Forest Colors Jump to Eye Popping!

In just two day's time

Forest colors have become sublime

The trees sway and leaves tumble down

In today's light breeze, a rustling sound

And, Indian summer warmth is back

Southern air fending winter's attack

Aftershocks from recent big quakes

Are about it for today's list of shakes

Today is Rocktober's second, last quarter moon

But, will rise too late to aid a trick or treating goon

Two 3/4's in a month, that makes it blue

And, it's close to Earth today, at Perigee, too

Andromeda was cool in the binocs last night

And Mars brilliant red is still shining bright

But haze blocked Saturn low in the west

And, today's sky gazing won't be the best

An approaching front and today's heat and haze

Will block most evening delights from our gaze

But, today is feeling like a late summer day

So, go on and get out for some play

On your big planet, Today!!

Wild Rocktober Winds Down

We are down to a little less than 38 hours left in Rocktober and it has been a tale of two seasons, the first third of the month continued summer: hot and muggy; but then Hurricane Michael's remains rolled through and suddenly it was fall: cool and pleasant. Today is going to be on the warm side of fall with the morning's low only 40 and today's high expected into the mid-60's. Tomorrow will likely hit 70 as will Thursday before another front comes through with rain overnight and into Friday and a cool down for the weekend. No frosty stuff in the extended forecast. There is still a hurricane out in the Atlantic just hangin' and spinning with no direction or peril for land. The overheated planet just trying to balance out the excesses.
The plate boundaries fault zones all around the planet are pretty fired up today. 12 of the 44 listed quakes are at or above magnitude 5 on the Richter scale with a 6.1 quake on New Zealand's north island. That means a dozen spots on the planet are wondering what just happened or like Greece, when is the shaking going to stop. Indonesia, PNG, Philippines, Colombia/Panama region, the Himalaya of northern India, both ends of the Scotia plate and the East Pacific rise north of the Galapagos all have had good shakes today. None of these spots are really surprises for big quakes but that many quakes above 5 is a pretty shaky day.
The night sky, pre-moon rise, was lovely last night when I took the big brown dog on his (spoiled rotten) nightly ride down to the new clear cut. Didn't bring the binocs to check out Andromeda but could still make it out. Mars continues to dominate the night sky sitting red hot in the eastern edge of the flattened V that is Capricorn. Much dimmer but still brighter than most stars, Saturn dots the top of the teapot that is Sagittarius. The Summer Triangle, bisected by the hazy patch that is our galaxy, is marked by three of the brightest stars in the northern sky, lovely last night. Should be another clear, warmish (for late Rocktober) evening, get out and survey your universe!
But, until then, go out for a wander on your planet. Days like this, while not rare, are gone quickly if not enjoyed, venture forth, Today on Earth.

The fake prez DonnyJonny the Chump

Is always talking out of his rump

What he doesn't know continues to grow

With each tweet or talk he's gonna show

It's not what you don't know

It's what you know that ain't so

That's the issue

That creates the fissure

But, his conned followers lap it up

As they gobble their supersize sup

And gaze on at their fox news

Where reality is whatever you choose

While the rest of us look on dazed

And wonder how they are so crazed

But, if we turn out one week from today

We can begin to wash the evil tide away.

Let's leave no doubt,

Get out and vote the slime out!!

Colors Of Fall Cranking Up!

The reds and yellows and oranges of the fall forest are coloring the world more and more every day, washing out the greens of the spring and summer. The maples and dogwoods, showy in the redness, are the most eye catching right now. The passage of a mostly dry cold front has not changed the temps much but the breeze has picked up and the leaf fall is increasing, as well. Today's high temp should be near or at 60, a little below average for late Rocktober but still comfortable for a stroll on the big planet, get out and do it!!
60 quakes in the last 24 hours with a couple of magnitude 6+ shakes. Both big quakes are slips along subduction zones, one off El Salvador and the other in the Drake Passage just off the southern tip of South America. The fact they are off shore, while potentially triggering tsunamis (they didn't seem to), really just means there is little damage onshore. Aftershocks continue in Greece and a 5.5 quake in Romania yesterday rattled that quake-prone region but I'm not seeing much in the way of damage reports. The quake was fairly deep so that may have lessened damage. Still, a quake in the middle of the night, in an earthquake zone, is unsettling but a reminder that more quakes are always coming, potentially bigger and stronger than the last. The Central Va. Seismic Zone, fortunately, remains quiet in our neighborhood.
The rattling in our neighborhood still centers around the insane idea of turning a peaceful ag/forest district into an industrial mega-site, with no plans for any industry to come. Just the idea that if you throw enough tax dollars at anything, something great will happen. And, pushed by republicans that I thought were against government control of the economy; that's what they claim on all their ads. Not what they practice though!

Pro-growth folks claim that your taxes won't rise

But, that should come as no real surprise

We, however, know they will

And, don't want to swallow that pill

Growth for greed, just a cancer in disguise!!

The moon continues its waning and rises later and later, brightest now in the wee hours of the night. The planet show continues to fade and shift from the evening to the morning hours and the dim constellations of fall make for a starry but not dazzling sky show. Prowl out late and you can catch the much brighter winter stars rising into view. But, after dark, the Great Square of Pegasus, high in the south and to the naked eye mostly void of stars, is a good Fall sky-mark to patrol the evening sky. Cassiopeia, the queen, sitting on an upside down chair but looking like a big W, is off to the northeast (but almost overhead) from the Great Square and in between the two, our nearest galactic neighbor, the Andromeda Galaxy. You can see Andromeda as a hazy patch between the Pegasus and Cassiopeia but binoculars will show you the haze as a shape, a spiral galaxy shape. You will be looking at light that left those stars about 2 million years ago. Our ancestors got a similar view back those 2 million years when they were just beginning to realize that food, cooked over fire, provided a lot more nutrition and energy for their bigger brains. An advantage that has us where we are now.
Just a little mental food for your big brain to mull over, as we race to grow and grow and grow on this small, still mostly, lovely planet. Our cancer-like spread totally curable by some simple, wise steps; the easiest: allow women to decide/plan how many kids to have and to have them when they, and the fathers, are fully prepared to raise one or two great kids. Get out and think about it, Today on Earth.

The Sun Reappears

Just now, a thinning of clouds and a hint of sun, and the rain has stopped. Looks like this mess is now the northeast's problem after dropping 1.9" here yesterday and overnight. I'm still a little groggy after the World Series marathon last night. I hung until a little after 3am midway through the 17th inning. Looks like the Dodgers won with a walk-off homer in bottom of the 18th... Feeling another afternoon nap coming! But, now it's about time for a dog walk and creek check on a fairly mild Saturday morning.
Another busy day in the shake prone planet; 56 quakes in last 24 hours but no big quakes (only 3 above mag. 5) but lots in the 4 range and Greece still having offshore aftershocks. California is a little shaky today (Dodger celebrations still..) and a 3.4 quake in AZ. Japan is the home of two of the three 5+ quakes today and the western Pacific rim is, as usual, all shook up. Burma and South Africa are minor outliers.
The sun continues to win out over the clouds (although as I typed that the clouds blocked the attempt at clearing) but the battle will go on until Tuesday before the nor'easter is gone and the cold front charging our way will arrive and linger tomorrow night. The shrinking gibbous moon will be up mid-evening and likely continue the, now you see me, now you don't, dance with the clouds.
Be prepared for muddy conditions but get out and enjoy what's looking like a fairly nice Saturday, Today on Earth.

And still the self-loving idiot named Chump

Claims to have slowed the nastiness he does dump

And, always blame his lies

On the free press to disguise

That's he's a moron speaking out of his rump!

Cool Wet Friday & Big Quake In Greece

While yesterday was a bit of an anomaly with no quakes of magnitude 5, as suggested, that has changed. A 5.0 foreshock was followed 1/2 an hour later by a 6.8 major quake in Greece. The quake was centered near an island off (obviously) the coast and a quick glance at reports show some damage there, but no big damage region wide. Good news in a country with quakes enough in its economy. After shocks in the upper 4's and 5's continue. There were eleven 5+ quakes in the last 24 hours, mostly Pacific plate boundary zones, a more usual shaky day on the big planet.
Other Earth news in the eastern hemisphere involves the US territory of the Mariana Islands (world's deepest trench) where they took a direct hit from another of the many MEGA typhoons rampaging in the Pacific, this and the last few years. Winds of 180 mph trashed buildings on the tiny islands, wind speeds unheard of in any storms other than large tornadoes until recent years. With the warming planet, these are seeming more the norm, not a good sign for humans and their building codes.
The southeast has its own weather issue today, the remnants of Hurricane Willa is here and has joined up with local storms and it's dumping rain from the Carolinas to Canada. The system is in the process of becoming a powerhouse nor'easter with big wind and rain as it heads up the northeast coast. The storms of summer becoming the storms of fall.
I managed to get a replacement bridge at least roughed in this (late) morning before the heavy rains kicked in. I'm back to 3 safe bridges across the HersheyDog Creek, good news in a heavy rain year where stepping stones or shallow places are not always options.
The Breyer Dog had checked out the bridge with the cross boards loose yesterday, was a little wary today but quickly approved of the new, tacked down version. He was returning from his morning romp as I was returning from construction work. A walk quickly followed.

A quick lunch and long nap followed the walk. It's a two photo day, the next shot taken last night as the cirrus clouds ahead of today's rain began to stream into the region. Since many cirrus clouds these days are expanded jet trails, the trails themselves was no real surprise but the big X was a bonus in the darkening sky. Won't see that tonight, look up right now and you will have rain in your eyes. May try another walk, fire is warming the house, I have plenty of weather worthy clothing and a chocolate lab loves to get toweled off and warm by the fire. Stay warm and dry but don't be afraid to venture out, Today on Earth.

One More Cool, Sunny Day

A fairly cool country, coast to coast, for the last Thursday of Rocktober with big rain from Texas to the Dakotas, but no snow. That big rain mess will slide east today and by tomorrow afternoon we will be visited by what is the remains of Hurricane Willa and a cluster of lows from the North Pacific, as it becomes a nor'easter. Big rain should be done by Saturday morning but it will be into early next week before all the wetness is gone; Halloween should be clear. Temps will stay well below the upper 60's average until November.
The volcano list is down to a dozen and a half - and still no Kilauea - but some reliable erupting mountains are still there, or back. Etna is cranking it up again in Italy, Krakatoa is still gassy and being watched carefully along with 4 others in Indonesia, Aira in southern Japan is still/always on the list these days but has a neighbor just to the south fired up, as well, this week. Fuego is still erupting in Guatemala and rains in the area are forming lahars that are still making it impossible for residents to return to anywhere near that beast. Piton de la Fournaise on Reunion Island off East Africa is also still spewing fresh Basalt onto that island. Sabancaya in Peru is also, still fired up. Russia's Kamchatka adds 3 to the weeks list and Veniaminof in the US Aleutians is giving good reason to detour your plane out of its area.
Today, to this point, is the quietist day I can remember on the quake list; not one quake of magnitude 5, whoa!! That's a quiet day. That will change!
 The Hunter moon made a lovely, orange rising last evening with still bright but very low Jupiter just above the setting sun on the opposite side of the sky. Mars is still bright and red but we are pulling away from our next planet out neighbor so it is farther and farther west each night. Saturn is out there but dim and I didn't linger (or look while driving)and even spot that last night. Increasing clouds tonight will likely make star and planet viewing tough but the bright, now waning gibbous moon will still light up the thickening clouds. Get out for a look this evening because it's going to be wet Friday.
A visit last evening to Linny and Nancy reminded me what a musician is. He got out his guitar and just started playing and singing and turned my words into a pretty nice song: Don't Want No Megasite Here. Amazing! Sounds pretty good, should be fun at the next board of supervisor meeting although minds seem pretty made up after the get together Tuesday night. Nothing but people against and still 4 members seem set on this ridiculous waste of tax dollars and ruination of a lovely, quiet part of our county. Idiocy and hidden agendas rule in American politics. We have to hope for the beginnings of a return to progress in 12 days with the mid-term elections. Because the racist, misogynist morons in charge in DeeCee need to go. Get out and help do something about it, Today on Earth.
The Dogwoods are turning...

Cool & Breezy With Leaf Fall

Brilliant blue skies and cool air that is rather stirred up has leaves flying about today; acorns and hickory nuts are cutting loose, too. It's back to fall after a summer-like day yesterday and colors are starting to show, maples and dogwoods kicking it off with lots of red. Time to get out and check it out.
But, a quick Earth tour: Willa came ashore late yesterday as cat. 3 (not 4 as I reported yesterday) and is crossing Mexico and will join with other low pressure systems in the northwest Gulf before heading into the southeast for Friday and Saturday - it's going to get wet and stay wet into early next week.
A dog is letting me know...he's gotta GO!
More, later

Quick Warm Up & Back To Fall

Yesterday's 31.6 temp here at the tirehouse took care of the basil and then I took care of the tomatoes; the growing season is over. Quite a few garden plants are now spending their winter indoors, in good sun, hopefully producing peppers and fresh basil all through the cold season. Last night and today have turned the clock back to late summer but only for today. A dry cold front will return the frosty air for tomorrow morning and until Friday when the remains of Hurricane Willa arrives.
Category 4 Willa will make land fall along the west central coast of Mexico later today and I'm guessing trash things with 155mph winds (ask Mexico Beach, Fla). The remains of the storm are going to cross over the thick isthmus that is Mexico and join forces with a low hammering east Texas and the western Gulf with more rain before moving into the southeast US and transitioning to a nor'easter for Friday and Saturday. While the Atlantic has been active this summer, the Pacific has been REALLY active and is still producing storms (none in Atlantic right now). The new future is now, heat up a planet covered in water and hurricanes are how that planet gets the heat away from the equatorial region toward to colder poles. Global warming is not a liberal media hoax and the planet cares not what fools "believe".
An interesting scattering of quakes today, of course the Pacific rim is shaky, but Iceland, off Vancouver Island and northwest Georgia (USA) are outliers. Nothing in the magnitude 6 range but a few in the mid-5's. Just another day on the fractured planet.
The Moon is lined up straight behind Earth tomorrow about 12:30pm for the October Full moon, the Hunter moon, so that essentially tonight is the full moon. Some high cirrus clouds may scatter some light and cut down on star gazing but it will be bright out there. Get out and enjoy the Indian summer warmth today and moonlight this evening, Today on Earth.

Boreas Return!!

Boreas, god of the north wind, is in charge in most of the US today and it feels closer to winter than fall. As the center of the huge high pressure dome moves east and the Boreas calms down tonight the cold air is going to settle to the ground we're in for a FREEZE!! The end of summer! The low temps will be short lived and the warmth to follow (relative warmth) will kick off Indian Summer. It's layer season, enjoy.
A quiet-ish day on the shaky planet, only 3 above magnitude 5 today but the 5.1 quake off Trinidad & Tobago, on the southeast edge of Caribbean plate where it crashes into the North American plate, is a reminder that any plate boundary is going to have quakes. And, even old boundaries or sometime non-boundaries can move around, it's just on a different time scale than we are. A forty-fifth high school reunion last night was an interesting reminder of that time always moves on fact.
The moon, bright and gibbous last night, will be Full on Wednesday just past noon. That is the Hunter's moon, not hard to understand where that name comes from as we transition from black powder to full on gun season here in Va. The bright moon will wash out the Milky Way for a few days allowing just bright stars and planets visible. Bundle up and get out and enjoy. Or bundle up and get out and wander out in the warm sunlight, Today on Earth.

Chilly Mornings

The center of a huge high pressure dome is parked over Va. today and that meant light wind and very dry air and temps dropped into the mid-30's this morning: 36.1 here. That dome will slide east as weather does in the mid-latitudes with increasing clouds and a slight, very slight, chance of showers overnight and into early Saturday. That will clear and bring in even colder air by Monday morning with a summer plant zapping frost; summer officially gone.
The usual forecasts for the upcoming winter are flying like falling leaves: it's going to be colder than normal, the farmer's almanac says wet but mild, going to be lots of snow... Here's the only thing we know for certain, there will be weather every day and it will be different from the day before and the day after. My personal guess, with the planet in a serious warming trend, is for a still coldish (it is fall and winter and sun angle and time do matter the most) but less snowy and icy and it seems likely the wet trend we are in will continue. But, that first, good cold snap, especially after a late summer, always brings out the deep snow predictors. We will all know by spring what the winter has brought!
From the volcano list we know that the fired-up planet is a little calmer this week, 20 on the list but the eastern Ring O Fire is where the real action is. Fuego is back on the list and back in the explosive eruption business as is its neighbor, Pacaya; Guatemala always likely on the active list.  Sabancaya in Peru is also rather explosive as is Veniaminof in the Aleutians. The shocker is Kilauea IS NOT ON THE LIST. First time I can remember that. No activity in Hawaii!!
A fairly normal day in quakes, a cluster in northern Chile, Caribbean is shaky down to Martinique, the Australian/Pacific boundary zone and Alaska with a quake off Norway as an outlier. For the last week, the Kamchatka 6.7 quake and the back to back 6.3 & 6.4 quakes in New Caledonia are it for major action. All will of course change...
The last two nights in sky watching has spotlighted the moon and Mars, both bright and close from our Earth viewing location. Saturn is really dim and Jupiter is low and gone early from the evening sky. The moon will be another 12 degrees east of Mars tonight and a little bigger, approaching fullness. Good night for a party with a fire!!! But, now, it's dog walking time (or people walking from his point of view), get out and enjoy adding layers and the cool, brisk air of fall, Today on Earth.

Clearing For A Party, Party, Party Weekend

It's the loveliest weekend of the year coming up and that means it's tirehouse party time: Thursday, Friday and then with a high school reunion to cap it off Saturday. The mess that has been dampening spirits around here for the last 3 days has been moved out by a cold front and there is sunshine about this morning.. and cool temps. That is going to continue with overnights beginning to dip into the 30's later in the week - perfect for a party with fire!!
A particularly shaky day in Alaska, nothing big but lots and lots of small quakes; foreshocks warning of bigger things to come? Time will tell. New Caledonia is still having 5ish aftershocks following  the tandem 6+ quakes two days ago and the west, collision/subduction coast of South America is all shook up today. Also a couple of 5.4 quakes along the southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
The moon, hopefully visible tonight, should be near Mars as it continues its waxing, now in the beyond quarter, gibbous phase. It's fall and nice out, get outside and wander and scan your world, Today on Earth.

There's a wild man lives in a house made of tires

Who hosts parties that always include a big fire

So come on by

At least to say hi

And, party with the big brown dog, Breyer!!

Summer Is Gone, Fall Is Here!

Quick moving hurricane Michael took the muggy summer air with him and left Autumn in his wake. And, while Saturday afternoon and evening was classic, clear and crisp fall, the forecast "sunny" Sunday never happened and the week has kicked off with more rain. A warm front working up from the south is the rain reason this morning and will warm and muggy us up today before a cold front tomorrow will sweep it all away and quickly return us to fall, mornings in the 40's and high into the 60's. A few dogwoods are showing some color but the wet, warm, late summer has delayed the leaf change.
A quiet-ish day for quakes, only 3 quakes at or above magnitude 5. After a few big shakes early last week only one big quake at 6.7 on Saturday off Kamchatka. Alaska is a little shaky today with Anchorage rattled with a 4.5 quake and the northwest of the very large state shaken with a 5.3 quake.
If it does clear tonight, check out the thick crescent moon above the teapot of Sagittarius with Saturn sitting as if just poured out of the teapot's spout. The moon will be at first quarter a little after 2pm tomorrow afternoon and Wednesday and Thursday be approaching and then slipping by still quite bright and red Mars, which is parked right in the middle of the flattish V that is Capricorn.  Jupiter is still bright, low in the west after sunset, still hanging between Libra and Scorpio.
The Milky Way was spectacular in the clear, cool air Saturday night but with a brightening moon will be washed out a bit for the rest of the week. The quieter night sky (cooler air is moving less and views are better) of fall and the position of our galaxy make for wonderful views of our galactic home. Check it out, we have several hundred billion neighboring stellar systems, who knows who/what is looking out our way.
The mosquitoes seemed to have slowed and calmed a bit in the cool air, but don't stop for long, they are still out there with plenty of water to continue there year round breeding program. Not a bad idea to have rain gear nearby today, and we are in the season where layers are the clothing setup. Still, it's nice to have to add layers instead of trying to figure out attire to keep from being eaten alive and not have a heat stroke.
It's fall party week here at the tire house: Thursday and Friday, two nights, back by popular demand. And, then a high school reunion Saturday night. Saturday week is the big fund raiser, chickenstock party down in Montpelier. Woooooo!! Lots to do to continue getting ready, hope to seeeeeeeeeeya soon. But, as always, get out and visit your planet, without looking at a phone, Today on Earth.

A Cooler, Calmer Day

Hurricane Michael has gone on out to sea

Leaving the southeast covered in debris

Knocking power out, raising rivers to flood

Another warming reminder, another layer of mud

And, next on the list is Tropical Storm Nadine

Just off Africa, her path remains to be seen

And, Leslie still wanders the Atlantic east

Wind and waves but on no land will she feast

After yesterday's shaky quake scene

Today's list is looking much more lean

And, fall weather has finally arrived

Another buggy summer we have survived

The cold front that drove Michael offshore

And, just added to yesterday's rain pour

Has ushered in an air mass both cool and dry

With lows in the 40's and pressure that's high

So, get out and check the damage at your place

But enjoy the pleasant breeze on your face

Then, remember how amazing is our planet home

It's Friday, get out, check it out, go for a roam

And tonight as we turn away from our local star

Look for the crescent moon, Jupiter, Saturn and Mars

It's your life, enjoy it for all it's worth

Hope your's is delightful, Today On Earth

Michael Rages On & 7.0 PNG Quake

Now deep into the Carolinas, once hurricane Michael's 50+ mph winds is still a tropical storm tearing it's way through the southeast. Light rain started here about an hour ago but no heavy bands yet, that is going to change as cold front coming from the west and Michael race toward a meeting in the Old Dominion. Not quite a wild Thursday here but many local events are being cancelled (the meeting to discuss -try and fight or sell- the megasite industrial park poorly planned for my quiet neighborhood). I'm betting there will be few to no after school activities in much of Va. today.

There was a big hurricane named Michael

Just part of the normal, summer storm cycle

Well, it rained and it blew

But, quickly it move through

Reminding us, that's how the Earth does heat recycle!

My burn pile, now 4 years old and more compost than burn, is still smoldering after my torching yesterday. The burning was slow until I took the advice of the man that put it there, turn a blower on the fire, and suddenly I had an inferno. Not enough to burn up the massive stumps in the pile but now I can move the remains into the surrounding forest and let compositing continue. The little rain so far has not put it out but I'm counting on that changing.
A wild day on the shaky planet: a 7.0 magnitude quake in PNG has caused major damage but didn't stir-up a tsunami. There was a 6.1 foreshock 3 minutes before the big quake; aftershocks (5.9 & 6.2 so far) continue. The southern Kamchatka peninsula was rocked with a 6.5 quake today and central Indonesia had quake/tsunami reminders with a 6.0 quake. Over 50 quakes in the last 24 hours, a fairly shaky day.
The week's volcano list has some old favorites: Gamalama in Indonesia is firing up again, how can you not like that name. 5 other erupting mountains in the archipelago nation dominate the week's list of 22. Kilauea is quiet, news in itself, with no activity forecast. The two in the Aleutians are both still erupting but without major consequences. PNG keeps three on the list, as does Russia's Kamchatka (a low number for that giant volcano pile). In the Indian Ocean, Piton de la Fournaise is still erupting but has calmed from a couple of weeks ago, Krakatoa seems to be building to something bigger and India's (claimed) Barren Island is back on the list. (The rain here just got heavy!!Pouring!!) Only one on the list in Central America, 2 in Ecuador and one in Peru. Japan's Aira is, as usual, still on the list.
Nighttime sky viewing won't be possible around here until tomorrow when the waxing moon will be visible sliding across the evening sky. Clear, cool, dry skies will make that something to look forward to over the coming weekend and week.
So, today's goal is to stay dry, and not get blown away (tornado watches are in effect for about my house eastward to the coast in Va, and certainly points south) and while a walk might be fun on a normal rainy day, that might get a little dangerous(thunder just reinforced that idea), Today on Earth.

Bad News: Michael Jumps To Cat. 4

Hurricane Michael slurping up heat from the bath water of the Gulf of Mexico made the jump from Cat. 1 to 4 in less than 24 hours and is expected to batter the Florida panhandle when it makes landfall later today. Landfall as Cat. 4 hasn't happened in that region since Opal in '95. Storm surges, crazy wind, rain and the accompanying tornadoes will likely remake that region and with the size and strength trash southern Georgia, as well. It is forecast to take off and speed through the region and be swept offshore by the powerful cold front that is wrecking havoc on the plains right now. That forward speed will help, but many inches or even feet of rain is going to fall, especially in the Carolina's where the water has barely receded from Hurricane Flo. The track and speed will play into how much rain we get here, from less than 1" to several, with then, ensuing flooding. The rapidly warming planet is going to move the heat and storms like this, is how that happens.

Recently interviewed the mayor of Tangier

Made a couple of things quite clear

It was erosion washing his tiny island away

But sea level hadn't changed from back in the day

And, like his hero Donny Jonny the Chump

Global warming was just a big liberal dump

Mr. Conservative also thought taxpayers should buy

A big seawall so his island won't die

But, how could the idiot miss the connection

That it's from sea level rise he seeks protection

Cuz, duh, the erosion is from the sea level rise

His disconnect seemed to me quite a surprise

But then, he's trapped by the denial of his kind

Where fake fox news has shrunken his mind

Soon your life of raping the bay is gonna go

And, the crabs you been catching want you to know

They will be living on you soon flooded home

Sea level rise giving them more room to roam

Heads up dude, science is right, you are wrong

With rising seas, Tangier will not last for long.

Pretty shaky day on the shaky planet but while there have been quite a few quakes above magnitude 5, none get near 6. No real surprise locations, mostly Pacific plate boundaries... and Oklahoma. Volcano updated list comes out tonight.
Clouds will block sky viewing for most of the eastern half of the country tonight and tomorrow but by Friday the front and hurricane will be off the coast and the waxing crescent moon will be above and left of Jupiter and hanging with Saturn by Sunday night. The weekend will feel like fall and lovely for day time activities or nighttime sky viewing. Hunker down and survive the storm but get out and wander before it gets here, Today On Earth.

Michael Erupts Into Gulf

Hurricane Michael is coming

Westen Florida is sure bumming

With the bath water of the Gulf

Lots of energy, Michael will engulf

Already at category two

Florida panhandle, comin' at you

But, Michael is not the only storm

Sergio and Luban are part of the swarm

Pacific's Sergio is coming for MexTex

Indian's Luban to give Saudi's a big rain fix

And Japan and Kuril's with big quakes

Sadly, Palu, Indonesia got a 5.1 shake

But, no tsunami warning out today

It's storms sending big waves your way

And, that will be the Gulf Coast concern

Storm surge and heavy rain in turn

For Virginia the timing is looking good

Because it looks like a cold front should

Push Michael off the coast, but Va. Beach

Is likely the end of the storm's reach

But, Georgia and the Carolina's beware

Much rain and wind will Mikey share

However, today the big issue is in the high Plains

Big cold front with tornadoes and rains

Big cold to the west and warmth to the east

Turn the boundary zone into a beast

That's the front that (should) spare us from Mike

And, finally tell the summer temps to take a hike

Because by the weekend it will feel like Fall

Cuz, hey it is almost mid-October, y'all

But, a couple more days of muggy and warm

And, then rain and wind will be the norm

But, until then seek out the joy and mirth

And, get out and stroll, Today on Earth

The Warm October Rolls On

Clouds over the last couple of days have kept the temperatures down here in Va. but the sun has already burned off the clouds today and temps will climb back into the 80's. The warmth will continue well into this week until...and we'll see, tropical depression 14 (Michael) heads up the coast (but, remember, actual storm paths and models of storm paths rarely match) and brings major rains for the southeast Wednesday and Thursday. A blast of northern air will sweep it all offshore and cool down the region for next weekend and get us back to more normal October temps.
Perhaps instead of the last 120 years for averages we should be using the last 20/30 years for averages; since the real warming of the planet has cranked up. While I have weather records in my journals back 20+ years, they are far from consistent, and I couldn't do the math/record averaging, but someone could. I bet the averages since 1990 are several degrees higher than the records back into the 1800's. The planet is warming!! And, deny all you want, we will all have to deal with this moving into the future.
A 5.9 quake rattled the northwestern edge of Haiti today, with lack of building codes, there is likely major damage. Couple of quakes along the mid-Atlantic ridge but a fairly quiet 24 hours on the big shaky planet. Less than 100 magnitude 4.5-5.9 quakes for the week, good news for Palu, Indonesia, still digging out from the recent tsunami. Wild planet!
The thin, waning crescent moon will slide between the earth and sun as a New moon just before midnight eastern daylight time Monday night. The spring tides with the new moon will add to the storm surge along the Gulf Coast as Michael heads that way. Venus is now gone from viewing until it comes out as the Morning Star in November.  Jupiter is still bright in the southwest after sunset, but is below the horizon in little over an hour past sunset (which is earlier and earlier which each passing day). Mars and Saturn are still high up in the south as the evening sky darkens. The mosquitos are bad news right now so if you are out sky viewing, slather on the repellent or make it a very quick view.
Uranus, in Aries, and Neptune in Aquarius are in good viewing positions right now, but you'll need a telescope. Uranus is bright enough to see with just good eyes in a dark location, but finding it with a scope or binocs first will aid that. Mercury is back behind the sun and out of sight right now but will make an evening appearance in late October and into November even then will not be easy to spot.
Still feeling like summer so get out and enjoy the warmth, deal with the bugs, share the planet we must. And, let's see if I can come up with a few rhymes to vent with the insanity going on both locally and nationally, today on Earth.

We've got a tweeting twit "in charge"

With tiny brain but mouth and ego so large

And, the party of denial and blame

Beer toasting their new judge with the claim,

"We don't like women or believe what they say,

So, let keep 'em underpaid, harassed and at bay

And, focus on growth and greed and war

Wave our peepees around, and get to the bar"

Closer to home, it's mostly the same

Tax dollars to buy up land that's lame

To bring business that's not coming

And, debt and excuses and chest drumming

But, keep pushing back ladies, everyday

We need these old white guys out of the way

An end to their power, control and slime

Keep pushing back, now is the time!!

Summer-Like Fall Heat

Another warm day in central Va., the extended summer season rolls on. A weak cold front is going to change that later today with a chance of showers/storms and a cool, cloudy, damp Friday is coming. The weekend will be cooler than today but with still have above average temps as will most of next week. Forecasters and their models are looking for a big cool down by the second weekend of Rocktober. Likely a more common start time for fall weather on a rapidly warming earth.
Saw the clip I've been showing to students for years, predicting drowning Miami under tropical waters from the Frank Capra made for education movie, The Unchained Goddess, on the news last night. 60 years ago!! The predictions for change have been around for at least that long, with good changing atmosphere data but...when your economy is greed-based on oil and coal and now natural gas, change is unlikely until...well, I wish I knew what will trigger wholesale changes; likely water in the streets of NYC, Boston, Miami, Norfolk, LA, Seattle and San Fran that doesn't recede from the king tide. Naaaaaaa, not if gas is still cheap!! Keep on Fracking!!
21 volcanoes on the new list (last week's action) with Indonesia still leading the way with 6 belching, spewing mountains; and earthquakes and tsunamis, too. No wonder there are 280-ish million people there. Who needs family planning when you have volcanoes, quakes and tsunamis to control overcrowding! The archipelago next chain down the island arc, PNG, has three active volcanoes, Kamchatka is down to 4 for the week and the US hangs with 3, two getting busy in the Aleutians and a much quieter Kilauea in the 50th state. Etna is back on the list in Italy and Piton off Africa is still at it but has slowed the flowing lava. It's hot inside the Earth and cool on the surface and since heat always moves to cold, guess what, let the heat out!! Same basic idea as a hurricane, typhoon; move the heat from the equator toward the poles. Hmmmm, what happens when the poles get warm? We're going to find out, in fact, we already are. Hang on, there is more change acoming!!
Quake list is about average, 3ish quakes in the low magnitude 5 range but no really big shakes. Indonesia is still digging out and recovering and looking for help after last week's tsunami. Sadly, any help is a bandaid on a chainsaw wound, the real issue is overpopulation, both from and leading to bad planning and limited education and resources.
Until all first world aid is tied into contraception and better, smaller, family planning world wide, the problems and begging for help will continue. And, that's unlikely, with judgmental, close-minded, hypocrites in "charge" in this county (and much of the rest of the world) the population issues will continue to grow, fueling ALL other problems until...again, until what. Catastrophe! Proactive is always better than reactive but proactive doesn't make enough money for this quarter's profits, so why bother now!!
There's something to ponder on your Thursday. Get out and take a walk and check out your part of the planet, the solutions are right there, take only what you need and give back what you don't: balance, it's what the rest of the earthlings do (remember: every thing we share this planet with is an earthling, too, and we could learn a lot just checking out how our fellow planet dwellers do things).
Take a stroll and check it out, Today on Earth.

Roctober Starts Wild & Warm

The warmth of the new summer month, Rocktober, is in full swing today in the southeast US, tomorrow may be even warmer. The wild wasn't so much in Va. but it was in Pennsylvania yesterday where a cold front fired off thunderstorms with all possible storm choices: heavy rain and flooding, downed trees from tornadoes and other powerful winds and didn't see any hail listed but there were so many damage boxes on the Keystone state map it was hard to tell. I'm sure damage reports are still be updated, damage accessed.
In the desert southwest, tropical storm remnants that came northeast and ashore, dumped heavy rain and when that happens in an arid region, flash flooding is the outcome. Our heat is rain free until slight chances come back this weekend, tomorrow may hit 90, first time in four years that's happened in Rocktober, in Va. More cool weather is not forecast until mid-month, again, looking like the new normal on a rapidly warming planet: early springs and late summers, and the ice keeps melting.
A quiet 24 hours on the shaky world, with two 5.3 magnitude quake to stir up their region. No surprise quake spots today. Volcano report is updated today.
A lovely sunset last night, but the clouds blocked planet viewing. The moon was at last quarter yesterday so the now waning crescent is easiest to see in the daylight morning hours, sans stars. For early risers, the crescent will be in Cancer tomorrow morning near the beehive cluster (bring binoculars) and will slide into Leo on Friday morning. Time for a dog stroll for me and the large brown rascal, hope you get out and enjoy the warmth of lingering summer, Today on Earth.

Still Shaking In Indonesia & Venus Is Low

The quakes continue in central Indonesia, a 6.0, 5.9 and 5.8, all just south of Palu but there are still strong aftershocks in Palu, as well. Another shaky day in, perhaps, the shakiest part of the shaky planet. But, Mexico, Chile, Iran, Vanuatu and the mid-ocean ridge off east Africa all have their parts of Earth in motion today. And in the US, as usual, Alaska, California, and Hawaii are on the list; yes, Oklahoma, too. The shakes continue unabated off Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands in the Atlantic/Caribbean. It's still a wild planet.
The warm fall weather continues here on the east coast with more cloud action than has been forecast, all that rain now in the ground just keep evaporating into the dry air mass. The warmth stretches into the south-central US with the jet stream whipping across the US/Canada border and it will wrinkle up into our neighbor to the north as the week goes on blocking any chance of cool fall air from drifting south. That set up is forecast to last well into next week before the cool air winds its way back into the southlands. Enjoy the extended summer, likely a sign of trends to continue on the warming planet.
Only 4 speakers at the board of supervisors meeting last night against the mega-site. Two geologists and two Twin Oakers; all making more good points against. Another antimega-site organizing meeting tonight before next week's board get together to (likely) announce a downsizing but still plan to move forward...with our money and no one (we know of) moving in. Madness!! We battle on!
On the drive home from the board meeting in near darkness (sneaking in earlier and earlier as we head toward the winter solstice) I caught another glimpse of still, very bright Venus beaming through the clouds on the western horizon. Want to catch Venus, as it catches us in our trips around the sun, get out at 7:10-20ish and have a good western horizon spot. Jupiter still hangs above Venus but they are much farther apart now and Mars, still quite bright and red, and Saturn, dimmer and dimmer, slide ever so closer in the south-southeast (at dark). Coolish, dryish, but mosquito filled skies offer good viewing, but bug spray or quick looks is recommended.
Time for me to track down a wandering dog and get some work done, Today on Earth.