Summer On Hold Next Week - Coolest MLB All-Star Game on Record?
Posted by: Paul Douglas
Updated: July 9, 2014 - 11:27 PM
"July-tober"
Not much surprises me anymore. Numbing cold followed by record rains
as weather patterns slow and our climate becomes more volatile? A 4th of
July blizzard would have gotten my attention.
Welcome to the "new normal".
Even so next week's weather map made me do a double-take. During what
is typically the hottest week of the year a hunk of October-like air
will hurtle south. Minnesotans will be wandering around in light jackets
& sweatshirts on Monday and early Tuesday, mourning the (temporary)
death of summer.
1816 was "A Year Without a Summer", due to low solar activity and
volcanic eruptions. Heavy snows were reported into June; ice "thick
enough to support the full weight of a duck" into July over New England.
This summer? Not quite that extreme, but the jet stream is still
misbehaving and I suspect it's related to rapid warming of the Arctic.
We'll see.
A comfortable Thursday gives way to a few T-storms Friday, the
wettest day in sight. Soak up 80s Saturday because an autumn-like cool
front arrives late Sunday. By Monday "highs" may hold in the 50s north,
60s south with a discernible whiff of crisp mid-summer wind chill.
Just when you thought things couldn't get any stranger around here.
* Monday 1 PM temperature anomalies across the USA courtes of Weather
Bell. Temperatures may be 26 F. cooler than average across much of
Minnesota; as much as 30-34 F. warmer than normal across western Canada.
More crazy extremes.
.28" rain predicted for MSP tonight and early Friday. Source: NOAA NAM model
Reinforcing Tired Stereotypes. "Oh, you're from
Minnesota. It's really cold up there, huh?" Raise your hand if you've
ever heard that before. Plan on hearing more of it after Tuesday's MLB
All-Star game, which may wind up being the coolest on record, with
gametime temperatures in the 60s under a mostly clear sky. Light jacket
or sweatshirt weather. But not as chilly as Monday, when 10-20 mph
winds, coupled with ragged clouds and PM showers will make you SWEAR
it's October. Something to look forward to. A meager warm front sparks a
few showers and T-showers tonight into Friday morning. Summer takes a
siesta next week.
Risk of a Smoky Sunset. Visible satellite imagery
Wednesday showed a plume of smoke sweeping across the Dakotas, from
wildfires blazing over Canada's Northwest Territories. Some of that
smoke may reach Minnesota in the coming days, giving the sky a milky,
hazy cast - possibly sparking an extra-red sunrise or sunset. Image: Des
Moines office of the National Weather Service and
Twitter.
Tornado Alley Migration? Traditional Tornado Alley
runs from Texas to Iowa, but in recent years NOAA SPC has issued the
most Tornado Watches for southern Alabama and Mississippi, the same area
that has the highest tornado concentration and death toll. Not quite
what I was expecting, and it's the topic of today's first
Climate Matters segment.
Steps To Reduce The Risk of Tornado Damage in Commercial Structures. Here's an excerpt of an interesting story at
DisasterSafety.org that caught my eye: "...
The
strongest category of tornadoes can generate maximum wind speeds of
greater than 250 mph, which is enough to destroy most buildings and
structures in their path. These maximum wind speeds generate forces that are about twice as large as those generated by the strongest hurricanes.
Only a few specialty buildings are designed to withstand the direct
impact of a severe tornado. However, well engineered, large and tall
commercial structures are not likely to suffer structural collapse. For
smaller commercial structures, good construction choices can give added
protection and increase the likelihood that at least part of the
structure will remain standing to provide shelter. Buildings that have
been strengthened in critical areas and particularly at connection
points, such as between the roof and walls and walls and foundation,
would have a good chance of surviving intact or with minor cosmetic
damage if subjected to the outer edges of a tornado..."
Severe Storm Capital of the USA Since 2003: Asheville, North Carolina?
I know, I did a double-take too, and 10 years may not be a long enough
time to derive any meaningful statistical trends, but the Asheville area
receives nearly 40 days/year, on average, with a tornado, severe wind
storm or large hail within 25 miles of the city, according to NOAA SPC.
That compares with 25 in Atlanta, 21 in Dallas and Denver, 10 in Chicago
and roughly 16 in the Twin Cities. L.A. sees an average of 4 severe
weather days, with only 1 in the Bay Area and San Diego. Sign me up.
Source:
NOAA SPC.
Severe Thunderstorm Winds Days Per Year Since 2003.
The same trends are evident with thunderstorm generated straight-line
winds, with a peak frequence over the western Carolinas and the
Tennessee Valley. On average the Twin Cities have picked up an average
of 8-9 severe wind days/year since 2003.
Want To Avoid Hail? Move North. Cool breezes off
Lake Superior inhibit the largest, hail-producing thunderstorms much of
the summer season: 1-3 large hail days a year for Duluth, on average,
but less than 1 for much of the North Shore and Minnesota Arrowhead.
That compares with 3-6 large hail days for
Minneapolis - St. Paul, and over 8 hail days/year for Kansas City and the Denver area.
The Severe Weather Capital of the USA Since 2003 is....North Carolina?
When, exactly, did that happen? The data set isn't very long (since
2003), but looking at tornadoes, large hail and damaging winds
Asheville, North Carolina sees more than 3 times more "severe weather
days" during an average year than Dallas or Wichita. That's the subject
of a second
Climate Matters segment: "
40
days a year of severe weather makes..... Asheville, NC the severe
weather capital of the United States? It's true. The Carolinas see
almost 40 days a year with hail and wind gusts over 50 mph. That's a bit
of a head scratcher."
Be Prepared! What To Do Before, During, And After a Hurricane.
RedOrbit has a timely article with some useful information and links; here's an excerpt: "
From June 1 to November 30 of each year, the Atlantic hurricane season flexes its muscles. In an effort to help keep people alive and safe, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) keeps a Hurricane Preparedness website
that is full of great information to help with hurricane health and
safety. The CDC provides important tips to help before, during, and
after a hurricane. Before: The first tip is to prepare for a hurricane.
If you live in a place that could be hit, it is best to prepare now
rather than wait for a hurricane to be imminent. Before a hurricane, the
CDC identifies two steps: make a plan and get supplies. In making a
plan, the CDC gives these readiness suggestions..." (Hurricane Irene file photo: NASA).
Why New Orleans' Katrina Evacuation Debacle Will Never Happen Again.
Next City
has an interesting story focused on what New Orleans officials learned
in the wake of Superstorm Sandy; how they are much better prepared for
the next, inevitable hurricane. Here's an excerpt: "
In New Orleans,
evacuation requires decisions that must be made early before traffic
builds, motels fill up, roads flood, or winds reach dangerous levels. In
2005, when Katrina loomed in the Gulf, most New Orleanians did leave
town, but roughly 100,000 were left behind. Many lacked a car or money
for transportation, or had special needs that made evacuation
impossible. Others were stranded because they practiced “vertical
evacuation,” staying with family that lived on higher ground or renting
hotel rooms in buildings that had proven safe in the past. “We will
never do that again,” said Lt. Col. Jerry Sneed, the city’s deputy mayor
of Public Safety and Homeland Security..."
What's The Difference Between a Hurricane, Cyclone and Typhoon? Of course they are one in the same, but some of the classifications are slightly different, as explained at
wsav.com; here's a clip: "...
To
be classified as a hurricane… typhoon or cyclone… a storm must reach
wind speeds of at least 74 miles per hour. If a hurricane's winds reach
speeds of 111 miles per hour… it is then upgraded to a major hurricane.
If a typhoon hits 150 miles per hour then it becomes a super typhoon..."
end quote from:
http://www.startribune.com/blogs/266535861.html
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