How is the weather?

[Kalevala]

Oooch. 40 miles off, but we frequently drive on that road when we visit Malibu Creek State Park or Malibu Lagoon. Up the hill from the Pepperdine University campus. The current wind event seems a lot less severe than the previous, so hopefully it won't be as difficult to control.

There is a "live" update section on the BBC's website here:  https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cj49n2g578qt

Someone, a student I believe took some video from the library at Pepperdine U. [where they were as I understand told to shelter].  I imagine that that would have been scary--particularly being so young.

Are you noticing much smoke in your area S.H.?

K

[Kalevala]

Aware a puff of wing compared to what other countries endure but "Storm Darragh" hit the UK pretty hard this weekend. 90mph winds recorded in the west country and Wales. Not so bad in my neck of the woods but still a case of batten down the hatches.
Loss of life minimal. However, a star player of the football club I support and fan favourite, Michail Antonio was lucky to escape with his life when his car skidded and hit a tree. It took an hour for him to cut free from the wreckage, after which airlifted to hospital. How he escaped with just a leg fracture is a miracle but I think his playing career will be over. 

I ran across an article on MSN which made it sound like the fracture was serious and that he would be out for at least a year and that it would take that long to assess whether or not he would be able to play again. 

K

[Irons]

I ran across an article on MSN which made it sound like the fracture was serious and that he would be out for at least a year and that it would take that long to assess whether or not he would be able to play again. 

K

We played Monday night after accident on Saturday. The players had a video call with Antonio from his hospital bed prior to the game and said he was cracking jokes.  The team wore Antonio tops with his number 9 and the crowd broke out in applause in the ninth minute of the game. I think we all know his playing career is over, but he is extremely lucky to escape with his life.

[DaveF]

We played Monday night after accident on Saturday. The players had a video call with Antonio from his hospital bed prior to the game and said he was cracking jokes.  The team wore Antonio tops with his number 9 and the crowd broke out in applause in the ninth minute of the game. I think we all know his playing career is over, but he is extremely lucky to escape with his life.

And managed quite nicely without him on Monday (although hardly against first-rate opposition).  I think one can safely say that there is immense regard and respect for Antonio throughout the footballing world - ten years, is it, at the same club, and managing to stay at the top of his game throughout?  We all wish him well, of course, but perhaps now in his mid-thirties might be a natural time to hang up his boots, whether or not he makes a full recovery.  Just good to see him alive.

As far as weather goes, even in Wales the really dangerous stuff was confined to the coastal strip (which is not to dismiss it, since the three largest cities, Cardiff, Swansea, Newport are all coastal).  Here, 20 miles inland, we had 50mph winds, but without much of the flooding that made the previous storm, two weeks ago, so disruptive.

[Kalevala]

Strange weather here:  Supposed to get unusually warm here today though with rain and possibly strong winds (already raining).  I'm praying for no flooding, etc.  Christmas tree (and other lights) are on which is helping to dispel the grey gloom.

Good day for more cleaning and tidying up.

K

[Spotted Horses]

There is a "live" update section on the BBC's website here:  https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cj49n2g578qt

Someone, a student I believe took some video from the library at Pepperdine U. [where they were as I understand told to shelter].  I imagine that that would have been scary--particularly being so young.

Are you noticing much smoke in your area S.H.?

K

No smoke here, all clear. The wind that drives these coastal fires typically comes down from the heights though the canyons and to the sea, carrying the bulk of the smoke with it.

Seems like the fire has transitioned from an explosive growth phase to a slow spread phase; the strong winds are past. It has entered the Pepperdine campus and hillside neighborhoods, nasty business. Another factor is that there is only one substantial road out, the Pacific Coast Highway, and in some spots the fire has crossed it. People can get trapped in there, as they did in Lahaina.

[Kalevala]

No smoke here, all clear. The wind that drives these coastal fires typically comes down from the heights though the canyons and to the sea, carrying the bulk of the smoke with it.

Seems like the fire has transitioned from an explosive growth phase to a slow spread phase; the strong winds are past. It has entered the Pepperdine campus and hillside neighborhoods, nasty business. Another factor is that there is only one substantial road out, the Pacific Coast Highway, and in some spots the fire has crossed it. People can get trapped in there, as they did in Lahaina.

Glad that the winds have calmed down.  I'm sure that that helps.

Read that Dick van Dyke and his wife evacuated with most of their pets.  Sadly, their cat Bobo ran outside while they were evacuating.  Hope that it is safe.  Last I read, their house was still standing.

K

[krummholz]

Strange weather here:  Supposed to get unusually warm here today though with rain and possibly strong winds (already raining).  I'm praying for no flooding, etc.  Christmas tree (and other lights) are on which is helping to dispel the grey gloom.

Good day for more cleaning and tidying up.

K

Or for sitting in one's office waiting for students to come by...

We have similar weather here as you might expect, but there's also a flood watch over nearly the entire state. It's already a mess due to the snow melt, which is just getting under way thanks to rising temps (+2ºC. or thereabouts). There's a lot of it to melt, and probably totals 25 cms (about 10") of equivalent fluffy snow. The actual depth is only about half that though. Translation: it's HEAVY.

[Kalevala]

Or for sitting in one's office waiting for students to come by...

We have similar weather here as you might expect, but there's also a flood watch over nearly the entire state. It's already a mess due to the snow melt, which is just getting under way thanks to rising temps (+2ºC. or thereabouts). There's a lot of it to melt, and probably totals 25 cms (about 10") of equivalent fluffy snow. The actual depth is only about half that though. Translation: it's HEAVY.

Oh, I hate shoveling heavy snow!  Hope that you don't get any flooding.  Looks like more rain for us tonight.  I know that we need it, but not all at once!

Office hours:  good chance to work on holiday cards (if quiet and don't need to work on grading, etc.). 

Perhaps we can figure out a way to send some of our moisture out to Malibu?

K

[krummholz]

Oh, I hate shoveling heavy snow!  Hope that you don't get any flooding.  Looks like more rain for us tonight.  I know that we need it, but not all at once!

Office hours:  good chance to work on holiday cards (if quiet and don't need to work on grading, etc.). 

Perhaps we can figure out a way to send some of our moisture out to Malibu?

K

I think Malibu is getting some rain now, or did recently, along with most of California.

We didn't get much flooding, and we didn't even lose our snowpack - it just turned mushy and now icy as the temp falls below freezing (-3ºC last I checked).

[Kalevala]

I think Malibu is getting some rain now, or did recently, along with most of California.

We didn't get much flooding, and we didn't even lose our snowpack - it just turned mushy and now icy as the temp falls below freezing (-3ºC last I checked).

Eh, icy....errr.   

K

[Spotted Horses]

I think Malibu is getting some rain now, or did recently, along with most of California.

No rain in Malibu recently or in the forecast. There was a big storm that affected Northern California up through Oregon, but it didn't get near here. But the strong offshore wind event has ended and the cool, humid onshore wind pattern has resumed. The fire is no longer spreading rapidly. If conditions continue it will peter out while firefighters build containment lines around it.

[Kalevala]

No rain in Malibu recently or in the forecast. There was a big storm that affected Northern California up through Oregon, but it didn't get near here. But the strong offshore wind event has ended and the cool, humid onshore wind pattern has resumed. The fire is no longer spreading rapidly. If conditions continue it will peter out while firefighters build containment lines around it.

A bit of good news:  Dick Van Dyke's home was spared AND Bobo (his cat) was found waiting outside his home.  Not certain of all of the details, but apparently (maybe in part due to the news exposure?) that animal control got involved.  https://abc7.com/post/dick-van-dykes-cat-bobo-found-after-going-missing-during-malibus-franklin-fire/15648393/

K

[Kalevala]

Watching the news about the brush fires in Pacific Palisades, California.  At least 1200 acres were on fire and the fire has jumped the Pacific Coast Highway (which apparently is 4-6 lanes wide).  It sounds like the Santa Ana wins will still be strong between 10 p.m. and I think 6 a.m.  The poor reporter from CNN, well his house is also in danger. 

The fire started about 10:30 this morning and spread quickly.

Drought conditions were I live (still), but we have received some rain (and light dustings of snow--but no real accumulations here)....quite cold though (hoping that no pipes burst).

K

[Spotted Horses]

Watching the news about the brush fires in Pacific Palisades, California.  At least 1200 acres were on fire and the fire has jumped the Pacific Coast Highway (which apparently is 4-6 lanes wide).  It sounds like the Santa Ana wins will still be strong between 10 p.m. and I think 6 a.m.  The poor reporter from CNN, well his house is also in danger. 

The fire started about 10:30 this morning and spread quickly.

Drought conditions were I live (still), but we have received some rain (and light dustings of snow--but no real accumulations here)....quite cold though (hoping that no pipes burst).

K

The Palisades fire is just 10 miles down the PCH from the Franklin Fire in Malibu. Reported 100 MPH wind gusts are pushing the fire close to and into residential neighborhoods in Pacific Palisades and neighboring Santa Monica and winds are expected to continue at least for another day.

Well into January and no rain this season, except for two days of light rain in November. The wind has not been too extreme in Ventura this time, but having no substantial rain this late in the season puts me on edge.  Parts of Ventura County have had their power cut off for three days as a precautionary measure, because downed power lines in the mountains are a frequent cause of wildfires. We have not lost power, so far.

[Kalevala]

The Palisades fire is just 10 miles down the PCH from the Franklin Fire in Malibu. Reported 100 MPH wind gusts are pushing the fire close to and into residential neighborhoods in Pacific Palisades and neighboring Santa Monica and winds are expected to continue at least for another day.

Well into January and no rain this season, except for two days of light rain in November. The wind has not been too extreme in Ventura this time, but having no substantial rain this late in the season puts me on edge.  Parts of Ventura County have had their power cut off for three days as a precautionary measure, because downed power lines in the mountains are a frequent cause of wildfires. We have not lost power, so far.

I've been checking out CNN off and on (now on).  Stunning/horrifying really that there are now four (I believe) fires going on.  Hard to see what happened to downtown Palisades and other areas:  Eaton (in Altadena) too.  No longer "just" in the mountains/hills.  Good God!

How far away are you from the closest of them?

K

[Karl Henning]

No smoke here, all clear. The wind that drives these coastal fires typically comes down from the heights though the canyons and to the sea, carrying the bulk of the smoke with it.

Seems like the fire has transitioned from an explosive growth phase to a slow spread phase; the strong winds are past. It has entered the Pepperdine campus and hillside neighborhoods, nasty business. Another factor is that there is only one substantial road out, the Pacific Coast Highway, and in some spots the fire has crossed it. People can get trapped in there, as they did in Lahaina.

Good luck!

[Karl Henning]

Here in Boston: bitter cold. The base temperature itself is merely seasonable (a stretch of time with high temperatures not quite so high as the freezing point) but periods of high wind which exacerbate the cold terrifically. Now that I'm back home from Lulu's in Salem, I'm staying indoors until my PT appt Friday.

[Kalevala]

Here in Boston: bitter cold. The base temperature itself is merely seasonable (a stretch of time with high temperatures not quite so high as the freezing point) but periods of high wind which exacerbate the cold terrifically. Now that I'm back home from Lulu's in Salem, I'm staying indoors until my PT appt Friday.

Stay warm Karl!

K

[Kalevala]

@Spotted Horses How are you doing?

K