Share Your Rainfall Data
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Mt. St. Helen's as seen through the camera of Tyler Mode, Vancouver, on June 18, 2008.NOWCAST- Warm and humid today and then a bit cooler and less humid on Sunday. Morning clouds and afternoon sunshine this coming week, basically dry with highs about ten degrees above last weeks dismal appearance.
OUTCAST - La Nina is fading with ocean values getting close to normal but there still will be a lingering affect with a good chance of a cooler than normal summer. For the latest 90-day outlook click here.
The following is a press release from the Washington State Climate office issued earlier this month:
NETWORK OF VOLUNTEER RAINFALL OBSERVERS MAKES ITS WASHINGTON DEBUT - Washington is the latest state to join a rapidly growing network of volunteer rainfall observers across the country. The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow (CoCoRaHS) Network enlists volunteers to take daily rainfall measurements and report them to the CoCoRaHS web site, www.cocorahs.org.
"These measurements provide an instant look at statewide patterns of rainfall that can help in weather forecasting, disaster management, drought monitoring, and research," said one of the state coordinators, Josiah Mault of the Office of Washington State Climatologist at the University of Washington. "Observers can send intense rain reports that are disseminated directly to the meteorologists at the National Weather Service, which will be crucial during flash flood events," said Jeff Michalski, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Seattle.
On the other extreme, the real-time reporting will augment the NWS's Cooperative
weather observing program in providing better real-time drought diagnosis, says State
Climatologist Philip Mote, the other state coordinator.
CoCoRaHS, based at Colorado State University, was officially launched in Washington
on June 1. It was organized by a group that includes the Office of Washington State
Climatologist at UW and staff from the four National Weather Service forecast offices
covering the state.
Volunteers who want to become observers must purchase a standard 4-inch rain gauge
for about $25 and attend a training session. The first training events are scheduled for
June 10 at several locations around the state.
"In the few days since the program began in Washington, we already have dozens of
people signed up to be observers, just from word of mouth," said Ted Buehner, warning
coordination meteorologist at the Seattle weather service office. "People love the weather
and this is a great way to get involved - you can immediately see your measurement on
the state or national map."
The first observer to sign-up, Vince Streano of Anacortes, was so eager to join
CoCoRaHS that he bought a CoCoRaHS rain gauge over a month ago. "The CoCoRaHS
program will be a valuable tool in determining accurate rainfall patterns across the state,
and the country, because everyone will be using the same standard rain gauge," said
Streano.
Like a fan camped out waiting for concert tickets to go on sale, he checked the
CoCoRaHS site every day to see when the registrations opened, and plans to write about
CoCoRaHS in his monthly weather column for the Anacortes American newspaper.
Robin Fox, weather service forecaster in Spokane, said official rain gauges can be as
much as 50 miles apart over widely varied terrain. "You can miss a lot of data that way," Fox said. "CoCoRaHS fills in the gaps of the current observation network." Added Ellie Kelch, another weather service forecaster in Spokane, "The additional precipitation data collected will allow scientists to better understand micro-climates across the state and greatly assist meteorologists in the forecast process."
More information is available at cocorahs.org or climate.washington.edu
Contact: Philip Mote, University of Washington 206 616 5346
Ted Buehner, National Weather Service Seattle 206 526 6857 (media line)
Robin Fox, National Weather Service Spokane 509 224-0537 (media line)
Charles Dalton, National Weather Service Portland 503 261-9248
Rachel Calder, National Weather Service Pendleton 541-276-4493
-- posted by Pat Timm @ 2:30 PM,
Well Now, What Do We Have Here?
Sunday, June 08, 2008
NOWCAST- Skies on Sunday will have lots of clouds overhead thanks in part to a very weak weather system moving by to our north, but any measurable drizzle or light rain is in the low chance arena. Looking ahead to the coming week another cold weather system drops down from the Gulf of Alaska and brings cool and showery weather to Clark County once again. And, more snow to the higher Cascades. A brief break Wednesday and Thursday with some afternoon sunshine I think and highs close to normal which is about 70 degrees now. Long range computer models forecast yet another cold storm late Thursday and Friday with more snow in the higher mountainous regions. Remember, summer generally begins after the Fourth. I have recorded more rain this month so far than in all of May. Accomplished that in just one day earlier last week.
OUTCAST- I get so disgusted about this climate change thing, if you haven't noticed, the climate is always changing one day at a time. Crazy fools. Global warming was a hoax and now the politically correct term "climate change" is nothing new and has been with us forever. We will neither become capable of changing the weather today, yesterday, or tomorrow as the universe was created with a remarkable way of taking care of itself. The inhabitants of this planet will just have to adjust to the ever changing climate cycles. History is just that, what is so complicated with that?
The great weather machine runs on energy beyond our comprehension and trying to change it in anyway shape or form would be far more complex than brain surgery and most likely have irreversible side effects physically, physiologically, and mentally for all mankind. Man's obsession with incontrovertible theories associated with global warming and climate change is one field of energy that could be better used to actually help mankind in so many other ways.
Let's see, what will I be wearing next week, jeans or shorts? The weather is so changeable. Well now, what do we have here?
The government's definitions (from NOAA):
- Global Warming
- An overall increase in world temperatures which may be caused by additional heat being trapped by greenhouse gases.
- A non-random change in climate that is measured over several decades or longer. The change may be due to natural or human-induced causes.
- Climate
- The composite or generally prevailing weather conditions of a region, throughout the year, averaged over a series of years.
- The state of the atmosphere with respect to wind, temperature, cloudiness, moisture, pressure, etc. Weather refers to these conditions at a given point in time (e.g., today's high temperature), whereas Climate refers to the "average" weather conditions for an area over a long period of time (e.g., the average high temperature for today's date).
You hear it almost everyday (at least when moisture is in the air). So with with predictions like, "There is a 20 percent chance of rain tomorrow." But what does that mean? What do you think? Choose one:
- (a) Rain will occur 20 percent of the day.
- (b) At a specific point in the forecast area, for example, your house, there is a 20 percent chance of rain occurring.
- (c) There is a 20 percent chance that rain will occur somewhere in the forecast area during the day.
- (d) 20 percent of the forecast area will receive rain, and 80 percent will not.
- (e) None of the above.
I added "e" because I think it is none of the above. How in the world can you put a percent chance of rain in any forecast? The public gets totally confused and quite frankly just wants to know is it gonna rain or not? Okay, there is a chance. Heck, there is a chance of anything. I may get wet and then maybe a chance I won't even go outside. At what percentage in the forecast will you change your plans?
I think there is a 100 percent chance I will quit writing about this. If you want more and more and more of this go here.
Here is a link to 25 web links about weather, from ipod casts to weather for kids, it is listed at this site. Add a weather gadget to your windows sidebar and know current conditions and just about everything else.
-- posted by Pat Timm @ 12:01 AM,
