Weather2250

Wind Socks

The windsock pictured in the photo below is on the rooftop of my studio building in Ferndale, Michigan.  There is a beautiful high-level cirrus cloud above. According to the position of the sock, winds are calm and from the southwest.

Windsocks point in the opposite direction the wind is blowing.  Wind speed is determined by the angle of the sock to the mounting pole. When there is little or no wind the sock droops. As wind speed increases the windsock will extend outward. Wind over 17 mph will extend the sock straight out.

Air Monitoring

The photos below were taken on November 23 in SW Detroit at the air monitoring site near Zug Island.

The photo in the center shows a filter that was used to measure particulate matter over a 24 hour period.  The white border is the original color of the filter paper.

weather speak

winds are variable calm gusting some clouds nicer than in recent days tomorrow today yesterday partly spotty showers isolated breezy milder a bit upper middle highs decreasing mostly in the south sunshine downwind otherwise rain fog hail in northern areas cool not so dull and considerably steady wind with diminishing rainfall active winds low 20′s occasional snow becoming numerous in the morning afternoon then highs 50′s 60′s 70′s around the west a few light heavy low clouds SE ESE then SSW then winds 10 to 15 to 25 to 29 to 50 around noon low pressure strong showers another storm winds rain thunder details except remaining ample sun low high pressure major front rainfall rising winds gusts interior coast gusts gusts moving through slow fast moderate remaining cool mostly cloudy but fierce sunshine powerful then calm but rising temperatures 80′s 90′s hot and cool thunder diminishing to recent days milder then warm again 90′s 100′s 200′s and elsewhere considerable spotty hail and thunder high pressure nicely heavy rains and dreary winds possible flooding with snow and ice mid 60′s to 100′s temperatures tumble cooler mid moderate high milder close to low nice NWSW or variable precipitation cloudy partly cloudy warmer winter slushy wet slippery days strong strong dullness

Cloud Spotting

The photo above shows a view of the Detroit skyline on the morning of October 20, 2009.  Low on the horizon is a cloud of black smoke from an industrial fire which started in a paving-grade asphalt yard located in the city of River Rouge.  Visible for miles, the smoke was a health threat to nearby residents.

For information on air quality the state of Michigan has numerous sites for monitoring particulate matter.  There are several sites located in the city of Detroit, including a site right next to the River Rouge industrial complex.

Weather Balloons

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I like the fact that weather balloons are still used today to gather data about atmospheric conditions. There is something poetic about the marriage of high and low technology.  I have attended several weather balloon launches, mainly in Michigan, and most recently in Oregon. It is now too dark to photograph the launches in Michigan because the weather balloons are released here at 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.  I was happy to be in the West where they are launch at 4:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.  (I attended a 4:00 p.m. launch.)

Weather balloons are launched twice a day from more than 800 sites around the world.  The launch times in each location are based on the time zone’s location in relation to the Greenwich clock.  In this way, the balloons are launched at the same time, twice per day, throughout the world.  Attached to the weather balloon is a radiosonde, a small box containing instruments that measure temperature, humidity, air pressure, wind speed and direction.  As the balloon ascends, weather data is transmitted to the ground station from various heights in the atmosphere. The balloon eventually travels to the edge of the atmosphere where it bursts and the raidosonde parachutes back to earth.

It is interesting to think about weather balloons being launched simultaneously around the world. This is collaboration! Meteorologists are able to get a snapshot of the atmosphere all around the world because people have agreed upon a set time to release weather balloons and are willing to share their data. Imagine what else we could accomplish with this type of world collaboration.

Peregrine Falcon

Peregrine Falcons are frequent visitors to the observation terrace at Weather2250.  These photos were taken by Laurent Lorenzo on the same morning that I was documenting the fog. The Peregrine, pictured above, made dramatic swoops past us as we stood on the observation terrace. It would then circle back. I had the impression that we interrupted its breakfast, as it is not uncommon to find leftover bird parts on the terrace. Impressive hunters, Peregrines perform stunning aerial maneuvers when they grab medium-sized birds in flight.  Peregrines are perfect urbanites because they feed on pigeons, seagulls and starlings.  They have adapted to habitats that include man-made structures like the Fisher Building which offers great height and numerous ledges on which to perch. ­It is thrilling to watch them hunt against the backdrop of the city.

Radiation Fog

These photos were taken early in the morning from the observation terrace of Weather2250 located on the 22nd floor of the historic Fisher Building in mid-town Detroit. They are examples of radiation fog which often occurs at night when the ground below cools and radiates heat upward. It usually burns off in the morning when the air begins to move or the temperatures rise.

White Lake Michigan Weather Station | Weather Balloon Launch

A weather balloon launch at White Lake Weather Station.

Report from Weather 2250

The temperature is dropping at night and the crickets have been slowing down the speed of their chirps. Over the summer I came across a formula by A.E. Dolbear, published in 1897 which allows you to determine the approximate temperature based on the number of chirps a cricket makes in 15 seconds. To determine the temperature, (in Fahrenheit) count the number of chirps in a 15 second period and add 40.   Listen to the audio below.

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