Worrisome Rain Forecast Over The Next Week

Over the next week in California, it looks like we're going to be hit twice, pretty hard, by rain. Temperature-wise, the first storm will be kind of marginal - perhaps crushing roofs in the mountains as rain freezes on top of rooftop snow - but the second storm will be quite warm, and therefore more worrisome. With such a deep snowpack already present in the Sierra Nevada, warm rain will mean rapid melting and potentially flooding.

“We’re going to see rain on top of snow, and for elevations of say 2,000 feet to about 4,000 feet, a lot of that snow is going to melt,” said Carlos Molina, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Hanford, Calif. “We’re going to basically lose a lot of the snow that fell from the previous storms. We’re looking at potential for flooding.” 

Indeed, the highest likelihood of flood-related impacts are in lower-elevation areas with unusually deep snowpack, Swain said. Small rivers and streams in those areas will see significant potential for runoff issues, as will some urban areas — particularly in places where storm drains are already clogged by snow. 

There may also be problems at elevations above 5,000 or 6,000 feet, he said. Though snowpack in such areas is probably too deep and too cold to be melted by the incoming storm, it can become heavier as it absorbs more water. That could cause roof collapses and other structural issues. 

“If you can go out and try and remove some snow from structures that might be vulnerable, do it,” Swain said. The state has already seen a spate of roof collapses from mounting snow, including a grocery store providing critical supplies in snowbound Crestline. 

Scott Rowe, a meteorologist with the weather service in Sacramento, said the incoming low-pressure system is originating in the north but is expected to link with “very warm” subtropical moisture coming from Hawaii. Such storms are sometimes referred to as a Pineapple Express and are known to drop heavy moisture in California. 

“We’re essentially transitioning from one storm track to another, where the moisture origins are coming from a warmer, juicier location,” Rowe said.

Parrot Bedtime

Shasta County Sails Off The Sanity Bridge

So, it looks like Shasta County is going full denialist, and kicking out Dominion. The CA Secretary of State is warning that election laws must be followed. Lots of luck making that happen! Let's see if the fascists can run much more than a Dairy Queen.

The county has been in near political chaos for more than a year after far-right activists, including members of a local militia, led a successful recall of a Republican supervisor and former police chief, in part because he enforced state-mandated coronavirus restrictions. 

In June, two members of the Board of Supervisors voted not to accept Shasta’s results in the primary election, questioning the validity of Dominion voting machines and proposing a forensic audit of the elections process. 

Their efforts were defeated at the time. But in November, two more candidates backed by hard-right groups were elected to the board, setting the stage for Tuesday’s outcome. 

Even in a county accustomed to public meetings rife with rancor and personal attacks, Tuesday’s session was notable. The meeting stretched 13 hours and featured passionate comment from residents on both sides of the issue, as well as some bitter exchanges.

Got a Replacement Door Knob for the Back Door

It means I’ll be entertaining fewer random people off the street.

Obligatory Bad iPhone Picture of Recent Conjunction between Venus and Jupiter

Getting In Some Solid Kicks

I took Jasper over to the dog park, where the unleashed pups play. Despite Jasper's excited yips, I hesitated on taking him inside. There was a dog inside there with black-and-white collie markings, romping around with the other dogs. There is a dog with such markings who has a history of always attacking Jasper. Was this the same dog? 

The dog took no notice of Jasper. The dog moved to the other side of the park to get a drink of water. It seemed this was maybe a different dog, so I relented and let Jasper into the park, so he could say hello the the other dogs. Much tail-wagging ensued. 

Suddenly, the collie was there, staring intently at Jasper. The collie's master shouted at her dog: "No, not THAT dog!" And suddenly the attack was on! 

The collie lunged as Jasper ran around my legs screaming and yipping. I pulled on Jasper's leash, which was attached to his harness, and lifted him off the ground. I swung Jasper around my head like a lasso as the collie leaped and lunged at him. I was able to deliver some pretty solid kicks to the collie. The dog's master shouted "Don't hurt my dog! Stop running around, so I can get a leash on him!" But I wasn't going to stop spinning that soon. 

Eventually, the dog's master got control, and the attack stopped. A bystander tried to help. Fortunately, I don't think the dog got a solid bite on Jasper. I should have been more cautious - the sudden exertion and adrenalin rush is probably bad for the heart. The dog's master should have been more cautious too - this isn't the first time this has happened. But, hey, I got some solid kicks in!

Ring Bell To Piss Off Liberals

End Game – Streamline Moderne and Surrealism in the Last Two Seasons of “Better Call Saul”

Here is the talk I gave at the Southwest Popular/American Cultural Association (SWPACA) conference in Albuquerque on Feb. 24th, entitled: End Game – Streamline Moderne and Surrealism in the Last Two Seasons of “Better Call Saul." I talk about the continuities and differences between previous seasons and "Breaking Bad," and some of the things that make the finale memorable.

 

Flight From Albuquerque to Burbank - February 26, 2023

Takeoff from the Albuquerque Sunport, featuring the airport terminal in the foreground.

The Duke City and the Sandia Mountains.

North-to-south corridors:  the railroad, Second St., and I-25, plus the Rio Grande just to the left.

Southwest side of Albuquerque.

The west side, featuring the Volcano Cliffs.

The Rio Puerco River, and this interesting rain cloud.

In the general area of To'hajiilee, but not exactly sure where.

Petrified Forest National Park.

Winslow, AZ.

On the flight back from New Mexico, we passed near Meteor Crater, looking barely a day had passed since a 50-meter diameter space rock slammed into northern Arizona 50,000 years ago. If I recall correctly, the winding canyon to the left (Canyon Diablo) was where author Robert J. Serling had Air Force One crash in his 1967 novel, "The President's Plane is Missing."

Southwest of Meteor Crater.

Just love Meteor Crater!

Yucca, AZ.

Needles, CA, and the Mohave Valley.

The Dead Mountains?

Newberry, CA.

Is this the Solar Power Plant?  Near the Barstow-Daggett Airport.

Nebo.  A U.S. Marine facility.

Barstow, CA.

The Barstow Outlets along I-40.

You deplane down steps at Burbank, which means you get to get close and personal with the various aircraft rolling around the tarmac.