From the “it’s weather not climate department” – I never thought I’d see this today on the header of the Houston Chronicle:
The snow is the earliest on record. Of note is the fact that in 2008, it snowed in Houston on December 10th. Place your bets for next year.
Houston braces for about 2 inches of snow
Some in Houston area may even see half a foot of the white stuff
By ERIC BERGER and PEGGY O’HARE
HOUSTON CHRONICLE
Houston this morning broke a record with the earliest snowfall ever recorded in the city’s history.
Forecasters are still hedging their bets on the amount, but say the most likely scenario is 1 to 2 inches of widespread snowfall through the day. Some areas could get up to a half a foot.
Light snow already was falling downtown and in other areas before 8:30 a.m. Other forms of precipitation — such as rain, freezing, rain, sleet and hail — also have been reported. Houston’s main weather recording station at Bush Intercontinental Airport reported at trace of snow at 8 a.m., meaning Dec. 4 will go down as the new record.
But emergency management officials say snow isn’t the biggest concern — it’s icy roads. A 12-hour freeze period is expected to begin after sundown today, continuing into Saturday, which could cause hazardous driving conditions.
A freeze warning has been issued for more than 20 Texas counties, including the coastal counties of Chambers, Galveston, Brazoria, Matagorda and Jackson, extending northward through Harris, Montgomery, Fort Bend, Wharton and Liberty counties, then stretching as far northwest as the cities of Bryan and College Station and as far northeast as Trinity and Polk counties.
“Even though we can’t say for sure this weather event is going to occur, we can definitely say our confidence has increased substantially compared to three or four days ago,” said Fred Schmude, a meteorologist with ImpactWeather, a private, Houston-based forecasting service.
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In other news:
Dr. James Hansen is coming to Houston to promote his new book Storms of my Grandchilden.
Is he thinking snowstorms?
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Winter weather advisory for Vigo…….. Eastern north central Alabama. forecast for up to 2+inches. My o My I hope this warming trend eases off some. I think I might not have enough fire wood for the winter. Hope so guess I will maybe have to get out in the snow tomorrow and try to gather a little more. It seems that everyone had something more important for me to do to gather fire wood. Ya know it isn’t going to be cold anymore global warming don’t ya know.
The grand kids will have a wonderful time for sure in the morning. HE HE me too. lol just watching the fun.
Have a wonder ful day tomorrow.
Bill Derrybery
And in Coppenhagen, we have the Gore effect in reverse; that is, Gore canceled a speaking event and now it appears that the Delegates will be having a “hot” time. (see post on Prostitutes Offer Free Climate Summit S@x).
picture from Houston today on cover of Drudge
http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091204/capt.b7a44635337f4bc384f78fd6762ce355.houston_snow_txps103.jpg?x=400&y=278&q=85&sig=dYmRJOYsn6EfDx1WICR3Kg–
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top headlines at Drudge :
Michigan sees record snow…
DC Under Winter Weather Advisory…
Rep. Issa: White House refusal to investigate ‘Climategate’ is ‘unconscionable’…
Day Fourteen and Counting: Major U.S. Networks Still Silent…
Danish Speaker of Parliament: Climate Change ‘Very Dangerous Claim’…
Denmark: not as green as you thought…
http://www.drudgereport.com/
p.s. Drudge gets more than 20 million hits a day! 🙂
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I ♥ ClimateGate
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Yes, I can read, hence my “Oh, wait, he clearly can”. But why would you have a “weather department”? TO CONFUSE. Anyone who deliberately fuels mistaken arguments is dishonest at a fundamental level, and should both apologize, then get out of the way of the rest of humanity.
Your job is to *correct* bad arguments, not juice ones that you know are false just because it confuses people who aren’t as into the details as we are. Actually, I find one of the key distinctions between reasonable people and partisan hacks is the willingness of the former to correct the mistaken arguments of people who are arguing FOR the position the reasonable person supports. You have clearly revealed which group you lie in.
Jim Cantore is in Houston! WT..! It seems he should be at a receding glacier not at record early snow.
Chad, what gives you the right to make demands on this blog?
I find these “weather not climate” stories quite entertaining. I also believe most people commenting here understand the difference between weather and climate.
Would you please apologize to Anthony, and then shut the heck up?
“weather is not climate, but climate is weather”
holy jeebus! i didnt even know Houston can get snow. we here in NYC are preparing for our first on Saturday.
http://worstpeople.wordpress.com/
AdderW (10:20:51) : Please enlighten me, I am not familiar with the Texas weather, what is considered normal weather this time of year
Hot, or hotter, except for the occasional rain, with very rare snow, but sometimes not… Houston is on the Gulf Coast so all that warm air typically keeps it on the edge of tropical. They grow oranges a bit to the south, for example. But it is close enough to the center of the country that sometimes a Canada Express runs ’em down… But 3 years of snow in a row is unheard of… Oh, and they get the sporadic hurricane from time to time… think “tropical storm zone”…
John Galt (11:26:29) : Caught between a Fraud and a Cold Place.
How could you! Another cup of tea meets an unexpected end… Note to self: I will NOT sip as I read…
Power Grab (12:57:12) : I think what we need is a massive deprogramming effort if we hope to ever straighten out the AGW culters.
Who knows how to deprogram?
Yes, it’s pretty easy. Take away their gasoline and snow blower. Issue snow shoes for trek to work. Issue shovel for clearing driveway and sidewalk. Offer cold soup (no stove…) and frozen TV dinner (still no stove). Wait…
Chad (19:00:48) : Man, it is sad when the one of the “best” of the deniers, and a *bleeping* meteorologist, CAN’T DISTINQUISH WEATHER FROM CLIMATE. Oh, wait, he clearly can. Which means his intent is to MISINFORM, and confuse many who do not know the difference.
Well, since the AGW crowd regularly confuses the 30 year average of weather with climate (a property of an area dependent on it’s latitude, altitude, distance from water… i.e. invariant physical propereties) It is not surprising that you would be confused too.
To be clear: You can change climate in a place by moving mountain ranges, shifting latitude, moving it away from or toward the ocean. Otherwise you are just talking about long term weather trends. There are 176-200 year cycles, and there are 60 year PDO cycles AND THEY ARE ALL WEATHER. So as soon as th warmists figure out that a 30 year average of weather is not climate then you might begin to find a tiny little clue. Until then, you are clearly sans clue.
Why you guys choose to get your information from such a liar is beyond me.
Thanks Watts, for outing yourself as a political hack rather than a seeker of truth. Would you please apologize to the world, and then shut the heck up?
And do you spit in punch bowls when you are a party guest? Pee in the pool? Like to get sloppy drunk and hit on the spouses? Please, Sirah, some manners are in order. I can personally attest to about 1 year plus of not a single lie from our host. There is no deception to be found here.
Besides, you do seem to have “issues” with reading. More on that below.
Chad (20:25:21) : Yes, I can read, hence my “Oh, wait, he clearly can”. But why would you have a “weather department”? TO CONFUSE.
Oh Pauhleez… Someone makes a clear statement of category and you turn it into some bizzaro world inverted logic of conspiracy to deception? You’ve been hanging out with the UEA folks too much. Some folks actually mean what they say and know “what is is”… If I said “Today is Friday” do you take that to mean that I’m really saying “Today is a week ago and Monday”?
Maybe sometimes when someone talks about a cigar, it is just a cigar…
Your job is to *correct* bad arguments,
Um, pardon me, but NO. Anthony is free to define “his job” as anything he damn well pleases. Now, about that reading problem of yours. Please see the MASTHEAD at the top. THE thing that defines the purpose of this site. That defines Anthony’s “job”.
Now read it carefully. Notice it says: … ” nature, science, weather,”…
So Anthony has clearly stated (for at least a year plus that I know of) that his interest is weather and he will comment on it.
I personally thank him for it. I have family in Texas and like to get weather stories about them.
Now you may come here with some “Nothing but AGW exists” chip on your shoulder, but the rest of us: 1) Have a life. 2) Have other interests too. and 3) Know not to tell the host what they may or may not serve at their party. AND we have chosen to be here because of the excellent fare. Including weather. (In fact, often weather. The whole discussion of PDO impacts on weather was fascinating for me. Had no idea it existed before being educated about that 60 year weather influence with 30 year flips).
not juice ones that you know are false just because it confuses people who aren’t as into the details as we are.
There is absolutely NOTHING false in this story. And that shows what camp YOU are in. And the only person “confused” here seems to be you. So take a minute to suck down a couple of more Starbucks to get your brain kick started then re-read the masthead and the story lead-in line. The words spoken (or typed) mean exactly what they say. I know it’s a hard concept for AGW advocates to accept, but we actually use words as they are and not as re-imagined.
Yes, a story about weather on a site that is interested in weather from a weather man told to people interested in the weather. Gee, kind of make more sense now?
Heck, some of us are even interested in the 30 year average of weather that the AGW folks mistakenly label “climate”…
Now, If I may make one final suggestion:
If you can not be polite in public, consider a class in social skills. If not, then investigate an anger management consult. If you can’t do any of that, at least spare the rest of us your invective and go somewhere else. I really don’t like to watch people make damn fools of themselves in public.
E.M.Smith (23:28:16) :
You put it far better than I could. Great stuff, thanks.
It’s seems to me that mr. Smith is re-inventing what climate means.
Sure latitude, altitude, continentality and other things make the foundation for climate But dude, nobodys shifting mountain ranges here. Those cycles you are talking about are part of climate, not weather. If not, can you please give me the references of those studies which talk about those cycles as a part of weather phenomenons?
And this has absolutely nothing to do with “warmists” or “sceptics”.
Chad (20:25:21) :
But why would you have a “weather department”?
It’s his place — he can decorate it any way he wants.
TO CONFUSE.
Majoring in Leaping to Conclusions 101 at present?
Anyone who deliberately fuels mistaken arguments is dishonest at a fundamental level, and should both apologize, then get out of the way of the rest of humanity.
Okay, you’ve done a sterling job of attempting to fuel a nonexistent argument. Apology accepted, troll.
Anthony spouts about weather to confuse, and for no other reason. Indeed, I have seen at least five instances of deniers referencing this post in “defense” of their mis-begotten beliefs. This is clearly Anthony’s intent.
[snip]
REPLY: Chad you are entitled to your opinion, however if you want to say what you just said in this blog, I’m going to require you to put your full name to it here. If you want to insult and accuse, at least have the courage to put your name to it. Otherwise shut the hell up – Anthony Watts
I’m sure Chad and other like him are ready to denounce the following example of news articles which are, of course, pervasive throughout the MSM:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1295/is_10_65/ai_78966426/
Arctic Heat Wave – effects of global warming on the environment in the Arctic
Progressive, The, Oct, 2001 by Bruce E. Johansen, Robert T. Reilly
It’s another warm day in Iqaluit, capital of the new semi-sovereign Inuit nation of Nunavit in the Canadian Arctic. The bizarre weather is the talk of the town. The urgency of global warming is on everyone’s lips.
While George W. Bush stalls with talk about needing “sound science,” the temperature hit 82 degrees Fahrenheit on July 28 in this Baffin Island community that nudges the Arctic Circle. That’s thirty-five degrees above the July average of 47, making it comparable to a 115- to 120-degree day in New York City or Chicago.
It is the warmest summer anyone in the area can remember. Swallows, sandflies, and robins are making their debuts, and pine pollen is affecting people as never before. Travelers joke about forgetting their shorts, sunscreen, and mosquito repellant–all now necessary equipment for a globally warmed arctic summer.
—
And I’m sure he was all over the MSM for publishing stories suggesting how hurricane Katrina or the 2007 arctic ice minimum etc. etc. were due to global warming and of course were all GWB’s fault because he hadn’t signed on to Kyoto…
Finally, I believe most here know that weather is not climate. But, then again, a lot of things aren’t climate:
* Computer models aren’t climate (particularly GISS Model E)
* The monthly HADCRUT, RSS, UAH, NCDC, GISS “global temperature” numbers aren’t climate (though averaging these over 30 years would perhaps be, if we can believe their data processing methods)
* The yearly ice scare stories in June – September from the NSIDC aren’t climate
* Tree ring “proxies” aren’t climate
* … and so on …
Climate has to start somewhere; it starts as weather.
I was in OKC in the mid 1980s, my first morning the big news on TV was snow on the Alamo, as for dates all I can remember is that I also watched the SuperBowl match during the same 10-14 day visit.
I can remember that it was well below zero (Celsius) in OKC but the air was dry and there was no real visible frost or ice, but the carparks were slippy and if you touched anything metal your glove tended to stick to it.
How do current conditions compare?
Alex
Unfortunately, here in Northern Vt USA, temps have been 10-15 degrees F above normal lately and warmer than norm throughout November. Ski areas have been unable to make snow-and most have still not opened (2-3 weeks behind opening day) as of Friday. Maybe today they can make snow and open a trail or two..
Chad (05:50:58) :
Chad, my man, we are not confused in any way. We’ve been seeing quite well all along. And what we find in ClimateGate confirms that we have been seeing it all with 20/20 vision since the beginning!!
BTW, has there been any good news coming your way in a while? It’s been years. So I can understand your frustration. Not only has ClimateGate come out but Al Gore canceled his Copenhagen appearance. Sucks to be a warmer. If you watch the Watson—Morano video maybe hearing what
Watson said will be cathartic for you.
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But I have to hand it to you; no other trolls are daring to come out.
Chad (19:00:48) :
CAN’T DISTINQUISH WEATHER FROM CLIMATE
Chad, no need to yell. It belies insecurity.
Look up climate zones. These zones are perfect examples of climate based on address: IE topography, location relative to jet stream influences, and typical pressure gradients. Understanding of climate zones have been used for decades to guide agricultural practices and to genetically develop plants and even animals suited for specific climate zones. Weather meanders from day to day, month to month, year to year, and decade to decade according to random and oscillating algorithms. There are known drivers of weather oscillations and well as unknown drivers. In additions land use patterns will have a decided affect on weather oscillations. But climate is bounded by physical parameters and that will always be the case till those physical parameters change their GPS address.
Where’s the warming????? http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?query=59427&hourly=1&yday=340&weekday=Monday
Michael (11:19:37) :
noel (11:04:06) :
“What are you guys going to say when the arctic sea is clear? It was always like that?”
Actually Noel, it was, IN 1954!
Bastardi used this photograph of a U.S. submarine at the North Pole on March 17, 1954 to illustrate his point that Arctic ice can be highly variable. See picture in this news atricle.
http://www.climatechangefraud.com/climate-reports/5053-accuweathers-joe-bastardi-presses-case-against-global-warming-theory”
Read this: http://www.john-daly.com/polar/arctic.htm
Probably this is old news, but according that strong warmer, Roy Spencer, the global mean temp for Nov 2009 was the highest for the period of such calculations from 1979 to present. According to his data, it looks that the warm temperatures occurred maining in the northern hemisphere, the southern hemisphere and the tropics. Perhaps we should not believe Spencer, because, afterall, he does have a Ph.D.
Notice that for climate zoning information used for agricultural purposes, the average minimum temperature is calculated over a 60 year period. Why? Because for agricultural purposes (IE in order to feed the world), natural extremes must be taken into account, and in particular minimum extremes. This information is only reliable if as many extremes as possible are entered into the record. Or else the risk is too high and crops are destroyed. Note that the minimum extreme is far more important than the maximum extreme for food production. This is real climate folks: the extremes within the climate zones. That includes record early freezes. The weather is everything inbetween. So when a record early freeze is noted within the 60 year period, the climate zone parameter needs to be adjusted so that agricultural production risk is lowered. You can’t keep planting something that freezes periodically. Farmers need to pay attention to climate zone records or else you folks don’t eat.
Farmers need to pay attention to climate zone records or else you folks don’t eat. Pam Gray
There you have it! All land temperature monitoring stations should be located on farm land.
Thank you, Pam.