Latest Global Warming Data

Daily record high temperatures in the continental United States occurred twice as often as record lows from January 1, 2000, to September 30, 2009.

 

New research shows daily record high temperatures were set 291,237 times versus 142,420 daily record low temperatures. 

 

If temperatures were not warming, the number of record daily highs and lows being set each year would be approximately even.  During the past decade the country experienced unusually mild winter weather and intense summer heat waves.

 

This ratio of record highs to record lows was most pronounced in the western United States, more than two to one.  In the eastern United States the ratio was about one-and-a-half to one.

 

The two-to-one ratio across the country as a whole indicates that much of the nation's warming is occurring at night, when temperatures are dipping less often to record lows.

 

The averaged two-to-one ratio across the country is attributed to a comparatively small number of record lows more than to a large number of record highs. This indicates that much of the nation's warming is occurring at night, when temperatures are dipping less often to record lows.

Howl-o-ween Photo Contest Winners

Marin Humane Society Howl-o-ween Photo Contest WINNERS...

Celeste Perry of KOFY's "Wag Wednesday” and I selected these winners from more than 80 photo entries.

And the winners are … 

  
1^st Place Winner

Kate Plus Eight

Our 1^st Place Winner receives a gift certificate for grooming service courtesy of Aussie Pet Mobile Grooming and a basket of goodies for their pet from Animal Outfitters! 

 
2nd Place Winner

Comet the Officer

 

 
3rd Place Winner

Skeezix as Sandy from Grease

  

4th Place Winner

Wit as a Cowgirl

 

 
 5th Place Winner

Boston as Mr. Cool

See the rest of our very worthy entries on-line: http://www.marinhumanesociety.org/events/halloween09.html

Thank you for participating.  Hope to see you again next Halloween.

Tuesday's Rainfall Forecast

A cold front rolls across the Bay Area from Northwest to Southeast Tuesday afternoon through early Wednesday morning.  Wet weather is possible for the evening commute Tuesday but will end by the morning commute Wednesday. 

The weak weather system lacks significant moisture.  The highest totals fall in the North Bay and tapering as the cold front heads south. 

A stronger system with more moisture arrives late Thursday evening and dumps nearly 3 to 4 times more rain before ending late Friday evening.  I will have more on this cold front Wednesday morning.

"Ida's" Record Rainfall

Tropical Storm Ida produced record rains over the Southeast yesterday.  All the following cities set a daily rainfall record, followed by the old record and the year it was set.  Some records stood for more 100 years with one from 1881.

Atlanta: 4.04”  (2.57” – 1966)

Athens 2.88”  (1.43” – 1966)

Columbus: 5.42”  (1.26” – 1966)

Macon:  2.53”  (0.64” – 1955)

Montgomery  2.35”  (1.61” – 1898)

Birmingham  4.03”  (1.67” – 1919)

Bristol, TN   1.37”  (0.96” – 1979)

Chattanooga    2.59”  (1.80” – 2002)

Knoxville     1.82”  (0.97” – 1880)

Greenville, SC    2.42”  (1.16” – 1987)

El Nino - Latest Data & Forecast

 
 
Last month, water in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean near the equator warmed.  The sea surface temperatures are 2.7°F (1.5°C) warmer than average.  Also, warmer than average subsurface temperatures increased by 1.8°F to 9°F (1 to 5°C) across a large region of the central and east-central Pacific.

Our computer models vary on their strength and duration of this event with most suggesting it will last through May 2010.

The El Niño impacts on precipitation from now through January 2010 include enhanced precipitation for California, Florida, and central to eastern Texas.  Below-average precipitation is likely for parts of the Pacific Northwest. 

Temperature-wise, look for above-average temperatures and below-average snowfall in the Northern Rockies, Northern Plains, and Upper Midwest, with below-average temperatures in the southeastern states.

 

Weekend Travel Forecast

The same weak cold front bringing us scattered light rain showers enters the Sierra this afternoon.  The front could create an isolated rain shower here also.  Otherwise look for increasing sunshine with lake level temperatures around Tahoe in the lower 50s. 

The cold front falls apart before reaching Yosemite National Park but has enough strength to develop a partly sunny sky today and tomorrow.  Look for more sunshine Sunday.

 

Drizzle is possible today in San Diego.  After today the weekend weather looks fairly quite with increasing afternoon sunshine here and in Los Angeles this weekend. 
  

Scattered Light Rain Today & Tomorrow

Two weak cold fronts enter our neighborhoods, one today and one tomorrow.  Unfortunately, the fronts lack any significant tropical moisture.  The weak fronts fall apart while traveling northwest to southeast across the Bay Area.  This movement and the southwest winds ahead of the fronts generate the greatest rainfall amounts over the North Bay and south facing slopes along the Coast and Santa Cruz Mountains.  

The rain-cooled air holds the North Bay temperatures in the low 60s today.  You will see thinner clouds and more sunshine the farther south you look around the Bay Area.  Temperatures respond accordingly with middle 60s around the Bay and middle to upper 60s in the East Bay valleys and South Bay.

November's Average Temperatures

November is a time of significant change in our Bay Area weather.  The lowering sun angle (we loose almost 46 minutes of daylight) and the beginning of the rain season dramatically drop temperatures from the beginning to the end of the month.  The biggest change occurs during our warmer afternoon hours.