Santa Ana winds ease over Los Angeles
The Santa Ana winds have died down over Los Angeles, and winds should remain below 25 mph today through Thursday over the region. This should allow fire fighters to gain control of the three major blazes burning near the city. Wind gusts in excess of hurricane force--74 mph--were recorded at several mountain locations Friday and Saturday, thanks to the major difference in pressure between a strong high pressure system to the northeast of Los Angeles and lower pressure air over the ocean. By 4 pm PST Sunday, though, winds had fallen below 15 mph over the entire region (Figure 1), and a weak sea breeze had formed near the coast. Taking a look at this morning's wundermap (with fire layer turned on) for Los Angeles, we can see that winds are below 5 mph over the region. All high wind warnings and fire weather warnings have been canceled for California, but continued hot and dry conditions will slow down efforts of fire fighters to control the fires. The smoke has caused pollution problems in the city, and the Air Quality Index (AQI) for particulate matter less than 2.5 microns (PM2.5) exceeded the EPA standard yesterday. Today's pollution forecast calls for PM2.5 levels in the unhealthy for sensitive groups level, in excess of the EPA standards.
Figure 1. Wundermap (with fire layer turned on) for Los Angeles, California, at 4 pm EST Sunday November 16, 2008. Two major fires, the Sylmar fire to the north, and the Freeway fire to the east, are shown. The black colors show the relative concentration of smoke. The colored circles show the temperature, and the lines going into the circles show the direction the wind is blowing from. The perpendicular lines at the the end of these lines show how strong the wind is blowing. Each longer line is an additional 10 mph, and each shorter perpendicular line is an additional 5 mph. Thus, for the circle at upper right with a 66° temperature, the wind was blowing 15 mph out of the NNE. (Note that we've changed the convention used on marine maps, where these so-called "wind barbs" denote the winds in knots, not mph).
High temperature records
The hot flow of air off the desert set numerous high temperature records across Southern California on Sunday. Records set or tied included 88° in downtown Los Angeles, 93° in Camalillo; 86° at LAX airport; 90° at Long Beach; 89° at Paso Robles; 87° at Santa Maria; 91° at Woodland Hills; 87° at UCLA; 93° at Oxnard; and 87° at Santa Barbara. On Saturday, 30 high temperature records were set or tied across the state of California, including a blistering 93° in downtown Los Angeles (old record, 90° in 1936). The hottest new record was 94° at the Santa Ana Fire Station.
The forecast
Hot and dry conditions will persist over Los Angeles today, then gradually cool Tuesday and Wednesday. On Wednesday and Thursday, winds should reverse and blow cool, moist air from the oceans over the city, allowing fire fighters to gain full control of the fires. By Saturday, the GFS model is indicating a possible return to Santa Ana wind conditions for the weekend, but the ECMWF model disagrees. At this point, it appears we may get a weak Santa Ana wind event this weekend, but nowhere near as strong as the one that just ended.
Figure 2. Visible satellite image from NASA's Terra satellite taken on Sunday, November 16, 2008 at 11:30 am PST. Smoke from the Sylmar fire 20 miles north of Los Angeles has drifted out over the Catalina Islands, joined by a larger plume of smoke from the "Freeway Fire" in Orange County.
Support the Portlight Christmas for Gulf Coast Kids Honor Walk
The Portlight.org charity is sponsoring a new nationwide grassroots event to raise funds for and awareness of their ongoing efforts, specifically to provide Christmas presents (and maybe a big party) for kids and families in the Gulf Coast areas devastated by Hurricane Ike. They need 100 people across the country to commit to walking one mile this Saturday, November 22, and to raise at least $300.00 in sponsorship from friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, etc. Participants can choose where they want to walk--the local park, the mall, anywhere. Please support this worthwhile effort!
Jeff Masters
Reader Comments
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Dairy Milk 'Whole Nut' issues the following advisory on its wrapper, to be read prior to consumption.
'Contains nuts.'
...I should hope so!
Tropical Cyclone Warning
1:00 AM WIB November 19 2008
====================================
At 18:00 UTC Tropical Depression (1000 hPa) located at 10.2S 94.4E or 1120 kms southwest of Bengkulu has 10 minute sustained winds of 30 knots. The depression is reported as moving southeast at 6 knots.
This tropical depression may develop into a Tropical Cyclone in the next 6-12 hours.
Forecast and Intensity
=====================
12 HRS: 11.3S 97.4E - 35 knots (CAT 1)
24 HRS: 12.3S 99.6E - 40 knots (CAT 1)
Tropical Cyclone Watches/Warnings (BOM)
================================
A Cyclone WARNING is current for the Cocos Islands.
The depression may develop into a tropical cyclone today (Wednesday) as it passes to the north of the Cocos Islands. Gales with wind gusts to 100 km/h could develop over the Cocos Islands during the day.
Cyclone Advice #4 from BOM
First thing, you guys are NOT allowed to talk fishing when I am not here.
Secondly, 2.25" in 45 mins an hour ago. Bucket-a-drop man.......
Thirdly, come here in Feb-April for Wahoo. We fish with bally or large flying fish, from the surface to 60 ft. down depending on conditions. Biggest I have landed is 87 lbs. National record, 106 lb!
You know you have your work planned for you, when you strike a wahoo over 75 lbs. We fish stand-up, and I lost one last yeah after more than an hour, on 30 lb line, that made me cry. We saw the fish for a minute, and it looked 7 ft !!
ISS with shuttle docked, pass over NOLA and the Southeast USA tonight.
Ground Track Graphic Link
Rises above horizon CST 17:50:39 from the SW
Enters shadow CST 17:57:17 from the NE
Sightings Specific info:Link
Pass Details
Date: Tuesday, 18 November, 2008
Satellite: ISS
Observer's Location: New Orleans ( 29.9540N, 90.0750W)
Local Time: Central Standard Time (GMT - 6:00)
Orbit: 349 x 354 km, 51.6 (Epoch 17 Nov)
Sun altitude at time of
maximum pass altitude: -11.6
In a society,where the answer to every thing that goes wrong is to sue,a warning lable is required on everything that is sold,sad isn't it?
Yes, quite.
Got a new blog, first in a while. Interesting to hear what some of you think will happen in 2009.
AREAS ACROSS PALM BEACH COUNTY HAVE ALREADY BEEN AT OR BELOW 35% RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR AROUND 4 HOURS AND ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN STEADY FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS THEN RISE AS SUNSET APPROACHES. THIS WILL PRODUCE RELATIVE HUMIDITIES AT OR BELOW 35% FOR 6 TO 7 HOURS, THEREFORE THE RED FLAG WARNING WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EST.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW... OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS... LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY... AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL.
Looks like it. Off to your west for about 6 minutes starting about 6:51 pm.
Pass Details
Date: Tuesday, 18 November, 2008
Satellite: ISS
Observer's Location: Bradenton ( 27.4870°N, 82.5753°W)
Local Time: Eastern Standard Time (GMT - 5:00)
Orbit: 349 x 354 km, 51.6° (Epoch 17 Nov)
Sun altitude at time of
maximum pass altitude: -17.5°
Event Time Altitude Azimuth Distance (km)
Rises above horizon 18:51:31 -0° 240° (WSW) 2,138
Reaches 10° altitude 18:53:39 10° 252° (WSW) 1,303
Maximum altitude 18:56:16 30° 316° (NW ) 657
Enters shadow 18:57:17 23° 354° (N ) 790
Cotillion,no self respecting fisherman is going to chase you down the street with a pitchfork. A teaser, maybe.
But the truth is, we dont really want any more folks fishing ! There are too few fish around as it is.
Good to see you....
One of the reasons I don't fish any more. Growing up I went all the time (salt water). Always came home with a meal. Was relaxing and fun. Now, between the lack of fish, regulations, (size limits/seasons, etc. {which I understand the reasons for btw and actually agree with}), lack of access to good spots that aren't crowded (no beach driving allowed now), and really needing a boat to get to the good spots, it has become too much like work. So I get my local fish from local restaurants now. Wife seems to like this better anyway, house never smells like fish now. :)
Well, I shall abstain from fishing so one of you can. My present. :P
Humidity 23%
Excellant shuttle watching weather.
Mid 20's early AM...that ain't good
Conditions: Sunny(blue skies)
Temperature: 59.5F
Humidity: 19%
Dewpoint: 17F(and slowly dropping)
Winds: NNW 6.3 MPH
Gusts: 10.1 MPH
Pressure: 30.09(and rising)
Tropical Cyclone Warning
TROPICAL CYCLONE ANIKA
6:00 AM WDT November 19 2008
=============================================
At 21:00 UTC Tropical Cyclone Anika - Category One (996 hPa) located at 10.5S 95.5E or 240 kilometres northwest of Cocos Island has 10 minute sustained winds of 35 knots with gusts up to 50 knots. The cyclone is reported as moving east-southeast at 12 knots.
Tropical Cyclone Anika has formed to the northwest of the Cocos Islands and is expected to maintain an east to southeast movement over the next few days. Gales with wind gusts to 100 kilometres per hour could develop over the Cocos Islands today as the tropical cyclone passes to the north of the Islands.
Forecast and Intensity (from BGM)
=====================
12 HRS: 11.3S 97.4E - 35 knots (CAT 1)
24 HRS: 12.3S 99.6E - 40 knots (CAT 1)
Tropical Cyclone Watches/Warnings
================================
A Cyclone WARNING is current for the Cocos Islands.
Cyclone Advice #5 from BOM
Guess we'll see. Wouldn't surprise me to see one of the billion dollar hurricanes not retired this year though.
As long as I got a nice view. ;)
Off to kitchen back later 2nite
I had some ideas for you in the cast net, but pottery says we can't talk about fishing unless he's online. It involved trolling offshore.
lol
Wow, Cotillion, what did you do to rate that? One of the very nicest people here wants to put you up a tree...huh.
Hehe, referring to my comment about fishing further up. :P
Saw that, just kidding...Back in a while.
1-3inches of snow fell above 2500F.T in N.C closing schools today.It has snowed several times up there this season and more snow is forcasted Thursday night into Friday.
Forcasted Lows for the mountains= 11 (3000ft
Forcasted Low for my house= 20 (1000ft
Weatherunderground does not forcast the weather for the highest mountains in N.C due to needed, new written software.(6,000ft)
I hope this is a sign for a snowy winter.When will Dr.Masters show us the winter forcast?
Are you still watching the GFS?
Mirror Site (New Format)
I think cyclone 2 will fizzle the WU map thingy shows it reaching 50mph then weakening to 40moh in three days
I just walked back up from the beach. It literally flew right over us here in Destin, in the panhandle. It was hauling tail. Thanks to Patrap for the Heavens Above graph!
Bright shiney object just went by.
Both Downloading now as the previews were decent.
The Better chip in the Vidtek, in the YouTube shows some gold pixels at Highest Point or closet approach to our ground based obs here tonight.
The Binocular cam is the Photobucket mpeg.
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