Still Here
Just a ton of things going on right now, so updates have been pretty rare lately. The summer so far here in the Texas Panhandle has been quite pleasant and mild. Temperatures continue to bottom out in the low to mid 60's with highs in the mid 80's to low 90's on occasion. We have not once seriously threatened 100F. The great thing is that the dewpoints are low, so the humidity doesn't strangle you like it does in the eastern half of Texas. It also allows it to cool off faster at sunset. I love it!!
There is still some sporadic convection roaming around to keep the skies interesting. In fact, a more active period for some showers and storms is shaping up for us the entire week. Along with that will be a stretch of 60's/80's as we enter August. That is completely amazing seeing how this is the peak of the summer heat for Texas. Before we know it, September will be upon us and thus the start of the gradual transition into fall.
On the cable TV front, the Discovery Channel will be broadcasting a very interesting show about controlling the weather. The teasers for it look quite intriguing and perhaps the first serious in-depth look at man's efforts to play God. I'll be watching it next Sunday, August 5th at 8:00pm Yankee time (7:00 PM fer us Texans). More info can be found at Discovery Channel's Website.
This will be interesting because weather modification efforts have really increased significantly in the past few years. In fact, the Chineses are intending on launching rockets into rain-swollen clouds to dissipate rainstorms prior to reaching the Olympics. They have already been doing it for awhile to help with crop production. To find out more, just google "Chinese Weather Modification" or check out this story.
What's funny is that they got alot of mention in the media. What you won't hear are the extensive weather modification efforts here in the US. Texas has some ongoing efforts as do Oklahoma, Kansas, and Colorado. In fact, they are doing hail suppression activities as well. This would expalin what I observed a couple of months ago near Canyon with a plane flying continually under the updraft base of a strong supercell with a couple of instances of flare sparks coming from the plane.
One company that does this is Weather Modification, Inc. Heck, there is even a Weather Modification Association. Somehow, I get this image of a bunch of mad scientists running around sipping martinis. ;-)
Does anybody other than me think that all of this weather modification isn't a good idea? Are we seeing the adverse effects of that today? I see some serious legal questions in addition to the obvious ethical and scientific ones. There are laws in place to prevent a land owner "upstream" of any watershed from hogging of curtailing water to the detriment of those "downstream". The same thing applies here. If New Mexico or Colorado starts seeding many storms and causing them to dissipate prior moving into Texas or Kansas, what if any recourse would those "downstream" states have? How would they prove it? We really don't have enough historical weather records to show any adverse effect versus "normal".
Overall, I don't think Ma Nature is something to play around with to suit our needs. As we begin to better understand the delicate balances in the atmosphere and the effect it has on our weather, I can't help but think that weather modification efforts are having some level of impact on our weather patterns. At what level the impact is having is a question that can't be answered, unfortunately...unless you adore Al Gore and all of his global warming propaganda that the mainstream media and looney liberals herald as THE gospel. Don't get me started. ;-)
Of course, perhaps Dewdop and I can form our own weather modification company. Our presence alone has been proven to deflet storms for hundreds of miles. LOL
As for the Rush concert I was planning on attending next week, I sold my tickets on Ebay. :-( With the house still on the market and with nobody to go with, it didn't make sense to make that long trip up there. But, at least I made a small profit in the process.
Okay, that's it for me for now. My six month anniversary of escaping DFW is coming up and I'll chat about that next time....for those interested.
There is still some sporadic convection roaming around to keep the skies interesting. In fact, a more active period for some showers and storms is shaping up for us the entire week. Along with that will be a stretch of 60's/80's as we enter August. That is completely amazing seeing how this is the peak of the summer heat for Texas. Before we know it, September will be upon us and thus the start of the gradual transition into fall.
On the cable TV front, the Discovery Channel will be broadcasting a very interesting show about controlling the weather. The teasers for it look quite intriguing and perhaps the first serious in-depth look at man's efforts to play God. I'll be watching it next Sunday, August 5th at 8:00pm Yankee time (7:00 PM fer us Texans). More info can be found at Discovery Channel's Website.
This will be interesting because weather modification efforts have really increased significantly in the past few years. In fact, the Chineses are intending on launching rockets into rain-swollen clouds to dissipate rainstorms prior to reaching the Olympics. They have already been doing it for awhile to help with crop production. To find out more, just google "Chinese Weather Modification" or check out this story.
What's funny is that they got alot of mention in the media. What you won't hear are the extensive weather modification efforts here in the US. Texas has some ongoing efforts as do Oklahoma, Kansas, and Colorado. In fact, they are doing hail suppression activities as well. This would expalin what I observed a couple of months ago near Canyon with a plane flying continually under the updraft base of a strong supercell with a couple of instances of flare sparks coming from the plane.
One company that does this is Weather Modification, Inc. Heck, there is even a Weather Modification Association. Somehow, I get this image of a bunch of mad scientists running around sipping martinis. ;-)
Does anybody other than me think that all of this weather modification isn't a good idea? Are we seeing the adverse effects of that today? I see some serious legal questions in addition to the obvious ethical and scientific ones. There are laws in place to prevent a land owner "upstream" of any watershed from hogging of curtailing water to the detriment of those "downstream". The same thing applies here. If New Mexico or Colorado starts seeding many storms and causing them to dissipate prior moving into Texas or Kansas, what if any recourse would those "downstream" states have? How would they prove it? We really don't have enough historical weather records to show any adverse effect versus "normal".
Overall, I don't think Ma Nature is something to play around with to suit our needs. As we begin to better understand the delicate balances in the atmosphere and the effect it has on our weather, I can't help but think that weather modification efforts are having some level of impact on our weather patterns. At what level the impact is having is a question that can't be answered, unfortunately...unless you adore Al Gore and all of his global warming propaganda that the mainstream media and looney liberals herald as THE gospel. Don't get me started. ;-)
Of course, perhaps Dewdop and I can form our own weather modification company. Our presence alone has been proven to deflet storms for hundreds of miles. LOL
As for the Rush concert I was planning on attending next week, I sold my tickets on Ebay. :-( With the house still on the market and with nobody to go with, it didn't make sense to make that long trip up there. But, at least I made a small profit in the process.
Okay, that's it for me for now. My six month anniversary of escaping DFW is coming up and I'll chat about that next time....for those interested.
posted by Steve Miller TX at 7/29/2007 10:25:00 PM
12 Comments:
I do believe there is money in it, if you and I could just harness the talent. "Storm Deflectors R Us"... hiring out for Weddings, Bar Mitzvahs, Youth outdoor sporting events...
As for scientific modification of the weather, that creeps me out. Every action has an EQUAL and OPPOOSITE reaction. I think they're playing with fire, trying to play God like that. Actions have consequences, every time. Though, if the Weather Mod, Inc. folks are drinking Cosmos... I could be persuaded to join them, but sabotage would be in order... (insert Dr. Evil laugh here).
You see Sculley...You have to believe..Steve is out there..
Bout time for an update huh? As for you and the Devoid getting together..Hmmm. That would be the end of all weather as we know it!
Sounds like a time to celebrate Steve. We need to do dinner soon. been a while since we got together.
I really dont liike the idea of this cloud seeding. Sometimes it is to prvent hail. Other times it is to increase rainfall. But if you increase it here doesnt it take away from somebody else?? And if you find ways to control the wx would it not instantly become a way to assert political pressure on some country. Either do this or we stop it from raining there or we somthing like send a super typhoon to destroy you..The ramifications politically and scientifically are scary. We could really throw nature into an imbalance that we could easily lose control of.
Dew, yep, the good ol' equal and opposite reaction law never seems to fade away does it? They call themselves scientists? How do they explain our personal proximity effects? LOL!!
Rick, you got me man. I'm really an alien here on earth doing weather modification in order to take over the planet. Dew is our leader. ;-)
Jay, that's why I wonder if we haven't already thrown it out of balance? Speaking of the military, they have been experimenting with weather modification for decades now. It's scary to think about what we don't know of their current efforts.
Interestingly, I was reading something the other night when I was googling around about a few towns and farmers' groups opposing any sort of cloud seeding. Perhaps the level of public awareness and understanding of the fickle nature and balance of our atmosphere is increasing? That's a good thing...as long as loony agenda pushers like Gore and the mainstream media quit pushing disinformation and ignoring ALL of the science out there.
Steve! I can't believe you let our secret out! Now, they'll be after us!
That's it, if I don't get mudslides quickly, no supercells ever again!!! (a-ha ha ha!!!)
I remember a few years ago the weather community was up in arms about the idea of zapping storms from space with a microwave.
This was when I became absolutely convinced that 75% of storm chasers are also gullible conspiratists.
I too agree that messing with mamma nature is a bad idea. Supercells and their resulting adversities, in the grand scheme of things, don't affect people and property near as widely as some other natural occurances.
Oh well...
Dude! You should come down south just a little. Humidity has been way up down here. I went outside a few minutes ago for some fresh air, thought I was going to have to grow some gills to breath!
If we dumped Al Gore into a hurricane would it be considered weather modification, weather abuse or just doing something thats been needed to be done for a long time?? Would PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of the Atmosphere) complain that it hurt the hurricane? On a more serious note...I had read about the goverment using airliners to spray "chemtrails" around out in the West. Dont know if it is true, but you know they have been and still working stuff they shouldnt be..
...and always will be doing stuff they shouldn't be... PETA, funny, Rick.
PETA=People Eating Tasty Animals
Regular riot, David... lol
Davids got my vote!!
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