Is it getting less foggy this time of year?
Based not just on my own perceptions, arguably of dubious trustworthiness, but also conversations with long-time residents of WA state, I have the sense that it is not as frequently foggy during early fall as it was in the past.
Read moreSurface Radiative Heat Fluxes
Meteorologists and climatologists go to considerable effort to figure out from where air masses originate, because of course that has a great deal to do with the weather. A good example pertains to the upcoming winter’s weather.
Read moreOn the “Great American Solar Eclipse”
While not a meteorological phenomenon, the historic “Great American Solar Eclipse” passed over the US on August 21, offering a view of at least a partial solar eclipse for the entire country, and deserves mention in this newsletter.
Read moreSummer Weather in WA: Is it cooler because it is cloudier or cloudier because it is cooler?
With exceptions such as a warm spell near the end of July, WA state has experienced relatively cool and cloudy weather since the first week of June 2016, at least as compared with the same period during the last 3 summers.
Read moreClouds in Washington State in Winter
Judy Garland was quoted to have said, “Behind every cloud is another cloud”. The residents of Washington state can appreciate that statement during winter. A map of the mean number of cloudy days in January for the US is shown in Figure 1, and indeed the Pacific Northwest is the cloudiest part of the country, with only a few regions around the Great Lakes reaching the values observed across Washington, Oregon and much of Idaho.
Read moreEarly Autumn Fog in WA
Fog may not seem that dramatic of an element of the weather, but it can actually be a big deal and certainly represent a challenge for forecasters. An obvious impact of fog is on aircraft operations.
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