MeterologyThe science of weather and climate forecasting364Meterology2022-09-08T16:40:25Science Guybarry.david.adams@gmail.comWVUADry Thursday… Widespread Rain Friday & Wet at Times This Weekend… Wednesday PM Forecast Update #alwx @wvua232022-09-07T21:51:55Good Wednesday afternoon! A few scattered showers and storms have developed on radar this afternoon across the area, especially west Alabama. Storms will move out this evening and tonight, as temperatures fall into the uppwer 60s. Drier air will briefly take over on Thursday. Temperatures will reach the middle to upper 80s during the afternoon […]ca8f5df613d519e0e0e52f43904c1a8aCliff Mass Weather BlogA Serious Wildfire Threat for Western Oregon and Southwest Washington2022-09-07T20:39:00: Cliff Mass Weather Blog This blog discusses current weather , weather prediction , climate issues , and current events September 07, 2022 A Serious Wildfire Threat for Western Oregon and Southwest Washington There is a serious wildfire threat for western Oregon and southwest Washington on Friday and . Saturday Not the equal of September 2020, but serious enough that we need to be careful . This blog will describe the . situation Historically , major wildfires west of the Cascades crest occur in August and September for two reasons . nbsp First , the surface fuels are dry after our typically arid summers . nbsp Second , this is the season of strong easterly from the east winds as cool air and associated high pressure--begin to move into the continental interior . Air accelerates from the068a294d4b66daecda43ee1095316199WVUARain Chances Decrease Some, Then Return Friday… Tuesday PM Forecast Update #alwx @wvua232022-09-06T22:13:49Good Tuesday afternoon! We have a few scattered storms on radar this afternoon, but some areas will miss out on the rain today. Scattered storms will gradually diminish after midnight tonight, with overnight temperatures dropping into the lower 70s. The risk of scattered storms will decrease a bit on Wednesday and Thursday, with only a […]0e3af48a410396acbd2da4c3c833fae2Cliff Mass Weather BlogWas There A Weather Connection with the Whidbey Float Plane Crash?2022-09-05T21:05:00: Cliff Mass Weather Blog This blog discusses current weather , weather prediction , climate issues , and current events September 05, 2022 Was There A Weather Connection with the Whidbey Float Plane Crash A tragedy occur yesterday Sunday , September 4 with the crash of a float plane over Mutiny Bay of southern Whidbey Island just after 3 PM see map below , the star indicates the accident site The aircraft was en route from Friday Harbor to Renton . nbsp Like all aircraft accidents , it will be examined comprehensively by the National Traffic Safety Board NTSB which is very valuable . nbsp Flying is extraordinarily safe because the causes of past accidents are painstakingly investigated and the system is improved as a . result Several folks have asked me whether there was a meteorological7a1667e5d1b4e26ec6ba8625b0978cd6WVUARainy Pattern Continues… Below Average Temps Expected… Sunday PM Forecast Update… #ALwx @wvua232022-09-04T20:28:55Good Sunday afternoon! Today we saw many afternoon and evening thunderstorms push through Western Alabama. These brought the concern of some flooding in some portions of the state today. With these showers and thunderstorms came some cooler temperatures. High temperatures today reached only the mid 80s for most of us today. These showers and thunderstorms […]b0835ff4d1dd2fc6400347c5f5575efaCliff Mass Weather BlogA Warm August in the Northwest: But How Warm? How Unusual?2022-09-04T19:54:00: : Cliff Mass Weather Blog This blog discusses current weather , weather prediction , climate issues , and current events September 04, 2022 A Warm August in the Northwest : But How Warm How Unusual This August was a warm month in the Northwest . nbsp But how warm How unusual And how unusual were the temperatures over the rest of the world during August Was everyone warmer than normal Let me start by showing you a map of the temperature differences from normal the anomaly from climatology for August based on satellite observations for roughly the lowest 26,000 ft of the . atmosphere Yes . one can take the temperature of the earth's atmosphere from space by measuring how much infrared radiation reaches a satellite Similar technology is used to determine your forehead temperature during450b603365cf4ca88de4942a2d1dcf99WVUARainy Labor Day Weekend… Rain Continues All Week… Below Average Temps… Saturday PM Update… #ALwx @wvua232022-09-03T20:05:58Good Saturday afternoon! Temperatures today were stagnant in the 80s with cloud cover around most of the day today. Storms started to fire up in the mid afternoon hours bringing wetter conditions to Western Alabama for the start of you three day, Labor Day weekend. Many outdoor activities today and into tonight were met with […]a31ab32a6f8f925ed28211006925c438WVUAScattered Storms Likely Ahead… Friday PM Forecast Update #alwx @wvua232022-09-02T22:09:21Good Friday afternoon! Our local weather is rather hot today, with a few scattered showers and storms in spots. Most local high school football games will be dry tonight, but a few random storms could cause some disruption. The risk of rain this evening remains at 30%. The Labor Day weekend forecast will include high […]6f5a89bee989c2a1b6f4b5396b7fbd22Cliff Mass Weather BlogA Massive Smoke Plume Pushes into Eastern Washington, No More Northwest Heatwaves, and Meteorological Fall is Here2022-09-02T19:41:00: , , Cliff Mass Weather Blog This blog discusses current weather , weather prediction , climate issues , and current events September 02, 2022 A Massive Smoke Plume Pushes into Eastern Washington , No More Northwest Heatwaves , and Meteorological Fall is Here My podcast today covers a lot of territory , but I will provide some of the highlights . here First , a MASSIVE plume of wildfire smoke is spreading across eastern Washington right now see image The smoke is from the Cedar Creek fire of the western Oregon Cascades that exploded last . night The smoke is dense enough that it will cause substantial cooling in eastern Washington today smoke scatters reflects solar radiation back to space Smoke is evident in eastern Washington . nbsp Picture courtesy of AgWeatherNet Second , the latestc2048d86d7eacaf9ab0c96bfd723ae2dWVUAStorms Likely Ahead… Thursday PM Forecast Update #alwx @wvua232022-09-01T21:29:54Good Thursday afternoon! Our local weather has been very nice this morning and hot but less humid this afternoon. Temperatures will fall into the upper 60s tonight, under a clear sky. Scattered storms will begin to develop locally on Friday, with temperatures rising into the lower 90s during the afternoon. The best chance of a […]18585c9947205b22772267716a766c72WVUAScattered Storms Return This Weekend… Wednesday PM Forecast Update #alwx @wvua232022-08-31T22:11:10Good Wednesday afternoon! Our local weather has been hot today, with temperatures reaching the lower 90s. Humidity will remain a bit lower through Thursday, with cooler overnight temperatures tonight. We can expect an overnight low in the middle to upper 60s. Thursday will include lots of sunshine, with dewpoints remaining low. Humidity won’t be a […]140a4f4aab01a54f743f7e4abd85f2d7Cliff Mass Weather BlogHow Serious is the ARk Storm (Catastrophic Flooding) Threat Along the West Coast?2022-08-31T16:58:00: Cliff Mass Weather Blog This blog discusses current weather , weather prediction , climate issues , and current events August 31, 2022 How serious is the ARk Storm Catastrophic Flooding Threat Along the West Coast The media was abuzz last week with stories about a greatly increased threat of a massive flooding event along the West Coast , termed an ARk Storm . nbsp The immediate stimulus of this apocalyptic vision was a r ecent paper by Xingying Huang and Daniel Swain in the journal Science Advances This article suggests that global warming has already substantially increased the probability of West Coast catastrophic flooding events and that the potential for such flooding will be profoundly enhanced by the end of the . century In this blog , I will describe some serious problems with47f908a3a03bbce157c51553afce0d5fWVUASunshine Returns on Wednesday and Thursday… Humidity and Scattered Storms This Weekend… Tuesday PM Forecast Update #alwx @wvua232022-08-30T21:53:29Good Tuesday afternoon! Scattered storms developed across the area earlier today, bringing a good coverage of rain today between 11am and 3pm. Storms are out of here now, and we can expect a brief return to drier weather. Sunny weather will make a return on Wednesday and Thursday. Humidity will be a tad lower, but […]37852a53eca956763f2281a4d9a90b48WVUAScattered Storms Tuesday… Sunny on Wednesday and Thursday… Monday PM Forecast Update #alwx @wvua232022-08-29T22:10:05Good Monday afternoon! Our local weather has been hot today, with only a few tiny afternoon showers developing. Most areas are dry and most areas will remain rain-free. Temperatures will fall into the lower 70s tonight, under a mostly clear sky. Expect a good chance of scattered afternoon and evening storms on Tuesday, as a […]6d7885d311ec04ad37fe73c04c2ae463WVUAShowers and Storms Tuesday… Sunday PM Forecast Update #alwx @wvua232022-08-28T22:23:55Happy Sunday to you, I hope you’ve had a great weekend! Temperatures cool down to the low 70s tonight. Tomorrow will look a lot like today with temperatures reaching the low 90s with partly sunny skies. A small chance for PM showers and storms are possible. For your work week, temperatures hang out in the […]768971df6e01593ef1a674819e847e81Cliff Mass Weather BlogThe Final Heatwave of the Summer? When does the threat disappear?2022-08-28T20:17:00: Cliff Mass Weather Blog This blog discusses current weather , weather prediction , climate issues , and current events August 28, 2022 The Final Heatwave of the Summer When does the threat disappear Even with cool temperatures this weekend , the specter of more warmth is on the . horizon But is this the end of the threat of real warmth in our region Let's start with the forecast . nbsp Another ridge of high pressure will build over the West Coast on Monday and Tuesday , as illustrated by the upper level 500 hPa pressure , about 18,000 ft map for Tuesday at 5 PM . nbsp The red indicates higher than normal pressure , the blues and purples below normal . troughing The latest National Weather Service National Blend of Models temperature forecast for Seattle indicated highs in the upper 80s093dcaf6955a96c1c303aa5e99773e03WKU MeteorologyFriday Forecast!2022-08-26T22:46:48Hello everyone and welcome back to your weekly forecast Friday! This weekend is looking like another hot one. We can expect a low of around 68 degrees with a passing rain shower or otherwise scattered clouds tonight. Saturday expect some … Continue reading →a1e1866c167713c6afaae2f7c9a3cff5Cliff Mass Weather BlogA Mild Weekend, One Last Warm Period, and the Microclimates of the Northwest2022-08-26T22:24:00: , , Cliff Mass Weather Blog This blog discusses current weather , weather prediction , climate issues , and current events August 26, 2022 A Mild Weekend , One Last Warm Period , and the Microclimates of the Northwest My podcast today starts with a very pleasant weekend forecast , with temperatures in the west in the 70s 80s over the Columbia Basin . nbsp But one more warm period is ahead , with highs climbing into the mid-80s by . mid-week The latest forecast for Seattle shows probably the last upper-80s temperature period for the rest of the . year The second half of the podcast is about microclimates--with large temperature variations in short distances . nbsp I provide some dramatic examples from last week and tell you a bit on how they . occur To listen to my podcast , use the linka230a1a31a79a7da4225b08e34bcd5c7Cliff Mass Weather BlogOur Washington Coastal Water Temperatures are Warmer Than Normal. Why?2022-08-26T03:58:00: . Cliff Mass Weather Blog This blog discusses current weather , weather prediction , climate issues , and current events August 25, 2022 Our Washington Coastal Water Temperatures are Warmer Than Normal . Why The latest NOAA map of coastal water temperatures along the southern Washington coast shows temperatures above 61F 16C see below . nbsp Cooler water is found along the Oregon and California coasts . nbsp Much warmer water is found offshore . nbsp At Ocean Shores or Long Beach , you could almost go into the water without a . wetsuit How do these temperatures compare to normal Below are the anomalies differences from climatology or normal conditions of the sea surface temperatures . Warmer than normal by 2-3C along the coast and the warmth extends offshore . Cooler than normal along6503f2f968f1733fb4c5c1efc42d65b6Cliff Mass Weather BlogA Lightning Vortex East of the Cascade Crest2022-08-24T05:10:00: Cliff Mass Weather Blog This blog discusses current weather , weather prediction , climate issues , and current events August 23, 2022 A Lightning Vortex East of the Cascade Crest There was quite a lightning fest east of the Cascade crest today , with an impressive vortex of thunderstorms producing massive amounts of . lightning The lightning flashes for the ten minutes ending 5:20 PM tonight were amazing see below , with clouds shown as well with lightning circling around the vortex centered near Omak , WA . nbsp Just wow . The visible satellite image a few hours earlier shows the vortex and the numerous associated thunderstorms each producing a blob of clouds These thunderstorms produced more than lighting , as illustrated by precipitation totals for today Tuesday see below . nbsp Somee8f55440a29853ae751d6930d303414aCliff Mass Weather BlogMore Climate Misinformation from the Seattle Times2022-08-21T19:24:00: Cliff Mass Weather Blog This blog discusses current weather , weather prediction , climate issues , and current events August 21, 2022 More Climate Misinformation from the Seattle Times If the nation is going to deal effectively with anthropogenic global warming , citizens must be provided with accurate information about the climate and how it is . changing Unfortunately , the Seattle Times does not believe in communicating the facts but frequently provides deceptive , false , or exaggerated information . nbsp Last week , a story-- These areas of WA are likely to get hotter--but people keep moving there- is a good example of the kind of problematic journalism coming out of the Seattle Times . nbsp I will show you the deceptions in my blog below . nbsp Perhaps it takes a magician to show6d6fe32fd3cb4053742c65d8e0a6141dCliff Mass Weather BlogA Good Weekend Ahead But More Heat in Our Future. Plus, a Primer on Northwest Humidity2022-08-19T21:21:00: . , Cliff Mass Weather Blog This blog discusses current weather , weather prediction , climate issues , and current events August 19, 2022 A Good Weekend Ahead But More Heat in Our Future . Plus , a Primer on Northwest Humidity After a week of warmth and humidity , temporary relief is here . at least west of the Cascade . crest My podcast starts with a very pleasant forecast for the next four days over the western lowlands , but with a note about increased heat mid-week see forecast temperatures for Seattle below East of the Cascades , temperatures will hover around 100F see forecast for Tri-Cities below In my second segment , I talk about humidity in the Northwest . nbsp Why was it so sticky last week What controls our humidity All is revealed in the . podcast To listen to my podcast ,36bba0a90bbb49df3ea55dc0fafa2c02Cliff Mass Weather BlogSome Showers and a Cool Down Ahead 2022-08-18T22:56:00: Cliff Mass Weather Blog This blog discusses current weather , weather prediction , climate issues , and current events August 18, 2022 Some Showers and a Cool Down Ahead There are clouds and a few light showers moving into western Washington this afternoon as monsoonal moisture heads . northward The latest radar image shows some of the light rain see below No lightning is being detected at this . time The latest visible satellite image defines the plume of middle to high clouds from the south entraining into western Washington . nbsp Low stratus clouds are west of the Oregon . coast The NOAA HRRR model , making forecasts every hour , shows some of the light rain moving up into western Washington tonight the forecast of the simulated radar image for 9 PM tonight is shown Last night was abd05d4f40b7a3a7c01350a3159be9cbcCliff Mass Weather BlogSignificant Aurora Possible Tonight2022-08-17T23:01:00: Cliff Mass Weather Blog This blog discusses current weather , weather prediction , climate issues , and current events August 17, 2022 Significant Aurora Possible Tonight : Update The situation does not look as favorable now . nbsp The clouds have made it up to central Puget Sound see below and the DSCOVR satellite is not picking up the expected influx of particles . nbsp Not as skillful as weather prediction Folks in the northern half of Washington State may well see an impressive auroral display . tonight A major Coronal Mass Ejection CME on the solar surface has resulted in a flux of particles moving into the earth's magnetic . field A measure of the disturbance of the earth's magnetic field is Kp : nbsp auroral activity moving southward into our area generally requires Kp of 5 or39ca95df595c953b78cc37a1d67fcb69Cliff Mass Weather BlogSuperMonsoon Hits the Southwest U.S. and the Northwest Gets a Piece of It.2022-08-16T15:16:00: . . Cliff Mass Weather Blog This blog discusses current weather , weather prediction , climate issues , and current events August 16, 2022 SuperMonsoon Hits the Southwest U.S . and the Northwest Gets a Piece of It . There is a good name for it : nbsp a . SuperMonsoon In my previous blogs , I talked about the nature of the Southwest or North American Monsoon , and how water vapor from the Gulf of Mexico swings around a high-pressure area into the Desert Southwest from June to . August As a result , the southwest U.S . is usually MUCH wetter than the Pacific Northwest during . mid-summer The Southwest Monsoon has been particularly active this summer with lots of thunderstorms and an unusual westward and northward penetration of . moisture Take a look at the percent of normal rainfall67156624fbf6c2cc01d81473560c7357Cliff Mass Weather BlogWildfire Smoke: What a Difference a Year Makes!2022-08-14T10:30:00: : Cliff Mass Weather Blog This blog discusses current weather , weather prediction , climate issues , and current events August 14, 2022 Wildfire Smoke : What a Difference a Year Makes This has been a particularly smoke-free summer so far over the entire West Coast , and to appreciate our clean-air bounty , let's compare satellite imagery between this afternoon and a year . ago Yesterday's MODIS visible satellite image shows smoke-free skies over nearly the entire western U.S . with two exceptions : nbsp a very small fire west of Lake Chelan and a modest smoke area in northern CA . nbsp That is about it Compare that to the smoky miasma of exactly one year ago . nbsp Yuck Smoke everywhere The air quality data provided by the EPA in their AIR NOW network shows the story on the ground .8cca15f4e3778d366f796f6c6704127aCliff Mass Weather BlogThe Most Threatening Wildfire Period is Ahead. But Why? And a Warm, Pleasant Forecast.2022-08-12T19:38:00: . , . Cliff Mass Weather Blog This blog discusses current weather , weather prediction , climate issues , and current events August 12, 2022 The Most Threatening Wildfire Period is Ahead . But Why And a Warm , Pleasant Forecast . This has been a very benign wildfire season so far this year , with far fewer than normal wildfires over the western U.S . with considerably less than normal area burnt see figures below Number of wildfires by year : nbsp WA DNR area The area burned by year : nbsp WA DNR Area The area burned by year , . California But we can not become complacent Historically , the most threatening wildfire season in the Northwest is the end of August and early September as the atmosphere starts to . cool But why What is so threatening about the cool late summer early autumnd13c3f6039234d9405709e6c34748665Cliff Mass Weather BlogMonsoon Thunderstorms Across the Region2022-08-12T05:26:00: Cliff Mass Weather Blog This blog discusses current weather , weather prediction , climate issues , and current events August 11, 2022 Monsoon Thunderstorms Across the Region The movement of moist , unstable Southwest Monsoon air into the Northwest did not disappoint : as shown by the 24h lightning map ending 1 AM this morning , many hundreds of lightning strokes were observed over the . region There were several bands of thunderstorms and lightning . nbsp One was along the coast and another moved up eastern Oregon and really hit hard around Walla Walla and far SE Washington . nbsp A narrow band of boomers crossed Tacoma into Vashon . Island The monsoon moisture plume . directed from the desert southwest . was evident in the water vapor satellite image from yesterday morning 5 AMbbe7abbf5c65aec958dc74c3811c9f7a