In 2014, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [IPCC] published the Synthesis of the 5th Assessment Report. The results of their investigations are stated very clearly. Warming of the climate system is unequivocal. The atmosphere and the ocean have warmed, the amounts of snow/ice have diminished, and the sea level has risen. In addition, the mean surface temperature in 2014, based on global measurements, is the highest in modern record (since 1880, from GISS/NASA). The main reason for this warming is extremely likely due to the human influence on the climate system, essentially caused by anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases. Continued emissions of these gases will lead to further warming and long-lasting changes in all components of the climate system. As a consequence, an international agreement leading to a global reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is urgently needed.
Up to now, so-called climate critics continuously question the additional greenhouse effect. Climate modelling is a difficult task and these models can only describe the Earth system in an approximate way. For example the consideration of the influence of clouds and aerosols in the atmosphere leads to relatively large variations in the calculated warming.
However, simulations with climate models have shown that, by taking into account the increase of atmospheric greenhouse gases, the warming of the Earth system can be well reproduced. When excluding the change in greenhouse gas concentrations, these climate models show virtually no warming of the Earth system for the last fifty years. The IPCC report presents many additional arguments why today´s climate models are more accurate.
Certainly some of the numerical descriptions of the physical processes in climate models can still be discussed for further improvement. But, it is frustrating that climate critics are sceptical about some parts of the climate models which are already proven in detail. Radiative transfer in the atmosphere is a good example of this.
This theory is well developed at an international level. All experts in this research field are convinced that we fully understand the radiative transfer in the atmosphere. The radiative forcing by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is real. One proof of this is the fact that we are able to determine with high accuracy temperature and trace gas concentrations in the atmosphere from satellite remote sensing. Without knowing the radiative transfer in the atmosphere well this would be not possible.


The whole eastern part of the Adriatic abounds with local weather variations, where winds take the top position with regard to sailing. Since ancient times, reading the signs of nature has been at the core of the life at sea. Therefore, you won’t go wrong, if you ask a local fisherman, what will be the weather condition today in the evening or tomorrow, what is the best mooring or anchor sites? The wind rose of the Adriatic is made by Jugo (south-easterly wind), Bura/Bora (north-easterly wind), Maestral / Mistral (north-easterly wind), Sirocco (southerly wind), Tramuntana (northerly wind), Levanter and easterly wind. Regardless of all these Adriatic winds, special attention shall be given to Bura and Jugo, and there are good reasons why. First of all, our goal is to present the Adriatic winds and make them easy for you to recognize, to take advantage of their energy, as well as to timely react at their formation and reach swiftly a safe harbour.
Bura – a cold Adriatic wind
As a cold wind, Bura vertically descends the slopes of the coastal mountains and moving towards the sea. It thus creates dust clouds that reduce visibility. Bura is announced by a “cap” of clouds that seem as though they have grabbed the high mountain peaks – Velebit in the north Adriatic, Mosor and Biokovo in the south Adriatic. It rarely blows for more than three days. When Bura is of local origin, it will blow itself out in less than a day. Since it brings cold and heavy air, it finds its way towards the sea through mountain faults and between higher mountain ranges. Bura blows in gusts and therefore might be very severe and unexpected, so, if you have not encountered Bura so far, we advise you to reach the nearest harbour.
The areas where some of the strongest Bura winds occur are: Trieste Bay, Velebit channel famous for the Bura of Senj), Vinodolski channel, Bay of Novigrad, areas around Sibenik, Split (in particular Vrulja near Omis), Makarska – lowlands of Biokovo, Zuljan Bay on the Peljesac peninsula, River Neretva estuary, Risan Bay in Boka. On the contrary, areas where some of the mildest Bura winds occur are: western coast of Istria, southern area of Biokovo stretching towards Trogir, from the coast of Poljice to Dugi Rat, as well as the coast of Montenegro. In short, it might be said that where coastal hilltops are lower than 600 meters or more than 4 kilometres from the coast, the mildest Bura winds occur.
Jugo – warm Adriatic wind
Jugo is a south-easterly wind. It blows across the Adriatic when a cyclone develops over the Adriatic area. It brings clouds and rain. The air pressure drops. It develops slowly and it can usually be noticed two or three days in advance. It usually lasts longer than Bura, five to seven days, and even longer in winter.
There is a possibility of the so called dry Jugo, when it blows for a couple of days without bringing rain. Unlike Bura, Jugo is a constant wind that gradually gains strength.
Mistral is a “benevolent”, a friendly wind looked forward by especially sailors and all those who enjoy the summer season under its breeze. Mistral is a daily wind blowing from the northwest and created by the differences in temperature between the mainland and sea. It is fairly frequent from spring to autumn and strongest in July and August.
It usually starts blowing around 9 or 10 in the morning, reaches its highest strength in the afternoon and fades at sunset. Mistral is generally weaker in the north Adriatic than in its south.
Tramuntana is a classical name for a northern wind. The word derived from Latin vertus transmontanus – a wind that blows (comes) across the mountains. This name for a northern wind is widely used throughout the Mediterranean. It is a cold wind of moderate strength (sometimes strong gusts), that usually forms in clear weather. Its appearance announces nice weather.
The Levanter refers to an easterly wind. The name comes from Italian levante meaning east, whereas the word developed from Latin levare: uplift, elevate. It is often a moderate (rarely strong) wind, carrying clouds, moisture and precipitation. When it reaches high intensity, it is described as Levanter.
Ostro is a common name for a southerly wind. Its name is derived from Latin auster : south. It is described as a warm and humid wind that usually does not last long, but it might become reach considerable strength.
Libeccio is a south-westerly Adriatic wind described both as lebic and garbin. It is usually a dry and warm wind, which rises across the Adriatic after Jugo, when the Mediterranean cyclone arriving from the sea reaches the western and central coast of Croatia. It usually does not last long, but it might give violent squalls (lebicada). It is especially dangerous because of wave “crossing” and rising of the sea surface in shallow harbours that are open to the south-west. Garbin, grbin, garbinada (from Arab gharbi) is a very strong, sudden and short-lived south-westerly (or westerly south-westerly) wind. It can cause muddy waters, in case of sand or gravel beaches.
The formation of cyclones and anticyclones over central and southern Europe dictates changes in Adriatic weather conditions. The usual direction of cyclone movement over the Adriatic is from west to east. Their fronts bring southerly winds (when the jugo blows along the Adriatic), with a flow of warm, wet air to the Adriatic, making the weather cloudy and rainy. Behind the cyclone, as the anticyclone gains in strength and expands over the European mainland towards the east, the wind veers NE and brings with it cold, dry air; the bura clears away the clouds, and following it there is a temporary drop in temperature, but the weather stabilises. This stabilisation is characteristic of Adriatic weather, with clear, sunny skies, and a daily maestral during the summer, until the arrival of a new cyclone repeats the entire cycle.
This rhythm of changes is common in the Adriatic, and varies only according to the frequency and trajectories of cyclones. They are rare during the summer when they mostly move above the Northern Adriatic.
Differences between the north and south Adriatic weather situations are significantly milder during the summer – this is when the two halves of the Adriatic merge into a single climate region, with many warm, sunny days, high daily temperatures soothed by the pleasant maestral, low humidity and nights which are not too hot. The surface temperature of the sea is mostly between 24° and 26°C throughout the Adriatic.
At the end of the summer, the differences between the northern and southern Adriatic become more marked at night, while daily temperatures remain more or less the same. Colder nights soon begin to contribute to the cooling of the sea, which quickly becomes colder around the beginning of September. A month later, the Istrian sea will have cooled to 18°C or less, while in the south it will still be around 22°C.
The amplitudes of the Adriatic tides are relatively small and do not affect safety at sea significantly. Atmospheric pressure has a significant effect on them.
Sea currents are weak and do not usually present navigational problems. But they should still be taken into consideration, especially in narrow channels and passages, where they can gain up to 4 knots in speed.
The waves of the Adriatic are not as high as ocean waves. The jugo creates more waves than the bura, but it would be foolish to conclude that jugo waves are less dangerous. On the contrary, bura waves are half the length, and irregular in amplitude, which means your hull will be under much greater stress than during the jugo.
In terms of weather conditions in the Adriatic, squalls are the most unsettling experiences, next to the bura. They arrive at great speed from the west, from the open sea, but are short-lived. They almost always occur during summer and lessen in frequency as autumn approaches. At the first sign of a squall, take precautions without delay. If you can shelter from its path, you would be well advised to do so.


The Climate Crisis
The world is experiencing an unprecedented climate crisis that has led to a multitude of catastrophic events. From rising sea levels to extreme weather patterns, the impact of climate change is felt by people all over the globe. The situation is dire, and we must act now to prevent irreversible damage to our planet.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), global temperatures have already risen by 0.8 degrees Celsius since the pre-industrial era. The report also predicts that without immediate action, temperatures could rise by 1.5 degrees Celsius as early as 2030.
The rise in temperature has led to the melting of the Arctic sea ice, which not only affects the lives of polar bears but also has a disastrous effect on the global weather patterns. The melting ice causes a shift in the jet stream, leading to unpredictable weather patterns such as droughts and heatwaves.
Furthermore, the increase in sea levels has already started to affect low-lying countries. The Maldives, for example, is an archipelago of 26 atolls and 1,192 islands, with an average elevation of 1.5 meters above sea level. The country faces an existential threat due to the rise in sea levels, with some experts predicting that it could be uninhabitable by 2100.
The increase in temperature is also causing more frequent and intense natural disasters such as hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones. These events cause massive destruction in their wake, leading to loss of life, property, and infrastructure.
The climate crisis is affecting every aspect of our lives, including agriculture. Climate change leads to soil degradation, reduced crop yields, and impacts food security. In some regions, drought and famine have become a sad reality.
The rapid pace of the climate crisis has made it difficult for governments to take the necessary action. However, a few countries have taken significant steps to reduce their carbon footprint. For example, Costa Rica is one of the greenest countries in the world with 99% of its electricity coming from renewable sources. Sweden has eliminated almost all of its waste and is on a path to becoming carbon neutral by 2045.
It is vital that governments take immediate action to combat the climate crisis. We need to reduce our carbon footprint and transition to renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, and hydroelectric power. We need to invest in green infrastructure and public transportation to reduce our reliance on personal vehicles, which are a significant contributor to carbon emissions.
Individuals also have a responsibility to reduce their carbon footprint. We can do this by using energy-efficient appliances, reducing the amount of meat we consume, and using public transportation or carpooling whenever possible. We must also educate ourselves and others about the climate crisis and advocate for change.
In conclusion, the climate crisis is real, and we need to act now before it's too late. The situation is dire, and we cannot afford to delay action any longer. Governments and individuals need to take immediate action to reduce our carbon footprint and transition to renewable energy sources. The time to act is now, and we must all do our part to combat the climate crisis and save our planet.


The ‘Fingerprint’ Of Global Warming Doesn’t Exist In The Real World, Study Finds(WUT!)
dailycaller.com ^ | 9/22/2016 | Michael Bastasch
Posted on 9/22/2016, 12:36:41 PM by rktman
One of the main lines of evidence used by the Obama administration to justify its global warming regulations doesn’t exist in the real world, according to a new report by climate researchers.
Researchers analyzed temperature observations from satellites, weather balloons, weather stations and buoys and found the so-called “tropical hotspot” relied upon by the EPA to declare carbon dioxide a pollutant “simply does not exist in the real world.”
They found that once El Ninos are taken into account, “there is no ‘record setting’ warming to be concerned about.”
“These analysis results would appear to leave very, very little doubt but that EPA’s claim of a Tropical Hot Spot (THS), caused by rising atmospheric CO2 levels, simply does not exist in the real world,” reads the report by economist James Wallace, climatologist John Christy and meteorologist Joseph D’Aleo.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailycaller.com …


The National Weather service has issued a flash flood warning for the Katy area until 7:45 a.m.
The warning is in effect for extreme northwestern Fort Bend County, southern Waller County, southeastern Austin County, extreme southwestern Montgomery County and extreme northeastern Colorado County.
Just before 6 a.m., Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the Katy area. Flash flooding is expected to begin shortly.
Rainfall totals between 1 and 3 inches has fallen in the area since 4 a.m. Additionally, part of the area have received 2 – 4 inches of rain yesterday and another 1 – 3 inches of rain will be possible this morning.
Some locations that will experience flooding include Katy, Brookshire, Pattison, San Felipe, Sealy, Jersey Village and Tomball.
Motorists are warned to no drive into areas where the water covers the roadway. The water depth may be too great to allow your car to cross safely.


***Flash Flood Watch in Effect 1am Monday - 8am Tuesday***
Tonight: Few Showers and Storms. Low 70.
Monday: Rain Likely. Isolated Storms. High 79.
Tuesday: Rain Likely. Isolated Storms. High 81.
Wednesday: Mostly Cloudy. Rain Likely. Isolated Storms. High 81.
Thursday: Partly Sunny. A Few Storms. High 84.
Keep the umbrellas handy this week --- you'll need them! Rounds of heavy rain will be likely this week, thanks to Subtropical Storm Alberto. Although the center of the system will stay far away from us, it'll funnel deep tropical moisture over the Carolinas leading to widespread rainfall.
From Memorial Day through at least Wednesday, rain and isolated storms with heavy rainfall are likely. Coverage of rain will be greatest in the afternoon and evening but are possible anytime day or night. Tropical downpours could lead to flash flooding. A Flash Flood Watch is in effect for counties along and south of I-40 through Tuesday morning.
Highs Monday will stay in the 70s, and around 80 or so on Tuesday and Wednesday. Overnight lows will be near 70 and it will be quite muggy. Thursday and Friday will be variably cloudy with a 40% chance of showers and storms mainly in the afternoon and evening. The high Thursday will be 84, and 87 on Friday.
The normal high is 80, and the normal low is 60.
► Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the WFMY News 2 App now


Did you know Canada.. based on data from 1948 to 2009 (60 years) average annual temperatures
for Canada has increased by 1.4°C.
The climatic regions that showed the strongest warming trends were located in Canada's far north with the Mackenzie District recording the strongest warming trend, rising 2.2°C over normal during the 60 years.
The national average temperature for the year 2010 was 3.0°C above normal, which makes this past year the warmest year on record since nationwide records began in 1948.
Source: Statistics Canada, Environment Canada


Weather and Road Conditions in Iceland
The weather in Iceland is famously unpredictable, especially in the autumn and winter months (from October until May), but it is important to stay up to date with the latest forecasts year round.
⚠ Even the main road can very easily become impassable!
Particularly vulnerable sections of the main road are Hellisheiði, between Hvolsvöllur and Vík, from Skaftafell to Jökulsárlón, Fagridalur just south of Egilsstaðir, and between Egilsstaðir and Mývatn — but many other parts of the road can also easily become closed in certain weather situations.
Due to the extremely localised weather phenomena, international forecast websites such as Apple Weather, Windy, etc. are usually not very accurate for small scale weather – typical grid sizes for those forecasts are in the range of 7-20km, whereas local Icelandic forecasts are calculated in grid cells as small as 600m!
The following websites should be your primary source of information on weather and road conditions while you are traveling within Iceland. It is essential to stay informed and check those sources every day before you leave, and multiple times throughout the day.
Current Road Conditions and Weather Stations
- www.trafficinfo.is — current road surface conditions and weather station data provided by the Icelandic Road Administration.
- www.safetravel.is — overall safety related information for traveling in Iceland, including an option to subscribe to SMS-based alerts. Operated by the Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue.
- www.vedur.is (Icelandic) / en.vedur.is (English) — Official website and forecast from the Icelandic Meteorological Office
- en.vedur.is/alerts — current weather warnings issued by the IMO
- www.belgingur.is — another Icelandic weather forecast service, providing very high resolution forecasts
Reading conditions and forecasts
Perhaps the most important aspect of Icelandic weather reports and conditions is that wind speeds are generally reported in meters per second (m/sec). To convert to mph, double the value and then add 10% (for 20 m/sec: 2*20 = 40, +10% = 44 mph). To convert to km/h, multiply by four and then subtract 10% (again, for 20 m/sec: is 4*20 = 80, -10% = 72 km/h).
Due to the extremely localised weather phenomena, one should never trust a “station forecast” to be accurate anywhere except for that precise location. For any travel decisions, it is crucial to read and understand the forecast maps (which necessitates a basic understanding of Icelandic geography and being able to pinpoint the planned route and locations on the way). If necessary, always cross reference with Google Maps or other source for route mapping.
When studying wind forecasts, winds that come from mountains down into the land below (typical with northerly wind directions between Hvolsvöllur and Vík, or between Skaftafell and Höfn) must be expected to be particularly gusty.
Safe wind speeds
On dry roads and good visibility, with regular passenger cars wind speeds of about 20-22 m/sec should be considered the limit for safe driving. Keep in mind that wind gusts can easily reach 1.5 – 2x those speeds.
For large, lightweight vehicles (camper vans, RVs, etc.) many vehicle rentals specify a limit of 15 m/sec.
Snowfall or icy roads can make driving hazardous already at much lower wind speeds due to severely limited visibility and reduced traction. Even with wind speeds of 10m/sec, driving snow can essentially reduce visibility to zero and rapidly build up considerable snow drifts in certain areas. Even the main road is not immune to these effects and may become impassable.
Along the main road, you will sometimes encouter digital displays for upcoming locations displaying realtime weather information. This will be the wind direction (N/S/A/V = north/south/east/west), wind speed (in meters per second), temperature (in centigrade), and a red number (not always available) shows wind gusts (also in meters per second). Again, if either the wind speed or wind gusts exceed 22m/sec (or 15m/sec for camper vans), it is advisable to avoid driving into those areas.


Assistant Professor Dr. Scott Spak co-authored a paper, “Central American biomass burning smoke can increase tornado severity in the U.S.” recently published in Geophysical Research Letters, examining the effects of smoke from agricultural land-clearing fires in Central America on the 27 April 2011 historical tornado outbreak across the Southeast. The team of researchers from the University of Iowa, University of Wisconsin-Madison, NOAA, and NASA found that adding smoke to an environment already conducive to severe storms can increase the likelihood of significant tornadoes. The findings were reported on the NBC Nightly News and covered by CBS News, National Geographic, Science, Nature, and USA Today.
The satellite image for April 27, 2011 shows the southeastern United States, Central America and the Gulf of Mexico—along with tornado tracks (red solid lines, with the thickest indicating a magnitude 5 tornado, descending to magnitude 1 for the thinnest—for the period April 26-28, 2011. Yellow markers indicate fires, and an iridescent overlay shows particulate matter in the air, with red showing highest amount and purple the lowest. Imagery courtesy of Brad Pierce, NOAA Satellite and Information Service Center for Satellite Applications and Research.


Lesson brings study of weather, meteorologist to class
Through a lesson on weather and climate, student teacher Gabrielle Renaud was able to connect with a meteorologist from Philadelphia to bring real lessons to class that later helped students create their own forecasts.
Renaud, a Penn State student who works with fourth-grade teacher Stacey Miller at Pleasant Gap Elementary School, said the unit consisted of topics including tornadoes, hurricanes, wind, clouds, weather fronts and meteorology. Students also had the chance to complete experiments and activities such as making their own wind vane, which created a tornado in a bottle. They also tested the heating and cooling rates of water and soil, and created a cloud in a jar.
This led to further meteorology lessons where students read about different weather tools such as weather planes, balloons and satellites, and Radar dishes. They also learned firsthand how these tools are used by meteorologists to help predict weather forecasts.
Television meteorologist Monica Cryan of PHL17 in Philadelphia joined the class virtually to talk about life as a meteorologist, and natural disasters she has covered, different types of clouds, different weather tools she uses, and the importance of math and science as it relates to meteorology. Students then asked questions including her favorite natural disasters to cover, if she has ever used a weather balloon before, and if she has ever been storm-chasing. This all helped students prepare to create their own weather report using the knowledge they learned during the unit.
Renaud said she connected with Cryan about a month ago to complement lessons from the unit. They also share a hometown in Bucks County and attended Penn State together.


If you’re like me when you think of the word storm you think of something to do with the weather like a thunder-storm. There are several definitions for the word storm. One of my favorite uses of the word storm would be “I was so angry I stormed out of the room to cool off.”.
In a previous post titled “clouds” I described what kind of clouds I liked; “The clouds I like the best are the big black ones that bring rain.” So it is with storm. The kind of storm I like best is the kind that brings big black clouds with lots of thunder and lightning and of course heavy rain. In the area where I live rain is always a welcome distraction. Anything that will bring the temperature down a few degrees is blessing.
There have been other storms in my life. When I was a teenager, living at home, the storms were frequent and sometimes very demoralizing. There was always much anger and fear in the house, it was a place I didn’t want to be. I learned several lessons about life and people in that house. Life is not fair and people are usually looking out for themselves not considering the damage they may be causing others.
The Daily Post Prompt – Storm


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Nevada U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen provided a much-needed plan towards fixing the state’s pollution problem earlier this month, announcing that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is putting $1 million towards building air quality monitor systems across the state. Federal funds for this project will draw from both the Inflation Reduction Act and the American Rescue Plan.
Nevada is the second most polluted state in the country when it comes to air quality, according to a recent ranking by U.S. News and World Report drawing from 2019 EPA data. Primary causes for air quality pollution in the state include wildfire smoke and the nature of the climate, which traps pollutants and prevents them from escaping into the atmosphere.
“You have cold air with warm air above it,” Matthew Strickland, an environmental epidemiologist at the University of Nevada, Reno, said. “And when that happens, the pollution that’s in the valley here, it doesn’t mix up into the atmosphere, and it stays down where we live and we breathe,” he continued.
“Nevada is facing worsening air quality as increased wildfires and carbon emissions pollute our air,” Sen. Rosen said in a press release. “I’m glad to announce Nevada will be receiving almost $1 million in federal funding to help Nevada’s communities better monitor air quality levels, address threats to worsening air quality, and help keep our air clean.”
In specific allocations, $494,000 will go to the Fort McDermitt Paiute-Shoshone Tribe for air monitoring systems and staff training, while $213,000 will go to the Washoe County District Health Department towards building air monitoring systems as well.
Elsewhere, the Fallon Paiute Shoshone Tribe is set to receive $150,000 for their air monitoring systems, while the Shoshone Paiute Tribes of Duck Valley will receive nearly $100,000.


'Green Monday', went the Downing Street spin last month as Tony Blair introduced the government's new energy white paper. Unfortunately there was enough hot air in it to power a turbine.
The media headlines were filled with a government commitment to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. This waste product--caused by the burning of fossil fuels such as oil and coal--is one of the major causes of the 'greenhouse effect'. This warming of the earth's atmosphere produced a 0.6°C average temperature rise last century, and this could increase by a further 6°C by 2100-- leading to devastating floods, hurricanes and droughts--unless urgent action is taken. Unfortunately, the white paper was vague on urgent action.


Cyprus belongs to the warmest zones of the Mediterranean Sea. Mediterranean climate with crystal clear sea, hot dry summers and mild winters make it an ideal holiday destination in the world. The island is a friendly vacation place for all sun lovers because Cyprus has approximately 320 sunny days annually for the entire year.
Climatically Cyprus is one of the healthiest regions of the world. What you can experience is beautiful sunrises and sunsets on Cyprus island, vacation in Cyprus is possible in every season.
North Cyprus enjoys a climate with long warm and dry summers from mid May to mid October and mild wet winters from December to February. Autumn and Spring seasons in Northern Cyprus are short and relatively dry with occasional winds.M
Weather in coastal parts of North Cyprus such as Kyrenia and Famagusta is much milder compared to inland, due to the sea breeze and humidity of the Mediterranean. The sea temperature itself never falls below below 16º C in January and February, reaching it’s maximum of 27º C during the month of August.
North Cyprus winters are mild and occasionally wet due to small depressions prevailing during the winter months with 60 % of rain falling between December and February. Frost and snow are almost unknown in North Cyprus, although night temperatures can fall to low levels in winter, specially during the month of January.
Relative humidity of the air is on average between 60% and 80% in winter and between 40% and 60% in summer with even lower values over inland areas around midday.
Fog is infrequent and usually confined to the early mornings but there are longer periods on the mountains in winter when cloud often envelops the highest peaks.
Sunshine is abundant during the whole year and particularly from April to September when the average duration of bright sunshine exceeds 11 hours per day.
Winds are generally light to moderate and variable in direction. Strong winds may occur sometimes, but gales are infrequent over Cyprus and are mainly confined to exposed coastal areas as well as areas at high elevation.


This is a land of captivating contrasts that offers an enthralling exploration into diversity, not just in culture and cuisine but also in the climate in different regions of Spain. Paradoxically, you could bask in the balmy Mediterranean sunshine and get caught in an Atlantic storm, all on the same day and within the same country! In this intriguing narrative, we’ll journey across Spain’s geographical tapestry – tracing sizzling southern beaches to alpine northern peaks, shedding light on how geography unmistakably influences weather patterns.
So buckle up for this climatic rollercoaster ride through Spain that unravels why this vibrant nation truly has a forecast for every traveler.
The climate varies across different regions of Spain due to its size and diverse geography. Coastal areas of Andalusia, Catalonia, and Valencia have a Mediterranean climate with hot summers and mild winters. Central Spain, especially around Madrid, has a continental climate with hot summers and cold winters. The Canary Islands have a subtropical climate with warm temperatures year-round. Other factors, such as altitude and proximity to bodies of water, can also influence regional climates.
Climate in Different Regions of Spain – Mediterranean
Spain’s Mediterranean region is known for its warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters. The climate in this area is heavily influenced by its proximity to the Mediterranean Sea, which exerts a moderating effect on temperature and precipitation. The region encompasses popular tourist destinations such as Barcelona, Valencia, and Alicante, where visitors flock to enjoy the pleasant coastal weather.
During the summer months, temperatures soar in the Mediterranean region, often exceeding 30°C (86°F) or even reaching higher peaks. This heat is the result of a combination of factors, including high atmospheric pressure and the influence of warm air masses originating from North Africa. While inland areas tend to experience more intense heat, coastal regions benefit from refreshing sea breezes that provide some relief.
Rainfall in the Mediterranean region occurs predominantly during the winter months. The area typically experiences moderate to heavy rainfall due to the influence of low-pressure systems coming from the Atlantic Ocean. These weather systems bring significant amounts of precipitation to coastal areas and adjacent mountain ranges.
For instance, in Valencia, the average annual precipitation is around 450 mm (17.7 inches), with the wettest months being October and November. However, it is important to note that rainfall patterns can vary within the Mediterranean region itself. In places like Almería or Murcia, rainfall tends to be significantly lower, making these areas more arid.
As mentioned earlier, the influence of the sea plays an essential role in shaping the Mediterranean climate. The vast water body helps regulate temperature extremes by acting as a heat sink in summer and releasing stored heat during colder periods. Additionally, it contributes to relative humidity levels along the coast, preventing excessive drying.
- As per Spain’s meteorological agency, AEMET, Spain experienced a temperature increase of almost 0.5°C per decade between 1965 and 2009.
- According to reports from World Climate & Temperature, coastal regions of Andalusia and Catalonia receive around 400 millimeters of rainfall annually, typically occurring in spring and autumn seasons.
- Statistics from the Spanish tourism board explain that Central Spain, which includes Madrid, experiences significant temperature variation throughout the year with summer highs reaching up to 40°C (104°F) and winter lows dipping below freezing.
- The Mediterranean region in Spain has a climate that is heavily influenced by its proximity to the sea. The summers are warm and dry, with temperatures often exceeding 30°C and benefiting from refreshing sea breezes. The winter months bring moderate to heavy rainfall due to low-pressure systems from the Atlantic Ocean. The influence of the sea plays a crucial role in regulating temperature extremes and relative humidity levels, making it an excellent destination for tourists looking for pleasant coastal weather. However, it’s important to note that rainfall patterns can vary within the region itself.
Influence of the Sea on Climate
The Mediterranean Sea has a profound impact on regulating local climates along Spain’s coastline. Its thermal inertia slows down both heating and cooling processes compared to inland regions, resulting in milder temperatures throughout the year.
During the summer, the sea acts as a natural air conditioner, providing a cooling effect on coastal areas. As warm air moves inland, it is replaced by cooler breezes blowing from the sea. This maritime influence helps keep temperatures bearable, especially during heatwaves when mainland areas might experience scorching conditions.
In winter, the sea’s relatively warmer temperature compared to the air creates a warming effect. The sea releases heat accumulated over the summer months, creating a buffer against extreme cold and mitigating potential frost episodes. This phenomenon is particularly notable during nighttime when coastal areas tend to be several degrees warmer than their inland counterparts.
The presence of the Mediterranean Sea also contributes to higher humidity levels along the coast. Sea breezes introduce moisture into the air, preventing excessive drying and creating a more pleasant climate for both residents and visitors.
Imagine strolling along the sandy beaches of Costa del Sol or taking an evening walk on Barcelona’s vibrant promenade, feeling the gentle caress of sea breezes while enjoying mild temperatures. These experiences are made possible by the significant influence of the Mediterranean Sea on Spain’s coastal climate.
Now that we have explored the climate in Spain’s Mediterranean region and understood how the sea shapes its weather patterns, let us shift our attention to another important region – the Atlantic coast of Spain.
Climate in Different Regions of Spain – Atlantic
The Atlantic region of Spain, which includes areas such as Galicia, Asturias, and parts of Cantabria and the Basque Country, is known for its distinct climate influenced by its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. This region experiences a maritime climate characterized by mild winters and relatively cool summers. The moderating effect of the ocean helps to keep temperatures more stable throughout the year compared to other regions of Spain.
The Atlantic region sees abundant rainfall due to the influence of moisture-laden winds coming from the ocean. The average annual precipitation in this area ranges between 1000-2000 mm, creating lush green landscapes and supporting a rich ecosystem. These frequent rainfall events contribute to the agricultural productivity of the region, particularly for crops like corn, potatoes, and grapes used in winemaking.
Due to its coastal location, the Atlantic region is susceptible to fog and mist, which can be quite common along the coast. This atmospheric moisture contributes to the overall humidity levels in the area. However, it’s important to note that humidity levels can vary depending on specific locations within the region.
Now that we have explored the climate characteristics of the Atlantic region in Spain, let’s delve into the weather extremities and patterns that can occur.
Weather Extremities and Patterns
While overall mild and moderate, the weather in the Atlantic region of Spain can also experience periods of extreme conditions. One notable feature is the prevalence of strong winds, often originating from storms in the North Atlantic. These winds can impact coastal areas and lead to rough sea conditions.
Another notable phenomenon is Cierzo, a strong northerly wind that occurs mainly during winter. It affects areas along the Ebro River valley in northeastern Spain, including parts of Aragon and Catalonia. The Cierzo wind can reach high speeds and bring cold air from interior regions, causing a significant drop in temperature.
In terms of temperatures, winters in the Atlantic region can be relatively mild, with average lows ranging from 8 to 12 degrees Celsius (46 to 54 degrees Fahrenheit). Summers tend to be cooler than in other parts of Spain, with average highs around 22 to 25 degrees Celsius (72 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit), creating a pleasant climate for outdoor activities.
For instance, imagine taking a leisurely stroll along the stunning beaches of San Sebastian during a summer afternoon. The refreshing sea breeze and comfortable temperatures create an idyllic atmosphere, perfect for enjoying the picturesque surroundings.
The Atlantic region also experiences its fair share of rainfall throughout the year. Rainfall patterns can vary between different areas within the region, but it is generally evenly distributed throughout the seasons. This regular precipitation contributes to the lush green landscapes and supports diverse ecosystems, making it favorable for agriculture and wildlife.
Having explored the weather extremities and patterns in the Atlantic region, let’s now move on to understanding the climate diversity found inland in Spain.
Climate in Different Regions of Spain – Inland
When one thinks of Spain, the image of sunny beaches and warm Mediterranean weather often comes to mind. However, Spain’s climate is far more diverse and complex, particularly in its inland regions. Inland Spain experiences a wide range of climates, influenced by its geography, elevation, and proximity to the coast.
One of the significant factors contributing to the climate diversity in inland Spain is the presence of mountain ranges such as the Sierra Nevada and the Pyrenees. These mountains act as barriers, affecting prevailing winds and leading to varying weather patterns on either side. The windward side of the mountains receives more rainfall, resulting in lush vegetation and cooler temperatures, while the leeward side tends to be drier with higher temperatures.
For instance, in the region of Andalusia, located in southern Spain, the city of Granada sits at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains. As a result, it experiences a distinct microclimate. Summers are hot and dry, while winters can be cold with occasional snowfall due to higher altitudes. Just a short drive away from Granada lies the coastal city of Almería, where mild winters and hot summers prevail due to the moderating influence of the Mediterranean Sea.
The central plateau in Spain, known as Meseta Central, also contributes to climatic variations within inland regions. This vast flatland is characterized by hot summers and cold winters with significant temperature fluctuations between day and night. Cities like Madrid experience scorching summer temperatures coupled with chilly winter nights due to their location on this plateau.
Now that we’ve explored inland Spain’s climate diversity let’s dive into how this diversity manifests itself further through varied climates from mountains to plateaus.
Varied Climates from Mountains to Plateaus
As we venture deeper into inland Spain, we encounter a fascinating mix of climates shaped by both mountainous terrain and expansive plateaus. The interplay between elevation, proximity to the coast, and atmospheric conditions makes for distinct climatic zones.
Mountainous regions such as the Pyrenees, located in the north of Spain, experience a predominantly alpine climate. Higher altitudes bring colder temperatures and increased precipitation, often resulting in snow-capped peaks throughout the year. These areas are popular destinations for winter sports enthusiasts.
On the other hand, as we move away from the mountainous regions and closer to the plateaus, such as Extremadura in western Spain, there is a shift towards a more Mediterranean-like climate. The terrain becomes flatter, and temperatures become milder with warmer summers and relatively mild winters. Precipitation levels can vary within this region, but it generally receives less rainfall compared to coastal areas.
The central plateau of Spain, including cities like Madrid and Toledo, exhibits a semi-arid climate. Summers can be scorching with dry heat dominating the region, while winters experience cooler temperatures with sporadic rainfall.
In essence, the climate journey through inland Spain is like traversing a multidimensional landscape painting, where each stroke reveals a different color and texture.
Having explored the diverse climates found from mountains to plateaus in inland Spain, we can now turn our attention to specific climates in other regions such as the Balearic Islands and Extremadura.
Specific Climates: Balearic Islands and Extremadura
The geography and climate of Spain exhibit a diverse range of landscapes and weather patterns across its regions. Let’s explore two specific areas with distinct climates: the Balearic Islands and Extremadura.
Situated in the western Mediterranean Sea, the Balearic Islands offer a picturesque setting for tourists seeking warm beaches and vibrant nightlife. The archipelago comprises four main islands: Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, and Formentera, each with its own unique climate.
Mallorca experiences a typical Mediterranean climate characterized by hot, dry summers and mild winters. Average temperatures range from 30°C (86°F) in summer to 10°C (50°F) in winter. The island receives abundant sunshine throughout the year, making it an ideal destination for sun-seekers.
Menorca, on the other hand, has a slightly cooler climate compared to Mallorca due to its geographical position further north. Summers are still warm but milder than those on Mallorca, with average temperatures around 25°C (77°F). Winters are relatively mild with average temperatures ranging from 8°C to 15°C (46°F – 59°F).
Meanwhile, Ibiza is known for its vibrant nightlife but also offers a pleasant climate. Summers are characterized by hot temperatures reaching around 30°C (86°F), while winters remain mild with average temperatures between 10°C – 15°C (50°F – 59°F). The island is blessed with plenty of sunny days throughout the year, adding to its allure.
Lastly, Formentera shares a similar climate with its neighboring island, Ibiza. Warm summers see average temperatures around 29°C (84°F), while winters remain mild with temperatures ranging from 11°C to 15°C (52°F – 59°F).
In contrast to the Balearic Islands, Extremadura is an inland region situated in southwestern Spain. It has a continental Mediterranean climate with distinct seasons and a lower influence from maritime influences.
Summers in Extremadura are hot and dry, with temperatures often exceeding 35°C (95°F) during July and August. Winters, on the other hand, can be cold with average temperatures ranging from 0°C to 15°C (32°F – 59°F). The region experiences moderate precipitation throughout the year, with slightly higher amounts during spring and autumn.
Extremadura’s geography also plays a role in its climate. The presence of mountain ranges such as the Sierra de Gata and Sierra de Guadalupe contributes to variations within the region. Higher elevations experience cooler temperatures and more significant rainfall compared to lowland areas.
Now that we have explored the specific climates of the Balearic Islands and Extremadura, let’s dive into how these island and inland regions present contrasting weather patterns.
Contrasting Climates in Island and Inland Regions
The Balearic Islands and Extremadura represent two contrasting facets of Spain’s climate due to their geographical locations. While the Balearic Islands enjoy a Mediterranean climate influenced by maritime conditions, Extremadura experiences a continental Mediterranean climate in an inland setting.
The Balearic Islands benefit from their proximity to the sea, resulting in milder temperatures compared to inland regions. The maritime influence brings humid air mass which helps regulate temperature extremes, leading to warm summers and relatively mild winters across all four islands.
On the other hand, Extremadura’s inland location exposes it to continental influences. Far from the moderating effects of large bodies of water, this region experiences more pronounced seasonality with hotter summers and colder winters. Lacking significant coastal influences also means less moisture availability for precipitation, making it a drier region overall.
Understanding these contrasts in climate is vital for various sectors, such as agriculture, tourism, and energy. The Balearic Islands flourish as popular tourist destinations due to their inviting beach weather throughout the year, while Extremadura’s climate presents challenges and opportunities for agricultural practices and water resource management.
What impact does altitude have on the climate in Spain’s mountainous regions?
Altitude plays a crucial role in shaping the climate of Spain’s mountainous regions. As one ascends higher, temperatures decrease significantly, resulting in cooler and more variable weather. For instance, the Sierra Nevada mountain range experiences an average temperature drop of 0.6°C per 100 meters of elevation. This change in temperature also affects precipitation patterns, with higher altitudes receiving greater amounts of annual rainfall or snowfall. Overall, the altitude in Spain’s mountainous regions creates diverse microclimates, making them ideal for activities such as winter sports or enjoying cool summers.
How does the climate in coastal regions of Spain compare to inland areas?
The climate in coastal regions of Spain tends to be milder and more stable compared to inland areas. Coastal regions benefit from the moderating influence of the ocean, resulting in cooler summers and milder winters. Inland areas, on the other hand, experience greater temperature variations due to their distance from the coast. For instance, cities like Madrid can experience scorching hot summers with temperatures frequently exceeding 35°C (95°F), whereas coastal cities like Barcelona enjoy average summer temperatures around 28°C (82°F). This contrast is attributed to the Mediterranean Sea’s cooling effect on coastal areas.
How do the Canary Islands differ from other regions in terms of climate?
The Canary Islands stand out from other regions in Spain due to their unique climate. Thanks to their proximity to the African coast, they enjoy a subtropical climate characterized by mild winters and warm summers. With average temperatures ranging from 18°C (64°F) in winter to 26°C (79°F) in summer, these islands experience consistently pleasant weather year-round. Moreover, the Canaries boast a low annual rainfall of about 200mm (7.9 inches), making them drier than other regions in Spain. These factors make the Canary Islands an ideal destination for those seeking sun, warmth, and a pleasant climate throughout the year.
What is the best time of year to visit each region based on its climate?
The best time to visit each region in Spain based on its climate varies. In the northern regions, such as Galicia and Asturias, summer months are ideal due to milder temperatures and less rainfall. Central regions like Madrid and Castilla y León are pleasant in spring and autumn with moderate temperatures and clear skies. Coastal areas such as Catalonia and Valencia are great year-round, with mild winters and hot summers. The Canary Islands offer a temperate climate throughout the year, making it a good destination any time. Lastly, Andalusia is best visited in spring or autumn when temperatures are not too high.
How has climate change affected the weather patterns in Spain over the last decade?
Climate change has had noticeable impacts on weather patterns in Spain over the last decade. Rising temperatures have led to more frequent heatwaves and longer periods of drought in certain regions. According to statistics from the Spanish Meteorological Agency, the average temperature in Spain has increased by 1.5°C since 2000. This has resulted in reduced rainfall and increased frequency of extreme weather events such as heavy rainstorms and flash floods. These changes are also affecting agriculture and water resources, highlighting the urgent need for climate adaptation measures in Spain.


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Climate Truth • TruthLights
|How Different Precipitation Types Form|
|Cold Air Damming Explanation|
When a winter storm is approaching, I frequently mention the cold air wedge that forms east of the mountains in my forecast discussion. You may have wondered what that is, and that is why I decided to write this explanation. Cold air damming (or cadding for short), commonly referred to as the "wedge", often occurs in this area during winter storms, and occasionally during all-rain events as well. Cadding occurs when a cold-core (meaning it originated in Canada or the Arctic region and is cold at the center) high-pressure system is located to our north, typically in or near New England. Air flow around a high-pressure system is clockwise, which means that it will send cold air southward, into Virginia and the Carolinas, as the diagram to the right shows.|
You can also see that the low-pressure system that is moving up from the south sends a surge of warm air northward to the west of the mountains. The typical result is a mixture of wintry weather to the east of the mountains where cadding holds temperatures below freezing, but temperatures are much warmer to the west of the mountains. The map below shows a classic cadding situation, with surface temperatures from 7 PM on January 26, 2004 (or 00 zulu/GMT time January 27).
Notice that cadding during this winter storm was particularly strong, with the freezing line (the top of the dark green area) going all the way down into northeastern Georgia. Sometimes cadding only stretches as far as northern South Carolina, it just depends on the strength of the high-pressure system in New England. Temperatures in this area were in the lower to mid 20s. However, just to the west of the mountains, it is much warmer, with temperatures in the lower to mid 50s in central Kentucky. The freezing line to the west of the mountains reached all the way into central Ohio and northwestern West Virginia. Cadding is part of what makes most winter storms so difficult to forecast in this area, because computer models have a difficult time dealing with it, and they tend to underestimate the cadding (in other words, their forecasts are usually too warm.) However, cadding has much less impact on temperatures in the upper atmosphere, where temperatures often rise above freezing during winter storms. Since upper air temperatures usually determine precipitation type, that is why we usually get a wintry mix instead of just snow. Even though cadding keeps surface temperatures well below freezing, the temperatures in the upper atmosphere warm up into the mid or upper 30s, and that situation would cause sleet and/or freezing rain to fall. During the time frame depicted in the map above, although temperatures were in the mid 20s, we were getting freezing rain, because upper atmosphere temperatures were much warmer.
|Weather Term of the Day|
|For about a 3-month period in the fall of 2007, I included a weather term along with its definition on my website each day. If you missed some of these or would just like to review them again, you can click here (right-click, save target as) to see the list of terms and definitions that I used. Or, click here for the complete glossary from the NWS.|
|Computer Models Explanation|
|The term "computer model" is used often in the Forecast Discussion. A computer model is a sophisticated computer that receives all the current data and outputs a forecast. The forecasts go out to 2 to 16 days and are updated 1 to 4 times daily depending on the model.|
|The Truth About Global Warming / Climate Change|
(I wrote this article in the summer of 2007. For more recent information, click here to visit my Climate Truth website.)|
"Global Warming." Such a simple phrase, yet one that is surrounded by an incredible amount of controversy. My purpose in writing this is to inform the general public about the issue, and to help separate facts from fiction. There is a significant amount of misinformation out there, primarily due to the fact that some people are trying to use the issue to gain some kind of a political advantage. While I do have a strong opinion on the issue, I will make a point to clearly distinguish between the facts and my opinions.
You can either read the entire article, or jump to a section of interest:
• We've only been collecting reliable data for about a half-century at most
• Quality control issues with the data that we do have
• Recent corrections to NASA global temperature data point to the warmest decade on record being the 1930s
• Changes in the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere likely cause changes in temperature, not the other way around
• We know that hurricane activity goes in cycles of about 30 years
• Dr. William Gray's comments on global warming
• The unnecessary involvement of politics in the debate
• Lynchburg's data dates back to the 1890s, and they rarely set record highs; over 130 of their record highs were set in the 1930s
• 24 all-time state record highs across the country were set in or around the 1930s, while just two have been set in the last 10 years
Fact: Unfortunately, and contrary to what you may have heard, the only fact about the entire global warming issue is that we have no idea what the cause is, or even if we're warming much at all. People have strong opinions on both sides of the issue, but despite what anyone may try to tell you, that is the only fact. We simply don't know.
I'll start with the latter point. "Of course the earth is warming; even if we're not causing it, all the data says we're warmer than we've ever been!" You've probably heard that argument, but is it correct? Actually, it's far from it. First of all, we only have reasonably accurate temperature data across the world going back a few decades--50 years at most. When we're dealing with something this complex, 50 years of data is practically nothing, and certainly isn't anywhere near enough to even begin making a conclusion one way or the other.
Secondly, even with the data that we have, there are significant quality control issues. Some observation sites are moved around a lot over time, especially in certain parts of the world such as in China. Any time a site is moved, its data is basically rendered useless, because every location has its own localized climate. Aside from that problem, some stations that have remained in the same location in a big city for a long time are now becoming subject to the "urban heat island" effect. Apart from the issue of global warming, there has been definite warming in urban areas over the last few decades. Researchers have attempted to introduce corrections to that data to account for the heat island effect, but there is really no way of knowing if those corrections are accurate or not. In addition, I recently became aware of the alarming fact that there are significantly fewer observation sites around the world than there have been in the recent past, and many of those that have disappeared have been in cooler areas. Russia, in particular, has lost many, many stations since the breakup of the USSR, and obviously that is one of the colder parts of the world. Losing that much data from a large, cold part of the world is sure to cause a bit of an increase in global temperature averages, even if there has been no change at all.
Finally, a significant discovery was revealed in early August of 2007. Unfortunately, it was largely ignored by the media of this country, although it was published in an Australian newspaper. So, what is this discovery? Apparently, NASA had some kind of a Y2K computer bug that caused a glitch in their global temperature data. Essentially, the glitch caused data from the last decade or two to appear warmer than it actually was. The scientists who researched this issue claimed to have a lot of difficulty in even getting access to some of this data, but once they were finally able to, they found the problem and corrected it. (If you would like to read more about this: 1998 no longer the hottest year on record in USA or Cold, hard facts take the heat out of some hot claims) With this discovery, 1934 has now moved into the top slot as the warmest year on record, and the infamous warm year of 1998 drops back to second place. In fact, 4 of the top 10 years are now in the 1930s, making it the warmest decade on record. Along with one in the 1920s and another in the 1950s, that gives us a total of 6 years prior to 1960 among the top-10 warmest on record. Just 3 of the top 10 years occurred in the 1990s, and 2006 is the other.
My reason for explaining all of that is to show you an example of how many problems we have with global temperature data, and how it's not particularly useful in trying to prove anything because it simply can't be trusted. If a simple computer glitch causes us to think that a certain year was the warmest on record and that turns out not to be the case, how can we rely on any of this data? It is for these reasons, among many others, that we truly have no possible way of knowing whether or not global warming is even occurring, and we won't for a long time to come.
Opinion: The facts show that we can't prove whether the planet is warming, cooling, or staying about the same. But, my opinion on the issue goes far beyond that. While we are clearly in somewhat of a warm period, that's all it is--a period. Humans are having little to no impact on the environment, and it's all a natural cycle. In fact, I believe it is likely that we will enter a cooler period within the next 10 to 15 years.
Unfortunately, given the data problems I discussed earlier, we don't really have any way of knowing if humans are impacting the environment or not. But I strongly feel like we are not. First of all, the atmosphere is large and incredibly complex. Based on that simple fact, I already have doubts that anything we could do on the ground could have anything more than a minor impact on the atmosphere. Going one step further, I have seen data on multiple occasions that indicates the opposite of what most people believe. (Note that this is in the "opinion" section because I have no way of verifying whether or not it is accurate, although it does have a reasonable amount of evidence to support it.) This data states that, contrary to popular belief, changes in the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are a result of temperature changes, not the cause of temperature changes. Basically, the data shows that temperatures increase, THEN carbon dioxide (CO2) levels increase. If CO2 levels only increase after temperatures already have, how can an increase in CO2 cause an increase in temperature? It can't. If this data were to be proven true, it would basically put an end to all the talk of human-induced global warming. Unfortunately, like so many other things I have discussed, it's unlikely that it can be proven beyond any doubt, and so the debate continues.
We know for a fact that hurricane activity in the Atlantic Ocean has a cycle of about 30 years. We saw increased activity in the 1930s, 40s, and 50s, then decreased activity in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Yes, Hurricane Camille did hit in 1969, but overall, those three decades were quieter. Another more active period began in the early 1990s, and it is expected to continue until about 2015 or 2020. The fact that we saw 27 named storms in 2005, near the middle of a cycle of increased activity, was not really a shock. No one expected to see quite that many storms, but still, it wasn't a huge surprise to most people. (Despite the fact that 2005 will officially go on record as being the most active season since records began in 1888, that is likely not the case. 1933 held the old record, and we had 21 named storms in that year. But, keep in mind that satellites had not yet been invented in 1933, and it is extremely likely that several storms developed out in the middle of the Atlantic that no one ever knew about. If we had today's technology back then, 1933 likely would have featured more than 27 named storms.)
Given that fact, isn't it reasonable to assume that the overall climate may have a similar cycle? After all, we know the 1920s and 1930s were as warm if not warmer than today, and don't forget that the 1930s was referred to as the "dust bowl". It was hot and dry, and there was a lot of hurricane activity. Sounds a lot like today, doesn't it? Temperatures cooled back down after that, and the period from the 1960s to the 1980s was fairly cool across the country and probably across the world as well. We started to warm back up after that, but who's to say that we won't start cooling back down in the next 10 to 15 years?
A number of top meteorologists agree with that prediction. Dr. William Gray has made some strong comments against global warming in recent months. He is a well-known hurricane forecaster at the Colorado State University, and is quite possibly the most knowledgeable person in that field. He made seasonal hurricane predictions for about 30 years before turning that job over to his mentee. He strongly believes that global warming is NOT a reality, and has had some strong words for the people he calls "global warming alarmists". Dr. Gray has been quoted as saying "I have a bit of an obligation, at my age -- I was trained to tell the truth. There's a lot of hogwash in this." (Interview with Dr. William Gray) Why anyone would listen to Al Gore and not listen to the top hurricane expert in the country about the issue of climate change is something I'll never understand, but that certainly seems to be happening to some extent.
Speaking of Gore, politicians are a big reason why this debate has really gotten out of hand. I won't name names (aside from him) and I won't name parties, but there are some very alarming things going on. Dr. Gray has clearly stated that he had a lot of difficulty even getting grants to help him with his research, because of his view on the issue. There are also some people who will quickly state that "global warming is real and humans are causing it; all scientists agree and the debate is over." It is VERY concerning to me whenever one side of a debate tries to censor the other side (such as Heidi Cullum of The Weather Channel, who believes that any television meteorologist who doesn't believe in global warming should be stripped of their American Meteorological Society seal), or even pretend that it doesn't exist at all. That instantly tells me that the side attempting to do the censoring doesn't think their side of the debate is foolproof, but they want to convince people that it is. But that's not how to have a healthy debate. Because of what other people have chosen to do, I felt like I needed to briefly touch on the political side of the debate, although it really shouldn't be a political issue at all.
Finally, I want to touch on the significance of some record temperatures. During the summer of 2007, especially, we saw frequent record highs and record high minimums (the warmest morning low on record) across the region. Our National Weather Service office (Blacksburg) maintains official climate data for five locations. Four of those (Danville, Roanoke, Blacksburg, and Bluefield WV) averaged around 15 records during the month of August alone, for a combined total of 60 records. However, the other station in Lynchburg only set 2 records during the month. The National Weather Service attributed some of that to the fact that Lynchburg was farther away from the center of the hot air mass. While it's true that could have some impact, I don't think it was enough to make much of a difference.
So, why did Lynchburg only set 2 records while the other locations set around 15? It's simple. The other four stations have data going back about a half-century, while Lynchburg's data goes back 115 years, all the way back into the 1890s. The much longer period of record, combined with my hypothesis that it was actually quite a bit warmer in the 1930s than it is today, are the main reasons why Lynchburg rarely sets new temperature records. Over 130 (more than one-third) of Lynchburg's daily record highs were set between 1930 and 1941, while only a handful have been set in the last five years. (I was unable to find an exact count, but it's probably between 5 and 10.) This data overwhemingly supports the idea that it was much warmer in the 1930s. We do have to keep in mind that we're only talking about one location, but I feel like it is fairly representative of the overall pattern.
Since I originally wrote this, the month of September brought forth a continuation of heat. Danville had 14 days with highs at or above 90, close to the record for September of 17 such days. Lynchburg had half as many 90+ days with 7, but that was far short of their record of 15, which was set back in September 1933. If Danville's records extended back that far, their record would have likely been quite a bit higher than 17 days. As hot as this September was overall, I have a feeling it was much, much hotter back in 1933 (which was also likely the most active hurricane season on record, as I discussed a little earlier).
The other aspect related to record temperatures concerns state records. Each state has its all-time record high temperature on record. Virginia's record high is 110, set in 1954 at Balcony Falls. Now, when you look at the list of record highs as a whole, things get really interesting. 24 (roughly half) of the 50 state record highs were set between 1930 and 1937. In fact, three record highs have held since 1900 or before. Contrary to that, just 8 state record highs have been set in the last 30 years, and just 2 have been tied since the turn of the century (South Dakota tied its record in 2006, and Arizona did the same in 2007). Since both of those temperatures just tied the old records, there really hasn't been a new statewide record high temperature set since 1995. If global warming was such a serious problem, don't you think we would have set more state record highs by now?
We haven't set any state record lows since the turn of the century, although we did set 6 new records in the mid to late 1990s. Four of those were set in early February 1996, which also marks the time frame of the lowest temperature I have ever recorded (-2, but my records only date back to 1995). Based on that data, as well as a number of other factors and simple observation, it seems obvious that we're not in cold pattern. But at the same time, it's not as warm as some would have you believe, either.
My main point is this: it is extremely likely that humans are having little to no impact on the environment, and most likely we are simply in a warmer cycle, as has happened time and time again over the course of history. Don't forget that the same group of people that is screaming "global warming!" today was screaming "global cooling!" back in the 1970s. When they start screaming about global cooling again in about 30 or 40 years, just think back to our current debate. Remember the truth, that we have no way of knowing anything in this debate for certain, but also remember the likelihood that it's all just a natural cycle.


Agriculture is responsible for 25 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Unlike fossil fuels, agriculture can be harder to measure and target. Solutions to reducing greenhouse gases from agriculture must focus on methane and nitrous oxide, and have the potential for significant climate benefits, according to David Lobell, professor of Earth system science at Stanford University.
Stanford Earth scientists discuss climate-smart agriculture.
A bill under debate in Congress would pave the way to verifying and paying for farms’ carbon savings. Stanford scientists explore this and other opportunities for growing climate change solutions on U.S. farms.
A major bill with bipartisan …


Weather in Temecula Valley
The valley's unique microclimate makes for a general year-round pattern of morning mist, warm midday sun, cooling afternoon breezes, and cooler nights. These weather factors combined with the perfect balance of great geography create an ideal environment for growing high quality wine grapes and experiencing a variety of outdoor activities.
Although separated from the Pacific by the Santa Rosa range, the Rainbow Gap funnels the mild beach climate into the valley. Average summer highs are 85 degrees; winter lows 39 degrees. Yearly average rainfall in Temecula is approximately 14 inches, as compiled by the Rancho California Water District.
The quality of air in Temecula Valley is consistently better than that of surrounding areas. Ocean breezes flow through the valley almost every day, sweeping away smog. In the summer, you might typically feel the gentle Pacific winds that help keep temperatures lower than what you would find in some of the surrounding area.
Current Weather in Temecula:


Ever wonder why everyone produces anomalies instead of absolute temperatures? You’ll have to read the references to get the whole story. Worth the effort.
We recently presented and discussed modeled and observed global surface temperatures in absolute terms. See the post On the Elusive Absolute Global Mean Surface Temperature – A Model-Data Comparison. The WattsUpWithThat cross post is here. Yesterday, Willis Eschenbach at WUWT furnished EXCEL spreadsheets that included the outputs of climate model simulations of global surface temperatures in absolute terms. See Willis’s post CMIP5 Model Temperature Results in Excel.
Hot on the heels of those two posts comes a discussion at RealClimate of modeled absolute global surface temperatures, authored by Gavin Schmidt, the head of the Goddard Institute of Space Studies (GISS). Gavin’s post is Absolute temperatures and relative anomalies. Please read it in its entirety. I believe you’ll find it interesting. (Thanks, Gavin.)
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Often we’re asked about the best time to see the Northern Lights in Iceland. While actually seeing the lights can be hit or miss depending on terrestrial and solar weather (and a good amount of luck) here’s the 411 on how to catch these elusive lights.
Light and cloud cover are important
Simply put, the best time to see the Northern Lights in Iceland is when there aren’t any clouds, and light pollution from the sun and city is low (aka the middle of the night away from the city). While cloud cover is uncontrollable, places at higher latitudes like Iceland enjoy much longer nights in the winter which allows a longer and darker viewing period for aurora hunters. The ideal time for viewing is in the darkest part of the night, approximately 11p-2a. As for clouds, you’re unlikely to see the Northern Lights during a cloudy night, but just because there are clouds directly overhead doesn’t mean you won’t be able to see the aurora far off from your location where the sky is clearer.
How to view the Northern Lights
On our first trip to Iceland, we learned that often when you can’t see the Northern Lights well with your naked eye, you can in-fact see them through the eyepiece of a camera. What was a faint dancing white and gray aurora with the naked eye became a vibrant mix of blues and greens through the lens of our camera.
While a lot of cameras will pick up the spectrum of light that auroras emit, it’s possible that your camera or phone won’t be capable. It’s best to check with the manufacturer of your camera or phone to know what part of the visual spectrum it’s capable of capturing.
So when is the best time to see Northern Lights in Iceland?
As we’ve outlined above, long nights are important for having the best possibility of seeing the Northern Lights. While it’s possible to see the lights in other seasons (they came out a little bit in April when we were there), the chance of seeing the aurora decreases during other periods.
The best time to see the Northern Lights in Iceland is in December. With around 18-19 hours of night skies, chances of catching the lights is much higher. The great part is that the temperature in December isn’t nearly as cold (on average) as January, February, and March. You’ll still want to dress warmly though. With temperatures between 30F – 39F it’ll definitely be bone-chilling weather.
Other parts of the winter in Iceland can be awesome for aurora viewing, but might have other less accommodating conditions. For instance, in January, the temperature in Iceland can be between 27F – 37F. And in November, the temp can be a bit warmer (32F – 41F) but the nights are a bit shorter (so less darkness for aurora viewing).
The warmer season
The warm season isn’t the best time to see Northern Lights in Iceland, but it is a great time to see other things like waterfalls, lush landscapes, and incredible volcanic vistas. There’s always a possibility to see the lights during warmer months, but the lack of long nights makes it a bit less likely.
Overall, if you’re headed to Iceland to see the Northern Lights, it’s always best to make aurora hunting the secondary goal. The beauty, culture, and food scene all make Iceland an incredible place to visit any time of the year, and an aurora here or there is simply the icing on the cake!
Header photo by Cameron Pickett


This artist concept portrays the brown dwarf W1935, which is located 47 light-years from Earth. Astronomers using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope found infrared emission from methane coming from W1935. This is an unexpected discovery because the brown dwarf is cold and lacks a host star; therefore, there is no obvious source of energy to heat its upper atmosphere and make the methane glow. The team speculates that the methane emission may be due to processes generating aurorae, shown here in red.
NASA, ESA, CSA, Leah Hustak (STScI)


Cloudy this morning...then becoming partly sunny. Scattered showers. Areas of dense fog this morning. Scattered thunderstorms this afternoon. Highs in the upper 70s. South winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40 percent.
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Editor Sean Welsh, Kirsten Dize, Editor Marge Neal, Elizabeth Janney, and Editor Brandie Jefferson,
Havre de Grace Patch's (incredibly grateful)


The autumn is upon us and for weather watchers, this doesn’t just mean the cooling temperatures or darkening days but the announcement of this year’s storm names.
The Met Office (and Met Éireann) have sent out to email subscribers (of course I am one) it’s list of names.
According to the Met Office’s Head of Public Weather Services, Derrick Ryall, the reason storms are named is because “Naming storms has been proved to raise awareness of severe weather in the UK, providing a consistent message to the public and crucially prompting people to take action to prevent harm to themselves or to their property.”
To back this up, the Met Office website pointed out that in a recent YouGov survey, it found that 80% who responded said that the storms having a name was useful to them. It also helped them realise that when a storm gets a name, it is going to be a lot harsher than a normal wet and windy spell.
The idea of naming something also helps solidify the significance of the storm and its potential impact. I’ve often found myself much more wary when I know that a named storm is on the way. It prompts you to action whether consciously or subconsciously.
Here are the names of the potential storms popping up this autumn/winter (although we can still get them into early summer) 2018/2019:
Good luck and batten down the hatches,
Source of quotes, graphics and data: https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/news/releases/2018/storm-names-2018-19


LIFE REstore International Conference ‚ÄúSustainable Management of Degraded Peatlands and Climate Change Mitigation‚ÄĚ
European Commission LIFE programm project LIFE REstore ‚ÄúSustainable and responsible management and re-use of degraded peatlands in Latvia‚ÄĚ (LIFE REstore, LIFE14 CCM/LV/001103) invites to participate in the international conference "Sustainable Management of Degraded Peatlands and Climate Change Mitigation‚ÄĚ that will take place on June 13-14, 2019 at the Academic Center for Natural Sciences of the University of Latvia (1 Jelgava street, Riga, Latvia). The goal of this conference: to raise awareness of peatlands‚Äô role in climate change mitigation.
Latvia is the first of the Baltic States which has elaborated a comprehensive set of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission factors for degraded organic soils to be used in Latvia‚Äôs National GHG Inventory
The EU LIFE REstore project‚Äôs greenhouse gas (GHG) emission measurement results confirm ‚Äď the default GHG emission factors that are used today in Latvia‚Äôs National GHG Inventory Report are two times higher than the real GHG emissions from nutrient-poor managed organic soils in Latvia. The elaborated GHG emission factors will allow to reduce Latvia‚Äôs reported GHG emissions by 1,8 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2), equivalent per year that is approximately 17% of the total national GHG emissions annually. Furthermore, this will contribute to the more accurate planning of Latvia‚Äôs climate change mitigation policies and measures which has to be implemented to reach the national and international commitments according to the Paris agreement climate change mitigation targets. Latvia is the first of the Baltic States where national GHG emission factors are elaborated for managed wetlands as well as for organic soil in cropland, grassland and forest land on nutrient poor soils.


What is the precipitation for the next 7 days?
- Tuesday and Wednesday and then Saturday and Sunday: average, max and min precipitation 0mm from midnight, through to 11pm
- Thursday: average precipitation 0.25mm, max 0.7mm at 2pm, min 0mm from midnight, through to 5am and then 11pm
- Friday: average precipitation 0.01mm, max 0.1mm from 1pm, through to 3pm, min 0mm from midnight, through to midday and then 4pm, through to 11pm
Ask a question, or search for a city, suburb or street address.


STANHOPE, NJ (Sussex County) – A powerful storm slammed through Northwest New Jersey Tuesday night, carving a path of destruction.
The National Weather Service Team in Sussex County has determined that the storm damage in Stanhope and Hopatcong was caused by an EF1 (86 -110 mph) tornado. The team has yet to determine specifics such as path length, width, and maximum wind speed.
Lenape Valley Regional High School in Stanhope sustained some damage from the tornado.
As of Wednesday afternoon, about 7,000 customers remained without power in Warren, Morris and Sussex Counties, according to Jersey Central Power & Light.


A tornado is a tube of violently spinning air that touches the ground. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a narrower sense, only to name hurricanes or typhoons. Most tornadoes have wind speeds less than 110 miles per hour, are approximately 250 feet across, and travel a few miles before dissipating. The most extreme can attain wind speeds of more than 300 mph, stretch more than two miles across, and stay on the ground for dozens of miles.
Tornadoes often develop from a class of thunderstorms known as supercells. Other tornado-like phenomena that exist in nature include the gustnado (short-lived, low-level rotating cloud), dust devil, fire whirls, and steam devil. Tornadoes have been observed on every continent except Antarctica. However, the vast majority of tornadoes in the world occur in the Tornado Alley region of the United States (the area between the Rocky and Appalachian Mountains).
Occasionally, a single storm will produce more than one tornado, either simultaneously or in succession. Multiple tornadoes produced by the same storm cell are referred to as a ‘tornado family.’ Several tornadoes are sometimes spawned from the same large-scale storm system. If there is no break in activity, this is considered a tornado outbreak.
Tornadoes in the dissipating stage can resemble narrow tubes or ropes, and often curl or twist into complex shapes. These tornadoes are said to be ‘roping out’: the length of their funnel increases, which forces the winds within the funnel to weaken due to conservation of angular momentum. Tornadoes normally counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern.
The most extreme tornado in recorded history was the Tri-State Tornado, which roared through parts of Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana in 1925. It was likely an F5, though tornadoes were not ranked on any scale in that era. It holds records for longest path length (219 miles), longest duration (about 3.5 hours), and fastest forward speed for a significant tornado (73 mph) anywhere on Earth. In addition, it is the deadliest single tornado in United States history (695 dead).
There are several different scales for rating the strength of tornadoes. The Fujita scale rates tornadoes by damage caused, and has been replaced in some countries by the updated Enhanced Fujita Scale. An F0 or EF0 tornado, the weakest category, damages trees, but not substantial structures. An F5 or EF5 tornado, the strongest category, rips buildings off their foundations and can deform large skyscrapers.
Folklore often identifies a green sky with tornadoes, and though the phenomenon may be associated with severe weather, there is no evidence linking it specifically with tornadoes. It is often thought that opening windows will lessen the damage caused by the tornado. While there is a large drop in atmospheric pressure inside a strong tornado, it is unlikely that the pressure drop would be enough to cause the house to explode. Some research indicates that opening windows may actually increase the severity of the tornado’s damage.
Another commonly held belief is that highway overpasses provide adequate shelter from tornadoes. On the contrary, a highway overpass is a dangerous place during a tornado. An old belief is that the southwest corner of a basement provides the most protection during a tornado. The safest place is the side or corner of an underground room opposite the tornado’s direction of approach (usually the northeast corner), or the central-most room on the lowest floor. Taking shelter in a basement, under a staircase, or under a sturdy piece of furniture such as a workbench further increases chances of survival.


SPECTACULAR SUNDOGS – In the skies over Palo Alto County, the sundogs were out and brilliantly lit on either side of the sun. Saturday, Jan. 8, was most definitely one of the coldest day of the season so far and the coldest of 2016, with air temperatures reaching -17 F and wind chill close to -30 F. Temperatures dipped into sub-zero temperatures again Jan. 16-17. Sundogs are relatives of rainbows and are caused by the sun hitting ice clouds and the ice acts as prisms. While rainbows signal an end to the rain, sundogs often mean that rain or snow is on the way. Many of the old farmers will say that sundogs represent extremely cold weather and the past two weekends were definitely cold.
– Anesa McGregor photo


Find out the latest temperatures and weather conditions in Kampala and Entebbe with our six-day Kampala weather forecast below.
Kampala, Uganda’s capital city is bordered by Mukono district to its east, with the rest of the city lying adjacent to Wakiso district. It is situated at an altitude varying between 1189 m and 1402 m above sea level.
Kampala is an inland city lying some distance from the sea. It has a typically tropical climate modified by altitude. The average temperature in Kampala is 22o C. Daytime temperatures average between a maximum of 27o C and minimum of 17o C. However, there are significant variations in temperature, often going up to 35o C and dropping to 12o C. Humidity levels average 75% all year round, typically peaking in the morning and dropping in the afternoon.
Entebbe is in south central Uganda, near Kampala, at the tip of a peninsula which projects into Lake Victoria. Thanks to its elevation (3,760 ft/1,146 m above sea level), the town enjoys a pleasantly warm and moderate climate. This makes it a perfect weekend getaway for residents of Kampala seeking a brief respite from hectic schedules and typical urban hassles like smog and downtown traffic gridlocks.