Harry

In interviews that appeared in the Ragister (April 1) and Radio Iowa (April 2), State climatologist Harry Hillaker is reported to have said this about last month's weather --

March 2013 was the coldest March in Iowa since 1975 and the 17th coldest in history.

And

we have to go back all the way to 1984 to find a colder March, and possibly further back once all the data comes in.

As for temperatures -- In March, temperatures were roughly 22 degrees cooler every day than they were last March, Hillaker said. But that didn’t break any records, falling only 6 degrees below the monthly average.

And

“Preliminarily, temperatures averaging about seven degrees colder than usual,” Hillaker says.

Snowfall for March -- “Actually, the snowiest March since 1998 — the state average was about 9.8-inches.

The National Weather Service has it at 9.6 inches.

Close enough for government work and the scientific community is united in that fact.

A Change Of Seasons

Ragister reporter Joel Aschbrenner makes an Ash of President Obama, The Pickle and all believers of the Greenhouse Effect, err Global Warming, err Climate Change .

And the scientific community is united in that fact.

After year of dramatic weather shifts, what's next?

Pinning down a specific cause for the dramatic shift in the weather is difficult.

“There’s not a real smoking gun,” said Jim Lee, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Johnston office.

According to State climatologist Harry Hillaker, June wrapped up as one of the more “normal” months we’ve had in some time...as the past month saw both temperatures and precipitation that were nearly dead on.

As for the answer to Aschbrenner's question, Hillaker says Iowa could be in for near-normal temperatures and precipitation during July.

Who's To Blame, Senorita?

Trying to never let a serious crisis to go to waste, Iowa Senator Rob Boss Hogg got the Ragister to print his opinion piece

The era of climate disasters has begun

Hogg cites floodwaters along the Mississippi River and the tornado that struck Joplin, Missouri as a new era of human history -- an era of climate disasters, where human fingerprints are found on disasters previously called "natural."

Naturally not everyone agrees and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Hogg's hometown newspaper, the Cedar Rapids Gazette, quotes State Climatologist Harry Hillaker -- The nation’s stormy spring is typical for a waning La Nina. The La Nina weather pattern is characterized by unusually cold ocean temperatures in the eastern equatorial Pacific.

La Nina's have been documented in 1904.

Then there are those who state, “global warming is reducing the threat from tornadoes.”

Global warming causes tornadoes? Oops. Not exactly

If Boss Hogg needs to see the human fingerprints of disaster, he only needs to look in the mirror.




















That may be a little harsh, I'm sure Boss Hogg is just trying to be a conscientious liver, like this young lady.

North Iowan biking to raise climate change awareness

There's no hope for me or my liver.

Oh The Weather Outside Is

That sums up Iowa weather for the last few years.

There's no need for Harry Hillaker, or any other weather wienie.

And the scientific community is united in that fact.

I Can't Stand The Rain

More moisture has moved through the Not So Vast Right Wing Ranch and more is expected.

I miss the summers where I could let mowing go for a couple of weeks because the lack of rain retarded the grasses growth.

In recent years, I've had to let the mowing go for a couple of weeks because it's just too damn wet and the scientific community is united in that fact.

State Climatologist Harry Hillaker says this summer is the fourth-wettest summer on record and we still have "...a whole month to go.”

There's some good news!

Soon we'll all be needing our own private dams.

June and July rain totals exceed those of 2008 and are second all time, only behind 1993.

Snow (Hey Oh)

I'm sure this will make its way into the global warm-errs argument.

Snowless Des Moines: City nears record for longest stretch without snow

Today will mark the 275th day without measurable snowfall in Des Moines, the last being 0.2" on March 4.

Is it really a record?

And worth measuring?

Historically, June, July and August aren't big snow months and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Now they're fretting about the unlikelihood of a White Christmas.

I'm with State Climatologist Harry Hillaker -- "Every nice day we have now is one less day of winter. Winter's not really my favorite season of the year.  It's nice not having to wear the heavy winter jacket and all that stuff."

Besides, it was just 2010 when we were looking at nearing the record of 72 inches of snow.

Not Wild About Harry

In October I copied down a Ragister article that featured the State Climatologist, Harry Hillaker.

I was hopeful he'd be spot on when he stated...

"the midwinter months of December, January and February, we often have warmer than normal and drier months, which means less snowfall".

BUZZ--WRONG!

It’s official, Des Moines: This December is the snowiest on record.

Des Moines has recorded 27.7 inches for the month, besting the 2000 record of 26.9 inches.

Des Moines could add to its snowfall this week. There’s a 50 percent chance of snow on Wednesday according to the National Weather Service.

This must be what is meant by epic fail and the scientific community is united in that fact.

That Doesn't Register

After reading this story, I can't help but wonder how Tom Barton survived the recent layoffs at the Ragister.

Warmer weather following deep freeze

Chris pointed out this paragraph...

December 2008 will be one for the record books. Wednesday was the only dry day this month. The statewide average snowfall this month is 13.7 inches, not counting Wednesday's storm, said Harry Hillaker, the state climatologist.

If there was a storm on Wednesday, it couldn't have been the only dry day and the scientific community is united in that fact.

I'm A Dumbass Baby!

My name is Ed Wilson, I'm the Chief Weather Wienie on WHO DT.

I've been bloviating the past few newscasts how I want Des Moines to set a new record for snow, topping the old record of 72" set in 1911-1912.

Never mind it'll put snow removal budgets further in the red, or worsen the chances for flooding and possibly put the public in jeopardy with travel.

I like to hear myself talk and the scientific community is united in that fact.

State climatologist Harry Hillaker couldn't disagree more, "I don't think anybody wants to break that record."

Have you met Ed?

Hey Ed, if you need something to talk about, apologize for all those forecasts you get wrong -- that should keep you going for some time.

If all else fails, tell us how you filled the gap between your front teeth, but not the one between your ears.