January 2015 Observations for the Pacific Northwest

[stuffradio]

.. Garden area, or field more. ?

Well, I do have a cover crop of peas sowed. I'm talking more about the Garden area for now though. We sowed about 2 acres of peas in the fall. I'm eagerly awaiting to see the explosion of growth from the crops!

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Well, I do have a cover crop of peas sowed. I'm talking more about the Garden area for now though. We sowed about 2 acres of peas in the fall. I'm eagerly awaiting to see the explosion of growth from the crops!

 

Thats a lot of peas! They do peas in the field across from my dad's farm some years. 40 acres of yummy goodness.

[richard mann]

.. I see. With your having said "plant" instead of "sow" above, it sounded as if you might have perhaps meant some amount of acreage more. Sounds good. Fenced or ground, more Garden area wise. ?

[stuffradio]

Thats a lot of peas! They do peas in the field across from my dad's farm some years. 40 acres of yummy goodness.

The cover crop variety isn't generally eaten by humans. It's more for fixing nitrogen into the ground and tilling under, which is why I've been anxious about getting long stretches of warm/dry weather since the back of the property doesn't drain well yet. We hope to get farm status and we might get some goats and a cow for personal consumption. I believe the consumption would be all for dairy. We have some neighbors who were going to let us let the Cow wonder on to their property to eat grass if we shared the milk with them. There are two potential properties adjacent to us that were willing/wanting to do it.

 

Programming is my job, but farming is a hobby for me.

[Dan the Weatherman]

Not a major revelation. Just something I've gradually made peace with.

 

And I don't see how saying our climate is moving in a Mediterranean direction is such a stretch when you already acknowledge it has some Mediterranean tendencies.

 

Most level-headed guy in the room.

The climate up in your area certainly has one major characteristic of a Mediterranean climate: a definite dry season that lasts from summer to very early fall, even though it isn't as long as it is here in California.

[stuffradio]

I'm slowly building up my Garlic stock, and eventually I will be going to Farmer Market's or maybe just have local online sales to sell my Garlic. It's just great fun to grow your own food and eat it too! Harvesting/weeding is really the worst part when you do it by hand.

 

 

.. I see. With your having said "plant" instead of "sow" above, it sounded as if you might have perhaps meant some amount of acreage more. Sounds good. Fenced or ground more Garden area wise. ?

There are no fences for now, but the whole back property is going to be sectioned off into... sections. We're going to divide the property into different uses, and I guess except for if/when we get a building for the livestock, we would be rotating everything else.

[richard mann]

Sounds good also. If I may, and for fun, ... You'll do much better with fenced peas.

 

More "Intensive" Method ("Bio-Intensive".), more part and part, deep-dug wide plots .. when more involved with production myself, … 

 

.. Fixed to an 8 foot or so showing above ground redwood 4x4s with 2-inch chicken-wire fence, we used to sow snow peas or whatever, in a narrower trench, part of a wider bed either side of the fence, dug to a full 2 feet, and then covered back in with the bottom foot plus layered in materials for working compost, decreasing gradually with main composted soil making up the top 6 or 8 inches. The working compost heat, beneath whatever cold.

[stuffradio]

If I may, and for fun, ... You do much better with fenced peas.

 

More "Intensive" Method ("Bio-Intensive".), more part and part, deep-dug wide plots .. when more involved with production myself, … 

 

.. Fixed to an 8 foot or so showing above ground redwood 4x4s with 2-inch chicken-wire fence, we used to sow snow peas or whatever, in a narrower trench, part of a wider bed either side of the fence, dug to a full 2 feet, and covered back in with the bottom foot plus layered in material for working compost, decreasing gradually with main composted soil making up the top 6 or 8 inches. 

It's more of an intensive cover crop because we broadcasted multiple crops in the same areas. We are growing Fall Rye, Peas, and one other that I forget what it was right now. The Fall Rye is mostly the reason we really need the dry weather around Spring because Rye can become invasive if it isn't tilled under before it goes to seed.

[richard mann]

.. Right. I'm familiar with the idea. ("cover cropping".)

 

— I've sown "Fava Beans" and "Vetch" for the past two years preceding this one, over winter, with what I'm working more these days. We'll have to get a thread going, more dedicated to growing things. Sooner, or later. Most likely a few other people tuned in here doing so. I'm sure I've seen a few, more than yourself and myself, mention things over time. 

 

— "B.C., peas and cover, huh." (?) .. Cool. 

[stuffradio]

I wonder if the Agriculture section would be used if I had iFred start one on here. I guess I could populate it myself since I like it so much, but I wonder how many others would post with their adventures/pictures with crops or livestock.

[IbrChris]

Starting to see good agreement in ensembles for another wetter period in the 11-15 day timeframe with a mean trough just offshore and a ridge centered over the interior western US. Roughly 2/3 of Euro ensemble members like this solution while about half of GFS/CMC members show it (but it is the largest solution cluster on all three models). This would indicate a wetter start to Feb.

 

No real risk of arctic air in the PNW through at least the next two weeks. While Euro Weeklies indicate a risk of EPO ridging redeveloping over Alaska there's not substantial support for it among the ensemble members during week 3-4. Current indications are that temps would remain near to above normal into Feb.

[snow_wizard]

The climate up in your area certainly has one major characteristic of a Mediterranean climate: a definite dry season that lasts from summer to very early fall, even though it isn't as long as it is here in California.

The winters here are generally much darker and wetter than a typical Med climate location though. We also have sharper cold waves when they decide to occur.

[IbrChris]

We'll have to see how January shakes out...but here was Nov/Dec.

 

NovDec2014.png

 

 

And here are some other winters that were easily warmer at the 850 level in Nov/Dec. I didn't choose the color coding intervals.

 

 

1969.png

 

1976.png

 

1980.png

 

1989.png

 

NovDec2002.png

 

NovDec2004.png

 

You can force the intervals to be the same under the plotting options. Useful for comparisons.

[snow_wizard]

I truly can't recall the last winter where subfreezing 850mb temps were so hard to come by. Maybe 2002-03, but I think that one was a little cooler for the mountains.

Another crazy stat this winter is how few freezing low temps I have had outside of the short lived continental air masses we have had. I think I've had 3 freezes with they typical clear night / light wind scenario. Never seen the likes of it.

[richard mann]

I wonder if the Agriculture section would be used if I had iFred start one on here. I guess I could populate it myself since I like it so much, but I wonder how many others would post with their adventures/pictures with crops or livestock.

 

.. the "Agricultural section". Where's that's. ?  (More forum wide.?) 

 

— I'd just been talking about, the PNW down to as far south as where I am. 

 

"Title suggestion" Fred. (?) ... "So what are you, going". .. 

[snow_wizard]

Technically we are in a Mediterranean climate categorised as Csb in the Köppen climate classification system. It's similar to parts of NW Spain. Our type of climate is characterised by mild wet winters and warm dry summers. The dry warm season distinction is fairly unique as far as climates go, and it's something you don't generally see in marine-type climates (Cfb, Cfc, etc...).

A lot of mets do not agree with that climate classification system. Some categories have something like a 12 degree range that is considered the same climate type. Pretty absurd actually.

[snow_wizard]

Another crappy GFS runs after a few earlier runs that showed promise late in the run. My guess is Feb will end up being a bit more zonal and a bit more seasonable, but I'm losing hope for anything great.

[stuffradio]

.. the "Agricultural section". Where's that's. ?  (More forum wide.?) 

 

— I'd just been talking about, the PNW down to as far south as where I am. 

 

"Title suggestion" Fred. (?) ... "So what are you, going". .. 

It doesn't exist yet. It would be another forum, I guess more forum wide and not just the PNW? I don't know. Fred is making it.

[Jesse]

That's not karl.

Never said he was.

[IbrChris]

A lot of mets do not agree with that climate classification system. Some categories have something like a 12 degree range that is considered the same climate type. Pretty absurd actually.

I'd say SW Oregon, specifically Rogue Valley (Medford-Grants Pass) is Mediterranean. Some years the Willamette Valley mimics a Mediterranean climate more than others. If our annual average temp was 5F warmer I'd say we're textbook Mediterranean in Portland.

 

Koppen system isn't flawless of course but the 0c and 20c thresholds for mean temp are useful...0c for obvious reasons and 20c because it is close to the dividing point between HDDs and CDDs. 

[richard mann]

A lot of mets do not agree with that climate classification system. Some categories have something like a 12 degree range that is considered the same climate type. Pretty absurd actually.

 

.. I like what "Dan's" said above. Four distinct seasons, similar. And certainly agree with Jared's perspective more generally where looking (if somewhat from a far.) at things more this year more in particularly. .Jesse's focus on the warmth more generally—even more CA like if I'm not mistaken, at one point—since early mid-fall.

[richard mann]

It doesn't exist yet. It would be another forum, I guess more forum wide and not just the PNW? I don't know. Fred is making it.

 

Future tense. I see. 

 

I vote PNW south, more myself. Like I've suggested above.

[stuffradio]

Future tense. I see. 

 

I vote PNW south, more myself. Like I've suggested above.

I'm PNW north, but I don't see why a more general forum for Agriculture wouldn't work.

 

There is an East Coast TV meteorologist who is also a certified horticulturist.

[richard mann]

 

How about "Aquaculture". (I'm joking.)

 

— Start with the West, and vegetables with a few other simple "livestock" ideas thrown in. As a beginning theme, more basic. Then see what happens. Simpler (in this light more.) the better in my view. 

 

And you're in the PNW from my perspective. This with my being also; if more south. 

[TT-SEA]

Canadian looks promising at 240 hours.   

 

http://img.meteocentre.com/models/gemglb_amer_00/GZ_D5_PN_240_0000.gif

 

Can't we save this pattern for April - October??  

[snow_wizard]

Canadian looks promising at 240 hours.   

 

 

Can't we save this pattern for April - October??

Such an incredibly frustrating regime we are in right now.

[snow_wizard]

The 0z GFS ensemble shows at least some degree of ridging over the PNW for the entire ******* period again. What in the name of god will it take to finally put an end to this?

[stuffradio]

The 0z GFS ensemble shows at least some degree of ridging over the PNW for the entire ******* period again. What in the name of god will it take to finally put an end to this?

Death and taxes.

[TT-SEA]

The 0z GFS ensemble shows at least some degree of ridging over the PNW for the entire ******* period again. What in the name of god will it take to finally put an end to this?

 

 

Spring will end it... then it will be troughy and wet and dark for 3 months when you want it to be sunny.

[snow_wizard]

Spring will end it... then it will be troughy and wet and dark for 3 months when you want it to be sunny.

You may be right. Remind why some people think this is such a great climate again....

[snow_wizard]

I would say the current pattern we are in is like a nightmare, but at least you wake up from a nightmare and it's all over. This won't be over for quite some time yet.

 

I am terribly frustrated the decisions I made in my life have served to make me stuck here for the time being. If I had known we would be this far into the new century with no improvement from where we were 20 years ago, I certainly would have left. I kept believing things would get back to the way they used to be, but obviously that hasn't happened.

[ShawniganLake]

You may be right. Remind why some people think this is such a great climate again....

Generally beautiful summers. And I enjoy most of our winters, wind and rain included.

 

The spring season can be a little bit of a downer most years though.

[Guest Winterdog]

Generally beautiful summers. And I enjoy most of our winters, wind and rain included.

 

The spring season can be a little bit of a downer most years though.

Yeah, the longest season of the year too... February through June.

[snow_wizard]

Generally beautiful summers. And I enjoy most of our winters, wind and rain included.

 

The spring season can be a little bit of a downer most years though.

The summers are amazing, but too many of the winters are agonizing waiting for cold weather to finally happen. Our best winters (recently speaking) are ok I guess, but ones like this are painful to me.

[luterra]

This winter has featured more sunshine than any PNW winter I can remember.  We have had a few fogged-in inversion days, but even our inversions have been sunnier than years past.  Today felt like April with 50 degrees, bright sunshine with occasional showers and rainbows.

 

My father moved to Oregon from Minnesota in November.  He wasn't sure he could handle the gray.  Turns out it has been almost as sunny as back home, not to mention substantially warmer.  And when the inversion fog happens, there's always the option to take a day trip up Marys Peak or to the coast where it's 60 degrees. 

 

No snow so far, granted, but all in all one of the more enjoyable PNW winters I have experienced.  Just a counter-perspective to all of the depression on here of late.

[richard mann]

[When will in it end.? / ] What ... will it take to finally put an end to this?

 

Obviously more rhetorical than more specifically focused, my own interest at this point into it, however viewed, is more .. What brought it about. ? .. The science. What different main elements, factors contributing. 

 

— With these ideas examined, the question that you've asked is put into context a bit better certainly. 

 

.. Model riding, with noting what looks good 9 days out can't be all there is to weather discussion. 

 

— Fun, even to the level of being entertaining. But of how much value. ?

[snow_wizard]

This winter has featured more sunshine than any PNW winter I can remember.  We have had a few fogged-in inversion days, but even our inversions have been sunnier than years past.  Today felt like April with 50 degrees, bright sunshine with occasional showers and rainbows.

 

My father moved to Oregon from Minnesota in November.  He wasn't sure he could handle the gray.  Turns out it has been almost as sunny as back home, not to mention substantially warmer.  And when the inversion fog happens, there's always the option to take a day trip up Marys Peak or to the coast where it's 60 degrees. 

 

No snow so far, granted, but all in all one of the more enjoyable PNW winters I have experienced.  Just a counter-perspective to all of the depression on here of late.

It's been much gloomier up here. Just a wasted winter IMO.

[Dan the Weatherman]

I would say the current pattern we are in is like a nightmare, but at least you wake up from a nightmare and it's all over. This won't be over for quite some time yet.

 

I am terribly frustrated the decisions I made in my life have served to make me stuck here for the time being. If I had known we would be this far into the new century with no improvement from where we were 20 years ago, I certainly would have left. I kept believing things would get back to the way they used to be, but obviously that hasn't happened.

This current pattern has been a real nightmare for California because we can't seem to buy any appreciable drought relief since it seems that there cannot be a decent storm anymore that brings a good amount of snow to the mountains. It has been far too warm in the high elevations for this entire season as well, so the storms that did occur back in December brought more rain than snow to the Sierra. The storms did help to fill the reservoirs to some extent, but we desperately need to build the snowpack.

[bainbridgekid]

It's been much gloomier up here. Just a wasted winter IMO.

It hasn't seemed too gloomy here in Seattle.

 

I've obviously been very disappointed in the lack if snow, but I've been pretty impressed by the amount of sunshine we've had.

 

I walk or bike to and from class nearly every day and have only gotten wet a handful of times.

[Parksvillewx]

A glimmer of hope for next winter.

 

http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/enso/index.shtml