la Nina rears her ugly head

[fechter]

This was a little while ago in Burbank:



But the predicted high was 119 at my daughter's place. That's like Death Valley stuff. And her air conditioner broke down.

"Only" 103F here. And still smoky, but at least they almost have the fire nearby contained. But now the Creek Fire is really taking off and the smoke covers several western states. The smoke plume was over 50,000 feet high.

 

[The fingers]

The El Dorado Fire also visible from space. So far the smoke is moving to the west. That could change and really stink up things here.


Took this today on the way to work.



And these on the way home.
Oops, sideways again.

 

[The fingers]

https://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/GOES/sector_band.php?sat=G17&sector=psw&band=GEOCOLOR&length=24
All the smoke is moving in this direction now.

 

[The fingers]

https://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/GOES/sector_band.php?sat=G17&sector=psw&band=Sandwich&length=24

 

[fechter]

Fires are easily spotted in the IR satellite image. Whole damn state is on fire. So is Oregon. Today the smoke was largely blocking out the sun so our daytime high only reached about 90 instead of the predicted 100F. Orange sun looks strange.

 

[fechter]

This morning I woke up and it was orange outside. I mean really orange. The smoke plume was so thick it was completely blocking out the sun. Picture below was taken around 8:30am, which should have been bright and sunny, but looked more like 10 pm.



By 11am, the street lights were still on. Ashes covered everything and were floating down like snowflakes. By late afternoon, the high temperature was 66F, instead of the forecast 90F. A welcome cool off after the extreme heat. If this keeps up I may need to turn on the house heater. Hopefully the wind changes direction or something. From the satellite loop it looks like a lot of the smoke was coming down from Oregon and adding to the smoke from the CA fires.

 

[The fingers]

Detailed Forecast
Today
Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming northwest in the morning.
Tonight
Patchy smoke after 11pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 65. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming east after midnight.
Friday
Patchy smoke. Mostly sunny, with a high near 93. Light and variable wind becoming west 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon.
Friday Night
Patchy smoke before 11pm. Mostly clear, with a low around 66. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Saturday
Sunny, with a high near 96. Light and variable wind becoming southwest 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon.
Saturday Night
Clear, with a low around 66.
Sunday
Sunny, with a high near 98.
Sunday Night
Clear, with a low around 68.
Monday
Sunny, with a high near 101.
Monday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 70.
Tuesday
Sunny, with a high near 99.
Tuesday Night
Clear, with a low around 69.
Wednesday
Sunny, with a high near 98.

 

[fechter]

Seriously bad air quality around the SF bay now.

 

[The fingers]

https://ktla.com/news/california/la-nina-climate-pattern-strengthens-in-the-pacific-ocean/

 

[The fingers]

Smoke goes coast to coast in this daytime satellite view:
https://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/GOES/fulldisk_band.php?sat=G17&band=GEOCOLOR&length=12

 

[The fingers]

Smoke is moving towards Santa Cruz and San Francisco.
https://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/GOES/sector_band.php?sat=G17&sector=psw&band=GEOCOLOR&length=24

 

[The fingers]

Very active Atlantic storm season. Pacific not so much.

https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/?atlc

 

[2old]

AQI's in socal (Tustin, Orange area - my habitat) 87 - 117 today, so I'll ride soon (probably try a KN95 mask). My wife and I rode MTB in Chino Hills (125) for a couple of hours on Sunday with no apparent ill affects. What happened to San Francisco? AQI was 14 today; did a tornado of fresh air purify the atmosphere?

 

[fechter]

The marine layer to the rescue! Finally can breathe again, at least for now. Wind direction could change any time, so not sure how long this will last but I'm sure happy about it now.

 

[ZeroEm]

Texas has your cooler air and rain, We normally fight the heat and dryness this time of year. But this year we are at the end of summer and it is quite nice high 80's. Plenty of rain every is nice and green and growing. This is not normal for this time of year.

 

[2old]

AQI in San Francisco = 1, Marin County (Fairfax) = 2; our friend(s) there get out and ride. AQI in the 70's here today; think I'll stay home. Rode eMTB with KN95 mask at AQI 120, temperature 98 degrees yesterday.

 

[The fingers]

Clear smoke-free air aloft moving in from the west, smoke now moving northward into Nevada riding on the southerly surface flow.
https://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/GOES/sector_band.php?sat=G17&sector=psw&band=GEOCOLOR&length=24

 

[fechter]

AQI in San Francisco = 1, Marin County (Fairfax) = 2; our friend(s) there get out and ride. AQI in the 70's here today; think I'll stay home. Rode eMTB with KN95 mask at AQI 120, temperature 98 degrees yesterday.

Riding with a KN95 masks sort of sucks but better than staying inside. It really does cut down on the smoke though.

 

[2old]

I rode my eMTB with one Wednesday (AQI 120) when it was 98 degrees; not as much fun as usual, but better than riding the couch. Isn't your AQI exceedingly low now?

 

[fechter]

Isn't your AQI exceedingly low now?

Yes, thank goodness. Had a wave of moderate air yesterday and they are predicting more smoke tomorrow but then clearing again.
30 straight Spare the Air days was enough.

 

[ZeroEm]

We started our Fan up to keep the Smoke up North and West. Named the Fan Beta, hope it does not do a Louisiana on us.

 

[The fingers]

Could see the mountains finally today. The El Dorado Fire clearly visible from ~40 miles away. :|

 

[tomjasz]

Isn't your AQI exceedingly low now?

Yes, thank goodness. Had a wave of moderate air yesterday and they are predicting more smoke tomorrow but then clearing again.
30 straight Spare the Air days was enough.

Yikes! Take care! Minneapolis reported orange skies and smoke haze!

 

[The fingers]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=k6kJUPBUOrY

 

[The fingers]

Detailed Forecast
This Afternoon
Sunny, with a high near 102. West wind around 5 mph.
Tonight
Clear, with a low around 67. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming northeast after midnight.
Thursday
Sunny, with a high near 102. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the afternoon.
Thursday Night
Clear, with a low around 67. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph in the evening.
Friday
Sunny, with a high near 101. East wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the afternoon.
Friday Night
Clear, with a low around 63.
Saturday
Sunny, with a high near 100.
Saturday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 61.
Sunday
Sunny, with a high near 97.
Sunday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 60.
Monday
Sunny, with a high near 95.
Monday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 59.
Tuesday
Sunny, with a high near 94.