Thursday, January 23, 2014

Deep Cold, Round 2

A child of the Polar Vortex has pushed deep into the southland of North America once again and is lingering a little longer than two weeks ago. High pressure parked over southern California has provided a roller coaster downhill plunge in the jet stream and while the shaky coast roasts the the east coast freezes. A little warm up this weekend (into the low 40's - wheeeh) before another blast from the pole arrives for next week. It was 2.7 here this morning, 7.5 degrees yesterday; brrrrrrrr!!
The monster, high pressure dome that has been stuck over the west coast for much of their normal, wet winter season has caused historical (or so they think) drought and Santa Anna winds have fueled fires (started by campfire building fools) in southern California.  Australia and much of the southern Hemisphere still swelters from record high temps. A little cold here, but don't think the planet isn't warming still; 2013 was the forth (4th) warmest year on record - 100+ years of records hardly tells the tale on a 4.6 billion year old planet. Just wait, things will change, both today, tomorrow and in the short and long term future. That's the only constant, change, Today on Earth.
Another, all too common change, a USGS site that isn't helpful; the only erupting volcano on EARTH seems to be in Spain - but there is no info...Look out Barcelona!!
The waning gibbous (near last quarter) moon was very near Spica early this morning, but it was too cold for me to be out checking it out too close. Mars is hanging in the same area. Good viewing with cold, dry skies but you better be dressed warm.

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