Monday, June 25, 2018

Weather It Is (Summer Hero)

Good Evening:

Summer sure seems to have arrived -- as kids seem out and about at all hours now.

However, the weather has not been particularly hot, and when it is hot it doesn't stay hot for more than a day or so.

In fact, high pressure over Africa will nose quickly north and eastward and Wednesday will indeed turn hot with temperatures in the mid-30s.   Yet, the high pressure area will quickly move eastward, and cooler temperatures should return for the end of the week.

Looking further ahead, the anomalously cold weather over western Siberia should dissipate and summer should arrive both on the weather maps and on our thermometers as July rolls into its first week.

It's always important to look ahead or around.  You never know who might be shooting at you (https://www.timesofisrael.com/palestinians-open-fire-on-settlement-south-of-jerusalem-idf/).  Fortunately, no one was hurt.

A more serious incident appeared to unfold in the Rami-Levy parking lot last Thursday morning.  An unidentified man was seen running through the parking lot.

Since I was that unidentified man, I can tell you what happened. The store has a whole new line of sleeker and aerodynamic grocery carts. Apparently, one of them escaped its owner and was rolling down the relatively flat, but still downhill parking lot.  Seeing this, I gave chase. Fortunately, I had done my stretching and warmup exercises that morning so I was able to catch the cart before it crashed front first into a parked car on the other side of the lot.

At first an alarm sounded, but then strangely the speakers started playing the theme song from the "Six Million Dollar Man" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmgRqWMeRww).  I couldn't stop laughing as I accepted the congratulations from passerby.

In the meantime, my daughter had her picture taken with Rami Levy, the founder and owner of the supermarket chain that bears his name.

What I didn't mention is that I had to wait several minutes for the crowd to thin out so I could continue unloading my grocery carts, including the one that ran away.

Barry Lynn

Wednesday, June 13, 2018

Weather It Is (Where Did That Come From?)

Good Evening:

Sixty four millimetres of rain this Wednesday morning in the western Negev! And, as if they needed another "natural" disaster, the city of Sederot was severely flooded, with cars floating through the streets (https://www.timesofisrael.com/floods-inundate-southern-towns-as-freak-rains-batter-country/).  The picture below shows a radar facsimile derived from our radar network Wednesday morning. This storm lingered for almost an hour in nearly the same location! There was also a quick, but heavy rain in Jerusalem today that caused a quick ponding of water on roads or what we might call old-fashioned puddles.

So, what's going on?  By this time of year the weather in the eastern Mediterranean is usually under the influence of the Indian Monsoon.  Winds circulating around the Monsoon warm the air in the middle atmosphere, which prevents clouds from growing high enough to bring summer rains.
However, this year there is an area of lower pressure in western Siberia, which appears to be preventing the Monsoon from reaching here.  Moreover, the Monsoon itself seems to have had a delayed strengthening (https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/national/monsoon-lags-over-east-india-may-weaken-further/article24127521.ece).  The lack of the Monsoon air combined with weak storms arriving from southern Europe means that the air remains unstable to cloud formation, while the relatively warm Mediterranean sea provides plenty of moisture to these growing storms.

The Times of Israel article notes that the last time it rained so much in the Negev was 26 years ago, when there was 50 millimetres.  This would have been 1992, which I believe followed the severe winter of 1991-92.

Looking ahead at our forecast, there appears to be a quick warm-up in time for Shabbat as high pressure builds eastward Africal.  Yet, the forecast shows relatively cool temperatures prior to and to following the warm-up. Amazingly enough, there may be more rain in about a week's time as another storm moves by (possibly just our our north).  Will the rainy weather continue even beyond next week?  The note on the Indian Monsoon doesn't forecast appreciable strengthening in the Monsoon for at least a couple of weeks.

Regardless, I tend to lean towards something more going on than just changes to the Indian Monsoon. I remember years when it rained (once) somewhere in the country during the month of May, and even August, but this year we've had consistent periods where rain has affected more than just a single localized area.

One positive outcome of all this strange weather is that the weatherman (or woman) has remained immensely popular -- at a time when most people are usually at the beach sipping watermelon juice or just staying home complaining about the heat.   I can't go anywhere without people stopping me to comment on the weather.  I've even been solicited for TV (internet) interviews.  All I can say that its fortunate that I've been extra busy, and even my kids are taking an extra moment to speak with me, and wonder "what's going on with our weather!?"

Barry Lynn




Thursday, June 7, 2018

Weather It Is (Hot And Dusty)

Good Afternoon:

After several days of hot and muggy weather and some heavy (but isolated) thundershowers, the weather turned a bit cooler and drier.  However, it's back to summer.

Low pressure will move by to our east today (Thursday).  It's responsible for the hotter temperatures and heavy dust, as well as some high level overcast.  The storm will pass by, but be replaced with high pressure entering from the west.  This high pressure area will be originating in Africa.  Hence, it will also bring hot summer temperatures, and some dust as well.

The hot weather should last into mid next week when some moisture arriving with a storm from the north might again bring some showers.

Barry Lynn