for the latter.

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  16. UnknownMarch 10, 2009 at 9:13 AM

    Huh?

    You're telling me there's going to be NO weather this week?

    Do you mean the atmosphere is about to be sucked off into deep space, or what?

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  17. AnonymousMarch 10, 2009 at 9:16 AM

    As for the survey Cliff, It looks like you are preparing us for the future of ensemble forecasting. Is this a lead in for forecasters to "provide ranges of scenarios" or "specific predictions" from an EPS? And will a coastal radar be a input for initializing?

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  18. UnknownMarch 10, 2009 at 11:40 AM

    my biggest forecast issues are the extreme variations among the microclimates, and the lack of reporting on areas north of Seattle.

    I live and work in Skagit and Whatcom counties, where there are so many differnet variables that anything forecasted is used as a general guide. It will be hot, cold, wet, sunny and such.

    Life long resident, I plan my life and let the weather come as it may. Sometimes plan B is in place, but it is rare for weather to be a show stopper for me. I have run, cycled, skied, hiked, you name it in the rain, blazing heat, and sleet.

    I love this blog because I am interested in weather, and appreciate your approach - very scientific - THANK YOU for all your hard work! I do use it to plan my wardrobe (layering)

    Oh yeah and buy Local!

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  19. HaleyMarch 10, 2009 at 2:19 PM

    I have a question completely unrelated to this post...

    I was really interested in your posting about how we're at our average rainfall, but have more rainless days. I've been looking around to find info about how much sun Seattle gets and found some stats. I really want to find out how many sunny or partly sunny days Seattle had THIS WINTER. I assume it will be different from the averages I found.

    Can you tell me a source that I could look at to see that info for the past 6 months?

    Thanks!

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  20. UnknownMarch 12, 2009 at 11:03 AM

    yes yes yes... purchase ALL books at your independent bookstore please!

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