You should have a 4th option. Larger swings in temp. We have the normal range of temps but the swings are quicker rather than the gradual movements usually this time of year. My friends (In central Oregon) had 75 degrees two days ago and as soon as the sun went over the ridge it was in the teens. That is extreme even for them.
I was going to agree with anothershamus–in north FL it felt like autumn came on in August even though the temps have been “normal.” The climate is just off. And spring showed up too early, confused the plants into blooming, then froze them dead a week later.
This is an excellent article that covers the current deep solar minimum which is happening, and what it portends for not only temperatures, but also for an “acid test” of global warming over the next 5-6 years.
I agree with neologiste- spring in western Pa has been a nightmare for the last few years.
The sun on the plants, prior to leaf out of the trees – e.g., 2 weeks of 80-90 degree heat in April, but then when leaf out occurs, a sharp drop in temperature.
Never used my room air conditioner this summer.
A first in about 10 years.
We’ve noticed also that the leaves are changing colors about two weeks earlier than usual.
What is unusual again, is that the first killing frost has not occurred yet.
If all the parts of the pattern fit together we should have had a killing frost by now.
I’m in no hurry for the frost, but its just darn weird trying to figure this out when doing season extending gardening.
Kevin,
i looked at the slide show on the NZH site. the Napier-Taupo Road snow is pretty amazing for October. I wonder if anything like this has ever been recorded before in that area?
but for me, the clincher was the snow covering the top of Mt. Pirongia in the western part of central Waikato. that is just amazing. The peak is only 959m! It is near the west coast! i can understand snow being dumped over the Central Plateau and inland East Cape areas, along with the much more southerly Tararua Ranges, but Pirongia?!? the only thing i can think of that would be more extreme (and vaguely possible) would be snow on the highest peak of the Coromandel Peninsula (Moehau: 892m).
The radio was saying “unprecedented” and that Civil Defense was caught totally flat footed by how suddenly and fast the storm happened.
Ironically, Jim Mora had a guest on who was yammering on about global warming. HAHAH. The news came up and it was something like, “The Army has rescued motorists who have been trapped by a snow storm along the Napier Taupo road.” Power had been knocked out for days.
it seems most here are saying it is cooler than normal which may be true for their areas, but I am from southeast Texas and we have had record high temps all summer and are just now starting to get cool fronts which, when they run out, the temps run back into high 80, low 90 deg F…when combined with coastal humidity is fuckin’ miserable!
so, hotter than in the past here, all summer, and very mild winters…I am able to get a nice fall garden comprised of all the usual spring time plants due to the lack of freezes, so the heat increase may be a good thing in the short term, but being on the coast, with rising waters and super hurricanes possible, it doesn’t seem like a good trade-off…we just had Ike last fall which was no fun…
Another cold snap is forecast to hit the country this weekend with farmers and drivers being warned to take care.
The MetService has issued several severe weather warnings ahead of the snow storm, with heavy snow forecast to fall as low as 200 metres in Canterbury and Marlborough and 600m in the Central North Island tomorrow.
The timing was terrible with families returning home at the end of school holidays, WeatherWatch.co.nz head weather analyst Philip Duncan said.
Strong southerly winds on Saturday could create blizzards on the Desert Road and motorists should have alternate routes in mind in case of road closures, he said.
“We’re advising motorists to be aware of the conditions before setting out as snow may close state highways in both islands during Friday and Saturday”.
Conditions in the North Island were not forecast to be as bad as last Sunday when a snow storm closed State Highway 5 between Napier and Taupo, stranding hundreds of travellers.
However, conditions would be “very wet” and at higher altitudes “very snowy”, Mr Duncan said.
Like last week the weather was caused by a cold southerly moving up the South Island, while a large low pressure system crosses the North, he said.
I grew up in Texas but now live in the Midwest, so I tend to pay attention to weather in both places. There is a definite correlation between Gulf system pressure and upper Midwest pressure zones — i.e. when there is strong movement of some kind in the Gulf it seems to “pull” down Canadian weather patterns into the Midwestern states. Vice versa, when there is stagnant pressure in the Gulf, the Midwest stagnates as well, in whatever state that is.
It’s been an extremely cool summer up here in norther America, but that’s primarily because the Gulf weather hasn’t been very dynamic. When the hurricanes come in the Gulf, we get chaotic weather up here as well…
Snow could be coming to town as early as this weekend. That’s right, snow. Flurries and flakes.
The forecast says that Saturday night rain will turn into the white stuff early Sunday morning.
If the snow sticks, it would be the earliest recorded measurable snowfall in Chicago. The record was set just three years ago when it snowed on Oct. 12.
But it won’t be a complete anomaly – Chicagoans are accustomed to strange, disappointing weather.
Chicago has played host to October snowstorms before. Back in 1989 we got hit with 6.3 inches for the month.
What’s worse than the snow is the below freezing temperatures that are expected to accompany it.
It’s not too late to get out of town for the Columbus Day Weekend!
Wow Kevin and Tochigi,
What are you doing for heat? Isn’t your climate “supposed” to be one where you can do without supplemental heat?
This website is very odd in its accuracy. Look at what was predicted for the southeast US Sept 11-18: http://theweatheralternative.blogspot.com/2009/09/september-11-18-2009-forecast-for.html
In hindsight, kind of uncanny in its accuracy.
Floods in Georgia etc. Not a perfect prediction, but close enough for me.
@ronjondoe and lagavulin LOOK OUT!
scroll down to the October 2 post re severe weather re Eastern Texas. http://theweatheralternative.blogspot.com/
Disturbing.
Solar Eclipse of Sept 22, 2006
Oct 22-25, 2009: Saturn conjoins the solar eclipse along 88 west longitude, which is roughly the Mississippi Valley area. Since the Gulf of Mexico, and Central America are also affected, this should be a time of strong storms and possible hurricane activity there.
I read G. Ure and Half Past Human – this weather prediction coincides with their prediction re all kind of hanky panky going on in the dollar realm with a “triggering event” re October the 25th.
Could there be another Hurricane Katrina event? The perfect storm? Acorns falling from the oak in back yard. That has always been lore, at least in our parts, that we’re in for a really bad cold speall.
An equivalent of $50 a gallon for gasoline?
I don’t know what all of this means but it LOOKS LIKE THERE ARE SEVERAL STORMS CONVERGING.
And yeah, verily, if you think I am a certifiable nutcase, I took a break in this post and just watched some lights in the sky and ran down to my car to get my camera. Cursing caus I don’t know how to take a picture of lights circling the sky.
Just called 911. I’m not kidding. oh my god.
I asked the responder whether anyone else had called to report this. She said “we’re not allowed to provide that information.” “Its just probably spotlights. We’ll send an officer if you want. I said it wasn’t necessary.”
The lights are still circling up there in the west 5 or 6 orbs of gray light. Circling with no attachment to beams of light from below.
They are gone now. 10:25 Holy crap. What was that? Maybe some dog and pony spotlight show. I dunno.Fluck. Freaking weird shit happening at every turn. But I guess if I just really saw a UFO it seemed kind of stupid if they kept circling around.Can I really have no shame to put this in this post? Yes, I guess not.
We haven’t been here very long (going on four years), but this last winter was COLD. We had several well below freezing nights with days that didn’t warm up much. We live in the warmest part of the country and we never used the heater in previous winters. It’s not that it doesn’t get cold here, it does. Frosts are normal. But, usually, a frost means that it has been clear, and then the sun will allow the passive solar design of our house to heat up during the day. We had hard frosts followed by cloudy weather.
Re: stuff in the sky: Did you get any pics or video of that?
@Eileen:
i live in tokyo, so the weather here is a bit different from where Kevin is:-) but i come from a place a few hours drive south of the farmlet.
@Kevin:
those temps you gave last year on farmlet were eye-popping, as i said at the time. two severe winters running is even freakier.
(btw, i visited nz in midwinter for the first time in 12 years in 2008 for a funeral, and woah, was it severe on the day—sleet, hail, rain, wind, 2degC at midday.)
i would guess the met. office people would explain it by the el nino/nina phenomena…btw, the winters in tokyo have been strangely mild lately. wonder how it will work out this year…
Kevin,
Haven’t looked at the camera yet. I developed a paranoia about coming back to Cryptogon after I posted what I did about seeing the lights. Finally spoke about my experience with a dear friend tonight (that’s different from typing words into comments here 🙂 My friend laughed and asked if I had googled lights in sky in Pittsburgh Oct 8, 2009.
Didn’t get any hits on that day in my research but I guess there are lots of UFO sightings of late in the general vicinity – can’t go back for the link now. Just thankful I wasn’t trashed here for thinking and, still believing that I saw something other than a light show from the local football field.:-)
Defense.gov News Photo 110426-A-7597S-183: U.S. Special Operations service members with Special Operations Task Force South board two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters following a clearing operation in Panjwa'i district in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, on April 25, 2011. Source: Wikimedia.
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You should have a 4th option. Larger swings in temp. We have the normal range of temps but the swings are quicker rather than the gradual movements usually this time of year. My friends (In central Oregon) had 75 degrees two days ago and as soon as the sun went over the ridge it was in the teens. That is extreme even for them.
Colder than has been usual for the 2000s, at least, which were generally overwarm.
I was going to agree with anothershamus–in north FL it felt like autumn came on in August even though the temps have been “normal.” The climate is just off. And spring showed up too early, confused the plants into blooming, then froze them dead a week later.
Colorado kicks-off earliest ski season ever:
http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=124578&catid=339
This is an excellent article that covers the current deep solar minimum which is happening, and what it portends for not only temperatures, but also for an “acid test” of global warming over the next 5-6 years.
http://sj.farmonline.com.au/news/nationalrural/agribusiness-and-general/general/sunspot-drought-to-test-global-warming-theory/1625039.aspx
Dan
Spring in New Zealand:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10601501
Two major North Island highways could re-open this afternoon after unseasonal heavy snow in the last two days stranded motorists for two nights.
The Napier Taupo Highway and State Highway Five were both closed by heavy snow but police have said they will be re-opened later today.
oklahoma city winters have been getting milder each year since i arrived here from miami, fl in 2000. summers here seem hotter than they were as well.
I agree with neologiste- spring in western Pa has been a nightmare for the last few years.
The sun on the plants, prior to leaf out of the trees – e.g., 2 weeks of 80-90 degree heat in April, but then when leaf out occurs, a sharp drop in temperature.
Never used my room air conditioner this summer.
A first in about 10 years.
We’ve noticed also that the leaves are changing colors about two weeks earlier than usual.
What is unusual again, is that the first killing frost has not occurred yet.
If all the parts of the pattern fit together we should have had a killing frost by now.
I’m in no hurry for the frost, but its just darn weird trying to figure this out when doing season extending gardening.
Kevin,
i looked at the slide show on the NZH site. the Napier-Taupo Road snow is pretty amazing for October. I wonder if anything like this has ever been recorded before in that area?
but for me, the clincher was the snow covering the top of Mt. Pirongia in the western part of central Waikato. that is just amazing. The peak is only 959m! It is near the west coast! i can understand snow being dumped over the Central Plateau and inland East Cape areas, along with the much more southerly Tararua Ranges, but Pirongia?!? the only thing i can think of that would be more extreme (and vaguely possible) would be snow on the highest peak of the Coromandel Peninsula (Moehau: 892m).
The radio was saying “unprecedented” and that Civil Defense was caught totally flat footed by how suddenly and fast the storm happened.
Ironically, Jim Mora had a guest on who was yammering on about global warming. HAHAH. The news came up and it was something like, “The Army has rescued motorists who have been trapped by a snow storm along the Napier Taupo road.” Power had been knocked out for days.
http://www.denverpost.com/extremes/ci_13498572
Boasting its earliest opening day in 40 years, Loveland officials opened for skiing today. Arapahoe Basin announced it would open Friday.
Loveland is the first ski area in North America to open its season…
it seems most here are saying it is cooler than normal which may be true for their areas, but I am from southeast Texas and we have had record high temps all summer and are just now starting to get cool fronts which, when they run out, the temps run back into high 80, low 90 deg F…when combined with coastal humidity is fuckin’ miserable!
so, hotter than in the past here, all summer, and very mild winters…I am able to get a nice fall garden comprised of all the usual spring time plants due to the lack of freezes, so the heat increase may be a good thing in the short term, but being on the coast, with rising waters and super hurricanes possible, it doesn’t seem like a good trade-off…we just had Ike last fall which was no fun…
NZ again:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10602105&ref=rss
Another cold snap is forecast to hit the country this weekend with farmers and drivers being warned to take care.
The MetService has issued several severe weather warnings ahead of the snow storm, with heavy snow forecast to fall as low as 200 metres in Canterbury and Marlborough and 600m in the Central North Island tomorrow.
The timing was terrible with families returning home at the end of school holidays, WeatherWatch.co.nz head weather analyst Philip Duncan said.
Strong southerly winds on Saturday could create blizzards on the Desert Road and motorists should have alternate routes in mind in case of road closures, he said.
“We’re advising motorists to be aware of the conditions before setting out as snow may close state highways in both islands during Friday and Saturday”.
Conditions in the North Island were not forecast to be as bad as last Sunday when a snow storm closed State Highway 5 between Napier and Taupo, stranding hundreds of travellers.
However, conditions would be “very wet” and at higher altitudes “very snowy”, Mr Duncan said.
Like last week the weather was caused by a cold southerly moving up the South Island, while a large low pressure system crosses the North, he said.
ronjondoe,
I grew up in Texas but now live in the Midwest, so I tend to pay attention to weather in both places. There is a definite correlation between Gulf system pressure and upper Midwest pressure zones — i.e. when there is strong movement of some kind in the Gulf it seems to “pull” down Canadian weather patterns into the Midwestern states. Vice versa, when there is stagnant pressure in the Gulf, the Midwest stagnates as well, in whatever state that is.
It’s been an extremely cool summer up here in norther America, but that’s primarily because the Gulf weather hasn’t been very dynamic. When the hurricanes come in the Gulf, we get chaotic weather up here as well…
Just an observation.
Chicago:
http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local-beat/No-Kidding-Snow-on-Sunday–63751227.html
No Kidding: Snow on Sunday!
Start cursing the weather gods, Chicago.
Snow could be coming to town as early as this weekend. That’s right, snow. Flurries and flakes.
The forecast says that Saturday night rain will turn into the white stuff early Sunday morning.
If the snow sticks, it would be the earliest recorded measurable snowfall in Chicago. The record was set just three years ago when it snowed on Oct. 12.
But it won’t be a complete anomaly – Chicagoans are accustomed to strange, disappointing weather.
Chicago has played host to October snowstorms before. Back in 1989 we got hit with 6.3 inches for the month.
What’s worse than the snow is the below freezing temperatures that are expected to accompany it.
It’s not too late to get out of town for the Columbus Day Weekend!
Wow Kevin and Tochigi,
What are you doing for heat? Isn’t your climate “supposed” to be one where you can do without supplemental heat?
This website is very odd in its accuracy. Look at what was predicted for the southeast US Sept 11-18:
http://theweatheralternative.blogspot.com/2009/09/september-11-18-2009-forecast-for.html
In hindsight, kind of uncanny in its accuracy.
Floods in Georgia etc. Not a perfect prediction, but close enough for me.
@ronjondoe and lagavulin LOOK OUT!
scroll down to the October 2 post re severe weather re Eastern Texas.
http://theweatheralternative.blogspot.com/
Disturbing.
Solar Eclipse of Sept 22, 2006
Oct 22-25, 2009: Saturn conjoins the solar eclipse along 88 west longitude, which is roughly the Mississippi Valley area. Since the Gulf of Mexico, and Central America are also affected, this should be a time of strong storms and possible hurricane activity there.
I read G. Ure and Half Past Human – this weather prediction coincides with their prediction re all kind of hanky panky going on in the dollar realm with a “triggering event” re October the 25th.
Could there be another Hurricane Katrina event? The perfect storm? Acorns falling from the oak in back yard. That has always been lore, at least in our parts, that we’re in for a really bad cold speall.
An equivalent of $50 a gallon for gasoline?
I don’t know what all of this means but it LOOKS LIKE THERE ARE SEVERAL STORMS CONVERGING.
And yeah, verily, if you think I am a certifiable nutcase, I took a break in this post and just watched some lights in the sky and ran down to my car to get my camera. Cursing caus I don’t know how to take a picture of lights circling the sky.
Just called 911. I’m not kidding. oh my god.
I asked the responder whether anyone else had called to report this. She said “we’re not allowed to provide that information.” “Its just probably spotlights. We’ll send an officer if you want. I said it wasn’t necessary.”
The lights are still circling up there in the west 5 or 6 orbs of gray light. Circling with no attachment to beams of light from below.
They are gone now. 10:25 Holy crap. What was that? Maybe some dog and pony spotlight show. I dunno.Fluck. Freaking weird shit happening at every turn. But I guess if I just really saw a UFO it seemed kind of stupid if they kept circling around.Can I really have no shame to put this in this post? Yes, I guess not.
@Eileen
We haven’t been here very long (going on four years), but this last winter was COLD. We had several well below freezing nights with days that didn’t warm up much. We live in the warmest part of the country and we never used the heater in previous winters. It’s not that it doesn’t get cold here, it does. Frosts are normal. But, usually, a frost means that it has been clear, and then the sun will allow the passive solar design of our house to heat up during the day. We had hard frosts followed by cloudy weather.
Re: stuff in the sky: Did you get any pics or video of that?
@Eileen:
i live in tokyo, so the weather here is a bit different from where Kevin is:-) but i come from a place a few hours drive south of the farmlet.
@Kevin:
those temps you gave last year on farmlet were eye-popping, as i said at the time. two severe winters running is even freakier.
(btw, i visited nz in midwinter for the first time in 12 years in 2008 for a funeral, and woah, was it severe on the day—sleet, hail, rain, wind, 2degC at midday.)
i would guess the met. office people would explain it by the el nino/nina phenomena…btw, the winters in tokyo have been strangely mild lately. wonder how it will work out this year…
Kevin,
Haven’t looked at the camera yet. I developed a paranoia about coming back to Cryptogon after I posted what I did about seeing the lights. Finally spoke about my experience with a dear friend tonight (that’s different from typing words into comments here 🙂 My friend laughed and asked if I had googled lights in sky in Pittsburgh Oct 8, 2009.
Didn’t get any hits on that day in my research but I guess there are lots of UFO sightings of late in the general vicinity – can’t go back for the link now. Just thankful I wasn’t trashed here for thinking and, still believing that I saw something other than a light show from the local football field.:-)