Many of us received some rain and storms today as an outflow boundary moved south across the area. Some locations got well over an inch while others got nothing at all. If you did get some rain, the air definitely cooled off quick! Some of us went from the mid 90s to upper 70s within […]
: Cliff Mass Weather Blog This blog discusses current weather , weather prediction , climate issues , and current events July 30, 2023 A Summer of Beautiful Cirrus Clouds This has been an interesting summer in many ways , with a persistent offshore upper-level trough resulting in temperatures averaging a bit higher than normal , but with a lack of major heatwaves . nbsp But there is . more The offshore upper-level trough has produced upward motion in the upper troposphere roughly 15,000 to 35,000 ft that has produced ice . clouds These are cirrus clouds of various forms , and they are often very beautiful . nbsp Let me share a few pictures with . you Below is a picture taken last night near sunset . nbsp Ice crystals are actually falling out of some of the cirrus clouds and bending backGuidance has come into better agreement for a weakening complex of storms along an outflow boundary to move from north to south across most of the area on Sunday. Timing appears to be focused on 8 AM (far northern AL counties) to 2 PM (areas south of I-20). This complex will require some daytime surface […]Good Friday afternoon! Our local weather has been hot today, with heat index reaching 105 to 108 in many areas. A heat advisory has been extended into the entire weekend, as dangerous heat is expected to continue. Temperatures will fall into the middle 70s tonight, and isolated storms will diminish. Highs will remain the upper […]
: Cliff Mass Weather Blog This blog discusses current weather , weather prediction , climate issues , and current events July 28, 2023 A Summer Without Extreme Heat in the Northwest With all the talk of heat waves in the media these days , it is fascinating to note that the Pacific Northwest has NOT had extreme heat this summer . nbsp No major heatwaves . nbsp A lack of warm temperature . records A really moderate , benign summer regarding high temperatures . nbsp And the temperate weather is not . over And more surprises . there is really little evidence over the past decades of increases in extreme July heat in our . region Let me show you some data , to prove the above to . you Just a reminder . the end of July is climatologically the warmest time of the year see the climatology ofGood Thursday afternoon! Today has been very hot across the area, with many areas warming into the middle or upper 90s. Heat index approached 105 in many areas. Temperatures will fall into the middle 70s overnight. Skies remain mostly sunny on Friday through the weekend. Highs will gradually increase into the upper 90s. With an […]
: : Cliff Mass Weather Blog This blog discusses current weather , weather prediction , climate issues , and current events July 26, 2023 Huge Grass Fire in Eastern Washington : Was Drought or Climate Change a Factor A very large and fast-growing wildfire in eastern Washington burned through grass and range vegetation starting during the late afternoon of July 21st . nbsp Picture courtesy of Susan Stevenson Called the Newell Road fire the blaze expanded to roughly 60,000 acres just north of the Columbia Gorge east of The Dalles see burn area below Some politicians and media outlets are claiming that this wildfire can be traced back to drought , which in turn was caused by climate change . nbsp For example , a Seattle Times today quotes Washington State Land Commissioner Hilary : Franz It’sGood Wednesday afternoon! Our local weather has been hot and dry for the most part today, however, a few isolated showers have developed on radar across central Alabama. The very low chance of a shower will diminish tonight. Expect lower 70s tonight, under a clear sky. Skies remain mostly sunny on Thursday through the weekend. […]Good Tuesday afternoon! Our local weather has been very hot this afternoon, with many areas reaching the lower or middle 90s. Temperatures will gradually climb a little more this week ahead. Expect lower 70s tonight, under a clear sky. Skies remain mostly sunny on Wednesday through the weekend. Highs will gradually increase into the upper […]Happy Monday! Tonight will be mostly clear with temperatures dipping into the upper 60s. Lower humidity sticks in the forecast through Wednesday evening. This is going to help temperatures in mid 90s to not feel as oppressive. Humid conditions and high heat indices return mid-week. Make sure to stay extra hydrated and limit time outdoors […]
: Cliff Mass Weather Blog This blog discusses current weather , weather prediction , climate issues , and current events July 24, 2023 Autumn in Midsummer The visible satellite image this morning is stunning : nbsp it looks like something one might see in mid-autumn see below The swirl of clouds associated with a potent low-pressure center is offshore , with a substantial front circling around and then extending offshore of the Washington coast . nbsp That front will reach the western interior around dinnertime , bringing heavier . rain In the meantime a weak band of clouds precipitation pushed through this morning , bringing about a third of an inch to the coast and light rain into the interior see totals so far this morning below The radar this morning shows the remnants of the weakGood Sunday to you! I hope you had a great weekend. Tonight will be mostly clear with temperatures dipping into the upper 60s. Lower humidity sticks in the forecast for the start of the work week. This is going to help temperatures from the low to mid 90s not feel as oppressive. Humid conditions and […]
: Cliff Mass Weather Blog This blog discusses current weather , weather prediction , climate issues , and current events July 23, 2023 Rain and Cool Temperatures During the Driest Portion of the Year Northwest weather , particularly over the western side of the region is about to change . profoundly For the last month , much of the region has been warmer and drier than normal , in contrast to much of California , Nevada , and the Plains States that have been cooler and wetter than typical see temperature differences from normal for the past 30 days , below But now the models are in agreement : nbsp an unusually strong Pacific front will move through late Monday , bringing wetting rain to the region and much cooler temperatures . nbsp Furthermore , the extended forecasts indicate moderate ,Hey everyone, good Saturday to you! Showers and a storm start to pop up early this evening. This will be for areas mostly south of I-20 and west of I-65. These will dissipate by the time that you head to bed. A sunny pattern settles in for the end of the weekend and start of […]THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR… SOUTHERN TUSCALOOSA COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA… WEST CENTRAL SHELBY COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA… NORTHERN BIBB COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA… SOUTHWESTERN JEFFERSON COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA… * UNTIL 700 PM CDT. * AT 603 PM CDT, SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG […]: Cliff Mass Weather Blog This blog discusses current weather , weather prediction , climate issues , and current events July 20, 2023 Is Global Warming Causing Massive Heatwaves The media is going hyperbolic about heat waves , claiming that global warming climate change caused by human CO2 emissions is producing a huge , sudden uptick in massive heat events . nbsp The greatest in the historical record . nbsp Heatwaves are all over the planet Phoenix , Arizona is a frequently noted poster child of the new heatwave . regime Here are a few examples of the headlines , I could provide dozens more just like . it The Quiz Before I discuss the situation , let me provide two possibilities for you to . consider 1 Human emissions of greenhouse gases , such as CO2, are slowly warming the . planet
: Cliff Mass Weather Blog This blog discusses current weather , weather prediction , climate issues , and current events July 18, 2023 A Tropical Storm Will Hit Hawaii A weakening tropical storm is approaching Hawaii , where substantial precipitation and gusty winds are expected . nbsp Tropical Storm Calvin now has maximum sustained winds of 45 . mph The infrared satellite image this morning clearly shows the storm east of the big island . nbsp You will note an absence of a distinct eye and rather amorphous . rainbands The visible satellite imagery at the same time is also . unimpressive According to the latest forecast from the National Hurricane Center , Calvin will pass south of Hawaii as it slowly weakens see below Calvin's winds will interact with the substantial terrain of Hawaii to
: Cliff Mass Weather Blog This blog discusses current weather , weather prediction , climate issues , and current events July 16, 2023 Light Rain Coming During the Driest Time of the Year We are now entering the driest time of the year in the Northwest . nbsp A time when we are typically drier than the desert . Southwest Below is a plot of the probability of receiving a trace 0.01 inch or more of rain versus date for Seattle . nbsp The last two weeks of July have extraordinarily low probabilities of . precipitation Yet this year we may see some . rain Tomorrow , an upper-level trough of low pressure will move across British Columbia bringing rain to the WA coast and Northwest Washington see upper level 500-hPa pressure , about 18,000 ft map at 4 AM Monday below The total precipitation.png)
: Cliff Mass Weather Blog This blog discusses current weather , weather prediction , climate issues , and current events July 14, 2023 An Extremely Low Wildfire Year So Far We are now through roughly one-third of the Northwest wildfire season and it is turning out to be a very benign one so . far In fact , wildfires are at a low level for wildfire across the entire U.S . nbsp Reality is very different than some of the fear-inducing headlines in a number of media outlets . nbsp Let me prove this to . you Let's begin with the U.S . wildfire acreage to date July 13 from the National Interagency Fire Center see below This year has the LOWEST wildfire acreage in ten . years I have also plotted the ten-year trend dashed line It is going down slightly . there is no statistically significant trend
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: Cliff Mass Weather Blog This blog discusses current weather , weather prediction , climate issues , and current events July 12, 2023 A Warm-Dry Summer without Drama The tenor of the 2023 Northwest summer is now clear : nbsp modestly warmer and drier than normal but without excitement By excitement , I mean record-breaking heatwaves or heat wind combinations that might produce major wildfire . events The atmosphere can get stuck into certain configurations due to persistent areas of sea surface temperatures and thunderstorm patterns in the tropics , among other . reasons This year the atmosphere has been stuck in a situation that has brought excessive precipitation and cooler weather to California and warmer drier weather to the . Northwest A measure of the stickiness of the atmospheric
: Cliff Mass Weather Blog This blog discusses current weather , weather prediction , climate issues , and current events July 09, 2023 Wind and Wildfire When one reads about the potential for Northwest and California wildfires , nbsp the media and others tend to dwell on temperature and . moisture Surely , warm temperatures , lack of precipitation , and dry fuels contribute to wildfire although excessive precipitation during a preceding period can lead to bountiful fuels and wildfire But there is another critical parameter for wildfire initiation and growth : nbsp strong winds . nbsp And in the western U.S . strong easterly from the east winds descending regional terrain are of particular . importance Wind plays a central role in Northwest wildfires , with nearly all of the major events
: Cliff Mass Weather Blog This blog discusses current weather , weather prediction , climate issues , and current events July 07, 2023 Perfect Weather Ahead It is time to stop complaining about Northwest . weather Near perfection is . ahead With the onshore movement of marine air , temperatures over the region west of the Cascades are now in the 60s and 70s . nbsp And according to the latest model forecasts , western Washington will stay in the 70s see Seattle forecasts below Eastern Washington will remain warm , but not extremely so . nbsp Temperatures will cool into the middle 50s each night , so good sleeping . weather Air quality is excellent over the region see PurpleAir map below , green is good as the wind shift pushed all the Canadian smoke out of the . Northwest Wildfires In
: Cliff Mass Weather Blog This blog discusses current weather , weather prediction , climate issues , and current events July 04, 2023 Canadian Smoke Followed by Cooling The Canadian smoke , produced by fires in the boreal forests of the sub-arctic , is above us . now You can this tell by the slightly milky shading of the sky , or by viewing the visible satellite imagery this morning see below Puget Sound Clean Air Agency PSCAA has a device a ceilometer that measures smoke aloft . nbsp The image around noon clearly showed the most intense smoke layer around 3000 4000 meter above the surface , with lesser smoke below time increases to the right The air quality across the region was good green to moderate yellow this afternoon , so I suspect that few are having problems with poor air quality