Weather It Is (Heat and Jelly Fish)

Good Afternoon:

It's been a while -- much longer than "ever before."

Basically, I've been working on a paper on forecasting snow -- a process spanning almost two years.  Even so, I really felt like there wasn't very much to talk about, and some other issues came up that made it hard to concentrate on writing a blog.  God willing, the near future won't bring any new surprises.

People, though, were certainly surprised when light showers came to us about two weeks ago.  Our weather then was more like the typical summer of Europe -- not too warm and some rain.  One could almost feel a bit nostalgic for the old-country (of the US).  Of course, someones cool weather is someone else's hot weather elsewhere (and it was hot in many European countries).

Then, just when one might have become accustomed to this (perfect) type of weather, the weather "regime" has changed drastically.  The winds are still strong, but they are bringing (and will bring even more) heat than we've felt in quite some time.  With the strong, hot winds arriving from the north will also come a much heightened risk of wildfires.  So, be careful with fire outdoors.

The extreme heat will really soar on Shabbat and peak in the upper 30s in many locations on Sunday and Monday.

Our Prime Minister has been feeling the heat lately.  His problem is that he is not really a leader, but the type of person who tacks whichever way the political winds blow.  He's very successful at this, and begs us to forgive him for giving in to the Haredi Parties.   But,  he tells us, it's more important he should continue as Prime Minister than anything else, like providing leadership (i.e., standing on principles).

Yet, before we really pile on the blame on our spineless leader, remember that the summer is Jelly Fish time in Israel (that's because someone built a canal between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean) -- so what should we expect?  And, he's not the only one.  A simple way for the government to pass laws that encourage conversions, encourage work, and encourage social responsibility is to form a coalition of Likud, Labor, and Yesh Atid.  They pretty much all agree with each other  on the basics (each realizes the futility of trying to make peace with the Palestinians), so they could come together to form a coalition without the Haredi parties.  But, they won't -- because none of leaders have the spine to compromise  -- they all want to be the largest Jelly Fish in the sea.

Shabbat Shalom,

Barry Lynn

Weather It Is (Breezes, Showers, and Cool Weather)

Good Afternoon:

The winds are blowing and clouds dot the sky.  Yesterday's strong northeasterly winds have been replaced by breezy conditions from the northwest. It's the kind of weather that makes it a bit hard to hear, and blows thrown or hit balls off course (the birds aren't even trying  -- they just get  a free ride). There are some light showers shown on our forecast maps, with a chance of heavier rain up in the far north.

The cool winds of the north should remain with us until late Saturday night, when they should be replaced by warmer southerly winds.  The warm winds should last into Monday night, before another cool front brings a chance of light showers on Tuesday or Wednesday.

The sun is moving higher in the sky, so enjoy the cooler weather while it lasts.

Shabbat Shalom,

Barry Lynn

Weather It Is (Heat, More Heat, and Rain)

Good Afternoon:

The heat is on, and it will stay on until the end of Wednesday.  Fortunately, the next couple of days won't be quite as hot as today.

However, Wednesday should see an increase in heat, humidity, and dust.  This combination of weather factors should ease on Thursday as a cold front and storm approaches. The storm should bring comparatively cooler weather and there will be a chance of tropical showers as a serious of upper level disturbances pass through.  The storm will bring strong winds and a chance of flooding rains in thunderstorms.

The cool weather will remain with us until early next week


Barry Lynn

Weather It Is (Breezy, Warmer)

Good Evening:

Spring breezes will bring warming temperatures into mid-week, and then spring breezes will bring more chilly weather on Wednesday and Thursday.  New spring breezes should bring warmer temperatures Friday and Shabbat.

The dry weather and strong breezes on Tuesday/Wednesday will raise the fire risk level, so exercise care!

We still don't see any real changes in the 500 mb temperatures.  They will start to rise soon, as the Indian Monsoon grows in intensity.  This will be a true end to our spring (and any chance of rain until next fall).

Barry Lynn

Weather It Is (Changes)

Good Afternoon:

As someone noted: "the weather just isn't nice."

Perhaps with that in mind, we should note that a cool front will arrive this afternoon, and temperatures will plummet to much cooler levels for both Yom HaZikoron and Yom HaHaztmahut.

There could even be some light showers late tonight and late tomorrow night.

The cool weather should remain with us until the end of the week.

There are two mysteries that have been percolating in my mind during the last week.

The first is: "why do cats love to eat fish if they hate water so much?"

The second is: "why do wives forget that their husbands ever cleaned for Pesach, and might do so again."

While I certainly can't answer the first question, I can make a reasonable guess at the second.

In fact, some might say that the answer is obvious.

Men are rational beings and women are not.

This means that a man keeps a tab of all the times (and days) that he cleaned for Pesach in prior years (and sometimes, he even keeps a tab for the days he will clean -- even if not the present, current year).

Hence, when the wife gives the husband the typical "there is so much to do, and only one person to do it" speech, he immediately calculates the the total number of days he cleaned in the past, divides by the years he did so, and tells his wife: "I clean at least one day every Pesach."  For good measure, he might even throw in that he cleaned 2.4 days six years prior -- so why is she so worried.

For all you husbands out there, you have to understand that a wife doesn't keep tabs or records -- she lives in the present and wants to know what are you going to do now.  And, until she has proof -- real proof (like a husband on a ladder with bucket and rag -- she knows she's got to do it all herself.

This is a fundamental difference between husbands and wives in how they view current events, so if you husbands want to make a good impression, stop living in the past (or the future), and be aware of the present.

I realize that I should have completed this blog before Pesach, since I asked the question before the holiday commenced.  However, I was very busy cleaning!

May we have fewer reasons to remember, and many more reasons to rejoice.

Barry Lynn

Weather It Is (Dust On The Wind)

Good Evening:

Temperatures will be warming up quite a bit. However, the warmth/heat will come with a cost: dust.

Expect dust to overspread the area south to north ahead of a cool front approaching late Shabbat.  This, combined with the heat, will make for rather unpleasant conditions.

Temperatures should cool off quite a bit late Motzei Shabbat and Sunday -- and Monday morning could just be downright chilly.  However, the following days will begin to feel like spring, if not summer.

The heat next week will come with a bit of tropical moisture; so there will be a small chance of rain during the warm up next week.

Barry Lynn

Weather It Is (Rain Arrives -- Floods Possible)

Good Evening:

The unusually hot weather will come to an end tomorrow afternoon.

A cold front moving from the northwest will bring tropical showers ahead of it Wednesday morning, raising the possibility of flooding in southern areas.  The cold front itself will bring a period of rain in the afternoon and evening over much of the country, with showers possible on Thursday as well.

There will be strong winds and dust as well on Wednesday, with dust persisting over the south on Thursday.

The weather will also turn much colder -- with high temperatures on Thursday 10 to 15 Celsius lower than today (Tuesday).  Temperatures will warm a bit towards the end of the week, but early next week (the end of Pesach) will likely see a chill in the air once again.

The end of the month will most likely end on the warm, if not hot side.

Modim L'Simcha!

Barry Lynn