early season summer
 

The Black Cat Island Weather Station has reached 80 degrees and continues to rise. This is the first time reaching 80 since a high of 83 on September 5.

The reason for this early season heat is a high pressure area positioned near Bermuda. Clockwise flow around the high is bringing up air from the Gulf of Mexico. This weather feature will persist for a few more days.

Persist away! I love it! We got our first boat rides today, what a great feeling to be out on the lake again. Not much beats it!

Earliest ever!
 

We launched our boat on Saturday and went over to see how our summer cottage on Bear survived the winter. Being out on the lake in April in 80 degree weather was amazing. It was the earliest we ever went out on the lake. Being able to see in to property beyond the shoreline was neat since there was no foliage yet. Best of all the day was completed with a stop at the Lyon's Den for an early dinner.

The weather station's high temp yesterday reached 83, tying the last 80+ occurrence in September. Elsewhere, Concord, Manchester, Lebanon, and many other places reached or surpassed 90.

Today things are cooler, but still summerlike. The biggest difference between yesterday and today is that you can feel the humidity today. Temp hasn't been higher than 72 but the dewpoint has reached 56 today -- at 60 it starts to become oppressive. Higher dewpoints play a large role in warming the lake.

Boat traffic yesterday was normal for a July day. It is a little quieter today, but still very active for April.

One thing that had me laughing: A few days ago, on Earth Day, I saw loads of people screaming, "Stop the warming! Look at all the record highs we're creating!" Yesterday, I saw loads of people saying, "Record highs in April! This is great! If only it would stay this way!" This is not a commentary on the issue itself, but rather an observation of human behavior I thought was hilarious.

Early start
 

Quite a few fishing boats on Friday but on Sat and today the pleasure boaters outnumber the fishing fleet. Very unusual for a April day.

In today's northeast sattellite loop (infra-red version) it's interesting to note that the lakes are showing up as brighter than the surrounding territory. Big temperature difference between land and water right now! Our lake is barely visible but the finger lakes of NY state show up well.

Agreed.Went to the coast saturday afternoon and saw 92 on my truck thermo on the way.Got to Rye and the temp was only 64!

Today's Citizen says it got up to 90.3 degrees in Laconia, on Saturday, according to local weather observer Russ Hobby. Warmest Laconia April 25 temperature since 1962.

Losing all those big Laconia Elm trees, and zoning for commercial must raise the Laconia temps by a few degrees. Union Ave used to be lined with large leafy trees and homes with lawns. Now, it's somewhat a commercial eyesore and would benefit by a tree planting program. Meredith has a tree planting program.

FLL brings up a point that is causing many scientists to disagree with the ones who warn of global warming (in case you thought science generally agreed about it... there is division among them.) The ones who doubt global warming cite just what FLL has brought up: Whenever a wooded/grassed area is turned into a developed area, the local temperature rises. Apply this concept to the world's weather stations, most of which are in cities. Their records show a warming trend in the last 100 years. Those same cities also have a lot more brick and concrete in them now than they did 100 years ago. It's making many people ask questions, but those questions are not getting much publicity. One paper I read about glacial melting pointed out that many of the world's melting glaciers are in areas that have seen a great deal of deforestation, paving, and development in the last 100 years. It named several glaciers in the world that are isolated in undeveloped areas and are growing. The conclusion was: Warming is happening in many places, but is it really global, or lots of local?

One might say "but look at the melting ice caps." This, too, has an unanswered question: The Atlantic Ocean, which has the greatest access to the Arctic, is currently in a multi-year warm phase and should flip back into cold phase within a few more years -- what will happen to the ice pack when that happens?

In order to keep this post on track I will offer this conclusion: People are undoubtedly looking at this April warm spell and thinking about global warming. FLL, perhaps unknowingly, has found the territory known as "the other side of the global warming debate."

Oh, oh CLA. You're not drinking the Kool-aid. Many AGW worshipers will want you fired, prosecuted and jailed for such blasphemy.

The Surface Stations website (http://surfacestations.org) has a lot of data backing up the heat island effect that is skewing most of the temp readings.

Thank you thank you thank you. Al gore will be contacting you soon though.

No carbon credits for YOU! :laugh:

Darn. I was just going to make some old-fashioned copies.

Actually, I am pretty careful to avoid stating my opinions in a scientific post. I try to publicize both sides of any scientific debate. If one side gets more press, I talk about it less because I don't need to waste my time telling people things they probably hear every day. Personally, I have committed to neither side of AGW because I am commenting on an area of science in which nothing has been proven in favor of either side.

As "one guy" who's far from researcher-level, I don't have the authority to say whether or not AGW is happening. I can only comment on the science I read from both sides (I try to weed out anything that seems politically motivated and stick with science only, if I can.) Right now the "anti-AGW" thoughts are making more sense to me as I compare what they're saying to what I've been seeing on the world's weathermaps. I have supported AGW before, and then I heard sensible arguments from the theory's opponents. My scientific opinion would switch back, if for some reason the AGW theory starts making more sense than what I'm seeing now. I continue to weigh both sides as I watch the weathermaps.

As I've asked before: Do we really need "climate change" to convince each other to stop air pollution, or can we start saying, "clean up this air because lung disease is very hard on patients and their families, and drives up the cost of healthcare for the rest of us."

And for today:

At 5 pm the lowest elevations and river valleys of New Hampshire and Massachusetts were in the lower 90s. Elsewhere temperatures were generally in the mid-80s. Radar indicates a solid line of showers advancing from New York state. This is associated with the leading edge of cooler air, and it will bring our temps back to normal for late April. At the end of the week, rain is expected.

Fire weather: The strong wind combined with the heat and lack of humidity has made conditions favorable for rapid wildfire growth. Even a cigarette could ignite a damaging wildfire today.

Of interest: The temps are in the 90s only where the wind (from the west) is able to descend in elevation, to a river valley or to the coast. If you took chemistry class and remember anything from it, you may recall that gasses heat up as they experience sudden pressure increases. Lower altitudes have higher pressure, so the warm air is becoming hot air thanks to being rapidly carried "downhill" by strong wind.

Also of interest: There is still plenty of winter air left around the continent. Winter weather now covers an area the size of New England in the northern Rockies. There are blizzard warnings for parts of Montana. Hot in the east, but cold in the west, and the cold air is advancing -- that means battles will be taking place wherever the warm and cold air clash. When that happens, you will hear reports of severe weather including tornadoes, and it will only be a matter of time before the battle zone sets up over New England this season.

I was at the lake from Saturday until Tuesday morning this past week, and I was thoroughly enjoying the warmth. When I went out for a run down Route 11, I thought to myself "this is such a gift, and it's free!"

I say that because I usually pay for "warmth" in the winter months by hopping a place to Florida! It so makes me appreciate the warmer months here, and I want to drop everything for a nice day.

I also thought that this summer will feel like a longer season because of the early warm temperatures - which is just fine and dandy with me.;)

The weather sounds great!!!
 

It must be almost time for our vacation....oops, thats June, but by the sound of it, the weather had me fooled....

glennsteely! Welcome back! It's been awhile.

Believe it or not, there was a thread awhile ago wondering what had happened to you. Good to see you are well and back.

Bug season
 

With the warm weather comes the bugs. Have noticed the black flies recently, but so far they haven't been that bad. {knocking on wood}

Welcome back
 

I note he's not "running" as well as he used to. Hope it wasn't because of an ill placed bet .... ;)