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As you have probably noticed we have had some weird wind/weather patterns in recent years. But this week has been exceptional for weirdness. This graphic shows how anomalous a weather pattern is compared to historical norms. Lots of weirdness today. For you math wizards that means the major wind makers, Hurricane Kay and the North Pacific…
It was HOT this Labor Day. The media is talking non-stop about the enduring heat wave and how is is caused by a “Heat Dome. The first two images show you: What causes the heat dome. What the heat dome looks like from a 3D perspective. And the basic mechanisms that create all the heating….
La Niña always makes for very fast-changing wind patterns. For most of the year it has kept the North Pacific High unusually (as in 2 standard deviations from the mean) far south. That is why we have had so much NW wind on the coast this season. But La Niña also makes the storm track…
Looking at this composite image of a satellite view and pressure isobars you can clearly see the lobe of the Central Valley thermal low that remains over the coast north of the Bay Area. Also, notice how this warmer dryer air from the Central Valley has evaporated the marine layer clouds. This lobe of low…
Now at 11:30 AM: In several decades of forecasting San Francisco winds I have never seen huge 75 mile wide eddy west of the Golden Gate PLUS a marine surge that extends from Southern California waters to the Golden Gate PLUS, paradoxically, a fast retreating marine layer despite all the Southerly flow. So it is…
For most of this summer, we have had a North Pacific High that has 2 standard deviations from the norm in terms of size and position. That is geek talk meaning the North Pacific High’s surface NW ocean winds have been weirdly stronger than normal. This has made forecasting much more complicated and impacted many…
Julian: Is there any way to predict fog formation for the Bodega/Dillon area? When there is no wind I have to get my foil surfing on, but often times it is a complete whiteout and can’t even see the break or the beach once I get out. It’s often clear in the morning and then…
Today the Bay Area saw a combo of dense marine layer clouds streaming through the Golden Gate while far aloft monsoonal type clouds and moisture cruised over much of California and the Pacific Northwest. This was an atypical event that this NWS discussion captures nicely. “NWS SFO Area Forecast Discussion: As of 11:05am Wednesday… for…
The North Pacific High is being battered by the continued La Niña pattern with 3 rainy storms in the Gulf of Alaska keeping atypically strong NW out at 50 miles west of the Golden Gate. However, the NPH has pushed a ridge of high pressure into the Pacific Northwest causing Central Valley thermal low to…