Phenomenological extravaganza

First you had the rarely seen “Aircraft Produced Ice Particles” (APIPs, or “High Temperature Aircraft Contrails” (HTACs) in supercooled Altocumulus in the afternoon.  Contrails were being produced in clouds that were “only” -20 C to -30 C (-4 to -22 F) and aircraft contrails were thought to be impossible at those temperatures, but rather, only… Continue reading Phenomenological extravaganza

Pretty cloud day yesterday; storms dead ahead and ahead

In case you missed the pretty sights of yesterday:                                                                                  The clouds and weather just ahead… Continue reading Pretty cloud day yesterday; storms dead ahead and ahead

Airplanes slice through clouds; leave icy canals and trails

WHAT a gorgeous day was yesterday!  Perfect.  No wonder the northlanders come here in their droves now!  Its great to see (via the increasingly larger number of out-of-state license plates) all the people that want to be where I am already! While waiting for the storms and cold air just ahead now, this cloud commentary:… Continue reading Airplanes slice through clouds; leave icy canals and trails

Upper trough with rain continues to march toward Catalina from Siberia and points west

…and maybe points north, too.  Lately models have been foretelling rain in Catalina on the 17th or 18th.  In case you don’t believe me, here’s the precip forecast from last evening’s (00 Zulu) WRF-GOOFUS1 model run for the morning of the 18th as rendered by IPS MeteoStar:               What… Continue reading Upper trough with rain continues to march toward Catalina from Siberia and points west

Dusty parhelia

No, that’s not a baseball player that played for the Dodgers or Giants back in the 1950s, that was Dusty Roads; though Dusty Parhelia would be a nice name for a baseball player.  Yesterday, with our slightly dusty skies, and on the 22 degree halo ring, and horizontally from the sun’s position, was a couple… Continue reading Dusty parhelia

Jeckyll-Hyde models have future AZ rain once more after Big Miss today

Trying to feel better today about the huge miss, that “gutter ball” low that is slipping down the Baja coast toward MMZT (“Mazatlan” in weather identifier jargon) right now as I write, and trying to forget about what it could have been.  Reminds me, too, of that critical dropped pass in the Superbowl by some… Continue reading Jeckyll-Hyde models have future AZ rain once more after Big Miss today

Weather 10 days from now remains uncertain

Hahahahah.    That is the funniest thing I have thought of in a long time, and its not that funny.    Take a look at this “spaghetti” plot for 10 days from now based on last night’s global data.   The map is for 500 mb, about 15,000 to 20, ooo feet above sea level.… Continue reading Weather 10 days from now remains uncertain