The Beauty of Science: Why Autumn Leaves Burst With Color
By: Christina Loren
Thursday, September 17, 2015
Fall color is gradually becoming more conspicuous in California as summer swiftly comes to a close. Vivid reds, oranges, yellows, and purple hues of changing leaves will paint beautiful natural scenery from September through November, although peak color only lasts for around one to three brisk weeks.
Hours of Daylight Over Cooler Weather
Contrary to what some may think, the reason why leaves change color in autumn is predominantly the product of available daylight hours as opposed to changing weather patterns. Picture worthy foliage is caused by changes in the process of photosynthesis which means, “putting together with light.” Chlorophyll is a chemical that makes photosynthesis happen and responsible for the green color of leaves. As days get shorter in the fall there is less available sunlight for the production of chlorophyll, which slows and eventually stops. Resultantly stunning fall colors are gradually uncovered before leaves wither and fall off of trees. Variables like temperature, wind, cloud cover, and soil conditions widely influence color intensity and duration of the foliage exhibit although they are not the main cause for the metamorphosis.
Not All Trees Have Changing Leaves
There are two primary types of trees: evergreens and deciduous trees. Evergreens stay true to their designation and hold on to their green color all year long. Meanwhile deciduous trees shed their leaves annually in the fall and then in the spring they grow back as days get longer. Deciduous trees are often called ‘broadleaf’ trees because instead of thin needles, they have larger and wider leaves making for a substantial surface for the photosynthesis process.
Peak Fall Color
Lake Tahoe: Late September through October
Napa Valley: Mid-October through early November
Big Sur: Late October
Yosemite: Mid-Late October
Big Bear Lake: Mid-October through early November
Labels: Autumn, Christina Loren, Fall Color, Foliage, Photosynthesis, Weather
posted by Unknown @ 1:14 PM,
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Promise Falls As We Usher In The New Season
By: Christina Loren
Saturday, September 12, 2015
The Fall equinox will take place on September 23, at 1:21 a.m. PDT when the sun crosses the celestial equator from north to south. The Equinox signals that the length of day and night on September 23 will be nearly equal, about 12 hours long. Soon after the Autumnal Equinox nights will get longer than days and temperatures will dive down considerably in the Northern Hemisphere. Those who are fed up with the oppressive summer heat will be happy to hear that days will continue to get shorter, hence cooler, as we transition into Winter. There is typically increased moisture in the air in Autumn as storms begin to line up in the Pacific Ocean. California's rainy season begins in October and with a developing El Niño in the Pacific Ocean, higher than average rainfall this year looks quite promising.
Often referred to as 'harvest season' Fall is the time of year when many delicious fruits and vegetables have reached full maturation. These delectable items are ready to be gathered, sold, and stored before damaging frost develops in the cold winter months. Animals also take advantage of the Fall season by building up fat reserves for migration or hibernation. Overall the Fall of 2015 offers hope for ample rain, delightful produce, and cooler weather that we can all look forward to.
Labels: Christina Loren, Drought, El Nino, El Niño, Equinox, Fall, Rainy Season, Season
posted by Unknown @ 12:48 PM,
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What is the 'Blob' in the Pacific Ocean?
By: Christina Loren
Saturday, September 05, 2015
You may have recently read snippets online or heard brief mentions on television of the warm 'blob' in the Pacific Ocean. The 'blob' refers to an unusually warm area of water in the Pacific that spans from Baja Mexico all the way up the west coast of North America, extending into the Gulf of Alaska. Ocean temperatures are running around 3- 4.5º F warmer than average in this sprawling area and the abnormality is linked to unusual weather conditions occurring on the west coast. You may recall that last winter we received a fair amount of rainfall in the Bay Area, but Tahoe saw very little snow. This occurred because most of the weather systems that moved over Northern California had ample moisture, but were too warm to produce heavy snowfall. This phenomenon can likely be attributed, at least in part, to the 'blob' in the Pacific Ocean.
In addition to atypical weather patterns, the 'blob' is also producing difficulties for marine life since this area of warmer than average water is lacking critical nutrients. Typically this area is known for "coastal upwelling" which helps to churn up phytoplankton necessary for the food chain of marine mammals from the depths of the ocean. Normal upwelling is not taking place in this area of warmer, stagnant water and it is in turn nutrient poor. With the combination of a developing El Niño and the 'blob' it looks like the 2015-2016 rainy season could be one for the record books, particularly in Southern California.
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| Areas of red indicate the 'blob' of warmer than average water in the Pacific Ocean that was identified in 2013. It extends from Alaska to Mexico and will likely persist through 2015. |
Labels: Blob, California, Christina Loren, El Nino, ENSO, Forecast, Pacific Ocean, Rain, Snow, Tahoe, Weather
posted by Unknown @ 2:05 PM,
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A Simple Explanation of How Hurricanes are Named
By: Christina Loren
Thursday, August 20, 2015
Tropical storms and hurricanes are capable of devastating large populations and destroying wide swaths of property. Although the National Hurricane Center does the heavy lifting of forecasting and tracking tropical cyclones in the United States, they are not responsible for the names that these powerful storms receive. Instead, the World Meteorological Organization is in charge of naming tropical storms and hurricanes. Tropical depressions do not get names unless they strengthen and develop and meet certain criteria. Simply stated, a storm must have max wind speeds of 39 mph or more around a closed center of circulation in order to reach tropical storm strength and receive a name. If max winds reach 74 mph or more around a closed low, the storm is then upgraded to a hurricane.
During hurricane season it is not uncommon for multiple tropical cyclones to occur at the same time. Assigning names to these powerful systems helps to eliminate confusion and eases keeping tabs on the track and intensity of each storm. That is why the WMO creates a list of names in alphabetical order that can be repeated after a six year interval. However, when a storm is exceptionally destructive, such as Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Andrew, the name is retired.
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| Hurricane Irene August 20, 2011 - August 28, 2011 |
Labels: Andrew, Christina Loren, christinaloren, Hurricane Season, Hurricanes, Katrina, Named, NHC, Tropical Storms, Weather, WMO
posted by Unknown @ 1:28 PM,
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What is El Niño?
By: Christina Loren
Wednesday, August 12, 2015
An interesting meteorological phenomenon that dictates weather conditions for a given area is the influence of coastal winds on ocean currents. In the open ocean surface currents are directly impacted by global wind patterns. Simply stated, El Niño describes a change in trade wind patterns leading to unusually warm ocean currents in the Pacific Ocean. This alteration in surface ocean temperature has a tendency to create extreme weather changes, specifically between October through March, with peak conditions from December through February. Some of the impacts typically associated with El Niño are a lack of precipitation for parts of Indonesia and Australia and the development of strong storms packed with ample moisture that tend to aim at California and areas in the southwestern United States. Although these effects are characteristic of a strong El Niño pattern, there is no guarantee that this year's event will produce the flooding rain we saw in 1997-1998 in California. In the same way that no two storms are the same, no two El Niños are the same either. There are other atmospheric variables at play that will likely influence how this year's rain season will pan out. Nonetheless, I would be willing to bet that El Niño will at the very least provide the state of California with average rainfall for the 2015-2016 rainy season.
Labels: Christina Loren, christinaloren, Currents, Drought, El Nino, El Niño, Flash Flood, Flooding, Heavy Rain, Meteorology, Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Weather
posted by Unknown @ 12:27 PM,
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Sea Turtles Typically Live and Thrive in Warm Tropical Waters
By: Christina Loren
Wednesday, August 05, 2015
Sea turtles love the warm tropical waters that surround the Hawaiian island chain. What is interesting about sea turtles is that they need to breathe oxygen for survival and surface for air. They can actually hold their breath for several hours at a time. A sleeping sea turtle can stay underwater for 5-7 hours.
Video of a Sea Turtle Coming Up For Air In Napili that was shot from my IPhone
Labels: Christina Loren, Hawaii, Iphone, Maui, Sea Turtle, Tropical, Turtles
posted by Unknown @ 9:11 PM,
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What is the Difference Between Weather and Climate
By: Christina Loren
Monday, August 03, 2015
The distinction that separates climate and weather is time. Climate is an average measure of weather for a specific location over a long period of time, typically 30 years or more. Weather describes the short-term changes in atmospheric conditions like temperature, humidity, wind, and rainfall for a defined area. There are certain parameters that must be met over a long duration of time in order to classify an area as a desert. For example, desert climates typically receive less than 10 inches of rain per year.
Here in California we are dealing with mandatory water restrictions due to four consecutive years of below average rainfall. What is interesting is that drought conditions may improve dramatically next year as we are noticing good signs for a strong El Nino in the Pacific Ocean. This is significant because with a strong El Nino there is a high likelihood of heavier than average rainfall for the upcoming rainy season in California.
Labels: Christina Loren, Climate, Desert, El Nino, humidity, Meteorologist Christina Loren, Weather
posted by Unknown @ 4:46 PM,
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How do Meteorologists Forecast the Weather?
By: Christina Loren
Sunday, August 02, 2015
The forecast is a function of a multitude variables that all need to be taken into account in order to assess what future weather conditions will occur. Current and expected temperature, dew point, humidity, barometric pressure, approaching storms, etc. all need to be investigated in order to predict what will happen next. There are a number of different methods that can be used to generate an accurate weather forecast, however this is entirely dependent on the experience level of the forecaster and the amount of data that is available to him/her. I have found that the persistence method of forecasting is most valuable in California, pending that there are no approaching storm systems or substantial changes in moisture content on the horizon. The persistence method is based on common sense. If there are no drastic changes in temperature, dew point, humidity, barometric pressure, etc. in the forecast from one day to the next, the weather conditions will likely end up being very similar both days. This approach works great in California in the Spring and Summer.
Labels: Christina Loren, Forecast, Meteorologist, Meteorologist Christina Loren, Meteorology, microclimate, Weather
posted by Unknown @ 7:57 AM,
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The Science Behind the Classification of Rain vs. Drizzle
By: Christina Loren
Saturday, August 01, 2015
Meteorological Terminology 101 from Meteorologist Christina Loren: The difference between rain and drizzle is actually dependent on the size of the water droplet falling from the sky. The truth is, this is common sense and most people know what the difference is in rain and drizzle. What you may not know however, is that there are concise parameters that differentiate between the two scientifically.
Labels: Christina Loren, Drizzle, Meteorologist Christina Loren, Meteorology, Rain, Science, Terminology
posted by Unknown @ 11:06 PM,
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Startling Drought Impact Pictures from Oroville, California
By: Christina Loren
Thursday, July 30, 2015
Water conservation in California is critical and these pictures from Lake Oroville in Nor. Cal demonstrate why. The farming industry is feeling tremendous pressure from the drought and parched land is becoming more common in the golden state after four consecutive years of below average rainfall.
Labels: California, Christina Loren, Conservation, Drought, Meteorologist Christina Loren, Meteorology, Oroville, Weather
posted by Unknown @ 1:22 PM,
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New Jersey Fog Rattles Beach Goers, Appears as Approaching Tsunami
By: Christina Loren
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Fog rolling in off the ocean in the town of Sea Girt, New Jersey paints an ominous picture for those on the beach at the time. The shape and color of the fog bank appear as an approaching tsunami and more than a few nerves were rattled as the fog bank approached the coastline. This is caused by high pressure compressing warm air down to the much cooler ocean surface. The warm air condenses over the cool ocean and resultantly creates a thick blanket of fog.
Frightening Fog Tsunami Terrifies Jersey Shore
Labels: Christina Loren, Fog, High Pressure, Meteorology, New Jersey, Ocean, Weather
posted by Unknown @ 9:52 AM,
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Potent Lightning Storm Captured on Camera in the Bay Area
It is incredible to think about how many amazing weather videos and pictures could be documented if photographers were in the right place at the right time. During a severe lightning storm in the Bay Area, photographer Phil McGrew happened to be in a safe location and was able to capture eight lightning bolts simultaneously striking the Bay Bridge. This type of lightning storm is extremely unusual in the Bay Area and it is truly remarkable that it was captured on camera. In fact, severe lightning in the Bay Area is so rare that a shot like this may not be captured again in our lifetime.
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| Photo taken by photographer Phil McGrew |
Labels: Bay Area, Christina Loren, Images, Lightning, Severe Weather, Thunder, Thunderstorms
posted by Unknown @ 8:38 AM,
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Severe Weather Montage From Discovery Weather
Monday, July 27, 2015
The life of a Storm Chaser can be packed with excitement but it is an incredibly dangerous vocation. Sometimes it can take weeks or even months to capture 5-10 seconds of compelling video of severe weather. The following is an amazing composite of nature's fury caught on camera by weather warriors known as Storm Chasers.
Labels: Christina Loren, Discovery Weather, Hurricanes, Lightning, Severe Weather, Tornadoes
posted by Unknown @ 9:20 AM,
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Blue Moon Rising Late July 2015
A blue moon is the second full moon that occurs in a single month. This lunar phenomenon generally happens every two to three years and we'll have to wait until 2018 for the next one. Typically the moon is full once every 30-days and the last full moon was July 2nd. Look up in the night sky for the next full moon or "Blue Moon" on July 31.
The Next Blue Moon Is Coming In Late July
Here is a picture of the 2015 blue moon setting from Palm Desert, California.
Labels: Blue Moon, Christina Loren, Full Moon, Lunar, The Weather Channel
posted by Unknown @ 8:46 AM,
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Drone Captures Spectacular Shots of K2 Glacier
Saturday, July 25, 2015
Most of us will never see the peak of the K2 in person since it is over 28,000 feet up and only 302 people have actually reached the summit of the savage mountain. Thanks to modern technology a drone captured these stunning images of the K2 Glacier for us to enjoy in a more comfortable setting.
Stunning Drone Photos of K2 Glacier
Labels: Christina Loren, Drone, K2, Mountain
posted by Unknown @ 4:48 AM,
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Flash Flood Takes Out Bridge on I-10 in Southern California
By: Christina Loren
27,000 Commuters were impacted between Los Angeles and Phoenix after flash flooding caused by strong thunderstorms washed away a bridge on Interstate 10. Monsoonal moisture in the summer often leads to the development of strong thunderstorms in the desert southwest, but over the last two summers thunderstorms have been unusually robust.
Collapsed California bridge earned 'A' rating just last year
Labels: Christina Loren, Desert Southwest, Flash Flood, Heavy Rain, Thunderstorms
posted by Unknown @ 4:36 AM,
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Yes It Can Snow In Hawaii, Even In July
One of the most popular questions posed to Meteorologists by young people is whether or not it snows in Hawaii. The high elevation mountainous regions are fair game for snow each winter, but snow in July is incredibly uncommon. What is even more uncommon is seeing such vast weather extremes in just a few days time. In Hawaii this year, measurable snowfall hit the ground just days after record heat was recorded.
Wild weather: Snow in Hawaii during record-breaking hot July
Labels: Christina Loren, Extreme Weather, Hawaii, Meteorologist Christina Loren, Record Heat, Snowfall
posted by Unknown @ 4:23 AM,
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Cool Tools: Radar Picks Up On More Than Just Precipitation
As technology advances it is fascinating to see what can be picked up on by a high resolution radar image. In Texas an enormous swarm of bugs was visible on the National Weather Service radar, appearing almost like a rainstorm. It was truly helpful to see which way the vast swarm of bugs was heading.
Weather radar detects swarm of bugs - CNN.com
Labels: Bugs, Christina Loren, CNN, Meteorologist Christina Loren, Radar, Swarm
posted by Unknown @ 4:13 AM,
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Incredibly Strong El Nino Developing
Although the impact is hard to forecast at this point, what looks to be the strongest El Nino in history is developing in the central to eastern Pacific. The hope is that above average rainfall prompted by El Nino will assist the drought situation in California but right now it is difficult to assess what the potential impact will be with certainty.
It's critical El Niño hits Northern California. Why experts are growing optimistic.
Labels: California, Christina Loren, El Nino, ENSO, Pacific Ocean
posted by Unknown @ 3:49 AM,
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Rich Lieberman Refers to Christina Loren as "Star Meteorologist"
Friday, July 24, 2015
RICH LIEBERMAN 415 MEDIA
Labels: 415 Media, Christina Loren, Meteorologist, Rich Lieberman, Weather
posted by Unknown @ 9:21 PM,
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