>Because of the recent extreme weather events here at home, I have been unable to find time to discuss the wider weather issues and events. Finally I have managed to catch my breathe and have captured snippets of what’s been going on during the past week.

CALIFORNIA COOL AS FIRE SEASON ALL BUT OVER, AUSTRALIA JUST BEGINNING WITH HEAT AND RAINSTORMS

Below Normal Temps in Southern California Whilst across the Pacific, Melbourne gets doused by 3 inches of rain as Sydney swelters in hottest reading in 3 years.

California’s fire and heat season is likely becoming a distant memory. Those days with 100s and fires that threatened homes are long gone (for now anyway) as fronts pass through Socal and readings go below normal there as winds remain breezy across LA basin and gusty up over the mountains passes and through the canyons into the high desert. The high yesterday was 70-degrees (2 below normal). Meanwhile across the vast expanse of the Pacific in Australia, they are experiencing major fires and heat topping the 100 to 110s with some November records smashed and even the hottest readings overall in several years. Summer looks be be hot and dry with major fires in their future. Just yesterday, whilst a soaking rain hit Victoria, New South Wales baked in blowtorch heat with the hottest day in Sydney in three years with a high of 109 degrees.

FROZEN, NOT BAKED ALASKA

Recent days have seen major cold impact the last Frontier. -40s has ruled the interior with Bettles experiencing some 6 days under 40 below with the coldest high, a brutal “high” of 38 below zero, coldest low was 47 below zero! Fairbanks came 1-degree shy of a record low by recording a 34 below zero reading.

Check this out: http://www.newsminer.com/pages/full_story/push?article-Temperature+goes+south+as+clouds+move+out+of+the+Interior%20&id=4676881-Temperature+goes+south+as+clouds+move+out+of+the+Interior&instance=home_news_window_left_top_2
As well as the brutal cold, Alaska also endured (last weekend) a vicious windstorm with a reported gust at Sheep Mountain of 186 mph.

Info from Jesse Ferrell’s blog

Cape Spencer, AK: 95 mph Eldred Rock, AK: 87 mphThompson Pass, AK: 75 mphHydaburg, AK: 73 mph

FEROCIOUS WEST COAST US AND BRITISH STORMS

Whilst Britain endured over a foot of rain in 24 hours to set a brand new rainfall record in the County of Cumbria from a strong offshore storm. It’s all about the 60-100 mph winds through the Sierra Nevada to Cascade Mtns of Washington where several feet of snow fell in the mtns and several inches of rain fell along the coastal plain..

The west coast has been barraged by a series of strong low pressure systems off the Pacific. Brought and enhanced by the positive Arctic Oscillation and this pattern of storm after storm has been relentless for both United Kingdom and Pacific Northwest.

During one particularly strong Pacific slam, Over 20,000 in the Seattle area lost power whilst winds forced 30 foot waves iffshore as well as topping 115 mph wind gusts at nearby Crystal Mountain in the Cascades. Also, over 10 inches of rains came down at one place in Washington. (Thanks to Jesse Ferrell for some info)

Also of great interest is the amount of snow falling within the region that will host the 2010 Olympic Games in British Columbia. Like forecasted by myself, heavy early season snows may even break records and Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort has witnessed an astonishing 8 FEET in the past week and they have indeed rewritten the November snow record there.

This pattern has also brought strong Pacific warmth and lack of Arctic cold across the USA and into southern Canada.

NE TURKEY HIT BY MUDSLIDES AND A BLIZZARD WHICH FORCED THE RESCUE OF 18 PEOPLE IN THE OVIT MOUNTAIN REGION

After heavy, drenching rains hit the northeast of Turkey along with mountain blizzards, several where killed whilst their homes collapsed around them. Whereas some 18 people had to be rescued for blizzards which struck the Ovit Mountains.

Thanks for reading.

-Mark

Today’s Weather Here

Today’s extremes here at my house

High 48 degrees Low 41.3 degrees

A day with mostly cloudy skies which turned to rain by late afternoon which can down persistently heavy for much of the evening hours as winds grew for a few hours before clearing dying down and rains lightened to a few remnant showers and sprinkles to end the day.