Mar. 19-21 West (California) Storm OBS

The NWS is calling for rain and showers late Tuesday into early morning Thursday for Northern and Central California. The large mid-latitude low has been spinning out North of Hawaii for several days and is finally slowly working it's way East. A lot of tropical moisture is entrained with this system ...but the dynamics do not bode well for the type of gully washer that all of California is in desperate need of.

We up in Central California coast can expect a decent amount of rain because of the lift provided by the orientation of the Coastal Range, the valleys and inland will see lighter amounts of precipitation.



The interesting thing is that one of the small waves in the jet stream is trying to dig into the back side of this storm. If that jet stream energy can be transferred to forward momentum then this storm could turn out wetter and longer lasting than the early predictions....it is all a matter of the timing of the energy packets being sent through when the actual front arrives on Tuesday night...

In spite of this being such a dry year so far in 2013...I still am optimistic of a pattern change that will open the door once and for all to a couple of good storms to put some snow in the Sierra's or at least a bountiful rainstorm Statewide....I hate to say how often the storm track has eluded me this year and now I fear I am almost bordering on "wish-casting" by even hoping for some 'normal' rainstorms....

Maw's Friday Questions Week 252

Hi everybody! Maw is indisposed...so Idee has control

Everybody have a Wonderful Holiday weekend (some of us work some or all of it)

Stay safe...don't eat or drink too much ...and be safe on the roads and in the crowds of Holiday shoppers!

Early Bird Special:

Thanksgiving Questions:


1) What are you thankful for on this Thanksgiving Day?

2) Are/Did you travel out of town or did you have a Thanksgiving meal at home? (Your chance to complain if you have to work on Thanksgiving!)

3) Could we have a hint of the menu items...any specialties we need to know about?

4) Pie: !!!!! Did/Will you have pie....What kinds? Or is there a different traditional dessert?

5) Do you eat until....Full, Very Full, or (It's Wafer Thin. Monty Python skit) Explosively Full?

Black Friday:

6) Are/did you get up early to go shopping for the Doorbuster Specials? How early?

7) What is the best deal you have ever gotten on a Black Friday? If not shopping what's the best thing you did instead?

8) Do you participate in so-called 'Cyber Monday' and the internet deals? Do you shop online very often?

9) Are you planning to see a movie over the Holiday weekend? Or just watch Sports?

10) Have you ever gotten into a fender bender or come out to a damaged vehicle when Holiday shopping?

Thanks(giving) for listening.....And everyone have a great holiday whether you are working or not!

Above all ...Stay Safe and tell your loved ones how special they are....!

Hurricane Miriam : Eastern Pacific

There is a CAT 2 Hurricane in the Eastern Pacific Basin off the coast of Mexico heading NW towards Baja California. This is the 9th named hurricane of the season so far.

IMO what makes this hurricane so interesting is that the moisture from this storm could have a large impact on the CONUS.

source Accuweather Hurricane page:

bold added


enhanced infrared satellite photo:

Horseracing Triple Crown : Will this be the year?

Bodemeister, a speed horse from Hall Of Fame Trainer Bob Baffert was favored in the Kentucky Derby...
But his speed did not hold and he lost by 1 1/2 lengths after a hard charging I'll Have Another caught him in the stretch.

In Saturday's Second Jewel of the Triple Crown, the Preakness at Baltimore's Pimlico Racecourse
Bodemeister was again installed as an 8/5 favorite over I'll have Another who was the 3-1 second choice.
After a furious stretch run, and great ride by jockey Mario Gutierrez, I'll Have Another passed Bodemeister right before the wire in a thrilling win by a neck.

Now I'll Have Another has a chance to be the first Triple Crown winner in horseracing in 34 years.

In the 1970's three horse won the Triple Crown...Secretariat dominated all three races in 1974,
Seattle Slew continued his (at the time) undefeated career by taking all three races in 1977.
A year later the famous duel between Affirmed and Alydar saw Affirmed win the Triple Crown by defeating Alydar three times in a row, in one of the best horseracing rivalries ever.

It was mentioned at the time that the Triple Crown was becoming too easy and inferior horses could win the Triple Crown...It now appears that this grouping of Triple Crown winners was a statistical anomaly as no one has won all three races in almost 34 years.

Will this be the year?

Will this be the Year of Lebron James NBA Title?

Who wins the NBA Title this Year? San Antonio already closes out LA Clippers....