Rick_Dickert's Blog

I am so proud of my nephew, Private First Class Joshua Alvarez! He graduated from boot camp just a few weeks ago and is now a proud member of the United States Marine Corps. He is a very dedicated and hard working young guy from right here in SOCAL (2008 Simi Valley graduate). Yes ladies..he is single and ready to mingle! The entire family is overwhelmed with pride for his accomplishment and willingness to serve our nation. Josh will be heading out to Camp Pendleton in about a week for combat training. He is more of a man than I'll ever be - so brave and dedicated. Please join me in wishing him well! Be safe Josh-Semper Fi!

I salute all the men and women who have or are currently serving our nation-Be Well-

Happy 2009 everyone-Rick

Unfortunately that is what it is looking like if the forecast is accurate. The government forecasters believe our current drought situation is southern California will continue or intensify (see graphic below). We are now entering our fourth rainfall season with BELOW average totals. Starting with the 2005-06 season (a rainfall season runs from July 1 – June 30) we have recorded less than average rainfall in Downtown Los Angeles. This is the case for most of southern California. The AVERAGE rainfall for an ENTIRE 12-month season in Los Angeles is 15.14”. We were about 2” below average in both the 2005-06 and 2007-08 seasons.  We only received 3.21” during the 2006-07 season making it the DRIEST EVER. Moreover, we are already an inch BELOW average this season. Therefore, cumulatively, from July 1, 2005 through this November, we have a rainfall deficit of about 17” in Los Angeles.

Winds and dry fuels (vegetation) are the two major factors that allow wildfires to spread. With the lack of rain and persistent warm and dry weather, the vegetation on the hillsides is ultra DRY. The lack of precipitation combined with single digit relative humidity values that comes with the offshore (Santa Ana) wind events make for tinder dry conditions. Leading scientists believe that as our planet continues to warm, Califoria will see more drought, more heat, less precipiation and MORE wildfires.

I do have some good news though. Longer range forecast models are showing wet weather for next week. The turkey might be wet! I'll keep you posted on next week's forecast.                             

Going back to school is the best. I was one of those kids who actually enjoyed learning and the classroom environment. I was especially interested in science. When I was in the 3rd grade, my parents were transferred to Washington D.C. to work for the defense department. I remember being a bit bummed having to leave SOCAL, but once I got a taste of some East Coast weather, I was hooked on the location. This was the time in my life that I really got to experience REAL weather for the first time. I’ll never forget the winter snow and summer thunderstorms. My fascination with the atmosphere began that year. Having a great teacher who fostered my interest in weather helped this process. Mr. Bromley was the best. I remember him giving me books on the weather and showing me how to build my own barometer.

I get asked quite frequently by area teachers to visit their classrooms and give presentations on weather. This is another awesome part of my job. I love sharing my passion for meteorology to kids. I had this privilege recently up at Charles Helmers Elementary School in Valencia. I visited Mrs. Bloore’s and Mrs. Elam’s first grade classes. The kids were amazing, so sharp, and so full of energy. We had such a great time. I showed them some of my instruments, pictures of clouds and read a really great book to them on weather forecasting. My hope is that through my classroom visits, I will have an impact on a kid or two like Mr. Bromley had on me. Have a great weekend everyone! Rick

A view from space of the Sesnon and Marek fires as they raged on Monday afternoon. The strong northeast Santa Ana winds were blowing the smoke plume offshore to the southwest.

What a week it has been. Another round of fires ravaged parts of our beautiful region. Watching the Santa Ana winds fan the flames across tinder dry landscape from up in SkyFox is terrible. But watching the firefighters battle the fire from the ground and air is amazing. Those men and women are true heroes. They position themselves in the yards of people’s homes protecting them from the flames. They endure the heat, low humidity and steep terrain. Helicopter pilots dive to within a hundred feet of the ground making water drops. To watch all of this is truly incredible. Yes, some structures were lost, but it could have been so much worse. Firefighters from all over the region did a tremendous job and I salute them. 

Monday was especially challenging with winds gusting to hurricane force. We were being hammered up in SkyFox so I can only image what the firefighting helicopters had to endure. We were up over 7000' at times due to a flight restriction that was put in place to keep us out of the way of firefighting aircraft. Being at this altitude over steep terrain during windy weather can be a bit sketchy. The winds got so strong for a time Monday morning that we, along with some of the firefighting aircraft, were grounded.  

Fires are becoming more common here in southern California and across the West. When you combine below average precipitation during the winter, dry and hot summers and Santa Ana winds in the fall, the fire danger becomes. Leading scientist believe that a warming planet will enhance these conditions. In California, summers will be longer and hotter and winters will be drier and milder. This means the fire threat will become more extreme over time. The fire danger is also becoming a year round issue. Please be careful out there everyone. When a red flag warning is issued the fire growth potential is extreme. Also watch out for suspicious people. Unfortunately, there are some individuals out there that like to set fires intentionally and wait for the right conditions. It's not fun watching homes burn from SkyFox.

If you have any questions about the fires or any comments on our coverage-hit me up! Tell us what you like and what you dislike-

Take care everyone and have a safe weekend-

Rick

Fall officially arrived (the autumnal equinox) at 8:44 am Monday. With the change of seasons comes a change in the weather. It has been over four months since some areas of southern California have recorded any measurable rain. In Downtown L.A. (at U.S.C) the last day with measurable rain was May 24th.

Stormy weather is on the way and because of this, the National Weather Service has designated this week: California Hazardous Weather Awareness Week. Each day of the week, a different topic is posted on significant weather than can and has affected our region. Check out the link below:

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/mtr/awarenessweek.php

All kinds of great information about storms, flooding, high heat and wildfires is included. Weather safety is highlighted as well as ways to protect your home and property. Most of the time we have beautiful, calm weather, but every year we are hit by something big from Mother Nature. The last day of weather awareness week features the weather radio. I highly recommend picking one up. Not only can you get constant forecasts from the National Weather Service 24 hours a day at a touch of a button, but any time severe weather is affecting our area, an alarm will sound to notify you. AMBER Alerts and other useful information bulletins are broadcasted on these radios as well, commercial free!

Please check out the site above and get ready for the stormy weather. I'll be up flying it and you know how much I dig covering significant weather! Take care everyone and have a great first weekend of autumn. Rick

With gas prices as high as they have been, more and more people are opting to go with two-wheelers to get from point a to point b. This mode of transportation can save commuters hundreds of dollars over a month. I drive about 65 miles round trip each day and am going through over $400 a month in gas. AHH..it hurts so bad! We are seeing many more motorcycles on the roads and freeways from up in SkyFox than ever before. Unfortunately, with more bikes, there have been MANY more accidents involving them. CHP reports a dramatic increase in bike crashes over the last several months. It seems like I have been covering FATAL motorcycle accidents about once a week and a wreck involving riders just about every day. The causes of these crashes are various. Perhaps some are new riders and just not that experienced. Automobile drivers may not be watching as closely for them as well. Lane sharing (or splitting lanes) by motorcycle riders IS legal in California, so be careful. The bottom line, there are still MANY MORE unsafe automobile drivers on the road speeding, lane changing and texting than motorcycle riders. Chime in and let me know your thoughts. Are you seeing more bikes? Do you ride a motorcycle or have you switched over to one recently? Let me know what you think! Be careful on the roads everyone. The worst part of my job is covering  tragic accidents that could have been avoided. Have a wonderful and safe weekend- Rick

The peak of the Atlantic hurricane season is today (September 10th) and a strengthening “Ike” is slowly moving towards the coast of Texas. Now that the storm is out over the warm Gulf of Mexico, it will likely strengthen into a major category 3 hurricane. Some forecast models project that the storm could even become a category 4 before landfall late Friday night. The environment that Ike is entering is very favorable for strengthening. The wind speed and direction are fairly consistent (LOW wind shear) with height and the water is very warm. Moreover, the storm will pass over a “loop current” in the Gulf of Mexico. This is an area where the warm water extends down quite deep. Hurricanes gain and maintain their strength from warm tropical waters. 80-degree water is needed for hurricanes to develop and grow. The latest observations show water temperatures in the 85-87 degree range out over parts of the Gulf. Below is the track that forecasters at the National Hurricane Center think that Ike will take.

 So far there have been 10 named storms (tropical storms) in the Atlantic this season. The average number for an entire season is 10 and we are only at the peak of the season. Lately there has been a lot of discussion and debate as to whether the number of hurricanes and their intensities are on the increase due to global warming. I am in the process of reading a great book on the subject: “Storm World: Hurricanes, Politics, and the Battle Over Global Warming” by Chris Mooney. The author does a great job breaking down this topic. I highly recommend it.

 A lot of people ask me if southern California is vulnerable to a tropical system. The answer is YES! A category one hurricane made landfall in the San Diego area on October 2, 1858. Tropical storms have impacted coastal southern California as well. However, typically the water temperatures along our coast are a bit too cool for hurricanes. During an average late summer and early fall, the water warms into the middle 70's. On some occasions, like during an El Nino episode, the water can approach 80 degrees. Some scientists believe that this may become more frequent  with global warming.

We'll continue to update Ike on this web site and during our newscasts. Have a great rest of the week everyone-  

Yes, you all get a break from me! WAHHOO! I'm taking a few days off from my SkyFox duties beginning tomorrow through next week. Nope, I have no elaborate, exotic vacation plans. Instead, I plan to tour around Los Angeles. I think we forget how much there is do in our fine city. We are just minutes away from amusement parks, great hiking, the ocean (and insane surf spots) and amazing museums. I will be catching up on some much needed rest, but I plan on mixing in a long mountain hike, a trip to LACMA and the Getty Villa. I'll for sure log some serious hours at the beach and in the water and will likely take in a movie or two (I have yet to see the Dark Knight). I also have tickets to two Dodgers games. I get to see our city’s FIRST PLACE TEAM  and Man-Ram in action!

I am looking forward to some fun, mellow, low stress times in my own backyard. We live in such a great city that offers so much. I see it from the air every morning, now it's time to cruise around at sea -level. I think we all take it for granted at times. Have a great weekend everyone and see you in another week. I’ll try and get some photos of my L.A. VA-CAY!

Rick

Recently I had the pleasure of being apart of a very special event benefiting the Cystic Fibrous Foundations. When asked to MC this fundraiser, I only knew the basics about the disease. I was unaware that the ocean that I love so much is helpful for patients. Cystic Fibrosis is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive systems of about 30 thousand children and young adults in America. The average life expectancy for those suffering from the disease is about 37 years. However, research is helping! Pipeline to a Cure was held in Huntington Beach on July 19th for just this reason. It brought the surfing and extreme sports community together to bring awareness to this disease. A few years back, researchers in Australia discovered that kids that had CF and spent a lot of time in the ocean surfing had healthier lungs than those that did not. It was determined that the salt water and mist of the ocean had a therapeutic effect on the surfer’s lungs. From this, a therapy was developed so that ALL CF patients could inhale a saline solution to help clear their lungs. WOW! What a connection. The fundraiser was amazing. Big wave riders Laird Hamilton and Dave Kalama were honorary co-chairs. We raised

about $400,000 for CF research from ticket sales and auction items. It was such a privilege to be apart of the event. The highlight was meeting CF patient Emily Haager. What an amazing young lady she is. You HAVE to check out this youtube video of her story:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97Iop-w98YE

The entertainment for the night: Social Distortion..yeah..what a night topper!

Wahoo’s Tacos (the bros were sooo cool!), BJs Restaurant, the Kelly Slater Foundation and many others supported the inaugural event. It was great night..a highlight of my summer. I look forward to being apart of next year's fundraiser. For more on CF or to make a donation, check out their web site:

http://www.cff.org/

Be well everyone-

Rick

If you are weather nut or have any level of fascination for meteorology like I do, this magazine is for you! It’s called Extreme Weather and was published by Astronomy Magazine. With devastating hurricanes, record floods and deadly head waves leading the news the last few years, it was the perfect time for a publication like this. It is packed with amazing photos of all kinds of wild weather. The special edition magazine is also loaded with articles on the science of weather. It is more than just a magazine, it is a comprehensive weather reference. What’s also great is that the writing is easy for lay person to understand, but detailed enough for the professional scientist. Living here in southern California where the weather highlight is mostly the depth of the marine layer, the feature on storm chasing really got me going. A very solid summary on climate change is included as well. Moreover, the story of our nation's greatest natural disaster is chronicled, the Galveston, Texas hurricane of 1900.

Photo from Extreme Weather by Astronomy Magazine

Photographs of clouds, satellite images and spectacular lightning shots make the magazine eye candy for even the casual weather enthusiasts. It’s possible Astronomy Magazine may make Extreme Weather a bi-monthly or quarterly publication. I hope so!    Check it out, it’s on newsstands now or check out Astronomy Magazine’s website for more information: http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx

 I highly recommend it!

Happy weather watching everyone-

Rick Dickert

Yep..we added another Dickert to the clan recently...Her name is Iris...She's awesome..a pure breed yellow lab. BUT..wow..just like a new born baby she’s A LOT of work right now..We got her when she was 8 weeks old from a breeder up in the Victorville area. We spent the previous few months researching labs before finally committing. I can't wait until she is a few months older and I can start to run with her and take her down to the water. I want to be able to get her out in the surf eventually. They hold a dog-only surf contest down in San Diego every June. A lab won the event this year! Perhaps Iris will hold up the trophy in another few years. She's already brought a lot of joy to our family. She's treated like royalty, like all dogs should be. I've read up on labs and general dog behavoir..but still need some help..Please pass on any advice that you might have! We are keeping her away from other dogs and public areas until she gets all of her shots.

YES..I know the adorable little pup that Iris is now will grow into a 60 pound BIG dog!

It's going to be an extra fun summer with Iris...Have a great week everyone and hit me up with some comments!

Take care-Rick

I love going back to school…Yeah, I was one of those kids that actually enjoyed being educated..most of the time at least! If I could be a full time student and work on a graduate degree, I’d be there in a second. Unfortunately, I have a daughter I am supporting through college and another on her heels! Maybe later in life. Any time I get the chance, I visit area schools to give presentations on the weather and my career. Just a few days ago I had the privilege of visiting Bret Harte Middle School in South Los Angeles. What a school and what a class! I spoke to hundreds of 6th graders. Ms. Margaret Starks, one of the talented 6h grade teachers at the middle school, hosted me. The students were smart, engaging and very polite. They put together a really cool banner to welcome me (see picture below) and presented me with a sweatshirt, school key chain and even an LAUS ID badge! Great stuff! I had a great afternoon with the kids talking about what I love most, the weather. I am so fortunate to do what I do and I think it’s very important for me to give back to the community in some way. It’s easy to get selfish and forget how fortunate we are sometimes. School visits like these keep me grounded. Happy summer students! I’m looking forward to next fall already..Rick

My favorite season...YES..it is here..finally..Summer officially arrives in the northern hemisphere at 4:59 pm PDT Friday, June 20th. The noontime sun will be directly overhead at the tropic of cancer, 23 1/2 degrees north latitude. In the northern hemisphere, it will be one of the longest days (most daylight hours) of the year. Here in L.A., the sun will be above the horizon for almost 14 1/2 hours. The weather is sure appropriate for the start of the warm season. On Thursday, Woodland Hills reached a record 109 degrees. Chatsworth was 110. Friday and Saturday will likely be just as hot, if not hotter. How about the REST of the summer? The Climate Prediction Center just updated their forecast for the next three months (summer). Below is a map which shows the temperature forecast.

A big area of the Southwest is expected to have ABOVE average high temperatures. However, the CPC is forecasting BELOW average temperatures along the immediate coast of southern California. We'll have to wait at see..but it certainly is off to a RECORD HOT start...Stay cool everyone and HAPPY SUMMER!! Rick