As of today, we have tied for 3rd place in longest consecutive stretch of rainy days -- rainy being days with measurable precipitation (some cities count a day with only trace amounts as part of their streaks). This is the 24th day in a row, tying us with the the streak from Nov. 10, 1953 to Dec. 3, 1953. In those 24 days we've accumulated 11.35" -- not quite a third of our normal annual rainfall.
We have another streak going: 25 consecutive days with warmer than normal temperatures.
We're still a long ways from breaking the record of 33 days (also, coincidently set in 1953, but in the previous winter): Jan. 6, 1953-Feb. 7, 1953.
Of course all this is nothing compared to what Ketchican, Alaska experienced in the winter of '52-53 (which over lapped our own 33 day record setter): 101 consecutive days of measurable precipitation.
There has apparently been some talk about a supposed 90-day streak in the winter of 98-99. It wasn't a streak, there were never any streaks of more the 21 days of consecutive rain that winter. What did happen is that there were 90 days of measureably rain out of the 120 days of our usually wettest months: November, December, January, and February. I haven't been able to figure out how this compares to the winter Lewis and Clark were in the Northwest, where they recorded more the 100 days of rain -- but again it wasn't consecutive, and those 100+ days were scattered out from mid-fall to mid-spring--so it may not have been as wet as the '98-99 winter. Not to mention that they were at Ft. Clatsop, down near Astoria, Oregon, which gets more rain than we do in Seattle.
The mudslides closing off railway tracks, highways, and invading some homes are worrisome. And we've got flood warnings all over the place. So I understand about the grumbling, but I will point out that it has been sunny outside with more than half the sky blue since at least 10am this morning--so the people who are whining that there has been absolutely no sun at all are exaggerating more than a little bit.
I know that not everyone is lucky enough to have a job where they can say, "I'm taking my break outside right now 'cuz there's sun out there." So I understand that this break isn't going to be very helpful to them. But there was some sun midday on Saturday, and I know there have been a few other periods like that in the last 24 days.
And sunbreaks may be all we get for more than a while. Because the forecast is all rain, rain, and more rain for the foreseeable future.
And I will close this with a quote snagged from one of the local weather sites. A reader who signed her name Kristine Williams wrote:
"I would suggest a stretch like this be referred to as 'The Clearances' -- a semi-annual event where in the Pacific 'Northwet' strives to separate the weak from the strong; the true Northwesterner from the wimpier import; those who see no problem in 6 months of grey, where the water and the sky are the same color, from those who made the mistake of visiting in the summer - fell in love with the beauty - and moved here believing our stories of rain and grey skies to be a myth, designed to ward off invaders.
"Never fear, the sky will clear. On July 5th."Conventionally speaking…I've noticed more and more folks on my friends list posting about their plans for the
upcoming convention, Further Confusion. Specifically folks are either saying or asking how they can spot, meet up with, et cetera, other friends. So here's my answer to the currently oft-asked question: How do you spot me at FC?
On Saturday, leave the con, hop on a plane to Seattle, drive up to Shoreline, knock on
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kehf's front door, and come inside to join us for a typerific Round Robin afternoon, followed by our monthly fabulousness called Writer's Night. You can eat some fabulous food (because we always have great food), get some good conversation in, hear some fabulous stories, participate in critique of same, and probably get to look at some sketching.
That's how to spot me at FC this year. Next year may be a different story. We haven't been in a while, and it is nice to go to California in January.
At the moment, the only conventions that we are committed to attending are
NorWesCon (with Lois McMaster Bujold as guest of honor!!!) and
Midwest Furfest. There aren't any dates or location announced for Conifur, still, so I don't know yet whether we can attend.
I'm seriously looking at
Emerald City Comic-Con and
Foolscap -- both local to us. A couple of my friends are aggitating for us to do a big group trip to
Comic-Con International, but since a bunch of us are already planning to go together to Midwest Furfest, I don't know if we can swing that.
It's more than just money and making time. I've been blessed with a job with excellent benefits, including an almost obscene amount of paid time off. The last several years Michael's been self-employed only, so he had a lot of flexibility in his schedule. Now he's working at a job that, wonderfully, fits his skills, temperament, and philosophy. It's for a small non-profit and he doesn't get paid time off. And since his work week is Tuesday-Saturday, our typical out-of-town convention trip means three or four days lost pay for him. Not to mention the inconvenience caused to them if he's taking time off all the time.
Which is a problem that most folks deal with. There's a reason that lots of fans only attend a day or parts of several days at many conventions.
So all joking and whining aside, I hope everyone going to FC has a completely fabulous time. Do something fun while you're there for me, and please come back and tell us about all the fun you had.
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