During the last day, a strong Nor'easter (also called Northeasters by some) struck the northeast U.S. with strong winds, rain in the coastal areas, and snow inland.What made this storm so remarkable was the snow. Rarely do such storms bring this much snow so early. Usually the first snow of the season hits the coastal northeast U.S....
The Most Dangerous Weather Phenomenon in the Northwest
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If you live in the Northwest, what weather phenomenon is the worst threat to your life? What type of weather has the greatest chance of causing you bodily harm?Floods? No way...although they cause the greatest economic damage to the region.Windstorms? Not even close..although most major windstorms do cause a few fatalities and...
The Truth About Wind Chill
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How many times have you heard it on a TV weathercast? "The temperature is 35F, but with the stiff winds today, the wind chill temperature is 24F, so bundle up!" TV folks sometimes refer to the wind chill temperature as the apparent or equivalent temperature, the temperature it would feel like if the wind was calm.Now if the temperature...
Transforming Seattle Public Schools
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Every week there seems to be a new headline revealing a new scandal, a new mistake, a new problem or a new school official forced to leave at Seattle Public Schools. Student performance lags, particularly of the least advantaged. One of the high-tech capitals of the U.S., a city with a highly educated and progressive population, possesses...
Jet Stream Weather
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As many of you know, the jet stream is a current of strong winds---much narrower than its length--that is often found in the upper troposphere--typically between 25,000 and 35,000 ft--in the midlatitudes (generally 35-50N). The jet stream (a.k.a, the jet) is associated with major weather systems-- the wind and rain storms that strike the region--...
Winning Meteorological Roulette
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If you live or work in Mountlake Terrace please click here.What is it like to win the jackpot in a meteorological roulette game? It is having a radiosonde float into your yard after flying miles high in the atmosphere and being lauched many miles away. David Stroble of Mt. Vernon found a parachute, a shredded balloon, and a...
Heat Surge
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Today is going to be a MUCH warmer day than yesterday and far warmer than the National Weather Service is forecasting. The NWS is going for 66 at Seattle---mid 60s are their forecast for the Puget Sound region and they are going 67-69 on the eastside. Folks...I am convinced we are going to see 70s today at many locations away...
Is Sequim the Sunniest Place in Western Washington?
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There is no more important question for sun-starved residents of western Washington.Where can one go on a day trip and experience a lot more sun? And particularly more sun during mid-winter when eastern Washington descends into its low-cloud enshrouded gloom and cold temperatures.This blog will reveal new information and a web site dedicated...
Indian Summer
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In much of the U.S. it is called Indian Summer. In France the term is St. Martin's Summer, while in eastern Europe Old Ladies Summer and Gypsy Summer are often used. All of these names describe a warm period in the autumn that follows a period of cool weather-- in fact, some demand a killing frost before the warmth. Well, we...
Tale of Two Radars: Rainshadow and Windward Enhancement
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Dog Alert! See Message at the Bottom---Particularly If You Live in Mountlake Terrace.With weather radars on both sides of the Olympics now, we can do something we have never done before: examine simultaneously both the enhancement of precipitation on the windward side of the mountains and rain shadowing on the other.Here is the storm-total...
Its All in the Timing
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How many times does this happen? The National Weather Service forecasts rain coming in at a certain time and the forecast is off by a few hours, either early or late. The truth is that this happens all the time and such timing error increase with the length of a forecast. And variations in timing of consecutive forecasts provide valuable...
Is West Coast Weather Getting More Extreme?
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A question that is often asked is whether Northwest or West Coast weather is getting more extreme. More heavy rain and flooding events? More windstorms? Extreme losses of snowpack in the mountains? Some groups have answered these questions in the affirmative and have stated, suggested or hinted that such extremes are connected...
