How is the weather?

[steve ridgway]

In coastal California the weather situation is getting worrisome. We have had the declaration of a supposedly strong "El Niño," which is supposed to bring a wet winter season. However, mid December is approaching with almost no precipitation. Leaving me a bit on edge.

Are you thinking the rain's all going to come at once?

[Daverz]

In coastal California the weather situation is getting worrisome. We have had the declaration of a supposedly strong "El Niño," which is supposed to bring a wet winter season. However, mid December is approaching with almost no precipitation. Leaving me a bit on edge.

Looks like we'll get a couple inches in the week before Christmas, at least here in southern California.

[Spotted Horses]

Are you thinking the rain's all going to come at once?

California is not the sort of place where you hear the soft patter of rain every night. It comes in big storms. The main fear is the storms won't materialize and we'll end up back in drought. The other fear (almost realized last year) is the big storms will be too big, which is more often a problem for inland areas where the "atmospheric rivers" collide with mountains.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

California is not the sort of place where you hear the soft patter of rain every night. It comes in big storms. The main fear is the storms won't materialize and we'll end up back in drought. The other fear (almost realized last year) is the big storms will be too big, which is more often a problem for inland areas where the "atmospheric rivers" collide with mountains.

Looking at Accuweather's website, it sounds hopeful that you might get some rain next week.  What are your local forecasters predicting?

I believe that Sunday and Monday are supposed to be rainy ones here.  Mild temps forecast:  great for helping to keep the heating bill down, but still odd for us at this time of year.  I suspect no snowy Christmas for us though...we'll see.

Fingers crossed for you regarding rain!

PD

[DavidW]

I'm visiting family in west Texas and the weather was absolutely beautiful today!  Warm and sunny without a cloud in the sky. 

[steve ridgway]

^ Nice! It's been very windy and quite rainy here the last few days.

[Spotted Horses]

Rain in Southern California! And a downpour of 3 inches (7.5 cm) in a single hour in a neighboring town.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Rain in Southern California! And a downpour of 3 inches (7.5 cm) in a single hour in a neighboring town.

I had read some news about lingering rains and accumulations in parts of California recently.    More news?

And how are you doing?

Best wishes,

PD

[DavidW]

Rain in Southern California! And a downpour of 3 inches (7.5 cm) in a single hour in a neighboring town.

Wow!  Is it El Nino?

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Wow!  Is it El Nino?

It's hard to fathom that much rain in one hour.  I feel for the inhabitants of that neighboring town.  Hard to imagine.

PD

[Spotted Horses]

Wow!  Is it El Nino?

It's an unusually strong "atmospheric river" event, so it's hard to say that any factor caused it, only that it made the event more likely. El Niño, higher ocean temperatures associated with climate change, the increase is speed of the jet stream due to the greenhouse effect, all might be factors.

It's hard to fathom that much rain in one hour.  I feel for the inhabitants of that neighboring town.  Hard to imagine.

PD

The most intense rain seems to have hit Oxnard, the worst flooding in neighboring Port Heuneme where people woke up to 5 inches of water in their bedrooms. Our area in the city of Ventura got about 5 inches total over the course of 3 days, which is a typical California storm.  (The normal monthly total is usual about 2.5 inches, but it normally normally comes in big storms.)

Nothing compared with the "Tax Day Storm" that hit Houston in 2017, dropping 17 inches or rain over two days, at rates up to 4 inches per hour.

[krummholz]

Vermont also saw intense flooding last weekend, though not as severe as the floods we had in July. Many roads were flooded out, and the back roads are nearly impassable now except by ATV.

They should be able to start regrading those roads this week as temps above freezing are expected to persist through next weekend (currently 1º C).

[Pohjolas Daughter]

It's an unusually strong "atmospheric river" event, so it's hard to say that any factor caused it, only that it made the event more likely. El Niño, higher ocean temperatures associated with climate change, the increase is speed of the jet stream due to the greenhouse effect, all might be factors.

The most intense rain seems to have hit Oxnard, the worst flooding in neighboring Port Heuneme where people woke up to 5 inches of water in their bedrooms. Our area in the city of Ventura got about 5 inches total over the course of 3 days, which is a typical California storm.  (The normal monthly total is usual about 2.5 inches, but it normally normally comes in big storms.)

Nothing compared with the "Tax Day Storm" that hit Houston in 2017, dropping 17 inches or rain over two days, at rates up to 4 inches per hour.

Reading about your Californian rainstorms made me think of a song that I heard years ago "It never rains in southern California" by Albert Hammond.  I bought it on a 45 years ago.

Vermont also saw intense flooding last weekend, though not as severe as the floods we had in July. Many roads were flooded out, and the back roads are nearly impassable now except by ATV.

They should be able to start regrading those roads this week as temps above freezing are expected to persist through next weekend (currently 1º C).

Sorry that you had more flooding.

I heard that a number of folks lost power in Maine.

PD

[krummholz]

Sorry that you had more flooding.

I heard that a number of folks lost power in Maine.

PD

Thank you PD. Other than some road closures (and some likely damage to my car from driving on those back roads), the floods didn't affect me personally. But there are a lot of businesses, especially in places like downtown Montpelier, that had unwelcome cleanup jobs again from this, and some are temporarily closed.

And yes, I heard about the power outages in Maine. I was very much expecting to lose power too, but it didn't happen -- this time.

My weather station registered 75.0 mm of rain, just under 3" - though 2 to 3 mm of that was probably from melting snow trapped in the cup.

[Spotted Horses]

Reading about your Californian rainstorms made me think of a song that I heard years ago "It never rains in southern California" by Albert Hammond.  I bought it on a 45 years ago.
Sorry that you had more flooding.

Never rains in Southern California? That's our worst nightmare! (Technically, my location is usually classified as "Central Coast.") It is not unusual go from April through October without a drop of rain, but the late fall and winter is wet (hopefully).

Reminds me of another song, California Dreamin', by the Mamas and the Papas.

All the leaves are brown
And the sky is gray
I've been for a walk
On a winter's day
I'd be safe and warm
If I was in L.A.
California dreamin'
On such a winter's day

Huh? Warm in L.A. on a winters day? They should know better.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Never rains in Southern California? That's our worst nightmare! (Technically, my location is usually classified as "Central Coast.") It is not unusual go from April through October without a drop of rain, but the late fall and winter is wet (hopefully).

Reminds me of another song, California Dreamin', by the Mamas and the Papas.

Huh? Warm in L.A. on a winters day? They should know better.

60's sounds good to me!

Does this song sound familiar? 

Love that Mama and Papas song!  Love their harmonies too.   

PD

[Karl Henning]

Temps have been quite mild for Massachusetts in December. Presently 51° F. And tonight's low is forecast to be only 39° F.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Temps have been quite mild for Massachusetts in December. Presently 51° F. And tonight's low is forecast to be only 39° F.

51?!  I'm envious! 

PD

[steve ridgway]

9C / 48F and dry for our Christmas Day walk and picnic .

[Holden]

We got absolutely smashed by the weather on Christmas night. I've never seen a storm like it and I've lived here for 30 years. Latest speculation is that we got hit by a tornado that was on the ground for nearly an hour. The damage would certainly suggest that this is the case. Tornados are very rare in Qld.

Driving back home on Boxing Day there were trees across the road and whole sections where traffic lights didn't work. My humble little abode didn't even lose power yet there are homes here on the GC that still don't have power since Monday night. I loaned my portable generator to colleagues of mine so that they could at least keep their food refrigerated.