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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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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Christina Loren Forecast: Warm Temps and a Few Showers
Thursday, July 23, 2015
Labels: Bay Area, Christina Loren, Forecast, Meteorologist Christina Loren, Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose, Weather
posted by Unknown @ 1:36 PM,
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Christina Loren Forecast: Mild May Afternoon
Labels: Forecast, Meteorologist Christina Loren, microclimate, Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose, Weather
posted by Unknown @ 1:26 PM,
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Pleasant Thursday; Showers Return to Forecast Video
Christina Loren Google+
Christina Loren's Forecast
Labels: Christina Loren, Forecast, Meteorologist Christina Loren, microclimate, Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose, Weather
posted by Unknown @ 11:47 AM,
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Christina Loren's Forecast: Unseasonably Warm Temperatures Continue
Labels: Average, Forecast, Meteorologist, Meteorologist Christina Loren, Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose, Weather
posted by Unknown @ 11:42 AM,
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Christina Loren Forecast
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Christina Loren Forecast from April 28 from Christina Loren on Vimeo.
Meteorologist Christina Loren Updates the weather forecast for San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose.
Labels: Christina Loren, Forecast, Meteorologist Christina Loren, microclimate, Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose, Weather
posted by Unknown @ 9:57 PM,
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