2023 What's the Weather like Where You Are?

[Gary350]

63° this morning feels nice. Warming up to 80° about 4 pm. No desert weather in TN this year, I have to cut grass every 3 or 4 days instead of every 3 or 4 weeks. Yesterday I picked up tree limbs from that nights storms and put them in a pile. Some of the tree limbs are 3½" diameter. Today I cut tree limbs into smaller pieces for the wood pile before cutting grass again today. I have never cut grass this many times in one summer. Grass people call wire grass is 4 ft long runners trying to grow into the garden from all sides. Rake is easy to snag grass runners and pull it into the yard then drove over it with the lawn mower. A lot of extra work that I don't want but I can use the exercise. The big tree between house and garden keeps making popping and cracking sounds we need to have it cut down before it self destructs an kills someone. We hate to loose our shade tree it makes excellent shade in the evening.

[imafan26]

it is 82 degrees now at 1:20 p.m. and windy with gusts up to 25 mph. I was surprised this morning to see it was very misty. There was a very fine rain. The rain was enough to actually collect in the rain gutters and in my rain barrel. It did not last more than 30 minutes, It has been the most rain I have seen in weeks. Of course it steamed off afterwards making it a hot and muggy day. Tropical Storm Greg is 740 miles SSE and is passing far to the south. Peak winds of 45 mph. It should be passing tonight through Friday as a tropical storm. Fernanda has been downgraded to a tropical storm and is headed in a westerly track. It is steadily weakening in dryer air and should dissipate in about 72 hours. This storm comes at us more directly. Big Island may get some heavy rain and the rest of us may also get some rain Sunday-Tuesday next week.

[digitS']

It has been a Hot Summer with many days in the 90's, several hitting 99°f and it was only this week that the nearest airport recorded 100f. A new daily record was set with 105°f (41°C).

An amazingly dry Summer with .06" of rain in July and .25" so far in August. There have been small wildfires nearby and now a larger one. Air quality was Unhealthy for Some yesterday morning. Perhaps the tropical storm coming into California will bring us some local rain.

I have stayed indoors in the afternoons with the AC as best as I can with morning trips to the distant garden for harvesting and running irrigation.

Steve

[imafan26]

It is 70 degrees at 8 a.m. with light trades at 7 mph. There was a brush fire yesterday on Oahu about 6 miles away. It was on ag land and burned about 50 acres. Traffic was rerouted, but no homes were in danger. Two homeless people were taken out. A farm closer to the fire, sent their people home early because of the smoke. The fire could be seen for miles, so 911 was flooded with calls about it.

[digitS']

This cloud of smoke was what I was seeing yesterday afternoon.

Screenshot_20230819-043106_kindlephoto-42598398.png (326.15 KiB) Viewed 654 times

Within 4 or 5 hours, the state and news people were reporting that the fire had grown from 500 acres to 3,000 acres. This fire was beside interstate 90, west of Spokane and in the Four Lakes area. The entire town of Medical Lake was evacuated - a city of 5,000. Houses were burned around one lake; houses were burned inside the city limits.

I live east of here but this smoke was being blown by 35mph gusting winds from the west. The wind shifted near sundown. Ironically, that brought smoke from fires in Canada.

There are large fires burning in less populated mountainous areas on both sides of the Idaho and Washington border. This fire (Gray Fire) in the Four Lakes area is just one and a result of months of below normal rainfall and several years of dry Summers.

Steve

[PaulF]

Drought conditions here as well...at least no forest fires. Temps beginning today and for the next week above 100F; feels like 110. A not too hot summer turning into a heatwave just in time for school to start.

[imafan26]

It is 70 degrees at 6:30 a.m. it is partly cloudy and there is some shower activity on radar, but it will be hit and miss and brief, so I still have to water today.

Not that anyone is complacent, but brush fires are common at this time of the year. I have to commend the work of the emergency services for keeping most of us safe and diligently work to snuff out fires where they are and evacuating people in the area when they can. It is different when the fires are in areas with good access and no communities around, than when they are in inaccessible terrain and they cannot use helicopters and communication is spotty. Especially now, when there has not been a good rain for months and everything is so dry and flammable. There has been a lot of criticism about the sirens, but the Maui FEMA director was right, even though on paper, the sirens could be used to warn for a variety of reasons, the main reason for sirens here are for tsunamis and hurricanes. Sirens never go off for brush fires. People living next to dry open spaces need to be super diligent to make sure they keep an eye out for trouble and to make sure they have secured as many flammable things like gas and propane tanks on their own property, and water everything down just in case. They also have to realize that they have to take care of themselves and their neighbors as well because help doesn't always arrive in time.

[digitS']

185+ structures burned in that one fire, the authorities tell us while declaring the county in a state of emergency. The fire is 10% "lined" but has spread to over 9,000 acres. Right at 50 miles of interstate 90 is closed.

Another fire in the north of the county is also in thousands of acres of evergreen forests. Not so many people live there and had to evacuate. The news tells us that 30 structures have burned.

The air is in the "Hazardous" range of the index at 448 of the 500 scale. That is here at home and the indoor air is smelling of smoke despite the Dyson air filtering system running all day. The weather people are saying that we may have some better air on Monday.

Steve

[applestar]

I can’t even imagine … I have fits of coughing and get asthma from just one whiff of smoke…. While outside in the garden, I can smell a neighbor smoking in his yard even when I can’t see him. (Well, I can smell perfume and aftershave too….)

Almost feel inappropriate to report mundane weather issues — it’s currently officially 60°F outside at 5am. Crazy forecast puts dawn temp in the 50’s — 59°F (It’s ALREADY 59.1°F according to my remote sensor in the garden) … in AUGUST

…and then… oh look, we’re going up to 89°F today and 92°F tomorrow

[imafan26]

It is 69 degrees at 5:45 a.m. The predawn light is sowing some clouds and clear skies, but thicker clouds on the windward side. So, there will be the usual windward and occasional mauka showers. I will still need to water today. The rain from the remnants of Fernanda will bring more rain starting late Monday night and may increase showers for a couple of days. The winds won't be much more than breezy trades. The heaviest rain will be on the Big Island and parts of Maui and they could use some rain without wind. The searchers in Lahaina want to try to finish their search before any rain comes.

It has definitely been a weird weather year. Usually, in August the temperatures are not this cool. Now through October will be the time when hurricane activity ramps up. Storms are stronger and they are lasting longer. Usually, most hurricanes only live an average of 5 days, but Dora made it across the Pacific and stayed a hurricane past us. The hurricanes that form in the middle of the Pacific basin vs storms starting near Mexico are usually the strongest for us.

Hurricane Hillary will weaken before it hits California to a tropical storm, but they are not used to tropical storms. They are used to winds, but not the combination of wind and rain. They will probably have more issues with extreme flooding, coastal erosion, mudslides, landslides, and debris knocking out power, damaging structures, and blocking roads and streams. Pray for them.

[digitS']

I am very happy to know about "mundane weather," @AppleStar.

Yes, California may well have serious problems with burn scars. Hopefully, the wet Winter has already allowed some plant recovery so that the rain won't be too much ... Oh, I don't know. Seems like too much to hope for.

Here's a hope: that the trajectory of the storm doesn't veer off too much from due North. We are very much in-line with the southern California longitude. It's not that southern Idaho wouldn't benefit from a good rain but northern ID and eastern WA would sure gain from some help putting out these fires and clearing this air.

This was the view south from my deck about mid-day. The evergreens aren't 200 yards away. "Visibility" at the nearest airport has been less than 1 mile for several days now.

The sunflower in the picture is rather novel . It's in the neighbor's backyard, about 30' in front of that roof. That is the roof of my greenhouse (sunshed) and the peak must be over 10' above the ground. The Sunflower is growing in what was my compost pile about 5 years ago when I gardened on both sides of the back fence -- in the previous neighbor's garden. That continued until he passed away and I migrated north. It could be thought of as something of a tribute to Ken.

Steve

[imafan26]

It is 75 degrees at 8:30 a.m. It is overcast and the winds are light. The remnants of Fernanda are passing today so it is muggy as well. Most of the rain will be on the Windward sides of all Islands. I might get a few showers that come over the mountain, if the wind picks up more. Increasing showers are expected over night, but it won't be a lot. Things should be back to normal tomorrow. It is much warmer today than usual, but this typical of weather patterns before and after tropical systems passes.

[pepperhead212]

It got to 90° here today, but I won't complain, seeing the weather many other places are having! They just said that we have only had 16 ninety plus days today, though it seems the humidity is what's been really bad. Fortunately, it is supposed to get much better the next several days, both temp and humidity, and I even saw some highs in the 70s in the ten day.

[imafan26]

It is 76 degrees at 6:40 a.m. It isn't so bad now, at least the morning breeze is cool, but it will be a hot August day, but it will only get to be around 86 degrees. It did rain a little overnight, but not much. There are some showers in the trade wind flow, but most of that will fall on the windward side.

Still compared to what the weather is like elsewhere, I'll take my slightly abnormal weather anytime. It is usually hot, humid, and dry. Humidity is 69% which is really dry. My lawn is extra crispy. El Nino will mean we will have dry winter as well which will compound the drought on all the islands as well as increase the chances of the frequency and intensity of storms especially as the Pacific High moves away from us.

[pepperhead212]

Got nice again today, and the weather is supposed to stay non-humid tonight, as well as in the low 60s (maybe the high 50s). Not supposed to last, but I'll take what I can!

[Gary350]

Hot & humid, 78° at 6 am. Today 99° heat index 115°. Yesterday was 96° it feels much hotter than AZ. I have don't nothing in the garden for about 2 weeks. Garden is desert. Today I will water, tomatoes, peppers, strawberries 1 hour before dark. This is the kind of heat dinosaurs became extinct in.

[imafan26]

Your night temperatures are similar to mine but your day temps are about 10 degrees higher.

It is 74 degrees now at 5:30 a.m. The high to day will be 87 at my house but 90 in the lower elevations. Humidity is 71%. I only work outside before 10:30 a.m. and after 3 p.m.

[digitS']

It rained!

The Weather Service said that a distant airport had .39" yesterday. That location is close to the serious, local fire.

The county sheriff says 259 structures burned, primarily homes. The most serious evacuation level has been lifted for most of the area so residents can return. Traffic is moving through interstate 90 again. The air is much improved with just into Unhealthy on the scale this morning and "Good," this afternoon! With no fires nearby to the South, and the most immediate fires slowed, at least, the breeze and the rain have really helped.

I don't think my garden had quite very much rain but only gave the sprinklers 1/2 time, yesterday afternoon. Today, I ventured out to mow the lawn and do some garden work here at home. It was a quite pleasant, 72°f (22°C).

Steve

[pepperhead212]

Last nice day for a while, as it is getting very humid, with some rain, though we do need rain. It is staying cooler, but the dewpoint will be in the 70s.

[imafan26]

About wildfires. How do people get notified? What happens if people are in rural areas where cell or internet service is not reliable? Your houses are spread out more, but do you encounter problems with egress in an emergency?

It is weird weather torrential rain and flooding in one part and killing heat waves in another.

[Gary350]

Today it is 250ºf on the moon and -208ºf where it's dark.

[imafan26]

It is 70 degrees now at almost 5 a.m. It did rain a little overnight, but it was light. More light rain is possible, rain chances are 60% and Humidity is 82%. Then, it will be back to mostly dry conditions again.

[pepperhead212]

It's raining now - started about 3 pm, and it's been in the mid-70s, and fairly humid, but not as bad as it has been. Now it will get even more humid, though it seems to have stopped at .05". I got all I could get done earlier on, but now it's wet, even though it didn't rain a lot, so far. More is coming, but still not much.

[applestar]

Yay for whatever rain we can get!

Woke up to heavy haze and smoke in the air, bad enough that we wore kn95’s to run out and, in my case do the minimum absolutely needed chores in the garden.

No warning about air quality or wild/forest fire … but recent events improves detective work — there had been a (sadly fatal) apartment fire in the early morning hours only a little over 10 miles away.

I could tell the mask wasn’t enough and I got a little dizzy even in the Sunflowwr Hoophouse when I started to smell something industrial — burning plastic? tires? So I wrapped it up quickly and went back inside.

I did have the hood up on my 2xFan ventilated cooling vest so that the fans would suck air into the vest and push air outward from all edges — bottom hem, arm holes, and neckline … and from all around my face. That hood is a good, must-have feature for any new vests I might get in the future.

[imafan26]

Have you tried a respirator instead of a mask? Would that be too cumbersome. It filters things out better because it has a better seal, but you do have to work a little harder to breathe.

[Gary350]

Yay for whatever rain we can get!

Woke up to heavy haze and smoke in the air, bad enough that we wore kn95’s to run out and, in my case do the minimum absolutely needed chores in the garden.

No warning about air quality or wild/forest fire … but recent events improves detective work — there had been a (sadly fatal) apartment fire in the early morning hours only a little over 10 miles away.

I could tell the mask wasn’t enough and I got a little dizzy even in the Sunflowwr Hoophouse when I started to smell something industrial — burning plastic? tires? So I wrapped it up quickly and went back inside.

I did have the hood up on my 2xFan ventilated cooling vest so that the fans would suck air into the vest and push air outward from all edges — bottom hem, arm holes, and neckline … and from all around my face. That hood is a good, must-have feature for any new vests I might get in the future.

This type gas mask will filter out every thing.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/393795828024?h ... R_yBjqHFYg

[applestar]

This was a building fire in a nearby town, controlled in hours. Nothing like those terrible acres and acres of forest/wild fires burning for days on end.

It was just bad luck that we were downwind of it today I think.

You know, I do have a respirator that just needs new cartridges. But I can’t see myself out there working in the garden with any of those things on. Is it worth it? I think I’d rather not go outside.

If it’s THAT bad, would the garden veg’s be safe to eat? Wow that’s a sad thought when applied to folks who are actually in the midst. (I think I have a link to an article about that — didn’t read all of it. Urban fires can be more deadly polluted.)

I have tendency to want to “be prepared”, so from that perspective, I might be in denial that I might someday need to be equipped for such emergency….

[pepperhead212]

I hope you got more rain than I did, apple - were supposed to get more, but it was only .06", in 2 light passes. Enough to stop me from working (still got a lot done, before 3 pm), and up the humidity, but the temp was still only in the mid 70s, so I won't complain.

[applestar]

@pepperhead, I don’t have a rain gauge, but “officially” we got almost twice as much! 0.1”

It turns out there had been a wildfire since Sunday, a little under 10 miles in the other direction, that was also declared under control today.

I’m guessing we were getting “smoked” from both.

[digitS']

Imafan, I don't really have answers to your questions. Rural Problems during Emergencies? I'm sure there are. Notifications that come automatically over the phones are very new to us here, although we don't live in a rural area. Dad lived where cellphone service was iffy but I don't believe there were any evacuations notices during those years. Plenty of problems during Winter snowstorms ...

I'm very much hoping that our current clean air continues. There are outdoor activities that need to be done. Smoke seems to bring quite a lot of physical stress.

Steve

[pepperhead212]

Total .06" yesterday, and .08" so far today, last I looked at 10 am. And humidity was 92% - already closed my house up, and turned on the AC briefly, to reduce that, then let it come on back later, when it is supposed to get hotter than the last few days, to go with the humidity.

[Gary350]

It is 101° now. Heat index 115°. It was 100° yesterday. Zinnia flowers died.

[imafan26]

It is 70 degrees now at 6 a.m. It is overcast and there are scattered showers on the radar, most of it will land on the windward side, but a few might make it over. There was some overnight rain. Humidity is 82%. Trades 5-15 mph with gusts to 18 mph.

For me, the weather in has not been as bad as previous years. It is a few degrees cooler, but it is drier than normal and the wind and humidity shift more than usual.

[digitS']

It is Raining.

There was .40 inch yesterday. A new storm moved in about 8:30AM and rain has been falling ever since and it's now after 1PM. We were not supposed to have over .25 of an inch today but this must be equal if not more than what fell, yesterday.

After so much Summer heat and dryness, it is soooo very welcome.

Steve

[pepperhead212]

I actually got .40" of rain, before I got up, I guess. I went out front, as usual, around 9 am, and things were wet, but I figured it was because of the dew, as most recent days. I cut the okra, and some mint, and went back in, but it wasn't until much later that I went out back, and saw water collected. That's when I checked the rain gauge inside, and saw it had rained! Not a lot, but more than most of these times lately, when there were possibilities of rain.

Everything is still wet out there, due to the humidity, and it is supposed to get to 85°, and there is actually a little wind, unlike the last couple of days, and some sun, to maybe dry it out a little.

Stay safe, everyone in the path of Idalia, as well as everyone in all those heat zones!

[imafan26]

It is 82 degrees now. We have a red flag fire warning because the winds picked up, but it is only up into the 15-20 mph range. It will continue through tomorrow as the remnants of the last storm passes through. There hasn't been any rain for a couple of days, and it is August so it is hotter now, so this is not a day I want to spend outside.

[pepperhead212]

It was only 64° here when I got up, and got down to 61° overnight, with low humidity! And only supposed to get to 78° today, and 80° tomorrow, with low humidity, but not lasting for long - back to the 90s by Sunday, and 95° by Monday.

[applestar]

Here we go again…
54°F today at 6:30am, then…

[pepperhead212]

Got down to 58° on my back thermometer overnight, and 70° now, and I just heard at 11 am the dewpoint was 43°! Less than a week after those dewpoints in the 70s, and just a couple of days before we're back to the 90s, and high humidity.

[imafan26]

It is 71 degrees at 7 a.m. and 87% humidity. It rained last night and the roads are still wet. That is more rain than I have seen in a while. The rain is still dripping off the roof. It is thickly overcast in the east, but clear on the leeward side. There may be a few more showers coming through this morning. I am going to enjoy the cooler weather while it lasts. The high will be in the mid 80's so it is going to get muggier as the water on the roads steam off.