Well August continued the them of this summer, warm.  It wasn’t nearly as warm as July was though.  We had no 90 degree days in town, which is somewhat unusual.  There were several days in the mid 80s.  The coolest temperature at the Wausau Downtown Airport was 51 degrees, although there were a handful of nights with lows in the 40s in many outlying spots. 

 In Wausau the average low temperature was 58.6 degrees which was 1.6 degrees above normal.  The average high temperature was 79.1 degrees which is 1.4 degrees above normal.  By the way, we are now using a new set of “normals” that covers the period from 1981 to 2010.  Up until August we were using data from the 30 year period from 1971 to 2000 for the “normals”.

Rainfall was pretty interesting.  For the entire month we picked up 5.36″ in Wausau, which is 1.20″ above normal.  This is kind of misleading, since about 80% of the rain fell in two days during the first week of the month.  On the 2nd, 1.96″ fell and on the 6th, 2.43″ occurred.  It was really pretty dry the rest of the month and you could tell the lawns and plants were getting a bit browner and drier recently.

Look Ahead to September

As we lose more and more daylight heading through September, of course the normal temperatures drop.  In Wausau, the normal low temperature for September goes down to 48.1 degrees and the normal high temperature slips to 68.8 degrees.  It typically is still a fairly wet month with a normal rainfall of about 3.9″.

Even though we have some cool weather in the forecast around Labor Day, the long range models show a fairly dry and warm pattern developing over the Upper Midwest later next week and into mid-month.  So right now, my estimate would be that we will end up warmer than normal in September, and probably somewhat drier than usual. 

It’s one of my favorite months.  Fall color really picks up late in the month and I get to harvest a lot of those late season crops like squash and apples as well as dig up those delicious potatoes.  I usually start picking my field corn and sunflowers as well later in the month for my chickens.  It’s neat seeing the season’s worth of sun and rain and hard work produce its harvest.  Maybe you enjoy a first frost that normally comes in September as well.  Here’s to a great September for all of you!

Posted under Monthly Recap, Summer

Being that it is August 31st, it is time to bring up the definition of the season’s once again. I am still on my crusade to redefine the season to follow how it feels outside, instead of the position of the sun in the sky. The astronomical definition of the seasons was a reasonable course of action….for cavemen. In the millennia since the first semblance of a calendar emerged, we have learned that the position of the sun in the sky does not correspond to any real weather on the earth – it just kind-of follows how temperatures and weather change throughout the year.

A better way to define the seasons, which meteorologists and climatologists have adopted, is by temperature. If we want to divide the year up into 4 seasons based on temperature (which essentially only makes sense in mostly continental areas outside of the tropics, where we actually have four distinct seasons), then the 3 warmest months of the year in the northern hemisphere are June, July, and August. We can call those Summer. The three coldest months are December, January, and February, and those would be winter. In between we have Fall and Spring.

I have contacted a few major calendar printing companies to see if they would consider including the meteorological seasons on their standard offerings. I will let you know what they say.

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Just a few random interesting tidbits to round out the blog today. One of the developing cool technologies that I have been following since 2006 is the development of cloaking devices (yes, real cloaking ala Star Trek and Harry Potter). It is one of those things that I always thought would be developed in the far off future and I am excited to see it being developed today. I am surprised that it hasn’t garnered more mainstream media attention. I suppose it is not yet a commercial product, it is not political, it doesn’t bleed (so it doesn’t lead), and it does not yet have any entertainment value. Still it is very interesting. Here is some of the recent progress:

1. Scientists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have developed a printing technique that should allow for easier mass manufacturing of super-lenses and invisibility cloaks. 

2. Invisibility cloaks could be made more practical for more wavelengths of visible light by using an invisible sphere to slow down light.

3. University of Texas Austin researchers have developed the first cloak to work in “free space” (but only for polarized microwave radiation).

4. Although a device has not been built yet, researchers in Spain have proposed an invisibility cloak for magnetic fields.

5. A couple different research teams have developed visible spectrum cloaking devices that work for small objects, often termed carpet cloaks.

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In a follow up space news item, if you are following the Mars rover Opportunity, it has now reached the edge of the very large crater Endeavor.

Also, NASA is now working with SpaceX to develop a mission to Mars to search for life. Which reminds, given all the expensive technology (with the usual government cost overruns), why is the Mars Science Laboratory NOT going to have the capability to search for life?

Of the reasons SpaceX wants to be involved in future Mars programs is not only to search for life but to possibly establish life on another planet – for humans to inhabit another planet. They feel that the survival of the species is highly dependent on getting off the planet earth. Having every human on one planet is like having all your eggs in one basket. If a great tragedy befalls the basket (earth) then all the eggs (people) could be destroyed.

Have a good Wednesday! Meteorologist Justin Loew.

Posted under Seasonal Items, Space, Technology

A few months ago I posted a blog entry questioning if the state of the atmosphere and earth is as bad as promoted in some media and government outlets. The answer seemed to be that there are plenty of problems (even serious problems) but that it wasn’t as apocalyptic as the headlines sometimes portray.

Since it is often good to review “common knowledge”, verify previous research, and get a different viewpoint, here are some other items of interest that run a little contrary to previously held knowledge:

1. For a while now it has been reported that droughts and famines will become much more of a problem in a potentially warmer world in the future. One of the studies used to come to this conclusion was found to be flawed. A re-analysis of plant productivity trends found no statistically significant trends for over 85% of the vegetated surface of the earth. If droughts and floods become more extreme in the future, there will no doubt be negative effects on the food supply, but for the time being, it isn’t as bad as originally thought.

2. In contrast to the gradual increase of sea levels over the last couple of decades, the level actually fell last year – by quite a bit. It appears that the transition from El Nino to La Nina and copious amounts of rainfall in Brazil and Australia caused most of the significant drop in global sea-level. Even though this trend is counter to what has been expected from year-to-year due to anthropogenic global warming (AGW), it is not too likely it will continue to go down. If the global temperature goes up over coming decades then more of the ice caps will melt and it is not likely that any amount of rain over land will reduce the higher levels of the ocean.

3. In AGW research, there has been an awakening of sorts. A few years ago researchers at the National Polytechnic Institute of the Ukraine suggested that cosmic rays could be having a larger influence on the global temperature than previously thought. Vitaly Rusov and his colleagues were roundly criticized and mocked for this theory. Even after lab results clearly showed that cloud droplets were affected by cosmic rays, any link to global warming was almost completely dismissed. There were also some follow up statistical studies that did not show a strong link between climate warming/cooling and the flux of cosmic rays. Then a funny thing happened. The more people looked at the theory, the more it looked as if cosmic rays might play a small but quantifiable part in the global temperature scheme. Now even more research has confirmed that cosmic rays can change aeresol (cloud particle) production in the atmosphere. The most recent confirmation comes from CERN in Switzerland. I am still unconvinced that cosmic rays play a major role in the climate, but it seems it should be studied further and be considered as a part (albeit quite small) of future climate modelling.

4. On the subject of past mocking and ridicule, I am unsure if the backers of Peak Oil theory can be matched when speaking about the abiogenisis theory of oil formation. People who promoted the abiogenesis theory were trashed in many an online forum, mainly by Peak Oil theorists. It was fossil fuel theory or nothing. We were running out of oil in the late 1990s, 2005, 2008, 2010, sometime in the near future, because all the fossil fuel on the planet was created in a short period of time hundreds of millions of years ago, we know how much is left, and it is not much! Thankfully some people continued to think seriously about how carbon and hydrogen get into the earth’s mantle and what happens in the heat and pressure. Now more substantial research is going into the abiogenesis theory.

I have no doubt that we are reaching the limits of fossil fuel production with our current technology, but I don’t think we are headed back to the stone age anytime soon. Whether or not there is some new hydrocarbon fuel being created within the earth at this very moment, we should be focusing on cleaner more stable energy sources for the future. If you doubt that we might be polluting too much, negatively affecting the environment, or not using too much fossil fuel, just take a look at this little animation of the earth demonstrating the areas where humans have essentially taken over. Hint, it is the vast majority of the land surface.

Have a fine Tuesday! Meteorologist Justin Loew.

Posted under AGW, Climate Change, Oceans, Peak Oil

It’s nice to be back in lush, green Wisconsin after spending several days on vacation in Nevada and Arizona.  I had a good time and enjoyed seeing some much different landscapes.   Ironically I hit Las Vegas on the hottest days of the season.  It was record high territory up around 110 to 112 degrees.  At night, the temperature never dropped below 85 while I was there.   Oh it was a dry heat, but still overwhelming in my opinion.  I could see how you could be in a world of hurt in a hurry if you were trapped out in the hot desert without water or shade.

Besides air conditioning, I found it interesting some of the other coping mechanisms they use.  Various spots, where one might spend standing in line waiting outside of buildings, had misters.  It definitely cooled it a few degrees in those areas through evaporation and offered some relief.    We watched the fountain show outside the Bellagio Hotel.  The spraying fountains also had a noticeable cooling effect which made me want to linger there a bit longer.  Many of the buildings and homes were white or a light tan color to absorb less of the sun’s heat.  And of course there are a lot of swimming pools.  Out at Grand Canyon west rim the visitor center had some large permanent shades installed outside to sit under to eat lunch and rest.  They were high enough up to allow a decent breeze to blow under as well.  I saw a road construction worker with a wet towel stuffed under his hard hat and draped down his neck.  That’s pretty clever.

On our bus tour to the Grand Canyon, we drove by Lake Mead and Hoover Dam.  The tour guide pointed out that the lake level is about 100 feet below what it used to be.  It was interesting to see the color line on the canyon walls to where the water used to be.  The calcium in the water had turned the walls white up to the level where the water used to be.  It is a sobering thing to think about how many millions of people rely on the water in that lake.   I did not realize it was originally built for the people of Los Angels and San Diego.  Las Vegas began using it later on. 

Seeing the vast miles of sand, rock, and dry barren mountains speckled with scrubby brush and cactus was really something for me.  Living in Wisconsin, I guess it’s easy to take for granted lush green trees, grass, and crops everywhere you look.  We saw some rough looking cattle out grazing.  Apparently it takes about 6 acres out there to support just one cow, since there is so very little nutritional vegetation.  I must say we did go by some very beautiful  joshua tree stands.   It’s pretty cool to think they can live up to 4000 years.  They are some tough critters for sure as they survive on just the 3 inches of precipitation the area averages per year.

I saw a few dust devils swirling out in the desert as well, below some weak high based showers that popped up in the afternoons.  Seeing the desert firsthand, I’m left with a greater sense of amazement at all the variety of climates this Earth has.   I don’t think I would ever feel comfortable living in that area permanently.  I suppose that is how hot desert residents would feel coming up to Wisconsin in the winter.  They probably can’t understand how we deal with the discomfort and harshness of it for such extended periods of time.

Well maybe my next trip I’ll have to go to northern Alaska or the North Pole to check out a truly polar location.    How about you?  Have you gone to places where the climate is so different that it changed your perspective on your home or life?

Posted under Heat, Travel, World Weather

Irene was on the lips of every weather commentator over the weekend. The storm did not have as bad of wind as originally projected but it still caused damage and quite a bit of flooding. Tragically, 26 deaths have been blamed on the storm. While zero fatalities would have been the most desireable result, considering that about 60 million people were in or near the path of the storm, it wasn’t the worst result one can imagine. I suppose we should get used to millions, maybe even hundreds of millions, being under threat from hurricanes, because cities around the world continue to grow – especially along the coasts – which makes each ocean-linked weather/natural disaster worse than the last. I am thinking insurance rates might need to go up in cities along the coast.

Speaking of ”being on the lips”, the funniest clip of the weekend is of an east coast weathercaster who was out in the storm and covered in a frothy sea foam blown up by the wind. I am unsure who figured out that there might also be human sewage mixed in with the foam (maybe a sewage treatment plant or drain pipe nearby?), but when the news anchors asked “what does the foam taste like?” it was quite funny. Here is a link to the video. 

Irene once again formed during a time of year which is uncanny for its coordination with the season’s first major hurricane. There have been some fairly powerful hurricanes before August 20th, but the vast majority begin on or shortly after the 20th. You can practically set your watch to it. Here is an article about the curious timing. The late August ramp-up of major hurricanes is most likely due to the water temperature hitting its warmest point of the year and the atmospheric winds becoming more favorable (low wind shear).

In regards to monitoring and predicting hurricanes, there is still a lot to learn and this year meteorologists are using a new diagnostic method to get a better look inside hurricanes as they develop and intensify. It is analyzing passive microwave radiation. By observing the amount of ice in hurricane clouds using satellites that sense microwave radiation, forecasters should be able to more accurately predict when hurricanes go through a period rapid intensification.

Have a nice Monday! Meteorologist Justin Loew

Posted under Hurricanes, Natural Disasters

Here’s a few links to global news sources, with non-English articles roughly translated.  It’s always interesting to see what people around the globe are talking about and to see a perspective from outside the US is fascinating. 

Read the article in French or English. 

- Irene leaves behind flooding, millions without power — and relief that it wasn’t worse:  Toronto Star (Canada)

Read the article in English. 

- Wirbelsturm traf USA mit seiner sanfteren Hälfte:  Der Spiegel (Germany)

Read the article in German or English. 

- Kiwis batten hatches in NY ghost town : The New Zealand Herald (New Zealand)

Read the article in English.

- Orkaan Irene trekt voorbij New York:  Radio Netherlands Worldwide (The Netherlands)

Read the article in Dutch or English. 

- Two million evacuated as Hurricane Irene hits US: Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (Ghana)

Read the article in English.

Posted under Hurricanes, International Weather, Natural Disasters, new media, Severe Weather, Storms, Weather History, Weather NEws, World Weather

Viewer-submitted photo of Hurricane Irene from Mary Ussery

Even with non-stop media coverage of Hurricane Irene slamming the Eastern Seaboard this weekend it’s easy to overlook the storm’s details. 

Reports from weathercasters and journalists standing in the storm focus on getting the most important information out first and foremost.

We hear a lot about how much rain is falling and where the strongest wind gusts have been so far.  We know about the evacuations and the historic implications the storm has already had on New York City before the worst of it arrives. 

Viewer-submitted photo of Hurricane Irene from Mary Ussery

But if you’re looking for an extremely detailed breakdown of the hurricane direct from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration you’ve come to the right place. 

Click HERE to go straight to the official Hurricane Irene Quick Look page.  This will provide you with a feed of instant storm analysis from the 14 active monitoring stations along the coast being impacted by the storm. 

You can also see in graphical form the progession of wind gusts, water levels, and barometric pressure as the storm moves over each station. 

Hurricane Irene has weakend a bit but considering it’s path it doesn’t need to be a strong hurricane to do extreme damage.  No matter what the outcome this will be one storm that we study, talk about, and reference for quite some time to come. 

Posted under Hurricanes, Natural Disasters, Oceans, Severe Weather, Storms, Tropics, Viewer pictures, Weather History, Weather NEws

I often write about the many potential advantages of switching over to an electrified economy and have focused a lot of discussion on the newest electric vehicles. The EVs are a triumph of engineering but not yet a triumph in the marketplace. Surprisingly, they have not yet conquered the list of greenest vehicles either. Believe it or not, the greenest vehicle available (according to ACEEE) - for EIGHT YEARS running – is the Honda Civic GX. It is a compressed natural gas vehicle.

It is a shame that natural gas has not been more promoted as a bridge fuel to the future, especially since tycoon Boone Pickens has staked his fortune on short term development of U.S. natural gas resources while we continue to implement solar and other future energy sources and move away from oil. There are so many positives to developing more natural gas infrastructure (more jobs, less reliance of foreign oil, less carbon emissions, etc…), I am amazed that our government has not lent more of a helping hand. They waste soooooo much money on so many other questionable projects, you would think they could pay a little more attention to natural gas.

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In weather history today we find the eruption of the volcano Krakatoa. Here is a little blurb about the event from WeatherForYou:

“1883 – Krakatoa Volcano exploded in the East Indies. The explosion was heard more than 2500 miles away, and every barograph around the world recorded the passage of the air wave, up to seven times. Giant waves, 125 feet high and traveling 300 mph, devastated everything in their path, hurling ashore coral blocks weighing up to 900 tons, and killing more than 36,000 persons. Volcanic ash was carried around the globe in thirteen days producing blue and green suns in the tropics, and then vivid red sunsets in higher latitudes. The temperature of the earth was lowered one degree for the next two years, finally recovering to normal by 1888. (David Ludlum)”

Posted under Alternative Energy, Hurricanes, Weather History

The tornado was rated as an EF0 and touched down around 9:05 PM near the town of Sherwood in Calumet County.  Barns were damaged in the twister’s half-mile path along with many trees being knocked down.

Two other tornadoes have been confirmed from Tuesday’s wicked weather.  The strongest was rated as an EF2, injuring two people and being called a contributing factor to the death of an elderly man in hospice care.  The tornado packed winds between 120 and 130 miles and hour tearing through portions of Clark County destroying several homes and farms. 

A weaker EF0 tornado was confirmed in eastern Shawano County.  That tornado moved through fields and forests early Tuesday evening. 

To read the official report from the National Weather Service on the latest tornado confirmation, click HERE.     

Posted under Natural Disasters

First I want to again highlight the National Weather Service survey of the tornado that hit Clark county on Tuesday (as Rob did yesterday as well). Yesterday I provided a very rough preliminary estimate of where the tornado traveled just based on viewer reports and pictures. It turns out the tornado took a more west to east path, instead of northwest to southeast.

Tornado Path, Loyal to Chili

Instead of starting a couple miles east of Loyal, it was a couple miles south of of that community. It then traveled mostly eastward for about 7.2 miles and lifted just a little northeast of Chili.

If it had continued for another 5 miles or so, it would have likely affected the south side of Marshfield. The tornado was rated an EF2 with estimated winds of 120 to 130 mph, which makes it just a little weaker than the tornado that hit Merrill earlier this year.

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Now on to one of my other favorite subjects (besides the weather) and that is alternative energy and technological progress. We live in a fast paced world and new developments are happening every day, but sometimes we hit a few speed bumps. Not everything progresses smoothly. For those hoping for the solar power revolution to really take-off (me included), it seems things might be stalled just a bit. Many analysts of the solar power industry say there is an oversupply right now and that this will hurt profitability at many companies. It has hurt enough to cause a few companies to go out of business. It is not much surprise to me that the new companies supported primarily by government loans here in the U.S. have failed. Evergreen solar unfortunately filed for bankruptcy and Solyndra is not doing too hot either.

What is more disturbing and sad is that privately funded Spectrawatt has also gone belly up. This was a company spun off by Intel, the computer chip manufacturing giant.

The common themes for the profitability problems are oversupply, loss of government subsidies, and competition from China. The only way to beat the competition from China is to go toward more automated production (like First Solar? Although even they are manufacturing more in Malaysia). The government subsidies will probably be meager for a few years to come because most developed-nations are functionally insolvent. They won’t have much money to spare on solar subsidies in the near future. The over supply situation cuts both ways. Over supply can lead to lower prices which can eventually lead to more people buying the product. It is a dynamic relationship that might favor strongest players in the market. In any case, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a couple more solar power company bankruptcies in the near year or so. Overall, I suspect the trend toward more solar power adoption will continue because the price per watt keeps coming down every year while the price of traditional fossil fuels remains high.

Have a nice Thursday! Meteorologist Justin Loew.

Posted under Alternative Energy, Severe Weather, Technology, Tornadoes