BLOG POST # 3

    Weather and Climate Blog Post #3

     On a Micro Climate Scale Stockton, CA can see many different weather phenomenons from time to time.  The San Joaquin Valley can bring about sudden changes in weather but for the most part there is a certain predictability to the climate.  The Tule Fog is but one micro scale climate that is seen throughout early Autumn to early spring.  This fog is formed due to inversion.The cool air in and throughout this valley can bring havoc to farmers as early morning frost is always a threat to the livelihood of their crops.  From a Meso Climate Scale the Stockton area will always have the Maritime Polar air affecting it in the winter and the presence of the ITCZ during the summer.  The Maritime Polar brings fog and rain during the winter and the ITCZ brings on the summer heat suitable to successfully grow crops..with irrigation of course!

JANUARY: Mild and Moist

Average Highs and Lows for Stockton, CA Throughout January



Average Precipitation in Stockton, CA Throughout January



Types of Precipitation Seen in Stockton, CA Throughout January



     The average High in January is 57 degrees Fahrenheit with the average Low being 38 degrees Fahrenheit.  The Hottest day in January occurred in 2012 with a temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit.  The Coldest day in January occurred in 2007 with a temperature of 19.9 degrees.

JULY:  Hot and Dry!

Average Highs and Lows for Stockton, CA Throughout July



Average Precipitation in Stockton, CA in July



Types of Precipitation Seen in Stockton, CA Throughout July



     The average High in July is 94 degrees Fahrenheit with the average Low being 60 degrees Fahrenheit.  The Hottest day in July occurred in 2006 with a temperature of 115 degrees Fahrenheit.  The Coldest day in July occurred in 2009 with a temperature of 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

When looking at the average monthly Highs and Lows in both January and July for Stockton, CA there is only a moderate swing in differences.  There is about a 30 degree or so swing with the average Highs and about a 20 degree swing with the Lows.  This is most likely due to continentality.

STOCKTON, CA  vs.  MINNEAPOLIS, MN

     The glaring difference in these two climates has to be the precipitation levels.  Minneapolis has a higher percentage of precipitation year round with approximately 95 inches per year with Stockton receiving an average of 20 inches per year.  This is most likely due to stronger developed mid latitude cyclones.  The temperature in Stockton is higher on average due to Maritime air masses and the influence of the ITCZ.  This is not to say that Minneapolis does not have its hot days in the summer.  The receding continental polar air and presence of many bodies of water throughout the state.  The presence of these water bodies allows for the area to remain at a fairly warm temperature as water heats and cools faster than the surrounding land.  The lack of albedo also helps the temperatures skyrocket during the summer as well.  The warm Maritime air also helps in the warming of the area along with the development of precipitous storms.  If only Stockton, CA could gather some of this precipitation it might be better suited for farming with less irrigation.  I am sure that folks in Minneapolis would like to have the milder winters but the Continental and Maritime Polar air doesn't allow for this as the area feels the affects because of the cooling of the land and bodies of water.  Needless to say I would rather be spending my time in Stockton, CA year round, but the climate (minus the humidity) and the great fishing during the summer doesn't make Minneapolis too bad of a location.

Graphs can be found at weatherspark.com

BLOG POST #2

Weather and Climate Blog Post #2

Stockton, CA is affected by three main air masses.  During the summer Maritime Tropic air is most prominent and during the winter months Maritime Polar and Continental Polar affect the region.  This area experiences its mid-latitude cyclones during the winter months with the Maritime Polar air occluding with warmer fronts.  The summer months on the other hand are very boring and little to know precipitation or temperature variance is seen.  The summers are filled with hot dry days and mild to cool evenings and nights.

 

(nws.noaa.gov)

Above you can see that a stationary low is within the vicinity of Stockton, CA with possible rain in the next few days.  With all of this boring summer weather, what is one to talk about?  Although Stockton, CA is somewhat boring during the summer.  This place experiences a few unique weather patterns.

(cserc.org)

Tule fog is radiation fog which condenses when there is a high relative humidity (typically after a heavy rain), calm winds, and rapid cooling during the night. The nights are longer in the winter months, which allows for an extended period of ground cooling, and thereby a pronounced temperature inversion at a low altitude.Tule fog forms from late autumn through early spring after the first significant rainfall. The official time frame for tule fog to form is from November 1 to March 31. This phenomenon is named after the tule grass wetlands of the Central Valley. Motor vehicle accidents caused by the tule fog are the leading cause of weather-related casualties in California. (wikipedia.org)

(wunderground.com)

Another weather phenomenon..the Pineapple Express affects California as well.  Pineapple Express is a non-technical term for a meteorological phenomenon characterized by a strong and persistent flow of atmospheric moisture and associated with heavy precipitation from the waters adjacent to the Hawaiian Islands and extending to any location along the Pacific coast of North America. A Pineapple Express is an example of an atmospheric river, which is a more general term for such narrow corridors of enhanced water vapor transport at mid-latitudes around the world.

 

(blog.norcalweather.net)

Finally, Inversion is commonly seen in and around Stockton, CA.  This is beneficial to the agricultural setting in the area.  Late day warming gives certain crops an extra boost before the sun creeps behind the mountains.

BLOG POST #1

Weather and Climate Data Blog Post #1

Location:  Stockton, California USA

Latitude: 37.97 degrees N     

Longitude:  121.31 degrees W     

Elevation:  13ft (4m)
Station Location:  Garden Acres Weather Station           (www.wunderground.com)

Geographic Setting:

     The city of Stockton, CA has a total area of 64.8 square miles (168 km²).  61.7 square miles (160 km²) is land and 3.1 square miles (8.0 km²) (4.76%) is composed of water.  The city is located in the northern area of the San Joaquin Valley.  It sits 50 miles south of the state capital of Sacramento.  Stockton's climate is classified as a Mediterranean climate.  Characteristics of this climate include hot and dry summers and mild winters.  During the winter months there are approximately 20 days of at or below freezing temperatures.  The San Joaquin Valley also experiences a thick dense ground fog during the winter months.  The fog is named Tule after the tule grass wetlands.  July is generally the warmest month with December being the coldest.  January is the month that Stockton sees the most precipitation throughout the year.  The hottest temperature on record is 112 degrees Fahrenheit in 2006.  The coldest temperature on record is 13 degrees Fahrenheit in 1989.  The estimated Bowen Ratio's differ from the city to the agricultural areas.  The city has a Bowen ratio of approximately 1.5 and the rural areas have an approximate Bowen Ratio of .5 (irrigated land) - 1.0 (non-irrigated land).

General Info:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockton,_California
Bowen Ratio: http://www.arb.ca.gov/ch/communities/ra/westoakland/documents/appendixb_final.pdf  (pg. B-12)

Average Monthly Temperatures/Precipitation for Stockton, CA

Month	High  (°F)	Low (°F)	Precip. (in.)
January	56	38	3.41
February	63	41	3.2
March	68	45	2.68
April	74	47	1.41
May	82	53	0.56
June	89	57	0.1
July	94	59	0
August	93	58	0.02
September	90	56	0.29
October	80	50	0.99
November	67	42	2.16
December	57	37	3.05

Source:  http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/USCA1100

Average Temperatures/Precipitation for Sacramento, CA

 

Source: http://www.world-climates.com/city-climate-sacramento-california-usa-north-america/

As there was no graph for Stockton, CA; I decided to use the Sacramento, CA graph as it was the nearest locale.  As you can see there is an inverse relationship of temperature to precipitation.  The warmer the temperature equals lesser precipitation and vice versa.

Gang Gang Dance

Gang Gang Dance is an American experimental music band based in Manhattan, NY. The band is known for its distinctive sound which features synthesized electronics and percussion, plus the varied vocal styles of singer Lizzi Bougatsos. The band consists of Lizzi (vocals/percussion), Brian DeGraw (keys), Josh Diamond (guitar), Jesse Lee (drums), and Taka Imamura (vibes manager/muse/shaman/roadie). Tim DeWitt and Nathan Maddox were founding members of Gang Gang Dance. Tim Dewitt was the original drummer and Nathan Maddox was a vocalist. Maddox unfortunately was killed when he was struck by lightning while watching a thunderstorm on a rooftop in New York's Chinatown in 2002. "He had always wanted to be struck by lightning," DeGraw later wrote, "[and] when this particular storm rolled into the city, he made a point of going to the roof and offering himself to the sky, as he always did, and this time the sky obliged." The band seemed to gel and really start to take things a bit more "seriously" after the death. It was in 2004 that they released two LPs, but it wasn't until 2005 that they released their defining album. They recently released their newest album Eye Contact, this past May and this is "Mindkilla" from that album.

www.ganggangdance.com

Smelly Dog

Futurebirds

Futurebirds are a psychedelic country rock band from Athens, GA. The cast and crew of the band include Carter King (vocals/guitar/banjo/keys), Payton Bradford (drums/banjo/vocals), Thomas Johnson (mandolin/guitar), Brannen Miles (bass), Daniel Womack (guitar), and Dennis Love (pedal steel). Their name is derived from an old Native American legend. While sitting in a University of Georgia poultry science class “down at the chicken factory in Athens,” King learned that Native Americans believed birds could read and tell the future, and thus the name Futurebirds was born. Futurebirds are known for their high energy shows and country rock infused sound. Their music incorporates reverb-soaked four-part harmonies supported by pedal steel guitar, rhythmic percussion, banjo, mandolin, and acoustic and electric guitars with heavy feedback. I am real excited to see this band in October at the Larimer Lounge in Denver. This is "Ski Chalet" off of their 2010 release Hampton's Lullaby.

www.futurebirdsmusic.com

Smelly Dog