Yep, it's summer

[MarkBC]

For better or worse...

I don't have whole-house air conditioning, so I don't like the looks of the long range forecast for Bend.

Some years we don't hit 100° at all, so if we get to that point when it's still June it's quite a ways above normal.

On the positive side: Tonight I'm celebrating a long-time tradition -- watching the sunset on the summer solstice from Pine Mt., east of Bend.
The point I watch from is sometimes called the "hang-glider summit", because it's a popular spot for those folks to take off. You can drive to it and there are no trees on the westward -- windward -- slope. Which also makes it a good place to watch a sunset.

I'm going to spend the night up there, too...try out that new lens.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

The down side is the days are getting shorter now .

 

[MarkBC]

The down side is the days are getting shorter now .

I know! It's gonna be dark in just 5 hours!

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

So, not too long to wait for that solstice sunset shot!

 

[Bill D]

I'd like to stay up and watch the sunset, but it's past my bedtime.

10:05PM hehe

What time is your sunset this evening?

 

[Foy]

By 28 June, combining actual with forecast, we will have had +10 days at or near 100. Unseasonable, as the average high is upper 80s to very low 90s for mid-late June.

Love the Solstice, nice tradition Mark. My preferred spots are Boone, NC and Virginia Beach, VA, each of which allows unobstructed view of a horizon sunset at the Summer Solstice. And before any map junkies wonder how we get a horizon sunset at Virginia Beach, we're on the south shore of the Chesapeake Bay at a point where the beach runs nearly due E-W, so from about the first week of May to the Solstice and on to early August, we get both the sunrise and sunset over the water.

For an early riser, the Summer Solstice gives the opportunity to go to bet and get up with some light on the horizon. Nice!

Foy

 

[MarkBC]

I'd like to stay up and watch the sunset, but it's past my bedtime.

10:05PM hehe

What time is your sunset this evening?

Sunset about 8:50 in Bend, OR.
But it won't be dark for at least an hour or more later.

 

[norcalhawk]

Thanks Mark for the weather report. Next week, I'm going north and through Bend. On my way to British Columbia and into the Cariboo Mountains for a few weeks. Living here on the extreme north coast of California, I am looking forward to warmer weather and starry nights.

 

[MarkBC]

Interesting cloud formation off the coast tonight:

Wonder why the east edge of the cloud is so straight?

 

[ski3pin]

Yep, it's summer...............the afternoon sun is filtered through smoke from wildland fire, giving such a familiar light.....................

 

[MarkBC]

Thunderstorms here in central Oregon this p.m. -- crack crack...boom rumble....

Fortunately, there're rain showers along with the lightning -- which brought down the local air temperatures about 25° right away. I bet there'll still be fires out of this.

Looks like there's a band of action from the NE corner of California down into Nevada, too.

 

[ski3pin]

<snip>

Looks like there's a band of action from the NE corner of California down into Nevada, too.

Yup

 

[takesiteasy]

Def. summer here: 4 inches of rain in the rain gauge yesterday. Wish we could send some California way...

 

[ski3pin]

and to keep things interesting....................................

Special Weather Statement

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SACRAMENTO CA
221 PM PDT TUE JUL 7 2015

CAZ013>019-063-064-066>069-081330-
SHASTA LAKE AREA / NORTHERN SHASTA COUNTY-
BURNEY BASIN / EASTERN SHASTA COUNTY-NORTHERN SACRAMENTO VALLEY-
CENTRAL SACRAMENTO VALLEY-SOUTHERN SACRAMENTO VALLEY-
CARQUINEZ STRAIT AND DELTA-NORTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-
MOUNTAINS SOUTHWESTERN SHASTA COUNTY TO NORTHERN LAKE COUNTY-
CLEAR LAKE/SOUTHERN LAKE COUNTY-
NORTHEAST FOOTHILLS/SACRAMENTO VALLEY-MOTHERLODE-
WESTERN PLUMAS COUNTY/LASSEN PARK-
WEST SLOPE NORTHERN SIERRA NEVADA-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...SHASTA DAM ...BURNEY...REDDING...
RED BLUFF...CHICO...OROVILLE...MARYSVILLE/YUBA CITY ...
SACRAMENTO ...FAIRFIELD/SUISUN ...STOCKTON...MODESTO...
ALDER SPRINGS...LAKEPORT...PARADISE...GRASS VALLEY...JACKSON...
CHESTER...QUINCY...BLUE CANYON
221 PM PDT TUE JUL 7 2015

...THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN...

.IMPACTS...
 * HAZARDOUS TRAVEL, MUDSLIDES, FREQUENT AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING

 * FIRE STARTS

.FORECAST CONFIDENCE...
 * HIGH FOR MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS

 * LOW VALLEY

.TIMING AND STRENGTH...
 * TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY

 * POTENTIAL FOR OVERNIGHT THUNDERSTORMS REACHING THE VALLEY
   TONIGHT AND THURSDAY

 * HIGHER ELEVATION THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO GENERATE LOCAL
   HEAVY PRECIPITATION

.WEATHER SUMMARY...

LOW PRESSURE NOW OFF THE COAST IS BEGINNING TO SHIFT
INLAND...BRINGING INCREASING CHANCES OF MAINLY MOUNTAIN
THUNDERSTORMS. THE BEST POTENTIAL FOR THUNDERSTORMS IS THROUGH
THURSDAY. RAINFALL ASSOCIATED WITH THE STORMS WILL LIKELY HELP
LIMIT THE SPREAD OF ANY NEW FIRE STARTS.

 

[MarkBC]

On US 97 this afternoon, in far-northern California, between Mt. Hebron and Grass Lake summits (at about 5000 feet) the ground was white with hail for about a mile along the highway. And precipitation evaporating from the previously-heated ground and recondensing in the water-cooled air created a fog bank thick enough that vehicles slowed way down for about a mile.
Quite an odd scene on a hot afternoon.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

I had that in Sunriver last year.

Today, it didn't make 90º in Portland. Only 9 consecutive days 90º or above... No new record.

 

[Ted]

we were on the Susan River near Silver Lake in Lassen County Friday afternnon. Biggest thunderstorm we have ever experienced. Had to yell to each other to be heard over the noise of the marble sized hail on the roof of the camper. Lasted a couple of hours. Went to Manzanita Lake CG in Lassen NP Sunday. There were channels running through the campground that had been cut by the flowing water. We felt sorry for the people in tents.

 

[PaulT]

Ted,

Just think about how much more efficient your camper will be moving through the air with all those golf ball dimples that were acquired at little expense. Let us know how much your gas mileage increases.

Paul

 

[MarkBC]

It was hazy overcast and the light was reddish today -- general haze from fires all around the West coast, not just local.
And now there's thunder and showers.

You know how they say "wash your car and it will rain". Well, I just received a new tent, and I set it up on the deck to check it out, set it up without the fly. Then I headed for the grocery store. That started the rain.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Mark, 'The Weatherman' is supposed to know better than to mess with the weather. We've got a roof project (tear off and new everything) starting tomorrow. I expect a hurricane!