Roger Pielke Sr. passes this on to me with the note:
Hi Anthony, This is quite unusual! Source: NWS, Riverton, WY
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY 309 AM MDT SAT AUG 15 2009 ...LATE SUMMER SNOWSTORM EXPECTED FOR THE BIG HORN MOUNTAINS TODAY... .AN UNSEASONABLY EARLY SNOWSTORM IS EXPECTED TO AFFECT THE BIG HORN MOUNTAINS ABOVE 9000 FEET TODAY AS A STRONG PACIFIC TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE TRACKS EAST ACROSS THE AREA... WYZ008-009-151800- /O.NEW.KRIW.WW.Y.0030.090815T1500Z-090816T0000Z/ BIGHORN MOUNTAINS WEST-BIGHORN MOUNTAINS SOUTHEAST- 309 AM MDT SAT AUG 15 2009 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR ELEVATIONS ABOVE 9000 FEET... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RIVERTON HAS ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THE BIG HORN MOUNTAINS ABOVE 9000 FEET WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 PM MDT THIS EVENING. RAINFALL ALONG WITH A FEW EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR THIS MORNING BEFORE CHANGING OVER TO SNOW ABOVE 9000 FEET BY 9 AM. SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON ALONG WITH ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 4 INCHES AT 9000 FEET ALONG WITH UP TO 6 TO 7 INCHES AT 10000 FEET. ISOLATED EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THROUGHOUT THE DAY WHICH COULD CAUSE LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS OF SNOWFALL. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW WILL CAUSE PRIMARILY TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SNOW COVERED ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES WHILE DRIVING OVER GRANITE AND POWDER RIVER PASSES TODAY...AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING. CAMPERS AND HIKERS SHOULD PREPARE FOR DRAMATICALLY COLDER AND WET WEATHER TODAY. && $$ LIPSON
P Walker (11:09:48) :
Above 9000 ft . Unusual for Aug. , but probably not unheard of . Having lived at 6000 ft. in Idaho for several years , I can say that July and August were the only months that I never saw snowfall .
My wife grew up in Rigby and has watched the fireworks in Idaho Falls in the snow on the 4th of July. We got snow on Scout Mountain in Pocatello last August. Mackay is supposed to be 37 f overnight. They are at 5986 ft. It barely made 70 today in Poky.
Andy
Don S.
Meanwhile in Missoula’s sister city of Palmerston North, New Zealand, 2009 has just become the record holder for ground frosts recorded out on the Manawatu plains (ave altitude 15m above s.l.) since I first started recording them in 1980. The 26 frosts recorded so far (winter isn’t over yet) beats out the two previous record holders of 1982 and 1989.
Two years ago this August, New Zealand’s National Institute of Atmosphere and Water (N.I.W.A.) put out a prediction by one of their lead scientists, Dr Jim Renwick, that due to global warming ground frosts would become a thing of the past by the end of the 21st century. Their figures across the country show that the number of frosts per year were dropping on average by 4 per decade. Even for areas such as the central volcanic plateau in the North Island (ave altitude 600m above s.l.) where they experience about 55 per year they claim that if temperatures rise by just 1 degree C more than now then frosts may be a thing of the past.
My observations show quite divergent swings in frost numbers. 1989’s twenty-five were followed by the lowest number in the period of only two for 1990. The last six years from here show a steady trend; 2004 – 17, 2005 – 7, 2006 – 9, 2007 – 17, 2008 – 18, 2009 – 26 (so far). Who knows? Maybe next year will be like 1990?
As for mountain snowfalls, after a hiss and a roar with an early start and heavy falls through May and June, there has been no new falls for a month in our region ( the South Island has been quite different with enough new snow to have caused 2 avalanche fatalities in recent weeks).
A change in weather patterns away from the current sub-tropical northerlies will see a return of snow bearing cloud from the south coming off the back of the predominantly westerly flow common as we transition into spring. Old timers refer to these westerlies as, “The Equinoctuals,” but we tend to associate them with El Nino events these days. The worst of these for us was the spring and summer of 1982-83. As the last of that year’s 25 frosts receded from memory someone flicked a switch and the dreaded westerlies arrived with a vengeance sticking around for most of the next six months! On that basis I am hoping that this El Nino will be weak.
While Wyomin is getting some snow, here in Sydney, Australia, we’re having, apparently, a summer like scorcher. While is it warm, about 26c at the moment in the West, it certainly isn’t a “summer” scorcher.
I noticed this report from the graphical forcast map on NOAA earlier today, but it isn’t there now. I’m in western central Colorado at 6600′ and have had two mornings in the past week at 37°. Not a single day at or above 90° this summer, where a few dozen are the norm. All this odd weather is accumulating into an odd season.
Ahhh, I remember fondly the good old days when I walked on many of those ridges and peaks and fished in the little snow-bordered cirque lakes…and nobody was giving me any shit about dramatic climage catastrophe (then, we only worried about a dramatic nuclear war 🙂 ). I guess we have to have an ultimate WORRY. Right now, it’s OBAMA, not AGW.
Suzanne (13:38:37) :
Last year at this time we also had a snowstorm in the Bighorns. According to the people who have lived here more than 30 years, this summer has been more like the summers of the 70’s rather than recent years. I remember snowstorms in the Bighorns in July and August during the early 70’s. “Unusual” depends upon the time frame one is talking about.
No one in Wyoming is keen to return to the winters of the early 1970s. The winters have been much cooler, though not as cool as the early 70s, since 2005. This summer has resembled the 1970s summer even in the southern part of the state.
Hi John, you can post them to my site, http://whatcatastrophe.com after you register. If you need help, post a message there and I’ll get right on it.
Nice posts…everyone chiming in from all over the globe!
Liked this quote:
“According to the people who have lived here more than 30 years, this summer has been more like the summers of the 70’s rather than recent years.”
Right on time with switches of certain key multidecadal (and shorter period) oscillations.
CHRIS
Norfolk, VA
P Walker
“Stoic (15:04:22) – ” Channelling” was an idiotic fad in the U.S. some time ago . It seems that those who were cosmically aware could “channel” , or , assume the persona of other persons , either living or dead and allow them to speak through them . Nelson Miutz is a character on “The Simpsons” who mocks everything with a HA HA .”
Many thanks
My son was driving in southern Wyoming yesterday, from Green River to Denver, and ran into snow. I don’t know how much mountainous terrain there is, but it certainly struck me as odd.
“Pike’s Peak is over 14,400 ft high.”
I thought it was 14,115. Whatever. With the oceans rising (and Al assures us they are) all the mountain tops must be getting closer to “sea level”. So the snow is happening at lower elevations. We’re doomed.
No snow on PP now. (I can see it out my window) As for useless anecdotal weather, late July and early August usually have the warmest days of our summer. Not this year. Never broke 90, some days not over 80. And very wet. No matter, we’ll all broil next year. (unless we pass a massive carbon tax) (and swap our SUV’s for plug-in hybrids) (charging the batteries with windmills)
I think I’ll stock up on warmer clothing.
Just a note about the picture. It should say I-25, not I-90.
Andy Beasley (19:00:31) :
One of the coldest nights I ever spent in a tent was on Scout Mountain .
In Breckenridge, Colorado, last winter’s snow stil remains on the upper peaks. This summer’s weather in the high country has been consistently cool and moist. The wildflowers thrived due to all the rain, and the forests in Summit County are lush with vegetation. The fire danger has been low to moderate most of the summer. Autumn has already begun above 9,000′. I’ve already seen yellow Aspen leaves. The temperature was 32ºF this morning. No signs of “global warming” here.
We had 39 degrees here in Southern Montana this morning, and we are only at a little over 4000 feet elevation. This is a little bit odd, even for here. That said, I remember snow in July in the 1970’s. This summer reminded me of the one in 1977. That was followed by the worst winter of my adult life.
Utah’s Unitas mountains too, but rather high up.
From http://www.abc4.com/content/news/blogs/story/TODD-GROSS-Snow-Hits-the-Mirror-Lake-Highway-and/tgbIjVZ0WkiwcbLHnfmG1w.cspx
If you read up on the blog yesterday, I mentioned it would be “close to snowing” up on the Mirror Lake highway, in the Uintas today. When I was woken up by wind and thunder, and cold 46 degree temps at my cottage at 5800 feet, I decided to check the radar on my laptop.
I saw the precipitation hadn’t reached the Uintas yet, and I knew I could make it to 10,800ft. near Mirror Lake and Bald Mountain and Trial Lake. When I checked upper level temperature forecasts I knew the rain would change to snow and arrive just as I got there in an hour if I left right away. So I ate a quick meal (Lasagne and chicken parm.) for breakfast and ran out skis in hand. Well, as you can see below there wasn’t enough snow for skiing, but close! Over an inch fell shortly after I arrived at Bald Mtn. and Trial lake!
—–
Todd Gross ( http://www.toddgross.com/ ) used to be a TV Met in Boston. When he was stepping up to an aspirated sensor unit for his Vantage Pro weather station at home, he put the old one on a weather Email list, and I got it. I picked it up at the station and watched him prepare the 2315 weathercast. Rather interesting watching someone with a couple decades in the profession make it look so easy.
Todd had his own snowmaking hardware at home too.
This is weather, not climate.
Weather varies.
From Wikipedia:
Gee, what a surprise!
Climate models and climate scientists also predict increased variability in weather with AGW.
Very silly choice of a story, IMO.
Getting a little desperate for content, are we?
REPLY: Oh puhleezze. Don’t lecture me about what is climate and what is weather. Mr. “Palmer” if you don’t like the content here, then please don’t read it, and then don’t comment about it. Get your own blog and you can run it any way you like, in the meantime I’ll post stories of interest to myself and to others. And sir, before you go arguing that tired old saw of the faithful again, look at the category tag. Note also the tag for the tropical storms story I’ve run. But you are too busy confirming your own biases to notice this because in your mind, cold story = just weather, tropical storm story = climate induced global warming. You’ve been trained to think this way, Otherwise you would have complained about that one too, which is also weather, in the same way, but you didn’t. Busted. – Anthony
[snip – off topic – the tag is weather, not bugs, and not theorized climate induced effects]
Leland Palmer (15:23:10) :
“By the way, this is how Wyoming is doing with the mountain pine beetle infestation, which is directly tied to global warming. Without several days of hard freezing temperatures in the winter to kill the larvae, the bark beetle is expanding out of control:”
The Western Pine Bettle has been-allowed-to get out of control.AGW has nothing to do with it-Wiki is not a reliable source….
It was Beetle killed forest that contributed to the Big Burns of the 1900’s
and the creation of the USFS…
Douglas DC (15:45:07) :
Leland Palmer (15:23:10) :
“By the way, this is how Wyoming is doing with the mountain pine beetle infestation, which is directly tied to global warming. Without several days of hard freezing temperatures in the winter to kill the larvae, the bark beetle is expanding out of control:”
The Western Pine Beetle has been-allowed-to get out of control.AGW has nothing to do with it-Wiki is not a reliable source….
It was Beetle killed forest that contributed to the Big Burns of the 1900’s
and the creation of the USFS…
Wyoming’s weather is not too different than here in SE Idaho. It’s about a quarter mile from the parking lot to my building at work. This past winter someone commented that the wind chill was 40 below. Of course I had to ask if it was F or C. I don’t know where Mr. Leland lives; but, here in Idaho the “dew” that forms in winter falls as ice crystals that sparkle in the sun and you can tell when it is really cold by whether your nose hairs freeze or the snow creaks when you walk on it (about 15 F vs. 0 F).
Andy
Andy!
You need to calibrate your nose-hair-freeze index.
Nose hairs (nostrilicous IdahoseFallous at least) freeze at -5 F.
At a mere 0 to +15 degrees F, proper Idahoans are putting on only 1 layer of SPF 5 sunscreen.
In New Hampshire, nose hairs freeze around 10F (about -13C).
Hi Anthony-
Wyoming is in the midst of the largest mountain pine beetle infestation in history.
This appears to be a direct result of climate change, which is the supposed subject of this blog.
How can an unseasonable snow storm, which is weather, not climate, be more important to talk about than millions of acres of dead trees, arguably directly linked to climate change?
I don’t understand the snipping and apparent anger expressed in your reply.
How can this be off topic?
Oh, I’ve been banned.
It’s all pretty predictable, isn’t it?
Psuedoscientists and paid propagandists don’t really like being disagreed with, do they?
Have a nice day, Anthony Watts.
Where will you spend your money, and where will your family’s descendants spend the money that you make, if we ignite a methane catastrophe?
I’ll bet that you aren’t even being paid very well.
It’s a very short sighted series of actions on your part, Anthony.
I know making a living is hard, and likely you have house payments and dental bills to contend with.
But can’t you make your money in a way that does not kill the biosphere?
REPLY: Look again, the tag is “weather”. Then you say predictably “weather” is not “climate” while chastising me in your original message. If I have a thread on pine beetles and climate change, then you’d be on topic. I’m not playing your “woe is me” game, either pay attention to keeping things on topic or don’t post. I do agree with you on one point though, “Psuedoscientists and paid propagandists don’t really like being disagreed with, do they?” Yes see this thread on Climate Audit about Real Climate’s draconian policy.
I your case your messages were put in automatic holding so they could be checked, since you have trouble staying on-topic. But you jumped to conclusion. If you were banned you’d know it.
As for this blog, see the rules.
For suggesting new topics, such as pine beetles and drought etc, we have the Tips and Notes to WUWT. You can’t even seem to use the structure of this blog effectively, all while using a name from an old TV show, so please don’t lecture me on my supposed shortcomings.
No more from you on this thread, you’ve already disrupted it. – Anthony
Reminds me of 1986 in Red Lodge, MT, near Wyoming. We went to the July 4th rodeo on a warm afternoon, didn’t even notice other people carrying jackets – we never checked the forecast. Well, we hung on through the bull riding before mild hypothermia drove us out. Snow above 6500 feet that night, about the elevation of our camp. More recently, a half dozen years ago were surprised by snow, good snow, in Central Montana on either August 22 or 23, at 4000 feet elevation! Just reinforces the old mantra to always be prepared in the Rockies, snow can happen any time.