After the high drama of last week, this week appears to have started on a somewhat quieter note as far as global weather is concerned. Weather never stops though, and there is always something interesting going on.
The first things that caught my eye were the unseasonable temperatures currently affecting parts of North America. I was talking on the telephone to my aunt Rita in Palm Springs, California yesterday and she mentioned that it had been very cold. Sure enough, when I arrived at work this morning and perused some observations I noticed that much of the state had indeed been shivering away with temperatures a good eight Celsius below the seasonal norm.
Sunday’s temperatures were fairly poor in Los Angeles with an afternoon high of just 11C (52F). The December average here is over 19C (67F). Further out into the desert, Las Vegas in Nevada was even colder at just 8C (46F). The corresponding average here is over 14C (58F). Many parts dropped below freezing overnight.
The cold weather has actually been around for some time. A cold front moved across the area over a week ago, sending temperatures plummeting, and it seems they never managed to recover. In some places, records have been broken with temperatures falling to their lowest levels in decades. Crops have been threatened and farmers are continuing to keep a close eye out for frost damage, using giant wind machines to ward off the cold.
The good news is that temperatures should slowly recover this week, even getting to above average levels. By Friday, most areas will be seeing temperatures into the 20s C (70s F). Farmers will no doubt be pleased, as will my aunt, who probably wants to get back on the golf course without shivering!
