Cliff Mass TLDR

No more blog posts, just twitter

2014-02-22T21:12:00.004-08:00

Hi y'all, Cliff Mass TLDR here. Just wanted to let you know that I'm not going to update this blog any more. Instead, I'm using a twitter account. It's the perfect format for TLDRing stuff.

Subscribe here:

https://twitter.com/cliffmasstldr

Rain

2014-02-13T14:44:00.000-08:00

It's gonna rain a lot this week.

Mea culpa

2014-02-11T13:58:00.001-08:00

Everyone (including me) got last week's snow forecasts in WA and OR wrong. I'm still trying to figure out why. In the meantime, I still reserve the right to mock Jim Forman.

Oregon got snow

2014-02-06T21:07:00.003-08:00

Oregon got a bunch of snow.

Seattle might get snow on Saturday

2014-02-04T23:25:00.000-08:00

It's gonna snow somewhere in the NW, just not sure where. Check back later in the week for a more accurate forecast.

Groundhogs and meteorologists agree

2014-02-02T10:42:00.002-08:00

Punxsutawney Phil called for 6 more weeks of winter, which is consistent with climate models.

My forecast for Superbowl weather is looking accurate. It may rain towards the end of the game, which will hopefully mess with the Broncos.

Precipitation is moving to OR and CA next week; they really need it. I'm revising our next week's forecast: it will still be dry, but colder than previously expected. Highs in the mid-30's!

Lots to discuss

2014-02-01T19:13:00.000-08:00

The mountains are finally getting snow. Total snowpack is 50%-70% of normal.

It's going to be cold and dry next week. But first, there might be a dusting of snow on Sunday evening.

Cliff Predicts a Hawks Win

2014-01-29T08:32:00.002-08:00

Just kidding, but he does predict the weather for Superbowl Sunday. The Super Bowl will have super boring weather. Weather that will make the Seahawks feel right at home. GO HAWKS!

"Week" in review: fracking, droughts, coldness, Kelvin-Helmholtz Instability clouds

2014-01-01T15:04:00.000-08:00

Dec 23: Is natural gas fracking fracking up the ozone? Please donate to this UW researcher so she can investigate.

Dec 25: There's only 25-50% of the average snowfall in the mountains this year, due to lower-than-predicted precipitation.

Dec 27: Snow makes it cold, by reflecting sunlight away and keeping the earth's warmth underground.

Dec 29: Today we got beautiful breaking wave clouds (aptly named "Kelvin-Helmholtz Instability clouds"). They're caused by vertical wind shear: just the precise amount change in horizontal winds, relatively quickly in the vertical.

Forecasts are only accurate 7-9 days out

2014-01-01T14:33:00.001-08:00

Weather forecasts are only accurate for about 7-9 days out. "Weather" outfits giving you longer-range predictions are nothing more than snake-oil salesmen, and their cloud icons look like fish.

Currently snowing

2013-12-20T06:30:00.002-08:00

In case you don't have any windows, it's currently snowing. 0.5 to 1 inch so far. Dry snow. Should snow for several more hours.

New forecasting models FTW

2013-12-20T06:27:00.003-08:00

The new forecasting system accurately predicted this snow storm, but the old system didn't.

Definitely snowing tomorrow morning

2013-12-19T07:32:00.003-08:00

Definitely going to snow early tomorrow morning, changing to rain the early afternoon. Snow will be caused by a warm/wet front hitting our current cold front, without the effects of solar warming (since it's going to happen overnight tonight).