Thursday, August 27, 2015

Weather It Is (Make An Effort)

Good Evening:

It was suggested that teachers start the new school year with a cane.  The aristocracy used to walk around with a cane, and everyone knew to give them respect.  Teachers too could peck their way into school with a swagger and a flourish, and no student would dare to  misbehave.

Upon hearing this, I realised that the key to my success is my Bosch drill.  I wrote about this before, but I can tell you that the effect it has on the wife hasn't worn off.  The other day I plunked my Bosch down in the kitchen, attached a rotary beater to the end and away I went.  My wife heard the noise, came in to say a word or two, stared, uttered a word or two of praise, and went back to what she was doing.

I haven't heard from anyone about the weather, other than from someone who strongly hinted that they would prefer winter weather (snows) to our summertime warmth.  Up here in the central mountains the weather has been absolutely outstanding (not to hot and not too humid), while near the beaches a westerly wind has kept things pleasant, even though temperatures are more summer like.  The westerly winds are also bringing in a bit more humidity, so if you're going to be along the coastal plain, the best place to be is the water itself.

The weather pattern is pretty stagnant.  There is high pressure over central Europe and low pressure over the desert to our east.  The two of them combined are the reason for the persistent westerly wind. No change is expected for the next 10 days.  A couple of weeks down the line, there is a 50% chance of more summertime heat.

We just returned from a few days in Haifa.  We had a strange experience, or two.  For instance, it seemed like no matter what we did we always had to wait.  We waited for ice at the the Leonardo Hotel (in Haifa), we waited for extra blankets, and we waited an hour for lunch. The staff didn't seem to notice or be concerned. The problem is that this hotel masquerades as a 4 Star hotel, but really gives 3 Star service.  However, we also waited while trying to find the entrance to the Science museum ("Mada-tech").  It's actually on Balfour street, not as given (Sharmayahu street).

But then, it turned out that there are those who care..  For instance, the museum let us enter right away when we finally arrived and explained that it was hard for my father to stand in the heat.

Then an even more remarkable thing happened.  We went to the "Confi" restaurant at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, ordered and then waited.  The waiting wasn't remarkable -- as we were sort of used to it by then.  It wasn't even remarkable when the kids fell asleep in their chairs, and I began to wonder just what food tasted like.

So, what was so remarkable?  The food came, but the manager came to to tell us that the meal was free!

What a nice way to end a trip, seeing that customer service is really a concern -- at least to some -- and I believe will encourage other establishments to actually think more about their customers and the services they offer.

Barry Lynn
P.S. A kosher restaurant opposite the Crowne Plaza is called "El-Goucho" and they give good food and good service.

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Weather It Is (Perfection)

Good Evening:

The other day I was sitting peacefully at my computer -- as a drop of sweat peeled off the end of my nose and splashed on to the key board.  I was actually answering an e-mail about when this oppressive heat would end -- when the door opened.

In walked the wife and literally in the heat of the moment asked me: "What did you do?"  "It's not possible -- like this."  "It can't be -- like this."  "It's impossible -- like this."  The amazing thing is that I wasn't even in the kitchen!

It was then that a very strange thing happened: in the middle of this spew of (Hebrew language) expletives her neck froze.  What an irony!  Worst of all is that she froze on the left side when she is generally leans to the right of the political spectrum.

Well, the good news is that I have rebooted the system and managed to remove the curse the wife put upon us when she changed our computer screen a few weeks ago from its wintry to less appropriate material.

Tomorrow's weather should be 2 C cooler than today and Friday's weather two degree cooler than tomorrow.  And, while it will stay pretty much the same for a couple of days,  next week will be a further four degree cooler than Sunday. The cooler weather is courtesy of growing high pressure over central Europe and weakening low pressure over the desert to our east.

So, folks, August's weather will end on a beautiful if not perfect note, and like the blame I must accept when things go wrong, I must also accept the credit.

Of course, it's the chiropractor for my wife -- as I fix the weather, not necks that are askew.

Barry Lynn

Monday, August 17, 2015

Weather It Is (Extreme Heat Continues)

Good Evening:

A ridge of higher pressure over Africa and low pressure to our east will combine to push tomorrow's 850 mb temperatures to their highest levels of the past few days.  The clockwise flow around the high will combine with counter clockwise flow around the low to bring us northerly winds on Tuesday into Wednesday.

Of course, most of us don't live at 1500 meters above the ground, but the intense heat will percolate downwards and also cause to "hold in" the solar heating of the earth's surface. This means temperatures a degree or two warmer than today's (Tuesday's) and very poor air quality as  there will be relatively little mixing of the air between the surface and lower atmosphere.

Temperatures are Wednesday will be almost as hot as on Tuesday's (but not quite), and then we're headed downwards by about 10 C by the middle of next week.  The weather should be absolutely perfect for the last week of August.

Barry Lynn

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Weather It Is (Extreme Heat)

Good Morning:

There is an extreme heat warning from Sunday through Wednesday.  Temperatures will be in the mid 30s in the central mountains, upper 30s to near forty Celsius in the Valleys, and low 30s with moderate humidity near the coast.

Monday will probably bring temperatures in the mid 40s in the Dead Sea Valley.  Temperatures will be slightly cooler near the coast as winds take on a more northwesterly component, but with very high humidity. Temperatures will be in the mid 30s elsewhere.

The latest ensemble forecasts suggest that Wednesday (the 19th of August)  has a 70% chance of being the hottest day of the heat wave, with temperatures generally in the upper 30s to near 40 C (and of course hotter in the Jordan and Dead Sea Valleys).

As last time, this is an extremely dangerous weather condition, and the dryness and heat can lead to heat stroke (even when someone doesn't feel too hot because of sweat evaporation).

See: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heat-stroke/basics/prevention/con-20032814

http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/prevention-wellness/staying-healthy/first-aid/heat-exhaustion-an-heatstroke.html

http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/heattips.asp

Thursday should start a cooling trend and by the last week in August temperatures will be perfectly pleasant.

The heat wave is courtesy of high pressure over Africa bridging eastward and the desert low pressure area to our east extending its influence westward over our area.  High pressure over Europe remains far to the north and hence too far away to bring any cool relief.  Late in the week the high over Africa will weaken a bit and the low pressure area will shift slightly eastward.  For us, this will make a big difference in our temperatures, as noted above.

Windy conditions coupled with the high heat will make for a high fire risk throughout the heat wave!


Barry Lynn

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Weather It Is (So Pleasant, But)

Good Afternoon:

The weather is certainly nice. It's 30 C with a humidity of 47%, and a nice westerly breeze.

However, temperatures will be warming up by 4 or 5 degrees C by Sunday, and the hot weather will probably continue into Wednesday of next week.  However, there is still a lot of variability shown in the forecasts, meaning it could be a not too hot low-30s compared to a too, too hot upper-30s on any of these days.

Generally, it looks like temperatures will cool off late in the week, but there is still a 30% chance that they won't and the end of the week could see even higher temperatures (but not likely).

There are some things certain in life, like, don't mess with the wife.  She knows what she wants and she doesn't put up with any lip. On the other hand, my mother is the same way (she is a wife, too).  I remember sometimes saying something I shouldn't have and getting a big "potch" on the Tukus (while on the way to my room).  Of course, what my mother didn't know was that I learned to jump at just the right moment, thus sparing myself of any real harm.  You have to leap just as the hand makes contact otherwise the person (giving the potch) can become suspicious and call you back for another.

Anyway, getting back to my wife, we had the occasion to do a few household repairs together.  Afterwards, she told me that had I showed up to the first date with my Bosch drill she would have married me on the spot, instead of making me sweat for what seemed like an eternity.  My problem was that I showed up to the first date with a rotary mixer and a spatula.

That kind of working wo-man attitude is really a measure of her no nonsense approach to life.  So, there I was in the kitchen (in a fleeting moment of feeling extra confident) when I said: "Excuse me, you're in my way."  I tell you, I didn't even have time to leap.  I was out of that kitchen so fast the mixer came with me.

About 20 minutes later, I came down and sat on one of the stairs just out of sight of the kitchen.  At some point later, I sneaked my way back down all the way.

Barry Lynn

Monday, August 10, 2015

Weather It Is (Assigning Blame)

Good Afternoon:

The other day at the Bet-Kenneset someone asked me if people are blaming me for the really hot weather.  What could I say?  He was the first.

Yet, it wasn't that long ago that the main computer screen in our home showed a beautiful winter scene of a snowy house sitting on a snowy field on a snowy and cold winter day.

"That's enough," the wife said.  "I want summer."  Away went the snow to be replaced by something less interesting (at least to me).

Of course, you all the story: we've had some of the hottest weather of the summer over the last few weeks. In fact, it's been periodically unpleasant (and even worse for those who didn't pay heed to the heat warnings).

To be honest with you, I'm too much of a man to make my wife take the fall for this, but the truth must be told.

True, today is really nice, and the next couple of days will be really nice, but this is only because of extraordinary efforts I made to undue the damage done to the fabric our weather.

However, all I can do is really "band-aid" things.  Towards the end of the week and until about mid-week next week the low pressure area to our east will build north and westward bringing us some uncomfortably hot and potentially dangerously hot weather again. Temperatures will be going up about 10 C by the time we reach peak hot temperatures Monday and Tuesday of next week.

By the way: it used to be that July's were hotter than August's in our part of the world.  However, with the addition of "green-house" gases,  the annual temperature peak (I read) has been shifting towards August.  This makes sense as greenhouse gases absorb solar energy, allowing the atmosphere to build up "excess" heat as the summer progresses.

Barry Lynn

Thursday, August 6, 2015

Weather It Is (It's Cooler, but It Won't Last)

Good Afternoon:

Yesterday I received word from a far of more pleasant breezes.  Of course, anyone opening the window or stepping outside would have thought the same thing.

Nevertheless, temperatures will turn hot again on Shabbat and Sunday before cooler weather arrives by early next week.  The relatively cool weather should last the entire next week; however, it looks like more hot summer weather will arrive again the week after.

Unfortunately, quite a number of people did not pay much attention to the weather and suffered ill effects because of the heat. The problem is that away from the coast the humidity is low and those outside sweat water quickly, without feeling like their overheating.  Nevertheless, the rapid loss of water does and did lead to dehydration and ill health (and even the tragic death of at least one person). Moreover, it is not enough to drink water as salt is lost too.  Hence a more nutritional beverage should be drunk, if not stopping to eat some foods that contain salt.  Better, though, just to stay indoors.

Barry Lynn

Sunday, August 2, 2015

Weather It Is (Extreme Heat Update)

Good Evening:

The late morning forecast showed that highest temperatures were to be reached around 3:30 to 4 P.M.  Temperatures have retreated to the mid to upper 30s, depending on location, and winds have switched to a more westerly direction.  

Temperatures tomorrow should be in the mid 30s in Jerusalem and upper 30s in the Dead Sea Valley.  Tuesday should see lower 30s in the Jerusalem area, but near 40 in the Dead Sea Valley as winds in the latter area should be more easterly than in the Jerusalem area (where they will be more to the west in the afternoon).

As mentioned before, temperatures will continue to trend downwards from Tuesday night onwards.

Barry Lynn

Weather It Is (Extreme Heat)

Good Morning:

The desert low pressure area bringing us our extreme heat will peak tonight.  The combination of solar heating and hot east by northeasterly breezes means that high temperatures will occur towards evening in the mountains and Valley areas.  Highs in Jerusalem should be near 40C (or 105 F).  Elsewhere, temperatures should peak in the mid afternoon in the upper 30s.

In the Dead Sea Valley, temperatures will also peak towards evening with highs in the low 40s.

With the exception of the Dead Sea Valley (where highs will be above 40 C on Tuesday), temperatures should trend slowly downwards during the rest of the week.

Barry Lynn

Saturday, August 1, 2015

Weather It Is (Extreme Heat)

Good Evening:

The extreme heat arrived today.

It still looks like Sunday will be the worst of the following days with temperatures in the mid 30s in the coastal plains and upper 30s in the central mountains (100 F).

In the Dead Sea Valley, temperatures should be in the low 40s, which will be a bit more tolerable than we thought a few days ago, but still dangerously high temperatures.

The temperatures will remain hot on Monday and Tuesday, but each day will generally be a degree or two cooler than the day before and by Wednesday it will be just a typically hot summer day.

Cooler temperatures will prevail until early next week when hotter temperatures briefly return.

However, nothing too serious appears on the horizon beyond this time.

Barry Lynn