Enviro-BC Weather Services

#WeatherWednesday On rare summer nights, ethereal forms leap into the skies above distant thunderstorms. Alien invaders? Not quite: it's a jellyfish sprite, an ...extremely brief and rarely captured event associated with incredibly powerful lightning strikes. This event lasted less than 1/30th of a second and occurred above a powerful storm about 100 miles away as seen from McDonald Observatory on July 2nd, 2020. Image Credit: Stephen Hummel See more

WOW! Check out this crazy shelf cloud this morning in Wichita, Kansas! Credit: Lisa Rinehart

Here is an interesting discussion by Cliff Mass that I mostly agree with. Weather prediction and epidemiological forecasts both involve very complex systems but there seems to be a lot more science and communication programs in place for weather forecasting than for pandemics. Of course he points fingers at senior levels of government in the USA, (including Democrats and Republicans) acting wrongly or not at all on potential outbreaks but it seems like the problem has been waiting in the wings for many years and there hasn't been enough preparation for an inevitable virus spreading through the country. https://cliffmass.blogspot.com//weather-forecasting-is-fif

Precipitation measurements taken by 10 satellites around the world svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/4369

A 'bomb' formed off the American Coast today! This is when a surface low intensifies by at least 24 mb in 24 hours. It is currently giving strong winds (up to 100 mph) with waves over 35 feet and lots of rain to California and Oregon. Also heavy snow (up to four feet) and blizzard conditions in the mountains. I created an animated gif to show the rapid deepening of the low today. Notice the open cell convection...cold air aloft and warm ocean surface, being entrained into the low.

Here is a good explanation of how 'Alberta Clippers' and 'Colorado Lows' develop and move southeastward to the lee of the Rocky Mountains. This is timely since this weather pattern is currently happening today. The concept of vorticity i.e. spinning of particles resulting in formation of lows and troughs is a relatively difficult thing to get your head around but I think the author does a great job! Here is the link - https://weatherfarm.com//alberta-clippers-and-colorado-lo/

For the hurricane trackers out there, I like this satellite animation the best! https://cdn.star.nesdis.noaa.gov//GOES16-EUS-GEOCOLOR-1000

A new State of the Climate report by over 470 scientists from nearly 60 countries provides a detailed update on the global climate in 2018: https://www.ncei.noa...a.gov/news/reporting-state-climate-2018 Report highlights include: - Greenhouse gases highest on record - Global surface temperature near-record high - Global upper ocean heat content record high - Global sea level highest on record - Antarctic saw record low sea ice extent

https://www.washingtonpost.com//earth-just-had-its-hotte/

First significant wildfire of the season - south of Fraser Lake, west of Vanderhoof. It is close to Highway 16. Currently burning at rank 4 (6 is highest). Over 100 hectares and growing. Notice the smoke plume showing fairly strong winds out of the west.

Amazing aurora photo taken in Norway.

Close to fifty years ago, I worked as a weather observer at Capt St. James at the southern tip of Haida Gwaii. I had only one two week break the entire year that I was stationed there. Some time ago, I started a website dedicated to the memories of people who served there - initially lightkeepers beginning in 1914, then military during WWII and finally weather observers until the station was automated in 1992. Here is the website for anyone who is interested. If you would like to comment on it or have anything to add either past or present, please let me know. http://soleil124.wixsite.com/capestjames

A tricky weather forecast today as the interaction of three weather features brings another round of snow for southwestern BC. Some lower elevations will likely turn to rain later in the day but 5 to 15 cm accumulation is expected in most areas with local higher amounts. Here is a weather map created by former Env Canada meteorologist Chris Doyle. Notice one disturbance, over the Pacific moving from the NW, another from the SSW, meeting residual cold Arctic air entrenched over the Interior. Going to be an interesting day! https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DzX-uhAWsAEkKzd.jpg

Cool lightning gif!

Here is a link to a mesoscale frequent image update animation of Hurricane Florence - https://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/GOES/MESO_band.php

... what an intense thunderstorm outflow boundary looks like in a dusty environment ...

Something you don't see that often - the entire province of BC mainly clear and sunny today! The only moisture, some drizzle from low cloud and fog on the west coast of Vancouver Island. AND temperatures well above normal - high 20's to lower 30's over much of southern BC.