November 2013 Revisited

November 2013 was mostly average, except when it wasn't:

Above average: Nothing
Average or near: Temperature, wind, solar radiation
Below Average: Rainfall, snowfall

After a cooler than average October, temperatures got more average in November.  In fact, almost exactly average.   My station's average temperature of 41.8° was just slightly warmer than the long term November average of 41.5°, and even closer to the more recent (2001-2012) average of 41.6°. The official average temperature in Hood River, recorded at HOXO, was 41.1°. 

The maximum temperature (at my station) was 64°, and the low temp was 19°. Official Hood River highs and lows (at HOXO) were 64° and 17°. 

Solar radiation averaged 123 Ly/day, compared to an average November of 117 Ly/day.

The 24 hour average wind speed (for the month) at my weather station was 1.5 mph, compared to an average November wind speed of 1.6 mph.  The peak wind gust was 32 mph on the 2nd.  Wind speeds at other less sheltered locations (like the Waterfront) were, of course, higher. 

Barometric pressure peaked at 30.83", and the low barometric was 29.38".   The high barometric was tantalizingly close to a record, at least for my station.  We get our highest pressure readings during massive winter season inversions, and this was no exception.   The highest reading for my station was 30.84" back in January 2009, during another massive temperature inversion.

Regarding rainfall, my station received 3.74", while HOXO only managed 2.84"  An average November receives 5.31", and our water-year-to-date precipitation started to slip even further behind than in October.

There was no measurable snowfall in November.   An average November receives 2.7" of snow.

There were no local weather records set in November.

These monthly summaries use data from my weather station located near May and Rand Streets in Hood River. To view my weather station's data for November 2013, click here.

For official Hood River data, and historical averages/records, the data comes from both the manually read NOAA station at MCAREC, and HOXO, the automated station located right next to MCAREC.

What made this November really special was that Thanksgiving and the start of Hanukkah happened on the same day.   This apparently hasn't happened since time immoral, or maybe not quite that long, but definitely quite a while. 

So, I searched around for a video celebrating this blessed coincidence of celebrations, and came up with this one.   Hopefully it will help bring people of all cultures and creeds together, or at least offend them equally. 

October 2013 Revisited

October 2013 was different, like this:

Above average: Solar radiation
Average or near: Nothing
Below Average: Temperature, wind, rainfall

Well, it had to happen sooner or later.   After 13th consecutive months of above average temperatures, the streak ended in October.  My station's average temperature of 50.0° was cooler than the long term October average of 51.2°, and cooler than the more recent (2001-2012) average of 51.3°. The official average temperature in Hood River, recorded at HOXO, was 49.2°. 

The maximum temperature (at my station) was 75°, and the low temp was 29°. Official Hood River highs and lows (at HOXO) were 74° and 28°. 

Solar radiation averaged 269 Ly/day, compared to an average October of 242 Ly/day.

The 24 hour average wind speed (for the month) at my weather station was 1.3 mph, compared to an average October wind speed of 2.1 mph.  The peak wind gust was 30 mph on the 27th.  This was the least windy October since at least 2001.  Wind speeds at other less sheltered locations (like the Waterfront) were, of course, higher. 

Barometric pressure peaked at 30.52", and the low barometric was 29.80".

Regarding rainfall, the month started out with a bang, and fizzled out from there.  The high daily amount was on October 1st:  0.49" at my station, and 0.53" at HOXO.  For the month, my station received 0.98", while HOXO only managed 0.84"  An average October receives 2.24", so this was a very dry month.

However, even though it was a very dry month, it was a very colorful one.  The fantastic Indian Summer weather provided a nice display of Fall foliage, as evidenced here.

There were no local weather records set in October.

These monthly summaries use data from my weather station located near May and Rand Streets in Hood River. To view my weather station's data for October 2013, click here.

For official Hood River data, and historical averages/records, the data comes from both the manually read NOAA station at MCAREC, and HOXO, the automated station located right next to MCAREC.

October... travel season begins to kick into high gear, as many locals decide they would rather be somewhere warmer.  I can increasingly relate...

And speaking of traveling, especially by air, the above video was produced by Virgin America Airlines, apparently as an onboard safety video.   Definitely over the top, but pretty entertaining... at least for the first few viewings...

September 2013 Revisited

September 2013, arranged semi-neatly into categories:

Above average:  Temperature, rainfall, wind, humidity
Average or near: Nothing
Below Average: Solar radiation

My station's average temperature of 64.3° was way warmer than the long term September average of 60.3°, and warmer than the more recent (2001-2012) average of 62.3°. The official average temperature in Hood River, recorded at HOXO, was 63.0°.  This was the 13th consecutive month in Hood River to experience above average temperatures.

The maximum temperature (at my station) was 97°, and the low temp was 42°. Official Hood River highs and lows (at HOXO) were 96° and 40°. 

Solar radiation averaged 360 Ly/day, compared to an average September of 424 Ly/day.

The 24 hour average wind speed (for the month) at my weather station was 4.1 mph, compared to an average September wind speed of 3.8 mph.  The peak wind gust was 30 mph on the 1st.  Wind speeds at other less sheltered locations (like the Waterfront) were, of course, higher. 

Barometric pressure peaked at 30.13", and the low barometric was 29.36".

The most interesting part of September's weather was:  the rainfall.    Most days were dry, but a few days were really wet, as in "record breaking wet".   My station received 3.84" for the month, while HOXO reported 3.64"  An average September receives 1.01".

Incredibly, and unfortunately, we ended up the month only 0.06" away from setting a new rainfall record for any September in Hood River.   The record month was 3.69" in 1982.   If it had been my station setting official records, we would have set one.   But am I bitter, and filled with resentment??   Nope, no more than usual!   :)

The record breaking wetness near the end of the month was brought about by the tattered remnants of Typhoon Usagi, as the tattered remnants made their tattered way across the Pacific, and reached the Pacific Northwest.  

The Hood River News reported the event thusly, which included some rather lame quotes from yours truly.  As I astutely noted, "something" combined with "something else" caused the whole exciting weather event, and resulted in records and stuff.   Hey, I just report the weather, I don't pretend to understand all the "why's" of it.  I leave that for other, more technically understanding folks.  ;)

There were 5 local weather records set this month!   3 of them in the temperature category:  On 9/3, the low of 62° broke the old "high low" record (61° in 1982).   On 9/11, the high of 96° broke the old high temperature record (95° in 1990).   And, on 9/15, the low of 62° broke the old "high low" record (60° in 2007).

The other two records were in the category of rainfall:  On 9/28, HOXO recorded 1.28", crushing the previous record (0.75" in 1947).   The next day, HOXO recorded 0.88", besting the old record (0.58" in 1962).

These monthly summaries use data from my weather station located near May and Rand Streets in Hood River. To view my weather station's data for September 2013, click here. 

For official Hood River data, and historical averages/records, the data comes from both the manually read NOAA station at MCAREC, and HOXO, the automated station located right next to MCAREC.

After last month's August Revisted video, which featured "going away" on vacation, this month's video features the "coming back home" part.   Classic John Denver, tugging at the heartstrings...

August 2013 Revisited

August 2013 turned out to be:

Above average:  Temperature, rainfall, wind, humidity
Average or near: Nothing
Below Average: Solar radiation

My station's average temperature of 71.8° was way warmer than the long term August average of 66.7°, and warmer than the more recent (2001-2012) average of 69.1°. The official average temperature in Hood River, recorded at HOXO, was 70.4°.  This was the 12th consecutive month in Hood River to experience above average temperatures.

The maximum temperature (at my station) was 93°, and the low temp was 53°. Official Hood River highs and lows (at HOXO) were 94° and 52°.

The high heat index (at my station) for the month was 92°, and the low wind chill was 53°.

Solar radiation averaged 512 Ly/day, compared to an average August of 571 Ly/day.  Meaning it was a little cloudier than average, likely due to thunderstorms, which will be discussed in some detail further down here.

Speaking of thunderstorms, they provided above average rainfall for the month, and set two local precipitation records (see below).   My station received 0.57" for the month, while HOXO reported 0.47"  An average August receives 0.36".    The longest dry spell this summer (43 days) started on June 27th, and ended on August 9th, due to... you guessed it... thunderstorms...

The 24 hour average wind speed (for the month) at my weather station was 4.1 mph, compared to an average August wind speed of 3.8 mph.  The peak wind gust was 30 mph on the 1st.  Wind speeds at other less sheltered locations (like the Waterfront) were, of course, higher. 

Barometric pressure peaked at 30.12", and the low barometric was 29.70".

Now... about those thunderstorms... On Friday, August 9th, one of the most spectacular thunderstorms in memory rolled into town, putting on an amazing show, complete with eerily awesome reddish-orange sunset skies to the west, and a double rainbow to the east.  Not to mention, breaking the rainfall record for the date.  The storm produced over 2000 lightning strikes around the Mt Hood/Gorge area, and 12,000 strikes throughout Oregon.

But wait, there's more!  The next day, August 10th, another T-storm arrived, not quite as impressive as the first, but producing measurable rainfall, which erased the "It never rains on August 10th in Hood River" record.

There were 4 local weather records set this month.  As mentioned, on the 9th we received 0.08" of rain, breaking the previous record of 0.03", set in 1989.  On the 10th, which hadn't ever had rain (at least since 1928), HOXO recorded 0.01", confirming that, yes indeed, sometimes it doesn't take much to set a new weather record.

Two "high low" temperature records were set during August.   On the 16th, the low temperature of 64° broke the previous record (63° in 2003), and on the 30th, the low of 63° topped the old record of 60° (1979)

These monthly summaries use data from my weather station located near May and Rand Streets in Hood River. To view my weather station's data for August 2013, click here.  For official Hood River data, and historical averages/records, the data comes from both the manually read NOAA station at MCAREC, and HOXO, the automated station located right next to MCAREC.

Ahh, August:   Fond memories of great times spent packing the kids (if I had any) and the dogs (if I had any) into the car for long road trips... If I remember correctly, those were great times, with the greatness mostly revolving around the "getting back home" part.

Anyway, this catchy little tune from the 1983 movie "Vacation" was written by Lindsey Buckingham (of Fleetwood Mac fame).   The official video for the song is catchy also, but a little too dark and depressing for my liking, kind of like being at work.