E-waste collectors - Santa Clara Valley

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agenecy estimates 70% of the toxic heavy metals found in landfills come from electronic waste. According to the Santa Clara County website, you can find 38 approved collectors of electronic waste. Some collectors charge a fee and others may only accept certain items.

Santa Clara Valley Approved E-Waste Collectors

Fall Foliage - Shasta Cascade Region

Butte County:

About 50% still some green around Bidwell Park. Also yellows, oranges, reds. Expecting peak sometime next week.

Shasta County:

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area.-From worker at Visitor’s Center. Between 30-50% Seeing some of the trees along the trails change. Seeing orange, yellow, and burgundy.  Burney Falls State Park—Spectacular, At the peak at State Park, good for another couple of days. Orange and Yellow, Oak. 90%-100%

Tehama County:

Lassen Park-near the north entrance of Lassen, the Aspen is at about 50-60% Some are already losing their leaves but others are still green. For those that are changing there is lots of yellow! And some of the shrubs in that area are also at their peak color. 80-100% Red Bluff Chamber—Colors just beginning to change around town 15%.

Modoc County:

Modoc National Forest-Cedar Pass stunning—60-70% leaves starting to fall. All over Cedarville, and Cedar Pass is stunning right now, Aiden Path, backroad from Aiden to Susanville. Golds, Orange, Reds.

Siskiyou County:

Mt. Shasta Chamber-Very pretty in Mt. Shasta, lots of Gold and some Reds. 80% right now, expecting the peak next week. Mountain Ash lots of Oaks, Maples, Birch.

Trinity County:

Trinity County Chamber-65-70% Weaverville. Seeing lots of bright yellow, some orange and reds. Liquid Amber, Dogwood, Maples, the Oaks a little bit. Expecting to have good color into November.

(Courtesy of John Poimiroo)

Fall Foliage - Northern Sierra

Here’s a photo taken this week of the color that’s showing just above Quincy in the northern Sierra.  It was taken by Suzi Brakken of the Plumas County Tourism Bureau.  Suzi is so committed to helping people see the fall color in her area that when anyone stops by her office in Quincy for guidance on where to see the fall color, Suzi goes outside and cleans their windshield so there’ll get a clear view.

(Courtesy of John Poimiroo)

Fall Foliage - Eastern Sierra

Lower Twin Lakes

Lake Sabrina

Sabrina Creek

Moonrise and Moonset Times

Hi, Mike,

Today's San Jose Mercury News states in the 5 Day San Jose Area Forecast column, that Moonset is at 7:07 a.m.

However, as I drove northwest at 7:10 a.m in Palo Alto, California, the almost full moon appeared at least 5 degrees above the horizon if not more, and in full view. Can you explain the discrepancy?

Thanks,

Frances McVittie

--------------------------------------------------

Hi Frances,

Nice observation. I appreciate your attention to detail.

Moonrise and moonset times are based on when the moon's upper edge sits on the horizon. San Jose, San Francisco and Oakland may seem close to each other, but our undulating topography and latitudes play an important role in what is your horizon and, therefore, create different moonrise and moonset times.

Moonrise and moonset times for Oakland and San Francisco are within one or two minutes. The moonrise times for San Jose are usually the same also. However, the moonset times for San Jose can run 3 - 5 minutes earlier.

Hope this helps,

Mike

Marin Humane Society Milestone

This comes from our good friend Carrie Harrington at the Marin Humane Society.  You can see her and a pet in need of a home every fourth Friday on our Midday Show at 11am.

Marin Humane Society adopts 2008^th animal of the year!

(NOVATO, CALIF., October 13, 2008)

— The Marin Humane Society is celebrating its 2008^th adoption of the year today – and officials say that the organization is poised to surpass last year’s adoption numbers. A severely matted 3 year old Bichon Frise named Perry was rescued several weeks ago by the Marin Humane Society from an overcrowded animal shelter in the Central Valley. Following a “shear genius” makeover by MHS staff, a newly groomed Perry was adopted this weekend to the Robertson family of Corte Madera.

The Marin Humane Society partners with dozens of agencies and rescue groups through its Pet Partnership Program to bring animals like Perry to Marin to find new homes.  Marin County has made considerable progress in addressing pet overpopulation through spay/neuter programs and education, but many homeless animals still languish in overcrowded shelters in outlying areas where pets outnumber adopters. Every year, the Marin Humane Society rescues more than 1,500 cats and dogs through its Pet Partnership Program.

“We did not think that our 2008^th adoption would happen until November,” says MHS Shelter Services Director Keri Fennell. “It is encouraging to see that adoptions numbers are up, despite the economy. We adopted just over 2,300 animals in 2007 and we are on track to surpass that number before the end of the year.”

Founded in 1907, the Marin Humane Society is a progressive, award-winning animal shelter, offering refuge and rehabilitation to nearly 8,000 animals each year through a variety of community services, including adoptions, foster care, behavior and training, humane education, lost and found pet services, low-cost clinics, and much more. For more information about the Marin Humane Society, visit MarinHumaneSociety.org. Rescue, rehabilitate & rehome.

Carrie Harrington

Communications Manager

Marin Humane Society

415.506.6256

Rescue, Rehabilitate, Rehome

MarinHumaneSociety.org

90-Degree Days in October for San Jose

Q: What is the average number of 90-degree days in the month of October in San Jose and when was the last October that had more than one?

A: San Jose averages nearly one 90-degree day in October. The last 90-degree day occurred on the 28th in 2003 when we warmed to 90 degrees.

Hurricane Norbert and The Bay Area

Mike,

I have been reading about Hurricane Norbert headed for Mexican Baja on the weekend.
Although the storm has weakened a bit, I wouldn't be surprised if some of its remnants
reach the Bay Area about Tuesday or Wednesday. Sounds reasonable?
Bob Anglim

Hi Bob,

Thanks for the question.

Thankfully, We don't need to worry about Hurricane Norbert. The southern push of the jet stream, bringing us the cool breezes today and tomorrow, will help steer Hurricane Norbert towards Mexico this weekend where it dissipates in the Mexican mountains.

Talk with you later,

Mike

Significant Shift In Our Weather Today

Our weather is on the move today, out is the warmer than average afternoons replaced by a cool autumn WIND and HIGH FIRE DANGER through Saturday.

High temperatures drop 4 - 8 degrees today. Look for middle to upper 60s from the Coast into Downtown San Francisco with lower to middle 70s around the Bay. Middle to high 70s dominate the East, North, and South Bay this afternoon.

Clear tonight with lows in the middle to upper 50s.

Sunny and cooler Friday as highs drop another 4 - 6 degrees.

A Warmer and calmer airmass arrives Sunday and hangs around through Tuesday.

Jet Stream Change of Direction

On October 3, the Forecast and Conditions map just below your own
piece (weather story in the San Jose Mercury News) showed a wild swing in the jet stream from the Washington coast up to near the North Pole and then back down to North Carolina.  Today's map shows that northward swing broken. What is going on?

Geri Dunckel
Cupertino

Hi Geri,

Nice observation!

The storm system that brought us the rain last night and today undercut the northern swing. The flow north is still there but the rainmaker we experienced developed a faster jet stream over us and continues building this new faster jet stream to our southeast as storm continues digging that way.

By tomorrow, you'll see this new jet stream and our storm system emerge from the southern Rocky Mountains and bring stormy weather to western Texas.

Hope this helps.

Mike