For once Port Alberni wasn’t the rain capital of the country… nor Prince Rupert (which actually holds that title for Cities in Canada last I checked). No, today it was Vancouver. At YVR they received over 45mm of rain. Not only is that a record for this day. It’s a record for the entire month of August and it’s the most rain that has fallen in one day, on any day of any month, since 2005. Impressive.

The reason for the extreme amount of rain was apparently the northwesterly flow that associated with it.. that would have brought the stuff right down the Straight and onto the Lower Mainland. The main moisture itself though generated many days ago, in the Phillipines. This isn’t unusual this time of year, as we often get systems that start as storms or hurricanes in the Western Pacific, then curve up the coast of Asia towards the Aleutian Islands then back down the West Coast of North America to us…. this is similar to how Atlantic hurricanes that head up the US East Coast (like Danielle, and soon Earl) often end up hitting Iceland or Ireland and the UK… it’s just a little longer journey across the Pacific.

On that note, there is a very rare event happening right now near China, Japan and the Korean Peninsula, three tropical storms are all within less than 1000km of each, and if you look at them in animation (click the little movie camera), they are actually interacting with each other. It’s very active over on that side of the Pacific.

Here’s the proof:


Currently Typhoon Kompasu is the most likely storm to make the long treck our way, but who knows if its remnants will get here.

In other news. The campfire ban will be lifted on Wednesday at Noon! Hooray! That means campfires, tiki torches, and fireworks, are all permitted for the Long Weekend. See you at the Port Alberni Salmon Festival Fireworks on Friday night!

I’ve been listening to the wind in the trees tonight… sure feels like fall doesn’t it?

We should get a decent bout of rain tonight and into tomorrow. I already see it on the radar making its way down the Island. There is a silver lining though! If we get a good shot of rain it might just mean that the campfire ban could get lifted in time for the Labour Day Weekend (as it has in a number of regions around the province over the past few weeks). Plus it will also mean hopefully that the fireworks planned for the opening of the Salmon Festival on Friday night will go ahead!

They are still calling for a pleasant 25 degrees for Friday so that’s pretty darn nice for Salmon Festival which is often on the rainy side. Later this week I’ll see if I can dig up the stats going back a few years for Labour Day weekends to see how we stand in the grand order of things.

In the meantime, pull in the cushions from the deck so they don’t get wet! :)

They lifted the Smoke Advisory this morning. The change in the air this morning was very noticeable compared to Thursday. What a weird light Thursday produced…. it was as if it was evening all day long. I’ve never seen anything like it growing up in Port Alberni. Would love to hear about anyone else who might have experienced something like that in the Alberni Valley. I feel sorry for anyone who had breathing problems, even I could feel it in my lungs.

Now that that is done, it looks like we might actually get a little rain tonight and tomorrow. The gardens will love it. I fear it won’t be near enough to lower the fire danger rating, but every little bit helps.

Just for context… in the past two months (since June 6) Alberniweather has received a grand total of 9mm of rain. And all of that fell before July 2 (on June 15 and July 1).

But if you think that’s dry, that’s nothing. Consider the extreme heatwave that has gripped European Russia and Eastern Europe this past month and shows no sign of stopping.

In Moscow, records go back to 1880.

At 3:30 pm local time today, the mercury hit 39°C (102.2°F) at Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport. Moscow had never recorded a temperature exceeding 100°F prior to this year, and today marks the second time the city has beaten the 100°F mark. The first time was on July 29, when the Moscow observatory recorded 100.8°C and Baltschug, another official downtown Moscow weather site, hit an astonishing 102.2°F (39.0°C). Prior to this year, the hottest temperature in Moscow’s history was 37.2°C (99°F), set in August 1920. The Moscow Observatory has now matched or exceeded this 1920 all-time record five times in the past eleven days, including today. The 2010 average July temperature in Moscow was 7.8°C (14°F) above normal, smashing the previous record for hottest July, set in 1938 (5.3°C above normal.) July 2010 also set the record for most July days in excess of 30°C—twenty-two. The previous record was 13 such days, set in July 1972. The past 24 days in a row have exceeded 30°C in Moscow, and there is no relief in sight—the latest forecast for Moscow calls for high temperatures near 100°F (37.8°C) for the next seven days. It is stunning to me that the country whose famous winters stopped the armies of Napoleon and Hitler is experiencing day after day of heat near 100°F, with no end in sight.

As a result, soil moisture in some portions of European Russia has dropped to levels one would expect only once every 500 years.

In case you lost track, yes, Tuesday is June 1.

No, our weather has not been nice.

Yes, our weather has been colder and more wet than normal (for May).

And guess, what, Tuesday night and Wednesday will be even more wet. According to Bret Anderson at Accuweather this evening, and according to the map below, we can expect around 75mm of rain (300=3in=75mm).

Oh but wait, Bret had more good news for us today. Here’s one map he posted. There are more at his article.

It doesn’t get much better for the rest of June :(

So. Summer, currently, is not here yet and its not even in sight.

In case you forgot, on June 1 last year, we hit 29C. On June 5 we hit 35C. Oh how we love the weather.

Words that will surely make the heart of any weather-geek beat a little faster.

That is how Mark Madryga described the low-pressure center and storm currently gathering force off the Washington Coast.

You can see it quite nicely on the Satellite imagery right now… curling into a nice tight hurricane-esque spiral. If your weekend plan was to leave a little early and head down the Inlet in a boat, you will definitely want to stay put for a day or two as Storm warnings are posted for West Vancouver Island South including Barkley Sound. SE and SW Winds to 50knots (90kph) will be happening tonight and into tomorrow.

Winds are not forecast to be as strong here in the Valley. We’re slated to get up to 60kph overnight. There is always the possibility that we get a little more than forecast. On the West Coast they have a wind warning up for winds up to 80kph tonight.

Looks like mother nature wants to remind us that Summer isn’t here just yet. Still have a little kick of Spring to give. Enjoy the wildness, take in your plants off the sundeck and make sure the greenhouse is closed up. :)