Monday, June 29, 2015

Weather It Is (Not Too Cold For A Frog)

Good Afternoon:

My mom tells me that my favorite childhood story was a picture book about a boy and a frog. So, you can imagine what a pleasant surprise we received Friday evening.

Well, if you can't, I will tell you.  I was in the kitchen doing my part to be on the "good-list" of husbands (washing dishes) when there was a knock on the door.  Much to my surprise there were 4 Calzones outside our door.  These are actually the children of our Italian neighbours.  They had a very important question: "what do frogs eat?"

You see, they had bought a very fresh head of lettuce a few days previously, which they decided to eat for the Friday night meal (with their Challah, egg salad, and Babaganoush (of course)).  Fortunately, the young man in charge of washing and cutting the lettuce did neither until he had ascertained that there were indeed no frogs in his head of lettuce.  Except there was -- a (small) frog.

It was a very cold frog, of course, but (heck) frogs don't really care as long as they get a chance to warm up once in a while.

My guess is that the company that sold the lettuce is trying a new form of bug control. Forget the chemicals, and go organic -- as frogs eat lots of insects and other things (like meal worms).

They let the frog go Friday evening.  It was, however, rather chilly Friday night (before Shabbat turned much warmer), so I bet the frog couldn't really tell the difference between his old habitat (among the lettuce leaves) and the back yard.

Fortunately, today is a bit warmer than yesterday, and tomorrow will be warmer than today. In fact, it's going to warm up to rather comfortable summertime levels over the few days and the heat will last into mid next week. At this time we can see that it will be quite a bit warmer than the last couple of days, but we can't yet tell how warm -- although we know temperatures should generally rise to the upper 20s to low 30s.

As we head towards the middle of the month there should be a general cooling to temperatures usually associated with late spring than summer, and some folks might wonder why (or at least, where is summer).

In any case, temperatures should be in a comfortable range for our (now) backyard frog.

By the way, the boy goes out to catch the frog, but the frog is too smart for him.  The boy goes home disappointed.  The frog is left by himself, and wonders if he might have been just a little bit too smart for the boy and even for himself.  He looks one way and the other, and then follows the boy home, and is quite happy to jump in his hot bath as well.  So, you can see that frogs are really quite versatile, and maybe a better way to keep our lettuce clean.

What did I learn from this book? It's nice to have a friend, even if he's green.

Barry Lynn


Saturday, June 27, 2015

Weather It Is (Dust and Cooler Weather)

Good Evening:

There were lots of people out this Shabbat, as our afternoon high temperature reached 30 C under mostly sunny skies.

However, low pressure moving along the southern Mediterranean (some would call it a Sharav) will drag plenty of  dust our way tonight making for poor air quality.  The dust will clear from west to east early tomorrow morning and temperatures will end up a lot cooler tomorrow (Sunday) afternoon than today's afternoon highs. There could a light shower, and even some "cloud" lightning.

Temperatures will remain cool until Monday morning when they will start their rise back up to more summertime levels by mid to late this coming week.  Temperatures will be near 30 C in the mountains to mid 30s elsewhere, and these summertime temperatures will then remain with us into early the following week.

Somewhat cooler air will return mid to late the following week, but it won't turn nearly as cool as it will be tomorrow.

Barry Lynn

Thursday, June 25, 2015

Weather It Is (A Chill Ends And Then Returns)

Good Afternoon:

At about 9 A.M this morning the weather data logger at my home recorded 18 degrees Celcius  and 18 km/h for the wind speed.  The west winds from the sea brought more than a touch of humidity as well.

It seems unusually cool for June, which reminds me that it would be a very interesting project to collate the observations and be able to speak more quantitatively about what seems to be a rather large (cool) deviation in our summer weather.  All I can say is that there are those who say they don't remember it so cool.

Nevertheless, temperatures will warm suddenly from Friday into late Shabbat ahead of low pressure dropping down from the northwest. This will bring temperatures into the mid 30s in many locations, before its cool front drops temperatures by almost 12 C from evening Saturday to Sunday morning.

Sunday will remain cool and a bit breezy.

Monday will start a warming trend that should last into late next week.  July will even start off a bit hot (with temperatures in the mid 30s), but the desert low will soon begin a retreat to the east and temperatures will end up just warm the second week of July.

Who can complain?  Not I.

Barry Lynn

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Weather It Is (Some Swings)

Good Evening:

The weather pattern remains rather unstable, oscillating between a cooler northwesterly and hotter easterly summer-like flow.

The cool weather pattern will intensify its grip until Thursday morning, before the weather pattern switches back to summertime and temperatures shoot up to quite warm, even hot levels by Shabbat afternoon.  So, we will go from needing a light jacket to short sleeves within a couple of days.

However, temperatures will drop off by about 10 C on Sunday before slowly recovering over the following week.

Barry Lynn

Sunday, June 21, 2015

Weather It Is (Testing the Waters)

Good Evening:

Yesterday, I received some good news about the weather: it was just fine and dandy, like a fine London day (he said).  I too thought it was quite pleasant, with temperatures in the low 20s (low 70s F).  A perfect day for a baseball game.

While I was musing and wallowing in my congratulations, my wife came downstairs in her late June summer Shabbat outfit.  She opened the door and started out into the bright blue (or perhaps somewhat overcast skies) only to return quickly inside.  She then slowly extended her finger into the outside air (like someone checking for hot water in the shower)  She returned her finger to the safety of the house, strode backwards towards the stares, gave me a passing look of angst and embarrassment (like how could you do this to us?) and headed back upstairs.

I heard some rummaging around in the far reaches of the attic and about half an hour later she returned in her winter clothes (and boots), donned a jacket and we were off for a walk.

Being from the hardy woods up NY, I was out in my shirtsleeve shirt, but I have to admit that this evening the cool wind blowing through the window is a bit too cool even more my liking.

In fact, Shabbat morning there were even a few light drops of rain.

Looking ahead, we see three or four days of continuing cool weather, and there will actually be a chance of light rain showers late in the week/Erev Shabbat.  Temperatures will then spike up a bit by late Shabbat and Sunday, head down a bit on Monday, and then slowly head upwards as we approach July.

It ain't summer like we knew, but neither have our winters been like the ones we knew as well. We just seem to be affected by weather more usually associated with latitudes further north.  Enjoy.

Barry Lynn

Thursday, June 18, 2015

Weather It Is (Giving: Be A Good Husband)

Good Afternoon:

"God has given you to me,"  Mottel the tailor proclaims to Tzeital.  It's a miracle!

On our wedding day we also feel the same.  We look into the eyes of our bride (or groom) and believe in all our heart that this person is everything we need, everything we desired, everything we wished for.

So, we sit back and we wait to receive.

Well, having been married longer than I was, but (hopefully!) not as long as I will be -- I can tell you that it just doesn't work that way.  The reason is simple: giving takes an action, and if you don't give the other person can't receive.

Of course, one doesn't know this when one marries, and it is only after learning on the job -- so to speak -- does one figure this out. One also comes to understand (or appreciate) just what must be given and what should be taken.

So, it was with much consternation that I learned something new about my wife.  Even worse, something that was being taken from her without reciprocity.  Several years my second youngest daughter went with me (by request of the Wife) to bring home a dog.  This dog is quite normal in many ways. For instance, every morning she comes bounding downstairs to partake in the preparation of breakfast.  I carefully remove the end of the loaf and six other slices of bread. The six slices go on the counter, while the end of the loaf (split in two) goes in the mouth of the dog.

Then it happened.  "This bread has no beginning nor does it have an end," says the wife.  "The beginning and the end are my favorite parts of the bread."   Four years we've had this dog! Oh how simple it would have been for me to fulfill my part of the giving by simply giving the ends of the bread to my wife and not the dog!

Well, I've got good news.  I've got something even more important to give to her.  It's sunny and hot, and it's called summer.  Tonight a cool front will pass through our area late tonight and temperatures will fall off to cool summertime levels. However, until then, nighttime temperatures will probably be uncomfortable for sleeping.  So, it is a good night to use a fan or the air conditioner.

Friday will still be warm, but Shabbat morning should dawn with a chill.

But Sunday temperatures should begin a slow but steady rise until the end of the month (with only a small chance for the passage of a weak cool front about a week from now).  The warming temperatures will be in response to the developing heat low over the deserts to our east which will extend its influence westward to cover our area.  The result: we'll be back to today's warm summertime temperatures and be ready to turn the page into July.

Just to note: when someone asks you what has an end but no beginning? Answer: a newly opened package of bread.

Shabbat Shalom,

Barry Lynn



Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Weather It Is (Cue Ball)

Good Afternoon:

The weather is pretty nice -- it's 26 C with 43% humidity and light westerly winds.

The weather is going to stay nice, but it's going to warm up as the desert low  to our east expands westward.  Fortunately, before it can get even "not-too-hot," a quick moving low pressure trough will slide across the Mediterranean and -- like the cue ball -- knock this system for a loop.

The end result: we'll pretty much return  to today's weather, on Shabbat.  True, Friday's going to be pretty warm, but it won't be at all extreme.

This is pretty much summer time here, although most would claim that it's been cooler than normal.
Has it been?  This is something that would be a good idea to provide to site users.  It would be quite interesting to work up a climatology of what's normal, and what's not, and then be able to say: "look," this really is unusual.

Barry Lynn

Sunday, June 14, 2015

Weather It Is (The Bionic Shopper)

Good Afternoon:

I had occasion to shop at the Rami-Levy in Gush Etzion the other day. This is a well-run super-market! I have to say that I was really impressed: I saw the employees working diligently, rapidly, and conscientiously.  I also spoke to one, who was also quite helpful.  These employees were almost all Arab people from villages local to Gush Etzion.

You see, in many places (since the last war ended in 2002), Jews and "Palestinians" have build up economic relationships benefiting both sides.  These are peaceful relationships between Jewish (Israelis) and Arab (Palestinians).  For this reason, I can understand why the BDS movement seeks to end such relationships.  They hope to lead the Palestinians to poverty, hoping they will rise up and eventually destroy the State of Israel -- as in: they don't like Jews (too bad that the 20% of the Israeli population that isn't Jewish, like Druse, Christians, and Israeli-Arabs will suffer too).

I also was privy to notice something else.  Have you ever compared how men and women shop?  The women move slowly from isle to isle, checking prices, checking food quality, and watching where they are going.  The men shop like the "Bionic" (i.e., Six Million Dollar) Man.  They speed from location to location, throwing whatever is (or isn't) on their list into their cart.  For men, time is money,  while for women: money is money. Now who is smarter?

I am one of those shoppers and I can complete the Rami Levi circuit in under an hour and return home triumphantly with my car filled with groceries.  The problem is that fast is not always smart and so it was that the third container of  (Smoked) Eggplant salad became to be stacked upon the second container of Eggplant salad.

"I just asked for 'Babaganoush,'" she said.  "Isn't it," I replied?

Now, men don't need to get in trouble for being efficient, economical, and efficacious in their shopping.  But those men are not married to wives who simply want a simple Eggplant salad with mayonnaise  Well, now I know, and the time (i.e., pit-stop) I spent idling last week will be better spent grabbing the right salad and going on to the next item.

It seems often that married life is a bit of push and pull.  The men pull and the women push them back into line.  Likewise, our weather system seems to be suffering from the same "malaise." Our summer (desert heat-low) weather pattern tries to establish itself in the eastern Mediterranean, only to be knocked for a loop by a persistent trough over northern Europe and weak low pressure areas rotating around it into our area.  Cold air is more dense than warm air and our desert low is no match for these European small troughs (or at least not a very tough one).

Still, like the shopper who's willing to brave the supermarket again, it keeps coming back for more.  The end result, a little bit warmer, a little bit cooler, and no-one's thinking that it's too hot.

Barry Lynn

Thursday, June 11, 2015

Weather It Is (Just Enough)

Good Afternoon:

It was a pretty nice day out and it is a pretty nice day out.  Temperatures in the mountains are in the low 70s with scattered clouds. Who can complain?

The wife knows (who). She's made it clear that unless things really warm up around here she's buying an apartment in Ashkelon (and I have yet to receive the details or an invitation).

I can only reassure her that the summer is indeed here -- and one need only look at a weather map to see that I speak the truth.

True, it isn't a very warm summer (yet), but if one sees the heat low located over the desert of Saudia Arabia and what looks like a menacing westward curve in the atmospheric flow in our direction, one might actually be thankful that it isn't too hot, and won't get too, too-hot as temperatures continue their rise over the next 7 to 10 days.

The reason it won't get too, too-hot is that there is still some activity shown on the weather map a week or so out.  At that time, a weak trough developing over eastern Europe may will more than likely beat back the desert-low pressure area just enough to keep the hottest air just to our east. Nevertheless, make no mistake about it -- summer is here.

Barry Lynn

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Weather It Is (Not Too Hot)

Good Morning:

Yesterday I received a complaint from a fine lady.  She said if there was another "not-too-hot" day like today (tomorrow) then she would be beside herself.  Now, I must mention that my sister hates (or least hated) the word "lady" to describe that part of the human race that isn't male, but I am pretty sure that this person carries a parasol, and that even with the parasol it was just "too-hot."

Yet, it wasn't.

Sure, it was hot, but it wasn't too hot.  In fact, it was a whole 2 degrees C cooler in our part of town, and a good 7 or so degrees cooler down in the valleys below.  Moreover, while today will be sort-of-hot, it will be definitely be less hot than yesterday. It turns out that the 50% chance we had of today being just as not-too-hot as yesterday has become a zero percent chance. What this means is that the atmosphere hinted on Friday and Saturday that today (Tuesday) could be another very-warm (okay hot) day, but by Sunday afternoon we could see that such was not going to be so. Had I updated the blog, I would have mentioned this. Of course, the web site did (automatically making note of this -- at www.weather-it-is-israel.com).

Now, this whole academic, logical, and rational discussion is really besides the point to the lady who was just "too-hot," rather than "not-to-hot."  And here in lies the rub, as they say, or if I might step into the frying pan I will.

We all know that women need understanding and men need appreciation, as written quite convincingly in "Men are from Mars, Women from Venus."  This means that once a women has a "complaint," it's too late for the men to save themselves (see below) -- the horse has left the barn, the boulder has already started rolling down the hill, and the avalanche of whatever is already upon us (him in this case).

Now, I am going to tell you (men) how to "game" the system -- to save yourself, so to speak. When the wife says "there's no garlic," you don't say: "I bought garlic last week," or, "we can get by."  You say, "oy, that's terrible, what will we do without it?!"  When the wife says the garbage smells, you don't say: "I took it out yesterday." You say: "it really does stink, I can smell it too."  You see, you commiserate, you understand her "pain."

The problem is, and I have to warn you (men), that there is something called: "women-hood."  It is the collective of women that exist on this planet (and Venus) that look out for each other.  When a husband (falsely?) expresses his understanding too many times, a wife will hear a buzzing in her head.  If you do what I've told you too many times, you will hear it too.  Then, the only thing you can do is run to take out the garbage (before things get any worse).

But, honestly, the best way to stay on the good and safe side of this collective is to take out the garbage before it smells and to buy garlic once a week until the wife says: "why do we have so much garlic?!"  (I.e, where am I suppose to put this -- now that the counter is covered in garlic.)  In other words, solve the problem before it happens -- that's what true understanding is.

Along those lines, I've gone to great lengths to make sure that today's weather will be noticeably cooler than yesterday's , and that it won't get even not-to not-to-hot for the next week, even though summer has indeed arrived.

Barry Lynn

Sunday, June 7, 2015

Weather It Is (Would You Shed Your Coat?)

Good Evening:

My wife woke up the other morning tired.  This seemed a little strange, considering she had a good night sleep (time wise). Why was she tired?  At about 10:30 in the evening she started dreaming that she was in a parking garage, and went off to find her car (leaving her mother -- briefly she thought).  Seven plus hours later she found her car -- quite exhausted from walking back and forth and level to level (but then couldn't find her mother).

Was this dream a metaphor?  A metaphor for the poor wondering Israeli (who grew up on the beach but now lives in the mountains) who searches for summer in what seems like our never-ending winter?

Well, I have news!  The cat has shed her coat!  There is a long haired cat (name: Mitzy) that lives in our neighbourhood.  Over the years through proper diet and exercise she has lost a good deal of her weight, but one would never know during winter.  In winter, she grows a very long, thick winter coat.   But, just the other day she dropped this coat (sort of like a snake dropping his old scaly-skin) and out popped a lightweight summer coat.  She's ready for summer and my guess is that summer is ready for her (or otherwise, why would she have done this on a cloudy day?).

Actually, it's going to get hot and this time there is a good chance that the heat will last a couple of days.  Low pressure over Cyprus will drift eastward during the next day, dragging hot hair northwest from the Saudi desert.  However, instead of sweeping in really cool spring air, it will slowly merge with the low pressure usually located over the desert and eventually result in warm, but not too warm June days.

True, it will get cooler on Wednesday.  True, the heat won't be extreme, but after the cool front sweeps through late Tuesday it won't get that cool, and then the weather will slowly warm. At this point, our thoughts will turn to white beaches and white capped waves.

Hopefully, this is all we'll need to forecast this summer.

Barry Lynn

Friday, June 5, 2015

Weather It Is (Cool, Then Hot)

Good Afternoon:

The weather is delightfully cool.  So cool, in fact, that the wife is asking if we've moved to Canada, or if I (personally) have something against summer.

Yet, when summer comes, you'll hear complaints about it being too hot -- which it will be on Monday. Temperatures will soar during Monday into the low to upper 30s.  By normal standards this is hot -- although it won't be as hot as it was during the last scorcher of a day.

Yet, just like last time, the heat will be relatively short-lived and Tuesday has a 90% chance of being on the cooler side.

The heat will be courteous of a Sharav low moving along the southern Mediterranean coast.  It will drag the hot air in from the Saudi desert.  When the low passes, the winds will switch to the northwest and usher in a  couple of days of cool weather.

Looking further ahead: not too hot nor too cool -- just right.

Barry Lynn

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Weather It Is (Waves)

Good Afternoon:

As we journey towards summer, the atmosphere moves along too.

We're in a transition period where today's moderately warm weather will be followed by cooler weather for Shabbat and Sunday, only to warm up again towards mid next week.

In fact, it may get hot, although not hot like the recent days of past.  And, then, just when you think summer has arrived it will cool off again for the next Shabbat.

If one can picture waves on the sea, then this is our atmosphere (undulating from ridge to trough; summer and back to spring).

At some point, probably about two weeks out, the upper atmosphere will begin to warm up as air arrives with the strengthening of the Indian monsoon -- and stay that way until next September.  This will signal the "dog days of summer," when we'll be looking out for just how hot can it get, rather than if it is hot.

On the other hand, if one lives in the Judean mountains, including Jerusalem, there's not much too worry about.  True, the sun is quite strong in the middle of the day, but most summer days aren't "too" hot, while the humidity is low.  It's pretty much perfect weather and a good reason to visit us.

Barry Lynn