Posts Tagged: weather

California beats Saudi Arabia… in hottest temperature for rain.

Posted by & filed under nature + environment, oh, california.

Today’s Dr. Jeff Masters’ Wunderblog is entitled “Hottest rain on record? Rain falls at 115°F in Needles, California” and it appears that California has beaten Saudi Arabia’s June 2012 record for the hottest temperature in which rain was observed to fall and hit the ground.
Dr. Masters’ reports:

“A searing heat wave rare even for the Desert Southwest sent temperatures soaring to record levels on Monday, with Needles, California tying its record high for the date of 118°F (47.8°C). The temperature might have gone higher in Needles, but a thunderstorm rolled in at 3:20 pm, and by 3:56 pm PDT, rain began falling at a temperature of 115°F (46.1°C). Most of the rain evaporated, since the humidity was only 11%, and only a trace of precipitation was recorded in the rain gauge. Nevertheless, Monday’s rain at 115° in Needles sets a new world record for the hottest rain in world history. I don’t think many people were outside to experience to experience the feeling of rain falling at 115°, but if they were, it must have been an uncomfortable, sauna-like experience!”

Most Finns would tell you that 115°F / 46.1°C is barely getting the sauna heated.
And Dr. Masters’ continues in the 2nd paragraph on Saudi Arabia’s previous world record for highest temperature for rain:

“According to weather records researcher Maximiliano Herrera, the previous record for hottest rain, which I blogged about in June, was a rain shower at 109°F (43°C) observed in Mecca, Saudi Arabia on June 5, 2012 and in Marrakech, Morocco on July 10, 2010. The 11% humidity that accompanied Monday’s rain shower at 115° in Needles was the lowest humidity rain has ever occurred at anywhere on Earth in recorded history, according to Mr. Herrera.”

Since I appear to be following in my mother and grandfather’s steps into weather geekery, I have to say that my weather pattern and factoid curiosity for such questions as what is the highest temperature it can rain at or the lowest temperature that it can snow at is satisfied on a regular basis between NOAA, NASA, and Dr. Masters’ weather blog. Thanks!

TidBits :: The N950’s Camera, Monetization & the Mobile Web, and Hoodies in September

Posted by & filed under moleskine to mobile, tech + web dev, tidbits.

Three thoughts floating around my head this morning while eating breakfast and reading the weekly Seal Beach Sun:
1) For all of my gushing two days ago, after spending some time with the Nokia N950 the camera is very good but not great like the N8. The resolution, color, and clarity on the N8 is definitely superior but the N950 has a nice look to the photos that I do like.
2) At Mobile 2.0’s end of conf cocktails, I had a conversation with Mike Rowehl of Mobile Monday SV and Churn labs about wanting to develop for the mobile web or native apps. Mike said that the stop up on developing for the mobile web for many devs was monetization. I made a joke that I was satisfied as long as I wasn’t living in my car or had moved back home at 40-something. We both laughed, but I could see that monetization meant something else to him entirely.
The conversation keeps coming back to me when thinking about the mobile web: why right now devs prefer to create native apps and what in the heck does monetization really mean any way?
Does monetization mean that I can be self-supporting as an app developer and not have to be taking on clients (my definition)? Does it mean the dev can use the money to buy a house and hire a few employees? Does it mean turning the app(s) into a full blown business? A business that then gets sold to a larger business for a large sum and then you get to join the big cats in Los Gatos?
What thinkest thou?
3) Once again the Seal Beach Sun’s Crime Log has produced a pick of the litter winner this morning:
“Monday, Sept 5, 2011 – Rossmoor – Suspicious Person or Circumstances – 10:55am – Kensington Road – The caller requested a patrol check for a man wearing a hoodie who was walking on the Gertrude side of the elementary school. The caller said there has been a recent increase in crimes, including a robbery involving men in dark hoodies. The caller that it was suspicious for someone to be wearing a hoodie at all in September.”
Now before you get all upset about hooding profiling, please remember that this is September in Southern California, our hottest month of the year with temps in the 90s to 100s and higher. And the caller was right, anyone wearing a hoodie with the hood up in 90+ temps is cruising for a minor Darwin Award in the heat stroke category.

Photos from a Rainy Tuesday

Posted by & filed under oh, california, photos + text from the road.

Local garden and sidewalk in the rain Local roses in the rain

Photos taken by Ms. Jen with a Nokia N97.

Tues 05.18.10 – I know in other places it rains in May and it is not a Big Deal, but here in Southern California our rainy season, really the only times it rains, is strictly defined as late fall through early spring (Nov to March). To get any rain after April 15th and before October 15th is a rarity that only happens every couple of years.
This El Nino year with the jetstream that has left Canada and remained hovered over San Francisco & Los Angeles has meant rain that just keeps coming. Now here in the LA area, we haven’t had a ton of rain, not like in 1998 where we had over 30 inches, and while we have only had 2-3 inches over normal, what has been so surprising is just how often the storms have come through.
I don’t mind it at all. We may have a terrible fire season in the late summer and through the autumn with all of the new rain inspired growth, but it has been delightful to have almost Seattle like green and mist. I and most of the local plants will enjoy it while we have it.

Farewell to NaBloPoMo for Another Year, Unless you are Doing December…

Posted by & filed under art + photography, writing + blogs.

November has been both a good month and a bit of a struggle. The struggle has been family/holiday/death related, as blogged about here, and the Good has been friend/family/art/music/mobile/travel/wedding/baby related.
The three bits about November that were really delightful are as follows:
1) The weather *finally* took a turn for the better. Better in my book is colder. I am happiest when the days are 55-65 F (10-17C) and when the nights are 35-50 F (3-13C). For a lady who loves a good bout of chilly weather, I am not sure why I live in Southern California. The weather here in SoCal will be happy for me through December and then will unfortunately warm up in January. Gah.
I am still interested in working in London if anyone has an opening.
2) Milestones: Lauren and Dave’s wedding weekend in Seattle was lovely. I am very glad to see them married. It was also delightful to see Cindy & Matt that weekend as they were fresh of the married dept themselves. And even more delightful is that Seattle’s weather was in the 40s F all weekend!
3) November has been a very creative month for me, both in terms of professional web dev/coding bits and in my creative art life of mobile photography, writing, and drawing, as well as day dreaming.
It was also inspirational, funny, and heartening to read/watch my various friends and friends of friends daily blog posts or vlog posts for NaBloPoMo or the other variations on the daily creativity theme thereof.
So all of you who participated in NaBloPoMo or NaNoWriMo or NaVloPoMo officially or unofficially, Bravo! Good job and keep up the good creative work!

This Morning

Posted by & filed under nature + environment, oh, california.

Local Seal Beach Camellia on Seal Way facing the Alamitos Bay Local White Rose dotted with lovely dark rose pink & dew or sprinkler water.
Photo by Ms. Jen with a Nokia N97.

Thur 11.18.09 – Now that the hot, dry SoCal summer (July – Oct) is behind us, the roses are in full busting out all over bloom. Southern California has two good growing seasons, one from February to June and the other from October to December, and if you are within a few miles of the ocean December and January are very kind to one’s plants. Go a few miles inland and there will be the occasional frost in December that will piss off the basil and flowers. Go many miles inland and Nov. 15th to Feb. 15th is frost time.
Here in Seal Beach, where we are on the Pacific Ocean, the local roses, camellias, and other spring flowers like pansies, violets, and snap dragons are having their second big bloom of the year after being seared into non-blooming compliance during the hot, dry months.
From now, mid-late November, until April are my favorite months of the year in SoCal. From late April to early November, I would rather live quite a bit north of here, like the 50-54th parallel line. ;o)