Chilly Beginning
Now that May has been here for almost two weeks some folks are starting to complain about how "chilly" this Spring has been. Most are waiting patiently for that first, real, warm up.
(OSNW3 Observations | May 6 - 11, 2008)
Due to the "chilly" start, I have compared last years start to May to this years start to May. We are averaging 5.6°F below last years average hi temp for the first 11 days. It doesn't seem like much, but looking at the graph below, the past four days have been considerably cooler then last years. I believe that is the warm up most people are expecting and craving. Unfortunately an extended warm up is not in our near future.
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Lake Flies Have Hatched
I took a bike ride out to Lake Winnebago on Sunday and as I got closer I could sense the lake flies had hatched. BAM! In my ears, eyes, nose, and mouth... gosh I hate those things. They're everywhere near the lakes edge right now. They do disappear a few blocks away from the lake and are completely not an issue at OSNW3. I can hear them buzzing around my head as I type this. *shiver*
(Lake Flies - May 11, 2008)
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Cloud Appreciation
After a good 20 minutes of researching the clouds pictured below I am completely stumped on what to classify them. I want to say Nimbostratus, but most descriptions claim precipitation is included. There wasn't any precipitation with these. If anyone can set me straight, it would be appreciated. :)
(Fox River Looking West - May 11, 2008)
(OSNW3 Observations | May 6 - 11, 2008)
Due to the "chilly" start, I have compared last years start to May to this years start to May. We are averaging 5.6°F below last years average hi temp for the first 11 days. It doesn't seem like much, but looking at the graph below, the past four days have been considerably cooler then last years. I believe that is the warm up most people are expecting and craving. Unfortunately an extended warm up is not in our near future.
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Lake Flies Have Hatched
I took a bike ride out to Lake Winnebago on Sunday and as I got closer I could sense the lake flies had hatched. BAM! In my ears, eyes, nose, and mouth... gosh I hate those things. They're everywhere near the lakes edge right now. They do disappear a few blocks away from the lake and are completely not an issue at OSNW3. I can hear them buzzing around my head as I type this. *shiver*
(Lake Flies - May 11, 2008)
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Cloud Appreciation
After a good 20 minutes of researching the clouds pictured below I am completely stumped on what to classify them. I want to say Nimbostratus, but most descriptions claim precipitation is included. There wasn't any precipitation with these. If anyone can set me straight, it would be appreciated. :)
(Fox River Looking West - May 11, 2008)
I have been getting a few more people passing through my blog, but I am disappointed on how few are from the immediate locale. I do enjoy the goofy people from 'down-south' that marvel at an inch of snow. The "oooh-ing" and "aaah-ing" over a White Christmas gets old, quite fast. I keep telling them that I would love a Green Christmas, but they only laugh!
ReplyDeleteAs to your cloud picture, if I may, I would have called it a Stratocumulus (Sc), maybe even witha descriptor of vesperalis or diurnalis? For nimbo, I usually look for some smudging below the cloud base that would indicate it is producing precipitation.
I'm not sure if you have any books on the topic, but there are two that I use... I need visual clues. The National Audubon Society has a Field Guide to N.American Weather and John A. Day has The Book of Clouds.
I think your cloud appreciation project is fantastic! I know I would benefit from being forced to look up more often.
And lastly, my NWS contact called today and I'm now set up on WxCoder. With some luck, the cold front sweeping into the region this evening will give me something to report tomorrow morning.
Nathan, you may! I certainly need more cloud education. I currently do not have any books on the cloud topic specifically, and will seriously look into obtaining the one you mentioned "The Book of Clouds". Because of the cloud appreciation project I find my head in the clouds very often. I am enjoying it!
ReplyDeleteI think it's awesome that you are finally 100% "GO" with your NWS UCOOP Observing! Sweetness.
Is UCOOP observing things to the NWS? CoCoRaHS is good enough for me! Do you just report precip.?
ReplyDeleteScout, yes, the UCOOP thingy is for the NWS. "Unofficial". You can find more info here if you are interested. To get on board with the NWS you need to be invited however, unlike CoCoRaHS where anyone can sign up. Often local NWS office websites will have postings on which counties are in need for observers. That's one way of being invited. Yep, I report precipitation only.
ReplyDeleteStarting tomorrow (15th) my temperature data will be used with my precipitation numbers for UCOOP.
ReplyDeleteWait, so you can report anything you want?
ReplyDeleteNot just anything, Scout :)
ReplyDeleteAt 7:00 AM we report precipitation (liquid, snowfall, snowdepth) from the last 24 hours.
The NWS is also taking my High & Low from the last 24 hours as well. I would imagine it's because there are so few reporting stations in my area.