So I'm just starting to get to where I have a little free time at the new house and the wind is whistling outside. We could get 8 inches of rain by the weekend. The Sierra Nevada Mountain range about 2 hours away could get 10 feet of snow by the weekend from this system. I guess I'll eventually get some wind without the rain.

Keep being positive Bob - I hope it actually changes the current wind (or lack there of) patterns that have been prevelent throughout the California central valley. Does anyone on the forum know anything about the cyclical patterns of the el niño? When does it start, when it ends? It would be huge to know when our wind conditions will return to a somewhat useable pattern.

Quote:

Originally posted by BeamerBob So I'm just starting to get to where I have a little free time at the new house and the wind is whistling outside. We could get 8 inches of rain by the weekend. The Sierra Nevada Mountain range about 2 hours away could get 10 feet of snow by the weekend from this system. I guess I'll eventually get some wind without the rain.

8 inches of rain in a weekend and 10 ft of snow? ive never heard of anything like that--sounds more like something you would get on the atmosphere of mars.......

From Wikipedia...

El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is a quasi periodic climate pattern that occurs across the tropical Pacific with a roughly 5 year cycle. It is composed of an oceanic component, called El Niño (or La Niña), which is characterized by warming or cooling of surface waters in the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean, and an atmospheric component, the Southern Oscillation, which is characterized by changes in surface pressure in the tropical western Pacific. The two components are coupled: when the warm oceanic phase (known as El Niño) is in effect, surface pressures in the western Pacific are high, and when the cold phase is in effect (La Niña), surface pressures in the western Pacific are low.[2][3] The oscillation does not have a specific period but occurs every four to twelve years, with the most common periods being around 5 years. Mechanisms that cause the oscillation remain under study.

Quote:

Originally posted by tom kite Quote: Originally posted by BeamerBob So I'm just starting to get to where I have a little free time at the new house and the wind is whistling outside. We could get 8 inches of rain by the weekend. The Sierra Nevada Mountain range about 2 hours away could get 10 feet of snow by the weekend from this system. I guess I'll eventually get some wind without the rain. 8 inches of rain in a weekend and 10 ft of snow? ive never heard of anything like that--sounds more like something you would get on the atmosphere of mars.......

The time is by the weekend, like for the next 6 days or so. The Sierra Nevada range is over 7000 feet high so they are used to this I guess. The rain is at my house down in the central valley.

Quote:

Originally posted by BeamerBob Quote: Originally posted by tom kite Quote: Originally posted by BeamerBob So I'm just starting to get to where I have a little free time at the new house and the wind is whistling outside. We could get 8 inches of rain by the weekend. The Sierra Nevada Mountain range about 2 hours away could get 10 feet of snow by the weekend from this system. I guess I'll eventually get some wind without the rain. 8 inches of rain in a weekend and 10 ft of snow? ive never heard of anything like that--sounds more like something you would get on the atmosphere of mars....... The time is by the weekend, like for the next 6 days or so. The Sierra Nevada range is over 7000 feet high so they are used to this I guess. The rain is at my house down in the central valley.

i dont doubt that its true, but MAN that is alot of rain!

NOAA web link. Lots of info.

http://www.elnino.noaa.gov/

Yeah - this is what was predicted to happen during an El Nino year - the storms that have built up either in Asia or Northern Regions of the Pacific come strait at us in California - the high pressure I am guessing allows the storms to come through unabated - I assume this is also why there has been no wind in the central valley since early Fall - no air movement in the Pacific. The Current series of storms are coming from a system started in Russia apparently - it will be getting colder as the week progresses and the storms intensify. Even though the system of storms will be supposedly ending by this weekend there is nothing to stop any further series of storms from piling their way into California. Irony is that we are in the middle of a really long drought cycle that has been going on for the past 3 years or so.

I Just want to know when this is going to end?

Just looked at the NOAA maps - sorry Canada, I guess you don't need to be included in any Climate data the United States is working on. If there happens to be a tornado or some other horrible thing weather wise coming your way don't hold your breath for your sister to the south to let you know about it.

Oh and I just read about the fun fact that if the snow fall continues at a reasonable rate throughout the Spring - that a heavy late Spring rain could cause a premature melting of the considerable snowpack and ensure massive flooding throughout the central valley and into the delta regions. Super fun!

It looks as though this will come to an end in either late March or late May. Meh.

We've got plenty of wind and rain. Today, wind to 40, tomorrow to 60.

Today is the first day in a couple of weeks that the wind isn't blowing like a gale ... unfortunately, it's always dark when I finish work and I can't really use the park on weekends

Hang in there Bob

Hey flexi, if I'm reading the data correctly, it looks like mid april or early may till the precipitation models show average chances of rain vs significantly higher chances for central to northern cali.
Sorry dude. Here's to hoping NOAA is wrong.

Quote:

Originally posted by flexiblade Just looked at the NOAA maps - sorry Canada, I guess you don't need to be included in any Climate data the United States is working on. If there happens to be a tornado or some other horrible thing weather wise coming your way don't hold your breath for your sister to the south to let you know about it.

rofl ... call me :saint:

Hey if Godzilla finds his way across the Pacific after hanging out with Kamikuza, I'll let you know.

LMAO, that Godzilla comment was classic.

the big lizard would need a hefty wind unless he had one of those big doors and something with low bar pressure what with those skinny arms. Maybe he would be with some wind NOT in a storm front.

I am definitely going skiing this weekend. I am looking to go to Sierra at Tahoe but will bring kites along just in case. There is a location I want to check out that is South of Lake Tahoe called Grass Lake.
Snokite location in California
Grass Lake on GeoHack
When I look at weather.com for this weekend though, the wind is supposed to drop down to 5mph.

Also, they are getting up to 10 feet of snow this week too! I guess the plows can keep up if they don't stop. Hope you have a great trip up. DETAILS!

This just in.............. Guess the rain isn't the only thing keeping me in today.

* WINDS: WILL INCREASE TO 25 TO 45 MPH BY 10 AM. GUSTS TO 60 MPH ARE POSSIBLE BETWEEN 10 AM AND 2 PM. THE STRONGEST WINDS ARE LIKELY TO BE ALONG RIDGES AND NEAR FOOTHILLS.

There are 60mph+ winds tearing up trees and smashing around the rollup doors to the shop something fierce. I'd have to have a deathwish to fly in this - it's literally going from nothing (2-4mph) to 60+ in a second. You can see it coming as it rips through the trees.