Weekly Weather Report for West Pasco’s
Urban Agriculture Community
A Service Of
Friendship Farms & Fare
http://www.fffsite.org/
Weekly Weather Report
November 30, 2015
Friendship Farms & Fare is a branch of Ecology Florida, a not-for-profit corporation.
Contributions to Friendship Farms & Fare and Ecology Florida are tax deductible.
If you would like to support our work, please consider sharing a donation.
PO Box 596 ● New Port Richey, Florida 34656-0596
Weekly Weather Report
Brief Cool Spell Ending This Week
Breaking News:
It is being reported that 2015 will be the hottest year in recorded history – replacing 2014 as the hottest year on record (since records have been kept, 1880)
http://www.cnbc.com/2015/11/25/2015-to-be-hottest-year-on-recorduntil-next-year-wmo.html
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/11/2015-set-hottest-year-record-151125154306485.html
63 degrees at 2:00 AM, November 29, 2015
Historic Average (for 11/30) 75 HIGH, 58 Weather Underground: http://www.wunderground.com/
See the complete weekly weather report later in the Farm Report.
Historically, the average high temperature is now 75 degrees (five degrees higher than the lowest average high of the year [70]), and fifteen degrees lower than our highest average [90]). Our average low is now 58 degrees, sixteen degrees lower than our highest average low of the year (76), and seven degrees higher than lowest average low [51].
Average highs and lows continue their annual decline, which lasts until January, when we reach our lowest average temperatures – 70 and 51. Thus far for the fall, we have been well above normal.
This past summer Hottest Ever Recorded: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), NASA, and Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) data indicate this past summer (June-August, 2015) was the hottest in recorded history. NOAA also reports that July was the hottest month in recorded history. We at the 3-F Farm Report are not surprised. See this story.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/summer-2015-hottest_55fae2bfe4b0fde8b0cd408e
It is now being reported that 2015 will be the hottest year in recorded history – replacing 2014 as the hottest year on record (since records have been kept, 1880). Ocean and land temperatures were at their all time highs. 2014 was also the warmest winter on record in the Arctic, and May 2015 was the hottest May on record.
Looks like November will join this list.
Know the Science:
This is no great surprise to us. Temperatures have been running well above normal most of the year here at the farms; and for the past few years, our highs and lows have typically run a bit higher than historic averages. Last year the trend continued, and so far this year, it is still continuing. Although humans may enjoy unseasonably warm weather, above normal temperatures stress plants and animals.
According to NASA, 97% of climate scientists agree that global warming and resultant climate change is a reality and most likely due to human activity. http://climate.nasa.gov/scientific-consensus/.
Here is NOAA on the human causes of climate change and global warming. http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/pd/climate/factsheets/howhuman.pdf
Last Week (11/20-11/26) : The much trumpeted “first cold front of the season,” brought us one day of below normal temperatures (70 degrees on Monday). Besides Monday, every day last week was at or above normal highs. Remember, our normal high should be 75-76 degrees and our low 58 – and record highs are in the mid- 80s.
This Week (11/27-12/3) WU’s forecasts above normal temperatures every day in the coming week. Several days will be well above normal. Watch Monday and Tuesday for possible recording breaking high temperatures – 84 degrees.
So, we’ll again be above normal for most of the week.
We do ask our readers to be mindful (and maybe remind others) that TV weather reports are simply not accurate (and maybe not truth) when they use phrases like “this is normal,” or “this is what you can expect,” or “this is not uncommon,” or “typical for Florida at this time of the year.” It is not clear why they so consistently are minimizing this extreme heat, but it seems fairly common.
What is clear is that not one local weather reporter uses the term “climate change” or “global warming” to explain these extremely high (record-breaking) temperatures.
We’ll use it here and note again: This is exactly what Climate Change looks like. This is how Global Warming works: Twenty straight days of above normal temperatures, five record breaking highs, two all-time highs for the month.
Comment: Climate Amnesia II Most folks do not remark on the long run of days with above normal heat. Then again, most folks do not spend much time outside of climatized indoor spaces or air-conditioned cars.
We are attributing this lack of awareness (or indifference) to climate amnesia, which is akin to landscape amnesia – the process through which individuals become used to something detrimental, dangerous, or destructive because is occurs slowly and they forget what normal is. Climate amnesia may work the same way – so that upper 80s and low 90s in October and November seem normal enough, because we have forgotten that the historical norm is highs in the upper 70s to low 80s. So, when the temperature drops to 84 or so, it does seem cooler, and we remark what a nice day it is – obvious to the fact that the normal high is in the 70s.
Climate Amnesia is also enhanced by the relent rhetoric from local weather reporters asserting that these exceptional weather conditions are normal and this persistent record-breaking heat is “not uncommon.” Well, it is uncommon.
Looking Ahead: Daylight will continue to get shorter, just as it has since the summer solstice — June 21, the day with the longest period of time between sunup and sunset during the year. The equinox (which occurred on October 22) is when the shortening of daylight has brought day and night into balance. The days will continue to get shorter until the winter solstice — “the shortest day of the year,” December 21.
Friendship Farms & Fare affirms and advances agrarian ideals to reestablish a sustainable culture
Ecology Florida advances the harmonious integration of healthy natural, cultural, and economic ecologies to regenerate a sustainable world
PO Box 596 ● New Port Richey, Florida 34656-0596
