Here is an amazing radar image this morning (thanks to blog-follower Paul for bringing it to my attention). Looks just like a mini-hurricane with rainbands! The animation is even more impressive:
http://www.atmos.washington.edu/~ovens/loops/wxloop.cgi?atx_n0r+16/3h/
and here it is in the visible satellite image:
The origin? The atmosphere this morning is relatively unstable (thus convection) and there is an atmospheric vortex centered over Vancouver Island. You could see the signs of the instability yesterday: thunderstorms over the Cascades with some mid-level convection over the western lowlands. The "hurricane" is probably not forced by the terrain...the atmospheric circulation, forced by the larger scale flow, happens to be located over the island.
Hey Cliff, do you have any response to Accuweather's prediction for an exceptionally cold and snowy Winter for us folks in the PNW?
ReplyDeleteI flew in from Taiwan last night and we came directly over the length of Vancouver Island and then the Olympic peninsula. The plane landed at Sea-Tac at 7:11 pm local time.
ReplyDeleteThe only major turbulence during the entire 11 hour flight was over Vancouver Island! It was even quiet over southern Alaska, which is a common turbulence area on this flight route.
By the way, the smoke layer was clearly visible. Any idea when that might blow out of here?
wind speeds? what is the difference between a mim-hurricane and a tropical depression?
ReplyDeletewas this vancouver hurricane a CAT 1 ?
Shall we name it Hurricane Cliff?
ReplyDelete@wavelength: wind speeds? what is the difference between a mim-hurricane and a tropical depression?
ReplyDeleteThis was just an interesting radar signature that looks just like a hurricane signature (as used on weather maps too).
The actual wind speeds at Campbell River were almost calm (5mph or less). Same at other observing sites around Vancouver Island.
http://www.climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/climateData/hourlydata_e.html?timeframe=1&Prov=BC&StationID=145&Year=2010&Month=8&Day=5
Did anyone happen to save an archive of that radar loop? The link on the blog only posts to a current day radar loop.
ReplyDeleteDo you know what the weather conditions were on North Vancouver island when the fishing boat went down?
ReplyDeleteCanadian officials said today that the search for three Portland-area fishermen and their guide has been called off after the boat they were in was found capsized and with all life jackets inside.
The 19-foot aluminum fishing boat that Peter Idlewine 53, of Brush Prairie, Gary Evans, 54, of Vancouver, and Tony Evans, 52, of Canby, had been traveling in with their fishing guide Kevin Sturgess was found upside down and anchored Saturday seven nautical miles from the shore near Vancouver Island.
Does anyone know what the weather conditions were when the sport boat went down on North Vancouver Island last week?
ReplyDeleteCanadian officials said today that the search for three Portland-area fishermen and their guide has been called off after the boat they were in was found capsized and with all life jackets inside.
The 19-foot aluminum fishing boat that Peter Idlewine 53, of Brush Prairie, Gary Evans, 54, of Vancouver, and Tony Evans, 52, of Canby, had been traveling in with their fishing guide Kevin Sturgess was found upside down and anchored Saturday seven nautical miles from the shore near Vancouver Island.
I took my little camera and took a video of this weather feature that happened over Vancouver Island and posted it on You tube here is the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcZuu_x-eS8
ReplyDeleteAs a hurricane chaser and veteran when it comes to tropical systems, that Vancouver storm looks more like an MCS type of system (which are a somewhat similar experience). I guess in your part of the world such storms are fairly rare. That small cyclone doesn't have the outflow or banding of a hurricane. That storm looks like it would have been lightning laden and lightning is very rare in mature landfalling hurricanes.
ReplyDeleteNice post thanks a lot for sharing the stuff with us.
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