O, the weather outside is...

[Rumpy]

Last month was the first February in history that didn't have a single day with a high temp below freezing. It was also abnormally dry, after record-wet January and December. Now we're having a run of normal spring rain and temperatures...about a month earlier than we should be. It was a short, mild winter.

Yeah, it's been a weird February. I was fully bracing myself for the bitter colds we usually have in February as it's usually the coldest month, but instead it was fairly mild most of the month. We love to go out snowshoeing, and we had a fairly late start this year, only getting to start in January instead of November or December. We get notices about trail conditions via our ski club, and it feels like the trails have been closed more often than not this year.

[Daehawk]

It was a short, mild winter.

Looks like the groundhogs were right this year.

[Rumpy]

Thing is, when the Groundhogs proclaimed that (as silly as that notion is) it was a rather cold and blustery day and it didn't at all feel like Spring could come early.

[Kurth]

Just enjoying our tenth straight day of highs in the 40s and lows in the 30s with constant rain. But, no worries, there's a break coming: We get to enjoy a brief change to a mix of snow and freezing rain later today and tomorrow!

In the entire month of February, the sun came out 5 times.

There's a lot to recommend about the Pacific Northwest. These winters do not make it on to that list!

[Alefroth]

Thing is, when the Groundhogs proclaimed that (as silly as that notion is) it was a rather cold and blustery day and it didn't at all feel like Spring could come early.

The superstition is that if the groundhog sees it's shadow, there will be 6 more weeks of winter. Phil did not see it's shadow this year.

[Daehawk]

65 here right now and im pretty warm. May have to turn on the fan.

[Isgrimnur]

Thing is, when the Groundhogs proclaimed that (as silly as that notion is) it was a rather cold and blustery day and it didn't at all feel like Spring could come early.

The superstition is that if the groundhog sees it's shadow, there will be 6 more weeks of winter. Phil did not see it's shadow this year.

I never understood why a sunny day was supposed to herald non-sunny weather.

The weather lore was brought from German-speaking areas where the badger (German: Dachs) is the forecasting animal. It is related to the lore that clear weather on the Christian festival of Candlemas forebodes a prolonged winter.

[Alefroth]

No idea either.

[Unagi]

Really cold weather can sometimes keep the skies relatively cloudless. Where as, changing weather often includes clouds.

/shrug

[Rumpy]

Thing is, when the Groundhogs proclaimed that (as silly as that notion is) it was a rather cold and blustery day and it didn't at all feel like Spring could come early.

The superstition is that if the groundhog sees it's shadow, there will be 6 more weeks of winter. Phil did not see it's shadow this year.

I know. Just saying that when the Groundhogs made their decision, it didn't seem like it could be an early winter due to what we were experiencing at the time.

[Alefroth]

Probably because it's a superstition.

[Isgrimnur]

[Jeff V]

Low 70's today, actually got the kids to go play outside after school. High of 50 tomorrow. Early spring is nice, if inconsistent.

[dbt1949]

I have turned on my A/C.

[Kurth]

Finally not supposed to rain in Portland today. Tomorrow is supposed to be rain free as well! Of course, I’m getting on a plane to head to Boston for work today, coming back tomorrow evening. Forecast in Boston: 70% chance of rain today and tomorrow.

Maybe it’s me.

[LordMortis]

It was light and warm enough today to walk in a tank top at 0630. I wasn't going to but it's going to rain by 0930 and I got sunlight in for the day for most of the walk.

[Kraken]

February was another one for the record books.

Back-to-back snow-starved winters. Bare ski runs. Sloshy skating ponds and rinks. The winter season is looking rather broken.

Now it turns out this year was especially troubling — and unprecedented in many ways.

Scientists from the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service have confirmed that February 2024 was the hottest February ever recorded globally — in fact, it was the ninth month in a row to shatter the high-temperature threshold (record warmth).

To experts across New England, the records keep piling up and are alarming.

“Another month, another smashed global temperature record,” said Jennifer Francis, a senior scientist at the Woodwell Climate Research Center in Falmouth. “We’ve known the next strong El Niño…would boost temperatures, but records have been broken by astounding margins in many regions of the globe, including New England.”

The latest data reveals that February was 1.77 degrees Celsius warmer than the pre-industrial (1850 to 1900) average for the month and 0.81 Celsius above 1991-2020 levels, according to Copernicus records.

Other key data findings include:

• February 2024 averaged 13.54 degrees Celsius (56.37 degrees Fahrenheit) — breaking the previous record, set in February 2016, by 0.12 degrees C.

• All-time high ocean temperatures: The average global sea surface temperature for February 2024 was 21.06 degrees C (69.9 degrees Fahrenheit), the highest for any month in the dataset, surpassing the previous record of August 2023, which was 20.98 degrees C (69.7 degrees F).

• The average daily sea surface temperature reached a new absolute high of 21.09 degrees C at the end of the month.

• Boston and Providence experienced their 7th warmest winter 2023-24 — the average temperature of 36.4 degrees in Boston was 3.9 degrees above average.

• Boston is on track to end up with back-to-back winters with less than 20 inches of snow — the first time since records began in 1872.

• Amherst experienced its warmest meteorological (Dec.-Feb.) winter since records started there in 1893.

• In Worcester, it was the second warmest winter; and third warmest for Hartford.

[Daehawk]

At 55 years old Im thinking I might be able to die before climate totally flip flops and kills us all in a horrible heat or cold way. Might be starvation from crop failure.

[jztemple2]

Well, this isn't encouraging. So many hazards, so few months. I'm not sure how to prepare for mass migration ... oh wait, that's Spring Break

[Rumpy]

We've been back to cold temps for the last few days now. Snow on the ground, and it isn't melting as fast as you'd think. And we're supposed to have an early Spring? Really Groundhog?

[LordMortis]

We've been getting snow every day but none of it's sticking. The wind is making it feel like it's still winter... Or winter if finally here again, I guess. I mean 77 in February kinda throws you off for the 20s in March.

[Rumpy]

Yeah, this is the kind of weather I would have been expecting at the tail end of February. Not the middle of March. But then, we've historically had snow well into April.

[hitbyambulance]

Seattle is extremely 'mid-spring' feeling for the past few days, but we will revert to actual late-winter/early-spring tomorrow

[LordMortis]

Winter has begun. Got about 4" this morning and it's still falling lightly. Naturally I have to go out and drive a bit of distance this afternoon. What happened to my mid 70s February?

[Kraken]

It's been frelling cold and windy here the past couple of days, but not outside of normal spring parameters. It's a transition season. Sometimes it's nice, most times it isn't. I am getting tired of paying heating bills, though.

[Rumpy]

Wednesday night had some of our coldest temperatures this winter. It's funny because I was on a day trip that day, and coming back at night, there were snowplows along the highway, but not enough snow for them to be any effective.

[Kraken]

Hah, the plow drivers here are not happy. They make upwards of $200 an hour when contracting with the state, but for the past two years they've gotten very few hours. They're mobilized whenever "plowable snow" over 3" is forecast, and they'll plow sparks on bare streets if the snow doesn't come.

[dbt1949]

55 degrees out and yet it feels like 25 to me. Damn but I hate getting olde.

[Kraken]

Damn but I hate getting olde.

Getting old rocks until suddenly it doesn't. I used to roll my eyes at those surveys that show the oldest Americans being the happiest cohort until I got here. I finally have both money and leisure time, and I'm healthy enough to enjoy them. I know that will turn on a dime, but I wish being olde could last forever because I have unlocked many achievements. None of them are weather related, though (on topic!)

[LordMortis]

25 degrees out and I'm using my sun lamp because I don't want to go outside to walk. Actually 25 isn't so bad as long as its not windy. A bit of wind and a bit of humidity and 25 can kiss my modern home HVAC loving ass. If it's calm, I'll wear 2 pairs pants and two jackets and balaclava (thanks for recommend AB) and I'm overheating about 2 mile in.

At only 53 getting old sucks, but my body is aging much faster than a typical person. I wonder if this will happen the generation behind me as they settled into desk jobs in their early 20s as I did or it its just my genes. Everything is woefully wrong with my body but quitting my job to take care of myself has done good things for slowing the degeneration. (I'd say great things but getting hit by a car completely FUBARed greatness)

I'm going to beg to get of my high blood pressure meds and crone's infusions the next time see each of those doctors.

Weirdly enough my biggest current concern aside from accident stuff is my teeth and eyes. You know, things medical balks at. My bite keeps getting worse and now I'm biting my lip when I eat in addition to growing tooth pain. I remember my dad used to always say "Your teeth are bit too short, yet" all the time when I was growing up. Not my teeth are so short the nerves are keenly aware of their surrounding.

I've mentioned in another thread I'm all but giving up on reading books. This is to say nothing of contrast going away. Seeing dark on dark or anything in contrast to a reasonably bright light is getting more and more problematic. I fear night driving may eventually no longer be a thing for me. The last thing I want do is end up hitting someone because I can't see they even exist because they don't have a good reflective bit of clothing on. I'm not there yet but I'm monitoring myself.

How's that country song go? I'm way too young to be this old.

[Rumpy]

Hah, the plow drivers here are not happy. They make upwards of $200 an hour when contracting with the state, but for the past two years they've gotten very few hours. They're mobilized whenever "plowable snow" over 3" is forecast, and they'll plow sparks on bare streets if the snow doesn't come.

Yeah, over here they've been heavily criticized for going out when there's really no need of it, as it ends up costing taxpayers more. At the same time, they're criticized when they don't come out quick enough when there's lots of snow to take care of in a timely manner.

[Daehawk]

Gonna be really windy tonight they say.

[SpiderRelax]

Tell me where I live :p

[jztemple2]

Colorado State University issues highest preseason hurricane forecast ever

Researchers at Colorado State University released their preseasonal Atlantic hurricane season forecast Thursday morning, calling for another active year across the Atlantic basin.

The report, released at the National Tropical Weather Conference in Texas, highlights several factors for the upcoming season which lead researchers to believe the Atlantic will be as alive as ever.

The forecast calls for 23 named storms this season. Of those 23 storms, 11 are expected to become hurricanes and five are expected to reach major hurricane strength with winds of 111 miles per hour or greater.

This is the most aggressive preseason forecast Colorado State University has ever issued. The previous record for highest preseason forecast called for nine hurricanes in a season, which CSU has forecast several times since their first April predictions began in 1995.

The researchers cite record warm tropical and eastern Atlantic sea surface temperatures being a primary factor in the hurricane prediction this year.

"When waters in the eastern and central tropical and subtropical Atlantic are much warmer than normal in the spring, this tends to force a weaker subtropical high and associated weaker winds blowing across the tropical Atlantic," the report states. "A very warm Atlantic favors an above-average season, since a hurricane’s fuel source is warm ocean water."

[em2nought]

Dropped my condo price again, I want to get out of here before the next hurricane season happens, or before I get hit by another hail storm. The HOA would go into the $700s if either of those happened, and the reserves would be gone and need replenishing. Which would have to happen by law with a special assessment.

[The Meal]

Colorado State University issues highest preseason hurricane forecast ever

I believe we’ve got a hurricane thread (with lots of tasty history) that incorporates CSU’s yearly predictions. It may be time for its seasonal revival.

71°F and clear here today. /on topic

[jztemple2]

Colorado State University issues highest preseason hurricane forecast ever

I believe we’ve got a hurricane thread (with lots of tasty history) that incorporates CSU’s yearly predictions. It may be time for its seasonal revival.

71°F and clear here today. /on

If folks don't mind I prefer to just keep using this thread for everything weather related, including hurricanes. That way we don't have to dig up old threads or angst over whether something fits that category or this one.

Also I love the title of this thread and sing the song to myself each time I see it

[jztemple2]

Dropped my condo price again, I want to get out of here before the next hurricane season happens, or before I get hit by another hail storm. The HOA would go into the $700s if either of those happened, and the reserves would be gone and need replenishing. Which would have to happen by law with a special assessment.

Where in Florida are you? It is Florida, isn't it?

[em2nought]

Dropped my condo price again, I want to get out of here before the next hurricane season happens, or before I get hit by another hail storm. The HOA would go into the $700s if either of those happened, and the reserves would be gone and need replenishing. Which would have to happen by law with a special assessment.

Where in Florida are you? It is Florida, isn't it?

Highlands County below Polk County, my HOA $540 is unusually high due to extras being included in it(such as cable and internet), and then two metal reroofs within two years. One scheduled, and one due to hail. I think the first time was likely the original tile roof from the mid 1980s.

[jztemple2]

I know Highland County, we drive over to Sarasota periodically via I4 and I75 but come back using FL70 on the Arcadia-Okeechobee-Port St Lucie route; we went through last week

Sheesh, those are some significant costs. But the good news is that they are building like crazy, at least here on the east coast of Florida. Condos, houses and apartments are going up everywhere. At some point there has to be a glut and the prices should be a little less insane.

Back on the weather front, I'm happy to have gotten my needed hand surgery done today so I'll be done with therapy by hurricane season. But then I am also looking at some upcoming foot surgery