Northeast Ohio weather and science blog covering severe storms, long term outlooks, climate, behavioral meteorology, technology and other observations
Thursday, December 24, 2015
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
Let's Clear Up A Few Things...
Many wonder why I write so much about the psychology of weather. If you read the comments on most of my posts over the last several weeks you'll see why: They believe what they want to believe. They use social media as a conduit to say whatever impulsive thought they want without recourse. Perception is the ultimate reality.
I use social media and my blog to show why weather events occur the way they do. I post stats and records about past weather to show some perspective in the hope that this will help viewers of our station and the general reader. Often times it just doesn't work...much to my dismay.
So let's clear up a few things. Rather than use science to explain the why we do what we do, I'm using straight forward bullet points. Let's wipe the slate clean and start out fresh and new as we approach the end of the year.
1) It WILL snow at some point. It always does. And no, I don't like snow.
2) The warm weather is playing with our minds. Our weather perceptions (cognitive biases if you will) are very strong. We are not immune. We are all human. Recognition of these preconceived notions is the first step in an objective understanding the weather and the science that governs it.
2a) We hate forecast uncertainty. Here's why LINK
3) Contrary to what you might believe, weather forecasts are more accurate than they were 15 years ago. According to this study, "the accuracy of the 8-10 day forecast today are similar to a 5-7 day forecast 15 years ago. Hurricane accuracy is greatly improved since Hurricane Katrina LINK.
4) Our morning show here at FOX 8 is on for 6 hours. The weather forecast between 4 and 10am can change as the conditions change. Forecasts are not frozen in time during each newscast. The weather doesn't stop for television.
5) The decision to break into a popular TV show or sporting event with a weather update is NOT an impulsive one. Stations have different philosophies on when to break into programming. I can't speak for the others. However, my station WJW-FOX 8 only breaks during a tornado warning or a significant winter weather event (widespread, blizzard-like snow). If you send a comment complaining about our stringent guidelines, you obviously care more about football than being warned when a tornado warning is issued.
6) Contrary to many weather maps on the air, the atmosphere is three dimensional and ever changing. Imagine the atmosphere (especially during sleet, freezing rain events) like layers of a wedding cake. Each layer of icing represents the different layers of air at different temperatures with different types of precipitation.
Note: The wedding cake analogy is mine and mine alone. I invented it.
7) Moon or sun halos are not uncommon. They are beautiful sights caused by the bending, splitting and reflecting of sunlight through ice crystal clouds. We have hundreds of photos.
8) I'm not a fan of phone weather apps that promise super-local weather forecasts for your backyard. They are like unicorns. They don't exist. Most are computer generated data approximated based on your location via GPS. I trust a human generated forecast (via NWS or your local tv station) every day of the week.
9) Jet contrails are not chem-trails. They, like, unicorns don't exist. I don't like conspiracy theories.
10) I have no control of weather, news or school closing promos that run 15 times per hour. The promotions department is on the first floor.
11) These above normal December temperatures were mentioned in a blog post on my weather blog in early September and again in our FOX 8 winter weather outlook. Yes, pre-Christmas warmth has happened before. Remember 1982?
12) Simply because the weather has been warm or cold, wet or dry doesn't confirm or deny climate change in any form. I'm an operational meteorologist who happens to be on television. Keep your subjectivity or bias to yourself. So please don't send me anecdotal evidence confirming your preconceived notions. See number 2 above for the reasons why.
13) We forget that last December was above normal with no snow for only the 3rd time in 140 years. Christmas week in 2014 was the 8th warmest on record in northern Ohio.
14) This warmth is driven by BOTH El Nino and a strong Polar Vortex not just El Nino. Remember the Polar Vortex from last winter? Yes, it's real (LINK)
15) Storm systems like what we are seeing currently which develop over Texas and move northeast--termed "Panhandle Hooks"--are more common in El Ninos. Wet snows are more common from Texas through the mid-Atlantic in these years.
16) Contrary to what we believe, you cannot use one or two days or a weeks worth of weather as a predictor or the season ahead. In other words, a warm or cold December is not an indicator of the spring or summer ahead. The drivers of winter aren't necessarily the drivers of spring and summer. It's not an apples to apples comparison. (Remember December 2014 was warmer than normal. Then the bottom fell out: January through February was the 6th coldest on record, coldest since 1978)
17) The fact that I have said over the last week that colder air in January will replace the relative warmth in December doesn't mean the entire winter will be colder than average. (see FOX 8 outlook issued in October)
18) Lake Erie water temperature is 45 degrees. It's been this warm before on the 22nd of December: 2001 and 1998 for starters. The water temperature is taken at a depth of 30 feet. No one seems to have an answer as to why.
19) There is a TON of science behind seasonal outlooks. The Farmers' Almanac is not science (although I enjoy reading it). Weather consulting companies issue seasonal outlooks tailored for their clients. This sector has grown significantly in recent years.
20) Many readers will ignore everything I typed here and replace it with their own conclusions regardless of their validity.
I reserve the right to add to this list.
I hope this helps.
I use social media and my blog to show why weather events occur the way they do. I post stats and records about past weather to show some perspective in the hope that this will help viewers of our station and the general reader. Often times it just doesn't work...much to my dismay.
So let's clear up a few things. Rather than use science to explain the why we do what we do, I'm using straight forward bullet points. Let's wipe the slate clean and start out fresh and new as we approach the end of the year.
*******************
1) It WILL snow at some point. It always does. And no, I don't like snow.
2) The warm weather is playing with our minds. Our weather perceptions (cognitive biases if you will) are very strong. We are not immune. We are all human. Recognition of these preconceived notions is the first step in an objective understanding the weather and the science that governs it.
2a) We hate forecast uncertainty. Here's why LINK
3) Contrary to what you might believe, weather forecasts are more accurate than they were 15 years ago. According to this study, "the accuracy of the 8-10 day forecast today are similar to a 5-7 day forecast 15 years ago. Hurricane accuracy is greatly improved since Hurricane Katrina LINK.
4) Our morning show here at FOX 8 is on for 6 hours. The weather forecast between 4 and 10am can change as the conditions change. Forecasts are not frozen in time during each newscast. The weather doesn't stop for television.
5) The decision to break into a popular TV show or sporting event with a weather update is NOT an impulsive one. Stations have different philosophies on when to break into programming. I can't speak for the others. However, my station WJW-FOX 8 only breaks during a tornado warning or a significant winter weather event (widespread, blizzard-like snow). If you send a comment complaining about our stringent guidelines, you obviously care more about football than being warned when a tornado warning is issued.
6) Contrary to many weather maps on the air, the atmosphere is three dimensional and ever changing. Imagine the atmosphere (especially during sleet, freezing rain events) like layers of a wedding cake. Each layer of icing represents the different layers of air at different temperatures with different types of precipitation.
Note: The wedding cake analogy is mine and mine alone. I invented it.
7) Moon or sun halos are not uncommon. They are beautiful sights caused by the bending, splitting and reflecting of sunlight through ice crystal clouds. We have hundreds of photos.
8) I'm not a fan of phone weather apps that promise super-local weather forecasts for your backyard. They are like unicorns. They don't exist. Most are computer generated data approximated based on your location via GPS. I trust a human generated forecast (via NWS or your local tv station) every day of the week.
9) Jet contrails are not chem-trails. They, like, unicorns don't exist. I don't like conspiracy theories.
10) I have no control of weather, news or school closing promos that run 15 times per hour. The promotions department is on the first floor.
11) These above normal December temperatures were mentioned in a blog post on my weather blog in early September and again in our FOX 8 winter weather outlook. Yes, pre-Christmas warmth has happened before. Remember 1982?
12) Simply because the weather has been warm or cold, wet or dry doesn't confirm or deny climate change in any form. I'm an operational meteorologist who happens to be on television. Keep your subjectivity or bias to yourself. So please don't send me anecdotal evidence confirming your preconceived notions. See number 2 above for the reasons why.
14) This warmth is driven by BOTH El Nino and a strong Polar Vortex not just El Nino. Remember the Polar Vortex from last winter? Yes, it's real (LINK)
15) Storm systems like what we are seeing currently which develop over Texas and move northeast--termed "Panhandle Hooks"--are more common in El Ninos. Wet snows are more common from Texas through the mid-Atlantic in these years.
16) Contrary to what we believe, you cannot use one or two days or a weeks worth of weather as a predictor or the season ahead. In other words, a warm or cold December is not an indicator of the spring or summer ahead. The drivers of winter aren't necessarily the drivers of spring and summer. It's not an apples to apples comparison. (Remember December 2014 was warmer than normal. Then the bottom fell out: January through February was the 6th coldest on record, coldest since 1978)
17) The fact that I have said over the last week that colder air in January will replace the relative warmth in December doesn't mean the entire winter will be colder than average. (see FOX 8 outlook issued in October)
18) Lake Erie water temperature is 45 degrees. It's been this warm before on the 22nd of December: 2001 and 1998 for starters. The water temperature is taken at a depth of 30 feet. No one seems to have an answer as to why.
19) There is a TON of science behind seasonal outlooks. The Farmers' Almanac is not science (although I enjoy reading it). Weather consulting companies issue seasonal outlooks tailored for their clients. This sector has grown significantly in recent years.
20) Many readers will ignore everything I typed here and replace it with their own conclusions regardless of their validity.
I reserve the right to add to this list.
I hope this helps.
Labels:
apps,
cognitive biases,
el nino,
forecasts,
psychology,
Science,
snow,
Weather,
winter 2015-16,
wjw fox 8
Wednesday, December 09, 2015
Warmth Continues...When Will It Flip To Winter?
No one is complaining about the above normal temperatures after the two past harsh winters. Above normal temperatures across the eastern 1/2 of the US. This warmth is not unexpected given the strong El Nino reaching peak strength though I am somewhat surprised that the warmth has been this consistent.
It can't last forever. So when will it flip or at least trend colder with higher chances of snow!
Remember our preliminary December outlook issued back in early September showed the core of the high pressure/warmth across the northern states into Canada with the core of the low pressure centers across the south (panhandle low type systems).
Through the first week or so, the core of each HIGH and LOW is much stronger than anticipated yet they are roughly in the same position as our forecast 3 months ago indicated. However, the southern lows (Panhandle type) are far weaker and, as of this writing--December 8th--are just now showing signs of developing. (see the smaller "Ls").
Since November, the warmth has been extensive with below normal temperatures in the west. Warmer colors indicate above normal temperatures, cooler colors below normal temperatures.
Some computer model projections have been bullish in tracking these southern lows further east and the warm ridge further north into Canada by the beginning of Christmas week.
The big questions for the end of the month and Christmas week: 1) How fast will the ridge lift north and 2) how strong will the low in the southwest/panhandle region push east?
We do know this: Any easterly migration of the southwest low along the southern jet stream will increase our chances of a wet panhandle-type snow by month's end.
The chances we will receive wet snow from a panhandle low will climb further after the first of the year.
It can't last forever. So when will it flip or at least trend colder with higher chances of snow!
Remember our preliminary December outlook issued back in early September showed the core of the high pressure/warmth across the northern states into Canada with the core of the low pressure centers across the south (panhandle low type systems).
Through the first week or so, the core of each HIGH and LOW is much stronger than anticipated yet they are roughly in the same position as our forecast 3 months ago indicated. However, the southern lows (Panhandle type) are far weaker and, as of this writing--December 8th--are just now showing signs of developing. (see the smaller "Ls").
Since November, the warmth has been extensive with below normal temperatures in the west. Warmer colors indicate above normal temperatures, cooler colors below normal temperatures.
Some computer model projections have been bullish in tracking these southern lows further east and the warm ridge further north into Canada by the beginning of Christmas week.
The big questions for the end of the month and Christmas week: 1) How fast will the ridge lift north and 2) how strong will the low in the southwest/panhandle region push east?
We do know this: Any easterly migration of the southwest low along the southern jet stream will increase our chances of a wet panhandle-type snow by month's end.
The chances we will receive wet snow from a panhandle low will climb further after the first of the year.
Labels:
december,
el nino,
panhandle low,
scott sabol,
snow,
winter 2015-16,
winter outlook,
wjw fox 8
Friday, December 04, 2015
The Difference Between Meteorological and Astronomical Winter
"Sorry but it's still fall NOT winter!"
We get tons of notes from viewers like this each year after we tell everyone that meteorological winter just began on the first of December.
So what is the difference between Meteorological Winter and Astronomical Winter, the one that starts around December 21st? NOAA--National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration--has a great explanation:
...The astronomical seasons are based on the position of the Earth in relation to the sun, whereas the meteorological seasons are based on the annual temperature cycle. The natural rotation of the Earth around the sun forms the basis for the astronomical calendar, in which seasons are defined by two solstices and two equinoxes. Both the solstices and equinoxes are determined based on the Earth’s tilt and the sun’s alignment over the equator. The solstices mark the times when the sun’s annual path is farthest, north or south, from the Earth’s equator. The equinoxes mark the times when the sun passes directly above the equator. In the Northern Hemisphere, the summer solstice falls on or around June 21, the winter solstice on or around December 22...
Because the Earth actually travels around the sun in 365.24 days, an extra day is needed every fourth year, creating what we know as Leap Year. This also causes the exact date of the solstices and equinoxes to vary. Additionally, the elliptical shape of the Earth’s orbit around the sun causes the lengths of the astronomical seasons to vary between 89 and 93 days. These variations in season length and season start would make it very difficult to consistently compare climatological statistics for a particular season from one year to the next. Thus, the meteorological seasons were born.
Meteorologists and climatologists break the seasons down into groupings of three months based on the annual temperature cycle as well as our calendar. We generally think of winter as the coldest time of the year and summer as the warmest time of the year, with spring and fall being the transition seasons, and that is what the meteorological seasons are based on. Meteorological spring includes March, April, and May; meteorological summer includes June, July, and August; meteorological fall includes September, October, and November; and meteorological winter includes December, January, and February. These seasons were created for meteorological observing and forecasting purposes, and they are more closely tied to our monthly civil calendar than the astronomical seasons are. The length of the seasons is also more consistent for the meteorological seasons, ranging from 90 days for winter of a non-leap year to 92 days for spring and summer. By following the civil calendar and having less variation in season length and season start, it becomes much easier to calculate seasonal statistics from the monthly statistics, both of which are very useful for agriculture, commerce, and a variety of other purposes.
You can read the entire explanation HERE (courtesy: NOAA)
Thursday, December 03, 2015
Does Our Early Winter Warmth Mean An Above Normal January & February?
JEFFERSON, OHIO |
WARMEST YEARS - NOVEMBER 1 to DECEMBER 7
1st 2001
2nd 1931
3rd 2015 (thru December 3rd)
4th 1994
5th 1982
6th 1998
7th 2011
8th 1902
9th 1948
10th 1909
That's great but what are the January-February periods like in these years? The final numbers are below:
- ALL BUT ONE WAS SIGNIFICANTLY ABOVE NORMAL
- 4 OF THE TOP 10 YEARS STAYED IN THE TOP 10 IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY
WARMEST YEARS JANUARY-FEBRUARY
NOV 1 to DEC 7 TEMPERATURE RANKS (DEPARTURE - 30 YR RUNNING AVG)
1st 2001 9th warmest +6.4
2nd 1931 1st warmest +10.5
3rd 2015 ???
4th 1994 64th warmest +2.1
5th 1982 19th warmest +6.2
6th 1998 34th warmest +3.5
7th 2011 10th warmest +4.7
8th 1902 81st warmest +0.1
9th 1948 8th warmest +5.8
10th 1909 102nd warmest -1.0
Unless something changes significantly, our winter outlook which featured near or slightly above normal temperatures with slightly below average snowfall should hold up.
Labels:
climate,
december warmth,
fox 8,
warmth,
winter 2015-16
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