Front page 6.29.11

To read the entire issue, purchase a copy today. You can subscribe online by clicking here.

Another beautiful day in paradise

Translation: It’s going to be a beautiful day. On Tuesday and Wednesday it may rain, but next weekend will be sunny and warm. – Jack

Raw from the NWS:

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EUREKA CA
348 AM PDT SUN JUN 26 2011

.SYNOPSIS…GENERALLY FAIR WEATHER WILL CONTINUE ACROSS NW
CALIFORNIA TODAY AND TONIGHT. LATE MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY AN
UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM WILL BRING A CHANCE FOR RAIN AND ISOLATED
THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE INTERIOR.

&&

.DISCUSSION…SAT IMAGES THIS MORNING ARE SHOWING SLIGHTLY MORE
STRATUS AROUND THAN YESTERDAY MORNING ALONG THE COAST NORTH OF
CAPE MENDOCINO. THESE AREAS ARE EXPECTED TO BURN OFF FAIRLY QUICKLY
AGAIN THIS MORNING WITH MOST OF THE AREA CLEAR BY NOON.
TEMPERATURES WILL BE SIMILAR TO YESTERDAY ACROSS THE AREA WITH
LITTLE CHANGE TO THE AIRMASS.

MODELS HAVE FINALLY COME INTO BETTER AGREEMENT AND MORE CONSISTENT
WITH AN UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE THAT IS PROGGED TO MOVE SOUTH
FROM THE GULF OF ALASKA AND BEGIN TO INFLUENCE THE AREA ON MONDAY.
THE NAM AND THE ECMWF WERE IN GOOD AGREEMENT SO TRENDED THE
FORECAST TOWARDS THAT SOLUTION. FLOW WILL BECOME MORE ONSHORE ON
MONDAY AS THE SURFACE RIDGE AXIS MOVES OVERHEAD SO MORE
WIDESPREAD LOW CLOUDS AND FOG ARE EXPECTED ALONG THE COAST. INLAND
CLOUDS WILL INCREASE IN THE AFTERNOON AHEAD OF THE SYSTEM MAKING
AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES SLIGHTLY COOLER. THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE
OF THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE TRINITY ALPS AND THE YOLLA BOLLAS AS THE
UPPER LOW BEGINS TO APPROACH THE AREA ON MONDAY AFTERNOON.
TUESDAY THERE IS A BETTER CHANCE OF RAIN FOR THE ENTIRE AREA AS
THE UPPER LOW APPROACHES THE COAST. MODELS ARE SHOWING SIGNIFICANT
INSTABILITY OVER INLAND AREAS SO WILL CONTINUE WITH CHANCE OF
THUNDERSTORMS. THE MODELS HAVE BACKED OFF ON QPF…HOWEVER I STILL
THINK THEY ARE ON THE HIGH END SO TRIMMED THEM BACK. KEPT STORMS TOTALS
AROUND A QUARTER OF AN INCH IN MOST AREAS WITH UP TO A HALF IN
POSSIBLE IN FAVORED AREAS. THE CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND AFTERNOON
THUNDERSTORMS INLAND CONTINUE THROUGH WEDNESDAY. TUESDAY AND
WEDNESDAY TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO BE WELL BELOW NORMAL ACROSS
THE INLAND AREAS WITH TUESDAY BEING THE COOLEST DAY.

THURSDAY INTO THE WEEKEND MODELS ARE SHOWING A DECENT RIDGE
BUILDING INTO THE REGION. TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO REBOUND BACK
TO SOME OF THE WARMEST TEMPERATURES OF THE SEASON BY NEXT WEEKEND.

Humboldt Bar Webcam

Check out the new Humboldt Bar Webcam.

From the NWS:

Conditions at the entrance to Humboldt Bay Harbor can now be checked online by going to http://www.weather.gov/eureka/marine and navigating to the new webcam made available through collaboration between the National Weather Service, the United States Coast Guard, and the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Conservation and Recreation District.

The Humboldt Bay Bar Cam is pointing towards the south jetty from the north jetty so it shows much of the entrance and bar channels. The images are ten seconds apart and are updated every ten minutes. It is important to remember that waves can be bigger than those captured on the Bar Cam, and that waves can suddenly get larger due to changes in tide and the arrival of larger sets of waves. Mariners are reminded that the Bar Cam is just one more piece of information for making navigation decisions and they should not rely on it solely to determine if the harbor entrance is safe to transit. Check for latest Bar conditions by calling the Coast Guard using your marine VHF radio on channel 22A.

‘General troughiness’

I’ll confess that sometimes I have trouble translating the NWS “discussion” of local weather. My interpretation of this morning’s discussion is that there’s a big ole layer of fog reaching as high as 2,000 feet. In the afternoon, wind may blow this fog away, giving us sunshine. But it will be gusty and cool. Right? – Jack

Raw from the NWS:

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EUREKA CA
425 AM PDT THU JUN 23 2011

.SYNOPSIS…DAYTIME TEMPERATURES WILL BE COOLER FOR THE REMAINDER
OF THE WEEK AS AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH LINGERS ALONG THE WEST COAST.
HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING INTO THE EASTERN PACIFIC WILL CAUSE
INCREASING NORTH WINDS…LEADING TO MORE AFTERNOON SUNSHINE ALONG
THE COAST DURING THE AFTERNOONS THROUGH THE WEEKEND.

&&

.DISCUSSION…PER LATEST SATELLITE PIC…TROUGH AXIS IS SET TO
SWING THROUGH NW CA THIS MORNING. THE MARINE LAYER IS AT ITS
MAXIMUM DEPTH EARLY THIS MORNING (AROUND 2000 FT)…AND SHOULD MIX
OUT LATER THIS MORNING AS NORTH WINDS INCREASE BEHIND THE TROUGH.
TEMPS WILL BE ANOTHER 5-10 DEGREES BELOW YESTERDAYS READINGS
ACROSS THE INTERIOR AS COOLER AIR FILTERS IN BEHIND THE TROUGH.
GENERAL TROUGHINESS WILL HANG ON ALONG THE WEST COAST AS SFC HIGH
PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE E PAC. THIS SCENARIO WILL LEAD TO A TIGHT
PRESSURE GRADIENT ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST WITH GUSTY AFTERNOON
WINDS LEADING TO SUNSHINE IN THE AFTERNOONS THROUGH FRI AS THE MARINE
LAYER MIXES OUT. A MORE SUBSTANTIAL SHORTWAVE MOVES THROUGH ON
SAT…CAUSING THE PRESSURE GRADIENT TO SLACKEN…LEADING TO A
RETURN TO MORE STRATUS. WEAK RIDGING BUILDS IN FOR SUN AND MON
AHEAD OF A BROADER TROUGH DROPPING OUT OF THE GULF OF ALASKA.
MODEL RUN-TO-RUN CONSISTENCY IN REGARDS TO THIS TROUGH HAS BEEN
POOR AND THUS CONFIDENCE IS LOW…BUT OVERALL HUNG ONTO SCHC POPS
FOR MTN -SHRA/TSTMS TUE AND WED DUE TO INCREASED ONSHORE FLOW AND
WEAK INSTABILITY. JCA

&&

.AVIATION…MARINE CLOUDS ENTRENCHED ACROSS THE LITTORAL ZONE ONCE
AGAIN THIS MORNING BUT A LITTLE MORE MIXING DUE TO A PASSING UPPER
TROUGH HAS ALLOWED CIGS TO RISE SLIGHTLY…ESPECIALLY AT KCEC. THE
TROUGH WILL PASS BY THE REGION TODAY WHICH SHOULD ALLOW FOR
CONTINUED MIXING ALONG THE COAST. THUS HIGHER CIGS AND POSSIBLY EVEN
CLEARING WILL OCCUR LATER THIS AFTERNOON. INLAND VFR CONDITIONS WILL
BE MAINTAINED.

Front page 6.22.11

To read this week’s McKinleyville Press, purchase a copy from one of our newspaper racks or from a retail location in McKinleyville, Trinidad, Fieldbrook, Arcata or Eureka. Click here to subscribe.

Fog

I translate this as meaning it will remain foggy on the coast through at least tomorrow morning. – Jack

Raw from the NWS:

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EUREKA CA
920 AM PDT WED JUN 22 2011

.SYNOPSIS…DAYTIME TEMPERATURES WILL BE COOLER FOR THE REMAINDER
OF THE WEEK AS AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH MOVES INTO THE PACIFIC
NORTHWEST AND A DEEPER MARINE LAYER DEVELOPS.

&&

.UPDATE…VIS SAT IMAGERY SHOWS FG/STRATUS ENTRENCHED ALONG THE
REDWOOD COAST AND COASTAL WATERS WITH CLR SKIES ELSEWHERE. ISSUED A
QUICK UPDATE TO REMOVE FG AND LOWER SKY OVER THE MENDOCINO COAST.
&&

.PREV DISCUSSION…ISSUED AT 415 AM PDT WED JUN 22 2011…AN UPPER
LEVEL TROUGH CURRENTLY IN THE SOUTHERN GULF OF ALASKA WILL SLOWLY
SWING THROUGH THE PACNW THROUGH THURSDAY. THE MAIN IMPACTS OF THIS
TROUGH WILL BE COOLER TEMPS ACROSS THE INTERIOR AND A DEEPENING OF
THE MARINE LAYER.

STRATUS CURRENTLY ALONG THE COAST AROUND 1000 FT THICK…AND
EXPECTED TO DEEPEN AS THE TROUGH APPROACHES AND ONSHORE FLOW
STRENGTHENS. PATCHY FG/DZ IS POSSIBLE UNDER THIS PATTERN LATE AT
NIGHT AND IN THE MORNING…WITH THE MARINE LAYER AT ITS DEEPEST
THU MORNING (AROUND 2000 FT) WITH TROUGH PASSAGE. STRATUS MAY
CREEP INTO WESTERN TRINITY COUNTY WITH SUCH A DEEP MARINE LAYER
WHICH WILL CERTAINLY INHIBIT MAX TEMPS. CU BUILDUPS ARE LIKELY
OVER THE INTERIOR THIS AFTERNOON AS THE TROUGH AXIS
APPROACHES…WITH THE BEST DYNAMICS AND MOISTURE FOR TSTM
DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE TRINITY ALPS AND POINTS TO THE N AND E.
AFTER COORDINATION WITH NEIGHBORING OFFICES AND SPC…HAVE DECIDED
TO INCLUDE ISO T MENTION FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. GIVEN CURRENT
SATELLITE TRENDS AND MODEL SOUNDINGS…CONFIDENCE IS INCREASING
THAT A FEW TSTMS WILL IGNITE OVER THE HORN OF TRINITY COUNTY…BUT
THIS SCENARIO WILL NEED TO BE CLOSELY MONITORED AS THE DAY
PROGRESSES AND DAYTIME HEATING COMMENCES.

IN REGARDS TO TEMPS…HIGHS WILL BE 10-15 DEGREES COOLER TODAY
THAN ON TUESDAY…COOLING ANOTHER 5 OR MORE DEGREES ON THU.
HEIGHTS REBOUND SLIGHTLY ON FRIDAY…BUT TEMPS WILL BE SLOW TO
WARM AS A MEAN TROUGH LINGERS OVER THE W COAST. MODELS SHOW
ANOTHER SHORT WAVE TROUGH DROPPING S FROM THE GULF OF AK THIS
WEEKEND MAINTAINING A MEAN TROUGH OVER THE REGION CONTINUING THE
NEAR TO SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL TEMPS. AS WE HEAD INTO EARLY NEXT
WEEK…GLOBAL MODELS ARE HINTING AT A STRONGER TROUGH DROPPING
SOUTH ALONG THE WEST COAST. AMPLITUDE AND PLACEMENT OF THIS TROUGH
IS STILL VERY UNCERTAIN…BUT HAVE GONE AHEAD AND INTRODUCED A SLIGHT
CHANCE OF RAIN WITH THIS FEATURE BEGINNING LATE MON. JCA

.AVIATION…MARINE CLOUDS MAKING MORE OF A PRESENCE THIS MORNING
ALONG THE COAST. HI RES FORECAST MODELS SUGGEST A DEEPER MARINE
LAYER TODAY LASTING LONGER INTO THE AFTERNOON DUE TO AN APPROACHING
TROUGH. THUS PERIODS OF IFR DUE TO CIGS AND VIS COULD LAST THROUGH
THE MORNING BEFORE LIFTING TO MVFR CIGS THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON.
SOME VFR BREAKS LIKELY BY LATE AFTERNOON. ELSEWHERE INLAND AREAS
WILL REMAIN VFR.

.MARINE…TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT REMAINS FOCUSED OVER THE COASTAL
WATERS AND NEAR COAST REGION…AND THIS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE
REMAINDER OF THE WORK WEEK. THE GRADIENT INTENSIFIES ON THU AS A
THERMAL LOW INTENSIFIES ACROSS THE INTERIOR OF THE STATE. THIS
WILL LIKELY LEAD TO GALE FORCE WINDS AND HIGHER GUSTS THURSDAY AND
FRIDAY…WITH A SLIGHT RELAXATION OF THE GRADIENT ON SAT.

Front page 6.8.11

To read the entire issue, purchase a copy from one of our racks or from a retail location in McKinleyville, Trinidad, Fieldbrook, Arcata or Eureka.  Better yet, subscribe today and you won’t miss a single issue!

Mad River Bluffs Trail Opening Celebration

 

The McKinleyville Land Trust (MLT) invites local residents to a grand opening celebration for the recently completed trail system at the Mad River Bluffs natural area, located just west of Hiller Park in McKinleyville, on Saturday, June 11, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Mad River Bluffs Trail Opening Celebration will be held at the site’s meadow area, where two new picnic tables have been installed, west of Hiller Park near one of the Mad River overlooks (see map). The MLT board and local naturalists will be on hand to discuss the history of the site and to lead docent walks throughout the bluff property. There will also be an opportunity to participate in trail maintenance activities and contribute to sustaining this beautiful new trail system. The MLT board will have snacks and drinks, as well as informational handouts about the area. Please park at Hiller Park and follow the signs to the event.
Thanks to a grant from the California River Parkways Grant Program (Proposition 50), the McKinleyville Land Trust was able to partner with the Redwood Community Action Agency (RCAA) to improve nearly 6,500 feet of trail, construct four overlooks above the Mad River, and build a new staircase down to the river bank.
Trail improvements, begun last fall, were completed in partnership with the California Conservation Corps, under the direction of Kevin Wright of RCAA.
In addition to the upgraded trails and the staircase leading to the Mad River, the crews created a gravel parking area at the foot of Ocean Drive and Hiller Road and decommissioned several informal trails dissecting the native coastal pine forest. Several interpretive signs have been erected throughout the property, as well as two picnic tables, trash cans, and doggie pot stations.  The Baduwat Trail, which runs from the parking area at Ocean Drive to the adjacent Hiller Park property, has been made ADA accessible and leads to a stunning overlook above the Mad River.
The 75-acre property was saved from housing development in 2001 when the California Coastal Conservancy purchased the site for $600,000 and turned it over to the McKinleyville Land Trust for preservation and public access.
The Mad River Bluffs natural area offers spectacular views of the Mad River and Pacific Ocean. It also contains many species of native plants and trees, offering visitors the experience of a unique native coastal forest.
Notable in the property are the native coastal pines along with large Sitka spruce trees that represent the southernmost distribution of the locally declining Sitka spruce range. These exceptionally large trees offer unique habitats for several types of fungus and ferns, and were noted for their use in Native American basketry.
The MLT is dedicated to the conservation of our local open spaces for their ecological, historical, agricultural, educational, recreational and scenic values.
It was started in 1994 as a result of local residents’ response to the development of the Mill Creek Shopping Center and its potential impacts on Mill Creek.
In addition to the Mad River Bluffs property, the MLT owns a 10-acre parcel (known as Chah-GAH-Cho) behind and west of the Mill Creek Shopping Center. The MLT’s third parcel is a 2.5-acre seasonal pond known as the Dow’s Prairie Educational Wetland, which is a US Fish and Wildlife Service Schoolyard Habitat Program site and will be used as an outdoor classroom by the adjacent elementary school.
The MLT, a small tax-exempt nonprofit, is operated by a part-time all-volunteer board which relies on donations and fundraising to raise money to cover the costs of keeping its three parcels open to the public. The MLT is looking for interested volunteers to help maintain the existing trails at MRB or work on restoration efforts, as well as  a variety of other projects on other local properties MLT owns or manages. For additional information about MRB, the upcoming celebration, or to discuss how you could get involved with the McKinleyville Land Trust, check out the web site: mlandtrust.org, or phone 839-LAND and ask for more information.

 

‘Warming and Drying Trend’

A "warming and drying trend" sounds nice.

Raw from the NWS:

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EUREKA CA
 402 AM PDT TUE JUN 7 2011
 
 .SYNOPSIS...A WARMING AND DRYING TREND WILL BEGIN TODAY AND
 CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEK...WITH THE EXCEPTION OF LOW CLOUDS AND
 FOG AT TIMES ALONG THE COAST.
 
 &&
 
 .DISCUSSION...WATER VAPOR AND RUC ANALYSIS SHOW THE RIDGE
 BEGINNING TO BUILD IN ACROSS THE REGION AS PROGGED BY THE MODELS.
 WIDESPREAD CLOUDS ARE IN STILL IN PLACE ACROSS THE AREA. EXPECT
 MOST AREAS INLAND TO CLEAR BY MIDDAY. THIS WILL FINALLY ALLOW
 TEMPERATURES TO WARM UP INLAND...ALTHOUGH TODAY THEY WILL REMAIN
 BELOW SEASONAL NORMALS. UKIAH HAS SEEN THE COLDEST AND WETTEST
 START TO THE MONTH OF JUNE IN ITS PERIOD OF RECORD THAT DATES BACK
 TO THE 1890S. WITH SOLID NORTH TO NORTHWEST FLOW TODAY EXPECT THE
 COAST NORTH OF CAPE MENDOCINO WILL REMAIN MOSTLY CLOUDY THROUGH
 THE DAY ALTHOUGH A FEW BREAKS ARE POSSIBLE IN THE AFTERNOON.
 TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY FOG IN THE INLAND VALLEYS IS LIKELY
 WITH THE RECENT RAINFALL...ESPECIALLY IN MENDOCINO COUNTY WHERE
 RAINFALL AMOUNTS WERE MORE SIGNIFICANT. WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY
 TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE TO WARM INLAND WITH NEAR NORMAL
 TEMPERATURES BOTH DAYS ACROSS THE AREA FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A
 COUPLE WEEKS. COASTAL LOW CLOUDS/FOG WILL BE PRESENT BOTH MORNINGS
 MAINLY NORTH OF CAPE MENDOCINO...HOWEVER FLOW IS WEAKLY OFFSHORE
 SO EXPECT PARTIAL CLEARING THE AFTERNOON. FRIDAY INTO THE WEEKEND
 A SERIES OF WEAK SHORTWAVES WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA. AT THIS
 POINT THE MAIN IMPACT APPEARS TO BE A FEW HIGH CLOUDS INLAND.
 ALONG THE COAST THE ENHANCED LIFT MAY PRODUCE SOME DRIZZLE SO
 ADDED THIS TO THE FORECAST. EARLY NEXT WEEK THE GFS AND ECMWF ARE
 SHOWING A TROUGH MOVING OVER THE REGION. MKK

Rex Bohn to seek First District seat

 

Bohn wants the seat now held by Jimmy Smith on the Board of Supervisors.

Here’s the raw press release from Bohn:

REX BOHN ANNOUNCES CANDIDACY FOR FIRST DISTRICT SUPERVISOR Eureka, CA, June 3, 2011– Rex Bohn, well-known community leader, youth advocate and founder of Redwood Fields Ballpark in Cutten has announced his intention to focus his energy and dedication to seeking the First District Supervisorial seat in 2012. A formal campaign announcement will take place on July 7th at Redwood Fields from 12-1 p.m. The public is invited. Rex is a lifelong resident of Humboldt County . As a child, his parents owned The Park Grocery on Hodgson St. in Eureka , where he greeted customers and learned first-hand the value of customer service and the economics of running a business. “To make a community better, you must be involved,” said Rex, who has been serving the community since 1977 when he chaired the Humboldt/Del Norte Special Olympics. He has worked for 40 years in Humboldt County as a small business owner and in management positions with local employers. Rex has what it takes to help build and sustain Humboldt County’s economic future and looks forward to focusing his efforts to create positive solutions for Humboldt County families. Rex is well-known as the driving force behind the Redwood Fields Ballpark. This recreational facility continues to host over 450 baseball, football, basketball, bocce ball and soccer games each year. His fundraising efforts as volunteer Auctioneer on behalf of hundreds of local non-profits are unparalleled; having raised more than $7 million…and counting. “Rex is, without a doubt, one of the most dedicated, involved people in Humboldt County,” said Fourth District Supervisor Virginia Bass. Rex has served on the Board of Directors for many local organizations; notably 10 years on the Redwood Acres Fair Board of Directors, and three years on the Board of the Eureka Chamber of Commerce. He has also received numerous awards and honors for his service to the youth of our county. Accolades such as the St. Bernards High School Hall of Fame; Boys & Girls Club Youth Mentor of the Year; PTA Honorary service Award; The Women in Timber Lifetime Member; and Congressional Volunteer Service Award, exemplify how Rex’s leadership transcends from local to state levels. Rex Bohn is committed to bringing his life-long passion for community activism to Humboldt County’s Board of Supervisors in 2012. Rex is the change our county needs, and the driving force to make it happen.