HEAT WAVE: A period of abnormally and uncomfortably hot and usually humid weather.  Back in 1900, A.T. Burrows defined a 'hot wave' as a spell of three or more days during which the maximum temperature in the shade reaches at least 90 degrees F on each day.  While more recent definitions have been tailored to reflect local conditions - that is, the 'comfort criteria' is dependent on the normal conditions of the specific region, your WxCafé^™ prefers to stick closer to Burrow's criteria. [Adapted from Glossary of Meteorology, AMS publication]

Point-Source CO2 Polluter Caught in the Act:
Given the EPA’s declaration that carbon dioxide (CO2) is now an official “health hazard," the founder of The Weather Café® thought it prudent to come before the Board of Patrons and ask for a pardon.

Be it hereby disclosed that following a week of relaxation on Scout Lake (in the Cascades of Oregon), Rufus was digitally documented releasing an environmental pollutant into the air within the boundaries of a National Forest. Authorities commented that said polluter had been observed over several consecutive days in a prone position on a “device inflated with a known toxic gas.” It was further noted that the device had been previously filled to capacity with the gaseous discharge from a reservoir owned by the polluter himself – a human lung – and then deliberately discharged into the atmosphere after use.

SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES PLAY A KEY ROLE IN WEATHER PATTERNS. It is Interesting to note the sea surface temperature of the Pacific Ocean west of the PNW for June 20, 2010, as compared to the same for June 13, 2009. Much COLDER SSTs are noted for Pacific, relative to last year. A mild La Nina is also setting up in the Pacific tropical zone (look west of South America) - which is opposite of last year at this time. Also, compare Atlantic sea surface temps west of Africa and in the Caribbean / Gulf of Mexico 2009 to 2010. Much warmer water can fuel tropical depressions into stronger storms.

SST June 20, 2010  

SST June 13, 2009

JAN 1 - MAY 2 DAY DEGREE / HEAT UNIT CHART Current status of heat unit / day degree accumulation from Jan 1 through May 2. For comparison, graph shows 2009 and 2007. As patrons recall, 2009 was a "late" year for many PNW crop harvests (similar, but not quite as late as 2008). For our purpose here, the 2007 figures are shown, as that year had relatively normal timing for most ag crops in the PNW. All figures are calculated using the same double sine,min/max temps formula. Your WxCafé™ will update in another month or so. For our Abbotsford patrons: values are similar to Bellingham. How to use this chart -- A typical PNW day at 70-75F will yield approx. 10-15 DD units. Divide the chart DD difference between years for your location by 12 to estimate how many days 'ahead' you are relative to previous years.

AURORAS:  A strong solar wind stream approached the Earth a couple of days ago (Jan 19, 20), which triggered polar geomagnetic storms yielding a night light show 'to believe in.' Please enjoy, with personal permission granted The WxCafé^™ by the photographers, these two images.

ICELAND: Sean Micheal Scully took his photo between 10 and 11 pm (after the moon had set) in Akureyri, Iceland. He writes, "The auroras were extremely bright and intense at times; fast moving curtains ranged in color from green to bright red (and possibly purple). The displays became visible just after sunset (~6 pm) and filled up to 80% of the sky."

NORWAY: Øystein Lunde Ingvaldsen also captured the sky show, writing, "It was cloudy and rainy all day, but suddenly the sky cleared up and the northern lights danced for us!" Enjoy his picture from Boe in Vesteralen in Norway.

FINGERLING RIDGE. Prog chart illustrating the "fingerling" ridge of high pressure over western U.S. - early January 2010.

Having coffee watching a beautiful  SUNRISE on the Channel Islands  beach in Oxnard, CA, Fri Dec 18,  2009

PATRONS: Amazing images and report from Norway concerning the Blue Spiral in the sky. Click the image to view the article, more photos and YouTube videos of the event. Many suspect Russian missile test. Some even suspect Santa was testing a new 'ride' for his busy night later this month.                 (Image by Rex Features)

GFS FORECAST for early morning Tues Dec 8 showing the COLD air at 5,000 ft over the PNW.

ENTERING A MILD EL NIÑO CYCLE:  Many WxCafé^™ patrons ask what the winter of 2009 - 2010 will be like here in the PNW.  Will it be cold snowy, wet, mild, etc.?Veteran patrons recognize that prognostications at The Weather Café^® only extend out 2 or 3 weeks at a time.  Anything past that is for the wisdom of others to discern.  That said, scientists are continuing to understand the impact of El Niño and La Niña events.  Take a peek at the charts here to make your own comparisons between early Jan, 2009 and Jan, 2010 surface temperatures (SST) of the Pacific ocean across the equatorial zone west of South America.  No doubt, it is warmer than it has been for the past few years.  Hence, many are calling for a mild El Niño cycle in weather patterns across North America, and elsewhere.  Grab your morning beverage and stop in The Weather Café^® as winter unfolds.

FRENCH HORNET INVASION: Being an entomologist, one cannot resist comment on this story. The Vespids, hornet family of insects, apparently entered the western European region by 'hitchhiking' on ceramic pottery from China. Many species of insects have established populations in new geographic regions of the earth by inadvertently being transferred with the movements of humanity. Global Warming is NOT in play here. Conditions in Europe are favorable for the survival and territorial expansion of this species in the region.

Had the hornet piggybacked a ride to France 100 yrs ago, the species could still have survived and migrated across the region. Oh yeah, did you also hear this week that global warming is blamed for elevating children's fevers? You get my point.