h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

If you really get to missing the fog, just come down here to the coast during the winter. We often get down to about 1/10th mile visibility. I'll happily ride the bike in the rain, but I really hate fog. No one can see me and I can't keep my visor clear. hate it hate it hate it!

Riding a motorbike on the Texas roads must be scary enough in good conditions, but I can't imagine doing it in the fog. The drivers around here don't take any prisoners

When the visibility is still about 1/2 mile more people speed for some inane reason. And they tailgate. I guess they believe the person in front of them have magic fog vision and as long as they can see their tail lights everything will be fine. When I see some eedjit on a jeejaw* in the fog I have very violent thoughts.




*Calling these multipurpose devices 'phones' is becoming increasingly inaccurate. So, I'm borrowing the term 'jeejaw' from Neil Stephenson's Anathem.

It's cold enough in the morning that you need to put the heater on before getting in the shower, and it certainly feels chilly if you go outside just as the sun's coming up over the horizon, but it's completely calm so that you don't actually feel all that cold - more bracing, or brisk - and can easily walk around in shirtsleeves as long as you don't have to stay out too long.

There are only a few high clouds, some of them wispy and cirrus-looking, some of them altocumulus with that dark underside and slight hint of orange from the sunrise http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hiranandani-Gardens-3.jpg, but all with a backdrop of a beautiful blue sky.

And later on it's not likely to get any higher than the low 70sF/20sC. Neither heat nor a/c will be required for the rest of the day.

If heaven ain't like this I ain't going

Good grief, the temperature's going up and down more than a bride's nightie

For the past several nights it's been just like in the previous post; in fact I didn't even need the heater on this morning, but now it's 80F with a forecast maximum of 83 and the a/c's on. And it's going to be 64 tomorrow

And 79 by Saturday

Cold, Wet and Windy here - not loving it!

Here's a shocking statistic. It's been over 28 years since the Earth has had a "below average temperature" month. 332 straight without one.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2012/11/16/noaa_climate_october_was_332nd_straight_month_with_above_average_temperatures.html

I've been hearing a lot about this year's floods in the UK. No fun And I know what it's like to have your home inundated with water. There's absolutely nothing you can do about it once the water starts coming in except watch your carpets, furniture, appliances and anything you can't take upstairs (if you have one) get trashed. If the water's coming from above (as it was in my case) you're proper ed. Like zee Germans, Tommy.

But there's no global warming

I wish we had a 'wee woo wee woo I can't hear you I've got my fingers in my ears' smiley

I got dragged into that discussion yet again at the pub last Wednesday. And yes, I was told yet again that the scientists are faking it for big money. My only response is to ask them why they think it's more plausible that 98% of climate scientists are in a conspiracy or the 2% of mostly oil company paid geologists who disagree with them.

And of course I may as well have been speaking to a ravenous bugblatter beast.

That pub must have really good beer cos I think I'd have stopped going there if it didn't.

It does, but there's no place safe from these folks around here.

Ah, yeah. I see what you mean.

Bit chilly this morning. There was frost on the rooftops Thing is, the forecast, even yesterday afternoon, had the minimum temperature for Austin last night in the low to mid 40sF, but we went down to 36 or 37. Oops.

But I was able to walk to the laundry room at 7.30am wearing nothing but a t-shirt and a pair of trousers while feeling quite comfortable, because once again it's completely calm with no wind to chill the skin, and now the sun's coming up it's actually quite nice outside as long as you're not in shadow. Going to be around 70F/21C today

When I opened the blinds at about 7.30 this morning there was a clear blue sky and plenty of bright sunshine. An hour later there was fog. I'm no expert meteorologist, but shouldn't that happen the other way round?

Not necessarily. I've seen it happen often enough around here. Of course, it's normally a lot more humid here on the coast than it is there in the Hill Country. It's all about the dew points, humidity and pressure.

And... the sun's back

We've had no measurable rain in November. Only 36 hours of the month left and none in the forecast.

Okay, this is just plain silly now. It's December 2nd and I was able to sleep quite comfortably under a thin sheet last night because the temperature didn't go below 70F/21C The maximum temperature yesterday was 83 and we have three more days of low 80s to come. I'm pretty certain that, at this time of the year, I shouldn't have to put the a/c on when I'm baking or roasting. In fact it should be the other way round - the oven should be helping to keep the place warm.

And last night, I met yet another person who "isn't sure" that the climate is getting warmer.

Whether man-made, naturally cyclical or a combination of both, it is.

Oh, wait, no it isn't.