October 2012 Weather News!
Welcome to another outstanding edition of Blue Duck Weather! Keep those hits coming to make sure this is the most frequently read weather news on the planet! Our viewing audience is growing rapidly with the incredible reporting your fine staff brings to you. Examples below are just a tiny piece of the cosmic puzzle my faithful readers.
A new method adopted by the Weather Channel to report winter storms, little known fact about one of last month’s tropical storms, grass thieves due to the drought, how it shaped up for rattlesnakes on The Land this spring and summer, one place that went from wildfires to snow in five days, a squirrel account that the Lovely Mrs. Blue Duck will smile at, bug invasion in one town turns to insanity, the possibility’s of approaching Hurricane Sandy, The President of the United States advised on the potential destruction of Hurricane Sandy, a shark that fell out of the sky on a southern California golf course and so much more in this latest edition of Blue Duck Weather.
This month’s weather news seemed fairly tame in comparison until about October 25th. Sandy was born as an usual tropical storm and your fine staff at Blue Duck Weather is cautious about “predictions” because many do not pan out and make for (more) boring reading. Once I read that the President was advised about the possible destruction of Sandy in the “Situation Room”, once I saw the computer models (the European model nailed the storm’s energy and path) I began to watch this thing blow up like a nuclear bomb.
Super storm Sandy, the perfect storm Sandy, once in a generation Sandy, Franken storm Sandy, only a Category 1 hurricane but with lowest barometric pressure and outflow winds in recorded history. Yes, “only” a category one storm but with enough force to extend one thousand miles, cause unprecedented snow inland and with twelve foot high waves on Lake Michigan, made my feathered pinholes of ears perk up. This one was going to be a monster. And I am sure the effects will be felt for many months to come. And in the coming weeks, long after Sandy is gone from front line news your fine staff at Blue Duck Weather will be giving you information on all of its impact.
But first the necessary statistics that began this “scientific” weather journal.
The average temperature on The Land in October was 73.72 degrees, 15 degrees cooler at the end of the month than the beginning. Talking Trees and Antelope Hill had an average of 52.88 degrees and was only 7 degrees cooler.
No rain in October and the total for the year on The Land is 5.24 inches.
And the ever important, if not life saving lake water reports for the arid South West are as follows: Lake Mead, 51% full, Powell 57%, Pleasant only 39%, and poor old Roosevelt Lake at 44%! This leads us to the appropriate quote of the month. “But oh my desert yours is the only death I cannot bear.”
Richard Shelton
10-1- Two records this year for bald eagles in Arizona; the number of nests and the number of eggs. Sixty six breeding areas have been documented and eighty eggs.
Powerful Typhoon Jelawat headed toward Tokyo after causing black outs in southern and western Japan.
The amount of coral reef in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef has been cut in half since 1985, two thirds since 1995 Tropical storms, coral predation, warming water and pollution account for 48%.
10-2- Your Editor in Chief doesn’t hold much stock in long term weather forecasts but the next ninety days for Arizona is likely to be wetter. (Let’s hope so.)
“During the upcoming 2012-13 winter season the Weather Channel will name note worthy storms. Our goal is to better communicate the threat and timing of the significant impacts that accompany these events. The fact is, a storm with a name is easier to follow, which will mean fewer surprises and more preparation.” Winter storms have been named in Europe since 1950.
10-3- There hasn’t been much news about Tropical Storm Nadine since it is so far away from the U.S. but after forming twenty days ago it has become one of the top five lasting cyclones in the Atlantic. It is headed to the Azores Islands in the north Atlantic.
With the ongoing drought grass thieves are “sprouting” in New Mexico. Some ranchers have started cutting neighbor’s fences or leaving gates open so their own cattle can graze on greener land. (Get a rope!)
From his secluded location in Colorado RyDuck reports a high of 82 degrees dropping to 40 degrees in five hours. Snow expected.
Tropical Storm Oscar, fifteenth named storm of the season has formed in the eastern Atlantic. It is 1220 miles west, north west of the Cape Verde Islands.
Tropical Storm Nadine dies in the Atlantic short of the longest active tropical storm on record.
Here comes Winter! Up to six inches of snow in Fargo, North Dakota and portions of Montana.
Arizona Game and Fish are analyzing a trail camera photo taken in Tucson of either a rare jaguar or ocelot. The photo was taken on September 23 by a hunter. Four of the last five sightings have been by Arizona hunters.
10-5- Rare October snowstorm for North Dakota to Minnesota with fourteen inches in some areas. Grand Forks, North Dakota had a record for this date of 3.5” breaking the old record set in1950. Six inches fell in Karlstad, Minnesota just after residents were forced out of their homes by wildfires earlier this week.
10-6- Heartbreaking! A landslide in China kills eighteen children in a school buried by the mud.
A man in Orem, Utah called police after he received a call on his cell phone from his home phone. He thought it was a burgler. He later discovered his pooch had grabbed the receiver and pushed redial as he was burying it in the backyard.
10-7- Many mountain lions are migrating west from Nevada into California. One theory is the Sierra in California has lusher habitat and greater selection of prey than the arid mountains of Nevada. The cat population is estimated to be almost double of Nevada, almost six thousand. Hunting lions is legal in Nevada, illegal in California. ( My theory is they are moving to get away from the shooters!)
10-9- There is a severe apple shortage due to spring freezes resulting in the smallest crops since 1986. Production is down 52% in New York and a whopping 90% in Michigan.
The Shinook salmon are making a big come back in Klemuth, California. 380,000 have doubled the record since 1978.
10-10- Due to the drought from the Dakotas to Oklahoma, cities are seeing more skunks. One animal control officer said they usually catch two skunks a week, but over the last three weeks 13.
10-11- The entire state of Arizona is under a Weather Alert with rain, snow, wind and tornadic activity possible
Tropical Storm Patty forms in the Atlantic east of the Bahamas. Is it the 16th named storm of the season.
The north Pole has been losing ice in the water but the south Pole is gaining reaching a record of 7.51 million square miles in September.
Natural disasters have been raising dramatically around the world since 1980 but the trend is steepest for North America with hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, record heat and drought.
Flagstaff, Arizona police are looking for the sick bastard who hung a puppy outside of its dog house. The owner returned home, found the poor thing and cut the noose so her children wouldn’t see it.
And from the I swear we don’t make this shit up file: Raw chicken parts fall out of the sky on a horse back rider in Virginia. Thanfully she was wearing a riding helmet. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality will investigate. ( I would rather deal with flying pigs or blimps. “Willie, it’s a blimp, Willie! That insane memory is from a “song” by Captain Beefheart. In this case it should be Captain Chickenheart.)
10-12- Last night’s storm brought a half inch or rain to Mesa, .82” in Cave Creek, the first snow in Flagstaff and the high temperature in the Phoenix area down to 73 degrees. We have not had highs in the seventies since last April.
Heavy rain and flooding in large amounts of Scotland bursting river banks and turning roads into rivers. Britain warned the region to brace for a month’s worth of rain in 48 hours. Thirty flood warnings are in effect.
10-13- Tornado Watches in parts of Oklahoma and Tennessee.
10-15- The one hundred acre Big Canyon Fire is burning fourteen miles east of Payson two miles from the Tonto Fish Hatchery. The cause is not known but cooler temperatures should help fires in the rugged terrain.
Tropical Storm Paul quickly turns into a hurricane and a Watch is posted for parts of Baja, California. The storm’s center is 530 miles south of the southern tip of the Baja.
Tropical Storm Rafeal tracking toward Bermuda after drenching the Caribbean’s Leeward Islands.
10-16- Paul blew up into a Category 3 storm last night but has weakened as it is close to landfall in Mexico’s Baja, California. Up to ten inches of rain in some places. A Warning is issued from Santa Fe north to Punta Abrejos.
Squirrel populations explode in parts of Vermont due to a mild winter and a good nut crop. One Orchardist says he hasn’t seen such infestations in thirty three years on sixty farms. The little bastards will wait until an apple crop is nearly ripe and then swarm into trees sometimes eating half the tree’s fruit in two or three hours.
10-17- The first Freeze Warning of the season issued for eastern Arizona.
Fifty homes are evacuated near Santa Barbara due to a wildfire. The fire began at eight this morning and has doubled in two hours.
Paul weakens to a Tropical Storm as is skirts Baja, California this morning.
Boxelder bug invasion in Portage, Utah. They are everywhere, on children, dogs, in the food, in the basements and along window sills. People are just beside themselves. (And Mrs. Blue Duck thought the flies were bad at the end of the summer.)
10-18- Five unconfirmed tornadoes in Mississippi and Arkansas. Two homes destroyed and thousands without power.
Up to 60mph winds knock out power to 50,000 in Denver, Fort Collins and Greeley two days ago. 5500 still without power.
The wildfire in Santa Barbara is 75% contained at forty four acres in a heavily populated area. It may have started by a downed power line.
Drought, frost and hail have combined to make Europe’s wine grape harvest the worst in 50 years. Crop harvest will be down 20% in France and Italy.
10-19- The tiny town of Bucyrus, North Dakota is all but destroyed by a wildfire fanned by 70mph winds burns 6,000 acres. The drought is to blame and one woman lost her home of forty five years. Twenty seven other residents are displaced.
This one sounds like the Arizona desert in the summer or perhaps the Dust Bowl in the thirties: Dust storms in northern Oklahoma shut down I-35 for several hours after three dozen vehicles pile up. Fourteen injured. One state trooper said he had never seen anything like it in thirty years.
10-20- It has been raining for five days in Lourdes, France. Parts of the city in front of the Basilica are flooded with up to five feet of water. Hundreds of pilgirms are evacuated since the grotto is under water.
Due to a cold Alaska storm moving south into California a tornado touched down north of Sacremento yesterday. Two feet of snow in the highest elevations of the Sierra Nevada. Chains required on Highway 50 south of Lake Tahoe. With winds up to 80 mph a Winter Storm Warning is issued for elevations above 5500’.
10-23- Tropical Storm Sandy develops and on course to Jamaica. Hurricane Warnings are issued.
10-24- Three hundred and eighty folks are evacuated west of Pueblo, Colorado as a wildfire has burned 1700 acres and twelve structures. Winds of up to 50 mph are not helping and the fire is at zero containment.
Sandy turns into a hurricane and hits Jamaica. All schools are closed and shelters set up.
Tropical Storm Tony forms in the Atlantic.
10-24- Major flooding in Istanbul, Turkey damaging homes and crops. Three are dead from flash flooding.
10-25- Forty nine degree low on The Land with a sixty nine degree high. It is about fucking time! Twenty two degree low at Talking Trees and Antelope Hill. Ooshy.
Hurricane Sandy strikes Cuba with 105mph winds knocking out power to the entire city of Havana and damaging homes. This powerful storm has a 90% chance of hitting the north east U.S. next week. The lead forecaster with the National Weather Service said “It’s going to be a high impact event.” Some models showing Sandy doing more damage than last year’s Irene. It may affect fifty million people.
10-26- State of Emergency declared in New Jersey as Sandy looms in the distance. All ships in Norfolk, Virginia sent to sea as a precaution.
10-27- Sandy “powers” toward the Eastern Seaboard. Tropical storm force winds extend for 650 miles. States of Emergencies declared in eight states. Evacuations ordered along some coastal areas, including Atlantic City tomorrow afternoon.
10-28- “U.S. superstorm threat launches evacuations.” “1991 perfect storm skipper leery of Sandy.”
Hundreds of thousands are ordered to evacuate, a possible threat to fifty to sixty million people. Closure of New York City subway, bus and commuter rail begins today at seven p.m. All NYC schools closed tomorrow. 375,000 evacuated off Long Island, New York. Federal government closing all offices tomorrow.
10-29- Sandy’s death toll in the Caribbean up to sixty five souls, fifty one of them in Haiti. Bridges have collapsed, banana crops ruined and homes under water.
And Sandy slams the United States: 2.8 million without power. Schools, offices, roads and transit shut down across an area of fifty million people. Parts of the Atlantic and New Jersey under five feet of water. According to the governor of New Jersey “Rescue is no longer an option.” 10,000 flights cancelled. The coastal tide in New Jersey is thirteen feet high, three feet higher than Hurricane Irene last year.
Being called a freak storm Hurricane Sandy matches no other model in history. Record storm surges in New York City. Hurricane force winds from New York to Virginia. Water beginning to enter the New York subways in Manhatten. No photos are coming from north of NYC due to power outages.
The first time in 124 years the New York Stock Exchange is closed for two days in a row.
And here in sunny Phoenix, Arizona three hikers are stung by swarms of bees. One hiker falls to his death. The young man had just enlisted to join the Marines. Rescuers had to wear bee suits and were stung themselves. The other two hikers managed to hunker down in some rocks but were stung hundreds of times. They are expected to survive.
10-30- On the front page of the Arizona Republic: “Superstorm Sandy slams the Eastern Seaboard.” Wall Street swamped, Boardwalk is damaged, record thirteen foot tidal surge at the southern tip of Manhatten, a construction crane collapsed on top of a luxury high rise building with winds estimated at 90mph.
“Sandy’s mammoth wake: 40 dead, millions without power. Once in a generation hurricane.” Twenty states from New England to Tennessee without power. Massive fire destroys one hundred homes in Queens, New York. Ten subways under the East River in New York are flooded. Four towns in north New Jersey are under six feet of water after a levee breaks. Six nuclear power plants are closed, all of New York City’s airports are closed and fifteen thousand flights are cancelled.
From the effects of Sandy there is a full blown blizzard, after mixing with colder air from the north, in West Virginia and North Carolina. Fourteen to sixteen inces of snow on the Newfoundland Gap on the Tennesse, North Carolina line, biggest October snow fall on record.
Alhough Sandy never grew to more than a Category 1 hurricane its center had the lowest barometric pressure ever recorded in the northern hemisphere. This means it had enough sustained force to become one thousand miles wide and produce the damage that it caused.
And here in sunny Arizona the Lovely Mrs. Blue Duck spots a rattlesnake on the road near The Land. She also told me for the first time rural area trick or treaters should be on the lookout for rattlesnakes. ( I was going to comment in this edition of Blue Duck Weather about the lack of rattlesnakes on the Land this summer. But I did not want to comment too early. I suppose it is a bitter sweet relationship with the bastards. Not one did I see all summer. But I also saw few quail, hardly any prairie dogs and other food that snakes consume. I know I have killed so many snakes over the years, mainly because I didn’t want family and pets bitten. But it seems to be a sad irony to me. I can’t say I miss them, but the lack of them worries me for environmental reasons. Too little rain to support their food sources, too many people driving them away, or possibly to many people like me who shoot them on site. Now that I write this I will probably get bitten, caught off guard by cooler temperatures. In a just world it would probably serve me right.)
10-31- Halloween cancelled in New Jersey. Two million without power as the President visits. The New Jersey coastline is changed forever. 20,000 in Hoboken trapped by high water.
The famous Belleview hospital in New York City evacuated patients due to lack of running water. Nork York City is cut in half and a quarter of a million people are still without power. Mile long wait and hours for gasoline in New Jersey and New York.
And here in Arizona Dish Satellite employees are stung by bees in Maricopa and had to be airlifted to Phoenix.
Until next month, whether you are stung by bees or caught in “the storm of a century” remember Pioneers took bullets. Settlers took land.
With humility in serving our fine readers, MR Blue Duck
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