What's the weather where you are?

[Siberia]

Our local weather goes a bit crazy since Monday: it was -5C, then overnight it reached -33C. Today we have -8C again, but it is forcasted to drop to -35C by Friday.

Here is the screenshot from our local weather website:

Also, there is amazing today's video widely discussed in Russian media: in the north of Siberia the passenger plane froze and couldn't move (it was -52C). So 70 passengers had to help to budge the plane, because the vehicle which was supposed to do this failed to operate at such weather. The plane weighs 30 tons.

http://<iframe width="420" height="...jQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Nancy2feathers]

Today, in upstate NY, we have a winter storm warning with accumulations any where from 6-12 inches and gusty winds.

 

[Persej]

Our local weather goes a bit crazy since Monday: it was -5C, then overnight it reached -33C. Today we have -8C again, but it is forcasted to drop to -35C by Friday.

-35C in November?! What are you going to have in January?

At least you don't have to worry about Ice age. You are already in it! :D

Also, there is amazing today's video widely discussed in Russian media: in the north of Siberia the passenger plane froze and couldn't move (it was -52C). So 70 passengers had to help to budge the plane, because the vehicle which was supposed to do this failed to operate at such weather. The plane weighs 30 tons.

 

[Siberia]

At least you don't have to worry about Ice age. You are already in it! :D

Yep, we have it every year. ;)
Smoking outside is fun too!

 

[Keit]

Yep, we have it every year. ;)
Smoking outside is fun too!

Wow, those jumps in temps must be quite a strain on the system. As for smoking outside in sub zero temps, can totally relate, since our last smoking room at the dorm was closed. Right now it's only -6C (will go gradually lower), but still no snow. Just the frost that makes the trees all silvery and magical looking.

 

[davey72]

Here in central Alberta it had been surprisingly mild until yesterday. It was blizzarding with over 30 cm of snow and is not expected to stop until sometime today. I barely made it home in my truck with no clutch. I did get stuck down the road from my house though. If only i didnt have to stop while trying to cross the highway.

 

[Siberia]

Yep, we have it every year. ;)
Smoking outside is fun too!

Wow, those jumps in temps must be quite a strain on the system. As for smoking outside in sub zero temps, can totally relate, since our last smoking room at the dorm was closed. Right now it's only -6C (will go gradually lower), but still no snow. Just the frost that makes the trees all silvery and magical looking.

Yes, these jumps are rather unusual (too abrupt and big), and right now we have -30C again. The frost itself is okay, it has its advantages: people stop catching cold (flu, etc.), for example. Also, the traffic becomes more comfortable: when it's colder than -10C, it doesn't snow usually, so the streets become clean of snow and.. cars (because many people prefer public transport instead, it's more reliable when it's frosty).

When we have -6C here, it usually means a cyclone (low pressure area), which brings us huge amounts of wet snow, strong winds, traffic jams, flu, etc. So in winter, we prefer when it's colder than -10C. An ideal temperature would be about -15-20C.

And these jumps are rather unpleasant because when the temperature jumps so much and so quickly, it means that the blood pressure jumps the same way too. For young people it can cause a headache, while for the elderly people it often means more serious consequences.

Today even the federal TV channels reported our frosts. Our major Siberian meteorologist, when asked about the end of frosts, exclaimed: "Good gracious, they (the frosts) haven't even started yet!"

 

[Andrian]

The last weeks in many italian regions has rained A LOT!!! Deluges,in some regions even tornadoes,well tornadoes in Italy are becoming a normal/usual fenomenon even if it's not a caracteristic fenomenon to the climate of the country,anyway in the following days the temperature will drop bellow -2 -4 C in the north of contry.

 

[Palinurus]

The Netherlands seems to have been going against the grain this year.

Source: _http://www.nltimes.nl/2014/12/10/warmest-year-three-centuries/

Warmest year in three centuries

Posted on Dec 10, 2014 by Janene Van Jaarsveldt

The year 2014 will be recorded as the warmest year ever. Since the beginning of the measurements in 1706, the temperature has never been so high. The average temperature of the year is 11.5 degrees Celsius, the normal average is 10.1 degrees Celsius.

According to the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI), the record is “significantly higher” than the previous warmer years in 2006 and 2007, when the average was 11.2 degrees. Spring and autumn were especially warm. The cause for this is climate change and random fluctuations, the wind came from the south relatively often.

Despite the higher average temperature, August was a lot cooler. There were also no heat waves.

More here: _http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2014/12/2014-set-to-be-the-warmest-year-in-three-centuries.php/

2014 set to be the warmest year in three centuries

December 10, 2014

This year will go on record as the warmest in three centuries with an average temperature almost 1.5 degrees above average, the KNMI weather bureau said on Wednesday.

With much of December still to go, this year the average temperature is likely to be 11.5 Celsius, beating the 11.2 Celsius records set in 2006 and 2007.

It was warmer than average in every month but August and eight months also set temperature records, the KNMI said. And in parts of the country, it has not frozen at all in 2014.

The KNMI calculates that the chance of extremely warm years is 300 times more likely now than 100 years ago and such temperatures will be normal by 2050.

 

[will01]

Finally some rain here on the northern tablelands, NSW, with good falls reported around the region. Looks like we may have broken the dry weather pattern for the moment, with a continuous run of storms.

Hope other drought stricken areas of the world get a break as well. :)

 

[tohuwabohu]

The last winter was pretty warm so I thought that this winter will be pretty rough.
But as of now here in High Tatra mountains the temperature is 1 degree Celsius and still no snow.
The wasps were pretty wild this summer. Most of them died for some reason. And those that I encountered were biting green apples that were not even ripe. They seemed in much distress and were desperate.
I did not in my entire life seen such behavior. Then it was not even autumn and they were all gone.
I thought that they were panicking because of the harsh winter coming but either I am wrong or the true winter will only arrive from Russia. I envy the Russians for their beautiful winters with temperatures at -30 C and with plenty of snow. That is so nice especially around Christmas. I have just pulled battery out of my car because it was low. And at -30 the car will be like one solid ice block. So I might as well recharge the battery for later use.

 

[Chad]

More strange circular ice seen. I think last year there was just one huge one which actually rotated with the movement of the water.. these may be caused by the same thing.. Their explanation could be correct - the foam freezes like that - but they don't sound so sure of themselves, osit ;) It's in Aberdeen, Scotland.

The description sounds similar to the images from last years, "a calm part of the river", and "they form in cold weather", So it fits. But as he says in the news article, he's unsure and it's rare! (Oh and he mentions the 'extreme weather' we've been having these last few years...)

For me, the run up to winter in nw England has been quite mild; i speculated it had been so mild that the flies haven't been killed off and a friend posted a pic the other day about a wasp that entered her house - which i think is strange, but i may be totally off. It has been a mild autumn though, except for the odd 'storm'. We have had a night or two of proper frost but mainly the cold weather has hit the Scotland and any higher altitude areas.

And now we're in 'winter', i'd say that's been fairly mild too in some ways but then when the temperature does drop, it dips to freezing with ease.

I found it on FB, and i think the blog is the person who discovered it, but also it's been mentioned in a msm news article probably from the local paper in Aberdeen.

'Ice pancakes' the size of dinner plates?
_https://www.facebook.com/metoffice/photos/pcb.10152663243994209/10152663236414209/?type=1&permPage=1
Jamie Irquhart, a biologist from The River Dee Trust, recently found these on the Lummels Pool at Birse.

How do these strange discs form? The team think that the foam floating about on the water starts to freeze, probably at night. Bits of frozen foam got pushed around in the eddy, and in the ensuing collisions, became roughly circular. Each disc then grew when smaller pieces of unfrozen foam struck to the disc and then froze in place.

You can read more about them at _http://bit.ly/1qZQfCH


River Office Blog

Ice Pancakes on the Dee, 17th December

By Joanna

Jamie, our Biologist found these recently on the Lummels Pool at Birse, do you know what they are? He has seen them the size of saucers before but these were as big as dinner plates!

We weren't sure what they are called but we found this explanation that we think fits. What we think happened is this: Foam floating about on the water started to freeze, probably at night. Bits of frozen foam got swirled around in an eddy, and became roughly circular. Perhaps each disc grew when smaller pieces of unfrozen foam struck the disc, adhered and then froze in place.

The raised rims are undoubtedly due to the collisions but what about the inner lines? The air temperature was colder at night due to the clear-sky conditions but warmer in the day, meaning the discs may have grown at night, then during the day, when the discs softened in the sun, further collisions between the “pancakes” caused the rims to be pushed up. The next night further growth would have occurred, followed by a new rim the next day.

They are more commonly seen in the Antartic or the Baltic Sea and this is the first time we have seen them on the River Dee. Tjey are a rare occurance and conditions have to be right for them to form.

Where did the amazing ice pancakes come from?

Ice pancakes at the Lummels Pool at Birse, near AboyneIce pancakes at the Lummels Pool at Birse, near Aboyne

By Shona Gossip
_ _https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/aberdeenshire/433947/stunning-image-of-first-ice-pancakes-spotted-on-river-dee/


They are more commonly seen in the Antarctic or the Baltic Sea, but now some unusual ice formations have been spotted in Deeside.

The “ice pancakes” have formed in a quiet spot of the River Dee, at the Lummels Pool at Birse, near Aboyne – the first time they have been seen in the area by those who work on the river.

The discs are made up of foam or slush on top that freezes, and is bashed into a circular shape by colliding with others as they float on the water.

Jamie Urquhart, a biologist at the River Dee Trust, photographed the ice pancakes when he spotted them last week.

He said: “I’ve actually seen them before at the River Brora in Sutherland a couple of winters ago, but they were much smaller – more the size of a saucer.

“It’s the first time we’ve seen them at the Dee. They are quite a rare occurrence, the conditions have to be right for them to occur. I’ve spoken to a number of people across the catchment, the people on the river, such as the ghillies and anglers, who have never seen them here before.”

The ice pancakes have formed in pool downstream from a fast-flowing part of the river, where the foam and froth gathers and circles together.

It is believed the foam froze overnight, and as it bashed into other frozen pieces, formed the dinner plate-sized ice pancakes. It is thought the rim is created due to rising temperatures during the day and the cooler nights.

The team at the River Dee Trust believe the hard frost from last week would have helped the discs form, but Mr Urquhart said it was “guess work” as to why this was the first time they had appeared.

He said: “I don’t know if it’s because we’ve had more extreme winters over the last couple of years, and then that hard frost.

“It’s guess work from our perspective, we’re using our knowledge of the river to deduct how they formed.

“It would be great to get any feedback on what they actually are, or how they form if anybody knows.

“I’ll definitely be keeping an out for them.”

Ice pancakes can have a diameter of up to 10ft, and be up to 4in thick. Collisions as they float about cause the raised rims, either from them getting bashed or from the foam and slush that is splashed up onto the edges.

additional images BBC

 

[Skyfarmr]

S Central Wisconsin, USA.

While the temps have been more seasonally average compared to way below normal temps for November, it has been incredibly overcast for WEEKS!
Last sunny afternoon I recall was last Thursday (Dec. 11th) and everyone was commenting THEN how long it had been since seeing the sun.

Other observations noticed are high humidity, despite the near to below freezing temperatures.

November, with it's 15-20 degree F temps( way below 0 degree C), had near 95-100% humidity!
How is that possible? Why wouldn't it precipitate out as frost with such cold temps?
This was day after day, and continues into December with a bit warmer temps but still high humidity.
Downright bone-chilling.

Even the forecasters are surprised it is so humid (low cloud deck) with High pressure front present.

What's goin' on?

 

[MusicMan]

I hope you are all enjoying the solstice.
Here where I am it is mid summer, there have even been bushfires in the vicinity.

 

[Keit]

Maybe s-kur will write about it more, but just heard on the news that Kamchatka had one of its heaviest snow storms. In one night they had a month amount of snow. What's more, there was also a lightning snow storm, something that doesn't happen in the region.