WICOBS Blog

Canadian Weather Forecast Behind The Scenes And Up Front

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 15:34:35 GMT

The Canadian weather forecast. How it is produced. Where to get the official version, and more. All here.

Long Range Weather Forecast - Everything You Need To Know

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 15:19:25 GMT

The long range weather forecast issued by Environment Canada is vital to the economy. Here is where to get it, how to interpret it and use it.

Canadian Weather - The Latest News

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:26:46 GMT

Canadian weather invariably makes the news somwehere, somehow. Get the latest here.

The Kyoto Protocol In The News On Weather-In-Canada-Observer

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 21:44:26 GMT

The latest news on the Kyoto Protocol is collected on Weather-In-Canada-Observer, your one-stop access to information on this controvertial subject.

About Me And Brain Food For Starving Minds

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 22:26:39 GMT

I need a steady diet of brain food. With a healthy brain I feel I can achieve whatever project my mind dreams up. And I have. Here is my secret.

Successful e-Publishing With Web Publishing And e-Marketing

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 22:19:23 GMT

E-publishing through Web publishing. A highly effective way of getting a large readership. Here are publishing tips on how and where to start.

Environment Canada Trained Meteorological Information Specialist

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 22:14:22 GMT

Environment Canada meteorologists, specialists and scientists are among the best trained in the world. I share my know-how with you on this Web site.

Weather in Canada For The Keen Observer In You

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:56:00 GMT

Discover where observing weather in Canada can take you! Uncover the untold secrets behind the weather related topics that make the news, or not!

A Site Search Tool For Weather-In-Canada-Observer Visitors

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 20:06:28 GMT

Here is a powerful site search tool to help you find the weather related information you are looking for. How powerful? Find out for yourself here.

Environment Canada Weather For Sea And Inland Waters

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 17:52:21 GMT

Environment Canada weather forecasts for marine users available here. Buoy observations and ice conditions too!

A Cause Of Global Warming That Holds Water!

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 17:55:23 GMT

Where have you been looking for the cause of global warming? Here is one place that has mostly been overlooked, perhaps because it was too obvious!

Definition Of Global Warming Boiled Down To One

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 19:03:09 GMT

Looking for a definition of global warming? Be prepared for an avalanche of versions! You will have a hard choice to make. Here is help.

A Global Warming Graph To Set The Record Straight

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 15:30:59 GMT

This is not just any other global warming graph. This one is derived from observed data, not from a theoretical computer model of the atmosphere.

METEO CANADA - Pour les passionnés de météo

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 19:14:57 GMT

METEO CANADA - Observation, passion, communication au rendez-vous.

The Weather Watcher Rewards

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 12:59:43 GMT

The amateur weather watcher can derive much more than pleasure from his occupation. Read on to find out where it can lead.

Global Warming Statistics At Odds With Popular Belief

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 20:04:24 GMT

Looking for global warming statistics? Here are some that are certain to surprise you. These may come as a shock, if you were not prepared for them.

Effects Of Global Warming? Where And What Are They?

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 13:40:02 GMT

When looking for the effects of global warming, one has to look where the atmosphere, as a whole, has been found warmer. Not easy as you will see.

Global Warming Effects On CO2

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 13:57:57 GMT

How long does it take for the earth to warm up after a rise in CO2? It seems to me that there should be a lag of quite some time. The reason I'm

Global Warming And Canada - A Reality Check

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 18:07:12 GMT

Global warming and Canada. What are the facts? What are we not being told? You will find some of the shocking answers here.

A Home Weather Station Forecaster!

Mon, 26 May 2008 16:32:38 GMT

Owning a home weather station does not make one a forecaster. It makes one a weather observer. Nations around the world spend millions every year to collect and analyze a huge stream of data. The weather observations come from earth bound observing stations, upper air soundings, satellite and radar stations. All this data is fed to mathematical models of the atmosphere that run on supercomputers. Enviroment Canada has one of the best, by the way. Thousands of meteorologists pour over the output from the supercomputers and use their years of study and experience to produce a diagnostic. The daily weather forecast! All this activity is coordinated by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). In light of the above (very short story), how can one ever hope to become a weather forecaster, if armed only with a home weather station, no matter its price or level of sophistication. For more on weather stations, and other weather related issues, I invite you to visit the link below.

A Midland Weather Radio For Reliable Reception Of Alerts

Tue, 20 May 2008 19:24:19 GMT

A Midland Weather Radio is the end result of considerable expertise in radio engineering. You gain a critical benefit when you own one. Here is why.

Weather Alert Radio To Be On The Safe Side Of Hazards

Mon, 19 May 2008 18:18:00 GMT

A weather alert radio can make the difference between life and death when severe weather threatens. Here is how to take advantage of its forewarnings.

Crank Radio - Essential Part Of Your Emergency Kit

Mon, 19 May 2008 18:08:51 GMT

A crank radio is the emergency alert radio of choice, when safety is of prime consideration. Find out why here.

Oregon Scientific Weather Stations

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 20:59:06 GMT

The Oregon Scientific Weather Stations. Why you should consider a OSI weather station, and how to chose the one you need.

When Lacrosse Weather Station Spells La Crosse Technology

Fri, 07 Mar 2008 20:40:51 GMT

Mis-spelled or not, a Lacrosse weather station is a popular consumer electronic product. Why? Here is the answer.

A Davis Weather Station For Serious Weather Observing

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 21:09:19 GMT

Is a Davis weather station for you? How seriously do you take weather data measurement? Find out here.

La Crosse Weather Station - A Model For Every Need And Budget

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 22:09:28 GMT

A La Crosse weather station has become a household name for good reasons. Here are some of the major ones.

A Global Warming Article On Data For The Rest Of Us

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 22:34:00 GMT

A global warming article dwelling on the issue of underlying data is rarely written for the layman. This one is.

On Global Warming Climate Change Data

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 20:13:36 GMT

Where does one find data on the Global Warming Climate Change relationship? I too am looking for the data from which the conclusion has been drawn

Causes Of Global Warming: Scientists Do Not Agree!

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 20:02:24 GMT

The debate is suddenly raging on the real causes of global warming! Scientists are beginning to speak out, publicly. Are the dissidents on to something?

Hotter When Bright

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 16:54:33 GMT

On the scale of astronomical magnitudes, "the eclipsed Moon of Feb. 20, 2008, registered -3, almost a thousand times brighter than the classic dark eclipse of Dec. 30, 1963, which followed the eruption of the Agung volcano in Indonesia." Dr. Richard Keen tracks the brightness of lunar eclipses because they reveal the opacity of Earth's upper atmosphere. "A clear stratosphere means plenty of undiminished sunlight heating Earth"--something climate change models must take into account. "Lunar eclipses are not only beautiful," he says, "they can teach you a lot." Source:
Dr. Richard Keen of the University of Colorado
Quoted from the home page of spaceweather.com
February 25, 2008 Editorial comment:
For more on the causes of global warming,
please click on the link below.

Global Warming Pictures - The Most Meaningful

Sun, 24 Feb 2008 14:56:56 GMT

Global warming pictures are hard to find, because they are hard to identify, as such. Here is how to picture global warming.

Global Warming News As It Happens

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 22:11:36 GMT

Global warming news from a single source, available live, right here. You can even comment a news item publicly, or even write your own news article!

Global Warming Is Not Real ... Anymore?

Sun, 06 Jan 2008 23:07:49 GMT

More and more articles on global warming are telling of global cooling! They are not saying that global warming is not real. They are just talking

Global Warming Effects And Alarmists

Sat, 05 Jan 2008 14:45:54 GMT

I agree with Andrew C. Revkin who wrote the New York Time article titled Alarming Weather and Global Warming. It would be nice for us laymen if the

Unusual Global Warming News

Wed, 02 Jan 2008 22:18:07 GMT

More than one meter of fresh new snow fell here, in Joliette, Quebec, Canada, in December 2007. That's more than twice the normal amount for the month! Right now, I'm trying to figure out how to tie this in with global warming!;) Well. Maybe it will rain for the remainder of winter. Oh! My! Perish the thought!

Sharing Something Special For Xmas

Sun, 16 Dec 2007 16:58:13 GMT

Weather in Canada at it's wintery best. It's snowing as I write this. There is half a meter of fluffy white snow on the ground. The Xmas holiday is fast approaching. It's the special time of the year for sharing something special with others. Some exchange gifts, others share precious knowledge, know-how and experience. I want to share with you a very special bit of knowledge that I have acquired in building Web sites to share what I know. I began building Weather-In-Canada-Observer.com in January 2007. After less than twelve months, I can now share my knowledge of meteorology, with thousands of people ... without any technical knowledge, or Web design knowledge, at all. My Web site receives more than 35,000 visits per year. My Web site pages are viewed more than 50,000 times! Best of all, the traffic keeps on growing, every month, as I add useful information for my target audience, you. I have another Web site, Top-Web-Entrepreneurs-Plan-It.com, with which I share my knowledge on how to build a small business from scratch, on a micro budget. I actually describe how I built my own small business, on the Web, working from home. Together, my two Web sites get more than 70,000 visits per year, and more than 115,000 page views! That's what I call sharing on a grand scale! I am not the only one either. Here are some typical examples. I could not have achieved such staggering results without Site Build It! With Site Build It!, I can very effectively share enabling knowledge and know-how with others, on a micro budget. My sites even generate extra income, from Google ads and affiliate links! You could start sharing now. Try Site Build It! It's totally risk free. It is so effective, the results are even guaranteed. Merry Xmas and a happy new year of sharing. Claude Jollet

This Weather Man Lives On The Web!

Sat, 10 Nov 2007 22:14:21 GMT

Once you are bitten by the weather bug, the weather man in you never dies. I should know. My fever for meteorology is still burning high!

Which Is Winning: Cirrus or Stratocumulus?

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 19:02:51 GMT

According to Dr. Roy Spencer, a principal research scientist in UAHuntsville's Earth System Science Center, atmospheric science is not yet able to fully explain the influence of precipitation systems on climate. Trouble is, precipitation systems play a major role in the atmosphere's overall heat gains and heat losses. Dr. Spencer concludes that: Until we understand how precipitation systems change with warming, I don't believe we can know how much of our current warming is manmade. Without that knowledge, we can't predict future climate change with any degree of certainty. Food for thought. I thought you would like to know. You can read the full report at: University Of Alabama In Huntsville. Cirrus Disappearance: Warming Might Thin Heat-trapping Clouds. ScienceDaily 5 November 2007. 6 November 2007 .

Weather Network of Canada At A Glance

Tue, 23 Oct 2007 14:05:36 GMT

Canada's weather network is one of the most sophisticated in the world. Catch a glimpse of it in action, here.

METAR Decoding And Direct Access To Official Real Time Weather

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 21:56:08 GMT

Why bother with METAR decoding? The coded form is the official version. The decoded form is convenient, but may not be complete or as accurate.

A Salty Explanation

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 19:50:02 GMT

The National Center For Policy Analysis, Dallas, TX (NCPA), published a statement yesterday, casting more light on the possible natural causes of global warming. http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_ID=15143 In this article, Dr. William Gray, a top climate scientist and professor emeritus of the atmospheric department at Colorado State University explains that a natural cycle of ocean temperatures related to the amount of salt in ocean water was responsible for global warming. The short article does not mention Dr. Grays explanation for the variations of salt density in the oceans. Fortunately, the article also provides a few very useful links pointing to reliable sources of information on the global warming issue. We might find the explanation there.

Home Weather Stations Need Carefully Selected Emplacements

Fri, 12 Oct 2007 19:10:39 GMT

Home weather stations will always perform as advertised. However, none will give useful results if not properly installed. Here is a basic guide.

Live Weather Radar Over Canada

Wed, 05 Sep 2007 17:09:28 GMT

Live weather radar data helps the weather watcher in catching significant weather in the making. This page gives access to radar data over Canada.

Private Wx Network In Canadian Prairies

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 18:20:14 GMT

The Canadian Wheat Board announced, on August 15 2007, that it has decided to install a private network of more than 600 automatic, sun powered, weather observing stations across the wheat belt. This decision will fill in the large gaps in the public funded Environment Canada surface observing network in the prairies. This private weather observing network will provide much needed additional data on the prairie climate, thus helping future planning of crop management. Meanwhile, the new data will also help improve local forecasting. Most prairie farmers will have free access to the data. There are plans to offer the data to Environment Canada, and other environmental agencies, for a fee.

A Contextual View On Global Warming

Mon, 13 Aug 2007 10:57:13 GMT

The book is titled - Cool It: The Skeptical Environmentalist's Guide to Global Warming, by Bjorn Lomborg. It is soon to be released. A book to read, if you are at all interested in the subject. This book promises to outline the many facets of global warming in its proper context. Michael Crichton praises it. It must be worth investigating, and we might learn something useful. In any case, I appreciate any knowledgeable effort to look beyond the (sometimes!;) biased versions that the politicians and the media feed us daily. See excerpts here. http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2007/08/11/
michael-crichton-praises-new-skeptical-environmentalists-guide-global I will read it and let you know what I think, in due course. Meanwhile, I invite you to visit the following link.

A Hot Comeback After A Pause

Sat, 11 Aug 2007 12:58:48 GMT

The Ottawa Journal published an interesting article by Tom Spears, in its Friday, August 10 2007 edition. (www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html
?id=8025d9ea-ea7e-41fb-b5c6-08d7bb726f8c) According to the article, the latest climate prediction computer models are being modified to take natural causes into account. For example, the periodic variations of temperature in the oceans have a significant, short term impact on climate variations measured inland. El Nino is but one example of such oceanic phenomena. Scientists admit that climate models were [quote] a little bit off [unquote] before they began to integrate the well know natural causes into the algorithms! Yet, in spite of models shortcomings, the same scientists still confidently predict a definite increase in the warming trend, after a short pause over the next year or two. Interesting article. Read it. Then, sit back, and reflect upon what you have read. I will let you draw your own conclusions on the state and value of climate computer modeling. Let the observer in you observe.

Alberta Trains Its Volunteer Observers

Mon, 30 Jul 2007 14:52:57 GMT

Amateur radio operators (HAM) are already trained in telecommunications, and the government of Canada grants them a license to operate a radio station for point to point communication, upon successfully passing exams in radio electronics, and on national and international regulations. The Alberta government, in cooperation with Environment Canada, has already trained more than 100 Hams in severe weather watch and observing techniques. This special weather observer training program was put into action after a tornado hit Edmonton last year. You should not wait for disaster to strike. Start learning now, how to recognize signs of severe weather. I am a trained weather observer, as well as an amateur radio operator, under the call sign of VE2DPE. I know how important it is to be ready. For more on this subject, read Jim Farrell's article in the Sunday, July 29 2007 edition of The Edmonton Journal. (http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html
?id=cb825fa8-e6c5-462f-b361-a7ab8dca77fa)

Canadian Climate Prediction Forges On

Thu, 26 Jul 2007 15:29:52 GMT

Canadian scientists continue development of computer models to predict climate change. In a recent announcement (see link below), researchers Xuebin Zhang and Francis Zwiers, of Environment Canada in Toronto, conclude that humans account for about two-thirds of an observed 4.5 centimeters precipitation increase in Canada, Russia, and Europe. However, Mr. Zwiers noted that their reasoning fails to fully explain why the region just south of the Equator is wetter. All things being equal, it should be drier! The article mentions a few other inconsistencies and unanswered questions. My editorial comment: computer modeling of the atmosphere will continue to have its shortcomings for a while yet. The problem is that scientists are modeling based on observed effects, more than on verified causes. Scientists are only just beginning to discover some of the latter. Research continues ...

Helping Ontarians Understand Climate Change

Sat, 21 Jul 2007 21:06:56 GMT

Ontario is preparing it's citizens to "cope with the impact of climate change". The Ontario government has launched a new Web site dedicated to global warming. In doing so, it hopes to "help Ontarians understand climate change" (quoted from the Web site). A most responsible move, by any standards. Worth a look. NOTE: the home page does not display correctly with Firefox! I use version 2.0. A large picture covers the top portion of the page.