November 2010 Weather News!
This month had relatively mild weather worldwide. This is the shortest amazing edition of Blue Duck Weather since last May. Instead of twenty pages of field notes, editing and other worthless shit there were only nine pages. But by the end of the month you will see winter is coming at us with a vengeance. One low temperature at The Land was the coldest felt in twenty years. For the first time since we acquired the property in New Mexico affectionately known as Talking Trees and Antelope Hill I saw a low of minus two degrees! And with this cold there was little or no moisture, the most brutal chaffing skin kind of dry cold. Throw a little wind on top of it and it was teeth chattering. And to think a month ago I was still complaining about the heat seems kind of candy assed. “I just ain’t never satisfied” as Steve Earle once sang.
Ironically on one of the coldest windiest days out here recently in the lonesome windblown desert the lovely Mrs. Blueduck told me that one of her students reported that his dog was bit by a rattlesnake. Now that just shatters every conceived behavioral pattern of snakes. I know rattlesnakes don’t really hibernate and will come out to sun if the day is warm enough. But their enemies are cold and especially wind. Just as there was a Devil pig (in Streets of Laredo) this must have been a Devil snake!
In this exciting edition of Blue Duck Weather you will read amazing accounts of day to day weather happenings but oh so much more! Find out about sunburned whales, what pinon needle scale is, why and where goldfish were used to guard the President of the U.S. and other world leaders, International investors playing hardball on climate change (spooky shit), 2000 “tourists” rescued on Mount Everest (and why it disgusted me), Blues music to the rescue after the BP oil spill, the significance of the 2022 Chinese calendar year, an update on Lake Mead, how the 2010 U.S. hurricane season stacked up and more problems from the freak hailstorm in Arizona in October. Read on my droogies!
The average temperature difference from the beginning of the month and at the end at The Land was 24 degrees cooler! Talking Trees and Antelope Hill had a 20.50 degree drop. The overall average temperature for November at the Land was 55.96 degrees and 34.92 at the mountain property in New Mexico.
The average humidity was 33.36 percent and the average dew point was 25.55 degrees at The Land.
We only received .01” of rain (dismal).
Our latest feature, where was your migraine when the barometric pressure fell like a rock. This is dedicated to our local readers who suffer from these hell brain aches. The pressure fell from very high to moderate from 11-12 to 11-14. And then it dove from 11-26 through 11-28 and rapidly shot up through the 30th. I haven’t seen that kind of roller coaster ride before but all it meant for the weather was cold wind.
The monthly lake level totals were 36% for Mead, 63% for Powell, an alarming 59% for Pleasant and 90% for Roosevelt.
11-1- Thomas is downgraded to a Tropical Storm but is gaining strength. It may threaten earthquake ravaged Haiti.
11-2- United States sea vessels are headed to Haiti to assist if necessary as now Hurricane Thomas strengthens. This may be a devastating storm by the weekend.
Two days of constant rain in Thailand has caused flooding that closes the rail service and forces thousands to flee. Some areas are under FIVE FEET OF WATER with 38people dead and 1.5 million affected.
81,000 are homeless after Cyclone Giri hits Myanmar. 200,000 will need food aid for three months. (Be glad you are not dealing with this TwinkyDuck!) 43 people are dead, 430 schools and 57 health centers are damaged or destroyed.
Flooding in the west African nation of Benin has affected 680,000, destroyed 300,000 acres and killed 81,000 livestock. A World Food Program spokesman warned that food has become a critical issue in this region. (At least you are not dealing with starvation my TwinkyDuck.)
11-3- Los Angeles hit’s a record of 97 degrees.
Thomas has weakened to a Tropical Storm but has killed 14 and seven others missing in St. Lucia. Now it is headed for Haiti. 7800 residents of a post earthquake recovery are ordered to evacuate. (But we ask, where?)
Heavy rains in southern India leave 22 dead and 30,000 displaced. Many died drowning or when their houses collapsed on them.
11-8- Last month’s storms so rare in Arizona that the Weather Channel will be airing a special report about them.
A surprise storm with 60mph winds knock out power across New England. 75,000 without power in Maine and New Hampshire. There was driving rain, sleet and 15 foot swells in the ocean.
A week of heavy rain has killed 13 in the eastern Philippines which is still recovering from last month’s typhoons.
Hurricane Thomas has killed 20 in Haiti, 30,000 are in shelters and 6,000 are homeless. A river there has been a source of a cholera epidemic and is expected to flood. People living along the river have been advised to evacuate their families and livestock. Cholera in Haiti has killed 500 and hospitalized thousands since appearing last month.
700 climate scientists have agreed to take a stand against skeptics and face criticism on television and talk radio. They will answer questions about global warming and the roles of man made air pollution.
11-9- Freeze Warnings issued for Kingman and Cochise County in Arizona.
18 degree low recorded at Talking Trees and Antelope Hill.
Cholera has reached the Haiti capitol of Port Au Prince.
A Florida man has killed an alligator that has proven to be an all time state record. It was over 14’ long and weighed 654 pounds! After being harpooned the alligator thrashed and pulled the man’s boat around a lake for forty five minutes.
Grizzly bear deaths approaches a record in the Yellowstone region. Some of the factors are “accidental” killings by hunters and mild winters allowing bark beetles to decimate the white bark pine. The nuts from this tree are a critical food source for the grizzlies.
11-10- Flooding in northeastern Italy has killed three and forces evacuation of three thousand others. 1.4 billion dollars in damage has been assessed, much of it in white wine country.
30’ waves batter Spain’s coast with 60mph winds and heavy rain. All beaches are closed.
11-11- Freeze Warning issued for Gila County, Arizona.
16 degree low at Talking Trees and Antelope Hill in New Mexico.
Scientists report, after a three year study, that some species of whales off the Mexican coast are showing signs of severe sunburn. It may be caused by damaged ozone layer’s decreased ability to block ultraviolet radiation. Whales spend much of their time at the surface of the oceans breathing, feeding their young and socializing.
11-12- A total of 260 miles of traffic jams in the Netherlands due to storms with 60mph winds with ferry operations and flights cancelled. In Hague, surfers showed up in thick body suits to ride the waves. ( I sure admire die hard fuckers!)
11-13- The Twin Cities of Minnesota receives a foot of snow for the first snow storm of the season. With power outages, vehicle accidents and cancelled foot ball games one State Patrolman said “this is a tough season opener.” It is the largest storm in twenty years and just yesterday the high was 60 degrees.
One million acres of pinon pines in Nevada are infested with pinon-needle scale, a bug the size of a pinhead. It sucks the sap from pine needles. Only one year ago the affected pines amounted to two hundred thousand acres.
Goldfish safeguard the South Korean summit where President Obama met with other world leaders this past week. The fish are used to monitor water quality at the conference center and six fish were released into the center’s water supply. The goal was to make sure the recycled water piped into the restrooms is safe from toxic attacks. Any fish that die would signal possible water contamination. “Dead fish tell no tales.” PETA denounced the tactic. (Give us a fucking break!)
11-14- Ten thousand dead jelly fish have washed up on three miles of beach in San Francisco. Researchers and scientists are baffled.
11-16- RyDuck reports from his secluded location in Colorado that it went from a sunny 55 degrees to an ooshy 33 degrees with snow falling in one hour.
A thirty four car pile up due to icy conditions near Larkspur, Colorado happened today. Twelve are taken to the hospital.
Warming threatens Lebanon’s snow and cedars. Ski resorts are moving ski operations higher up the slopes. Three thousand year old cedar stands now only exist at the highest elevations.
11-17- Eleven ooshy degrees this morning for a low at Talking Trees and Antelope Hill.
The Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Tennessee reopens since being closed since last May due to flooding. In honor of its opening it is decked out with two million Christmas lights. The flooded Cumberland River caused two hundred million dollars in damage and parts of the resort were under ten feet of water!
A rare warm period in Siberia lures a flock of pink pelicans to stop and rest on their journey home.
A group of international investors, responsible for 15 trillion dollars in assets, called for the world’s nations (especially the United States) to move decisively to combat climate change. If we don’t we will face economic disruption worse than the recession of the last two years.
11-18- 55mph winds damage seven small aircraft, damages 200 homes and knocks out power to 82,000 in Maryland. An unconfirmed tornado was spotted.
Heavy rains and wind caused flooding in southwest England trapping people inside their homes.
They call the blues the Devil’s music but this put a smile on my beak: “BluesForTheGulf.org. Our mission: A global initiative by the Blues Community, including musicians, club owners and fans who are donating their time and talents raising money to assist the people in the Gulf Coast states suffering economic devastation from the oil disaster.” ( As I recall this and similar efforts by the jazz community were done for Katrina victims five years ago.)
11-19- Wind Advisory issued for northern Arizona.
Two thousand tourists and their “porters” have been stranded in a tiny village on Mount Everest for 5 days. Their location is over nine thousand feet high and strong winds and low clouds have kept them there. Army helicopters are trying to get them out. (Editors note: This totally depressed me and blew the image I had of that formidable mountain that has claimed so many lives. How the fuck did 2000 “tourists” get to a tiny village at nine thousand feet? Did they hold hands and walk up a magical sidewalk with handrails singing the “Hoakey- Pokey” song? What in the world does a “tiny village” do with the waste of two thousand people, throw it down the mountain or bury shit in the snow? I give up. There is no great wilderness anymore. Let them stay and build a Grand city.)
11-20- The most recent flooding in Vietnam in the past month has forced 40,000 people to evacuate, 30,000 homes flooded and 35,000 crops damaged. THIRTY TWO INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN IN THE PAST WEEK. Since October bad weather has killed 167 people.
18 poached, de-horned and dead rhinos found on a large private game preserve in Africa.
11-21- Winter is coming! Minnesota receives the first major snowstorm of the season. Snow is also expected in the higher elevations of California, Nevada, Montana and Wyoming.
Speaking of winter, this morning had the first wind chill of the season at The Land. 58 degrees plus 10mph winds = 55 degrees! (Don’t you just love the math?) Flagstaff has a dusting of snow with 50mph winds.
11-22- Blizzard Warnings are posted for parts of Utah and Idaho.
A summit in Russia sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund states that tigers will be extinct by 2022, the next Chinese calendar year of the Tiger. 3200 tigers exist world wide, down from 100,000 a century ago. Their habitat is shrinking from forest cutting and construction. They are also valuable for poachers who want their skins and body parts and they are prized in Chinese traditional medicine.
11-23- The first freeze at The Land for the season! The average temperature for the day was just 45 degrees. The snow level in northern Arizona is expected to drop to 6,000 ft. today. A Wind Advisory is posted for Flagstaff between 1:00 p.m. and midnight with 45mph winds.
Storm Warnings and Watches posted for several northern states as cold air plunges from Canada into the western and central U.S. Temperatures will not rise above zero in the Central Plains.
A tornado strikes in Lover Park, Illinois and turns over a school bus. The driver and children in the bus escaped with minor injuries. 42,000 people are without power.
According to the Washington D.C. based Refugees International “The U.S. and other countries must recognize the threat represented by the massive floods that hit Pakistan earlier this year… It is estimated as many as 200 million people will be displaced by natural disasters and climate change around the world by 2050.”
11-24- Hard Freeze Watch issued for the Phoenix area.
Arizona Game and Fish is offering a reward for information leading to the arrest(s) due to the illegal introduction of fish into Yuma canals. One case involved a thirty two inch shark that was found dead last week. Transporting and stocking fish in Arizona waters is illegal.
White out conditions in the Rockies and Blizzard Warnings in Utah. In Tacoma, Washington the temperature dropped to 14 degrees, a 25 year low.
At 4:30 p.m. RyDuck reported from his secluded location in Colorado a temperature of an “ooshy” 15 degrees.
11-25- A Winter Weather Alert is issued for most of Arizona. Freeze Warnings will be in affect from 2:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. for the Phoenix area. There is twelve inches of snow at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.
The lowest temperature I have ever seen at Talking Trees and Antelope Hill this morning, -2 degrees! The average temperature for the entire day was 24 degrees.
A Frost Warning is issued for citrus growers in the San Joaquin Valley in California for the remainder of the week.
Two men have died of hypothermia in Washington in the past week. Emergency cold weather shelters have opened in the Puget Sound area. Yesterday’s low in Seattle dropped to a new record of 14 degrees. The old record was 16 degrees set in 1985.
The United Nations weather agency states that greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere set a new record in 2009. The total amount was 386.8 parts per million. The pre-industrial average is estimated to be 280 parts per million.
11-26- 31 degree low at The Land!
The Obama administration is placing 187,000 square miles in Alaska as “critical habitat” for polar bears.
11-27- Twenty seven degree low at The Land this morning with a dew point of minus one degree; dry, bone chilling cold! I enjoyed a fine fire in the front yard, drank some hot coffee and harassed Otis, our dog, with a Frisbee. If the little shit was cold he sure didn’t show it.
The Arizona San Carlos Tribe is asking a federal judge permission to join in on the law suit filed last month to return the Arizona Bald eagle to the Endangered Species Act. (You read about the initial law suit here last month in the amazing edition of Blue Duck Weather!)
11-28- Five inches of snow in Flagstaff and 32mph winds in Safford, Arizona.
Sixteen inches of snow “buries” northeast England and Scotland, the most widespread snow for the date since 1993.
11-29- A Freeze Warning is issued tonight for the Phoenix metro area. The recent cold snap has valley homeless shelters overflowing.
Lake Mead has fallen within seven feet above the level that would trigger the first ever rationing from water supplied by the Colorado River.
For the first time in recorded history 12 hurricanes formed this year in the Atlantic ocean without one making landfall in the U.S. There was only a 2% chance this would happen according to forecasters earlier in the season. The official end of this year’s hurricane season is tomorrow.
11-30- A 24 degree low at The Land with a 6 degree dew point! Four below zero in Flagstaff broke a record from 1975.
The freak hail storm in October in the Phoenix area damaged so many roofs contractors have waiting lists up to four months just for appraisals. There are 150,000 damaged homes and 40% fewer roofers than before the recession.
Six people are injured from an unconfirmed tornado in Mississippi. In central Louisiana a block home was completely destroyed by wind.
Heavy rain displaces thousands in Venezuela. The President opens his palace to twenty five homeless families as a show of compassion. Landslides there have killed 13.
The much awaited song of the month is “Rain Is A Good Thing” by Luke Bryan, a really stupid country song but oh well.
Until next month when they have removed your frozen body from an avalanche remember Pioneers took bullets, Settlers took Land.
The Honorable, Distinguished, Professor MR Blue Duck.
