Hot start for Fall

As you can see by the above 6-10 and 8-14 day temperature forecasts from the Climate Prediction Center, the Fall Season of 2011 will be off to a very hot start across the entire Western United States.  This is what our Pocatello weather people have to say about the next couple of days: A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL REMAIN ENTRENCHED  ACROSS THE STATE TODAY WITH JUST SOME HIGH CLOUD COVER EXPECTED. THIS WILL NOT IN ANYWAY PREVENT ANOTHER VERY WARM DAY WHERE HIGHS WILL BE RUNNING 10-15 DEGREES ABOVE AVERAGE WITH PLENTY OF 70S AND  80S ACROSS THE BOARD. BELIEVE IT NOT THOUGH...WE WILL NOT BE
 BREAKING ANY RECORDS. SIMILAR TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED THROUGH
 THE WEEKEND.

It looks like Ol' Airy Zonie is going into the grips of a prolonged drought.  The NWS Droubt Monitor graphic is shown here.  Also, La Nina is back after a short hiatus this spring and summer.  That means high odds of a very dry winter in the Southwest.  Pity poor Texas as the Lone Star state will continue to bear the brunt of brutally droughty conditions.  The return of La Nina is easy to see in the ocean surface temperature graphic shown below the drought map.  Click here for a five week animation of the evolving situation there.

The idea of a cold fall season dropping our leaves early looks pretty laughable right now.  Good thing we made a plan to have someone else deal with those pesky leaves.  At least we won't have to worry about driving through a snowstorm to get south in early November.  If the longer range forecasts turn out to be true, it could still be in the 80's when we show up down there--70's are a near certain likelihood.  Looks like it's going to be a nice winter to become regular day hikers again. Cheers, jp