A Winter of Extremes? Maybe, Thanks to La Nina

[elleng]

La Nina winters often result in flooding and avalanche problems in the Pacific Northwest, drought in the Southwest, the start of drought conditions in the Southeast and bouts of unseasonable -- perhaps record-breaking -- warmth in the South and East.

The current La Nina, which is a cooling of sea-surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific, is expected to last through the winter and peak at a moderate or strong intensity, increasing the likelihood of those events.

http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/la-nina-likely-to-bring-weather-extremes-to-us-this-winter/19624977?icid=main%7Chtmlws-main-w%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk3%7C169998

[old mark]

1. Here in SE Pennsylvania, we have just had the second highest number of 90 degree

days since record keeping began, IIRC, 45 days of 90 or over. We have some light showers today, the first rain in nearly a month - we are 2" low on rain.

Temps are running 15-20 degrees above normal since late August.


mark

[elleng]

2. Similar here, in DC Maryland exurb.

COOL here now and yesterday.

[old mark]

7. Yeah! Long pants today to go shopping! Wow! nt

[Uben]

3. We did about 20 days in a row over 100 in August

....and no run-off rainfall for about three months. Our lake (where I live) was down about two feet. I know that sounds "not so bad", but it is a spring fed lake and is a constant level lake. We got it all back last week in 24 hrs! We got a good 6" rain that caused local flooding but was much needed.
Lake is now full, and I planted my winter lawn (rye grass)three days ago. When I went out this morning, the grass was already an inch tall! Day-um! That stuff grows fast!

[madokie]

4. I could wish for a warm winter

the last few have been buggers here in northeast OK

[OnlinePoker]

5. Here in Victoria, BC fall has come early

Cooler than normal temperatures and leaves changing already (though this could have been from the lack of rainfall during the summer). I haven't seen a sparrow or robin in the yard for weeks and our mountain ash tree is still full of berries as there have been no birds to eat them. We had about 6 weeks of summer like weather this year but overall it has been a crappy year weather wise.

[pscot]

6. The LaNiña forecasts

are worth paying attention to. NOAA produces broadly accurate forecsast maps which can be seen here
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions//multi_season/13_seasonal_outlooks/color/churchill.php

Forewarned is forearmed, as they say.

[depakid]

8. It's already causing lots of "dry season" rain in Western and outback Central Australia

Record rain for northwest WA

Areas in the Pilbara region in far northwest WA have had their heaviest dry season rainfalls in over a decade.

A trough is bringing in upper level tropical moisture, as strong, gusty and warm lower level winds created instability over the Pilbara. This has led to areas of heavy rain and storms.

Paraburdoo airport collected 22mm over 24hrs to 9am, their highest recorded rainfall for September since the start of records in 1974.

Newman Airport received 11mm over 24hrs to 9am, their best rain for September in four years.

This unusual rainfall outside the wet season is characteristic of the effects of La-Nina, which would allow a trend towards wetter conditions across northern Australia. With the current La Nina event likely to peak sometime between October 2010 and February 2011

more: http://www.weatherzone.com.au/news/record-rain-for-northwest-wa/15019

Heavy rain returns to the country's interior

For the second time this month the Red Centre is being drenched as moisture is drawn from the warm waters of the Indian Ocean and deposited over the typically parched interior.

After having received 20mm earlier in the month, Uluru has picked up an additional 25mm in the 24 hours to 9am. This was their heaviest September rain in at least 17 years and they have already had more rain this month than received to this point last year.

More: http://www.weatherzone.com.au/news/heavy-rain-returns-to-the-countrys-interior/15020
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