The Sierra Nevada Mountains are home to some of the most majestic sites one could ever imagine.  One of the things I love best are the season changes; Fall being my favorite.  It does not matter if you are in Oakhurst, Coarsegold, Ahwahnee, Bass Lake, or one of the other beautiful surrounding towns you will have the opportunity to experience God’s work.  I have lived in many areas and I have only experienced the beauty of Fall while living in the mountains of Eastern Madera County.  I love the changing colors of the leaves and watching them as they make their way to the ground.  The crisp mornings and cold night air are a refreshing change from the summer heat.  One of my favorites is the howling wind that blows the dark storm clouds across the sky.  Nothing beats the changing of seasons.   There is no better place than the beautiful foothill towns of Oakhurst, Coarsegold, Ahwahnee, Bass Lake, Fish Camp, or North Fork (and of course the ones I have not mentioned) to experience the beauty of the seasons. 

This weekend I drove up to Coarsegold to the annual Tarantula Festival. I meet my friend Dennis Fairbanks and he drove me out to his cattle lease. He drove me around showing me the effects of the drought which has plagued California the last few years. On the lease are two gorgeous lakes. Unfortunately the drought has turned them into large mud ponds.

The good news is or hopefully will be, the National Weather Service predicting the possibility of a wet winter.  They report that a weather phenomenon or system called Madden-Julian Oscillation seems to be developing in the Indian Ocean. In the past, this system has generated wet storms for California.

In 1971 Roland Madden and Paul Julian (1) stumbled upon a 40-50 day oscillation when analyzing zonal wind anomalies in the tropical Pacific.The Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) is an equatorial traveling pattern of anomalous rainfall that is planetary in scale. The mechanism and cause of the MJO is as yet not well-understood and is a subject of ongoing study. The wet phase of enhanced convection and precipitation is followed by a dry phase where convection is suppressed. Each cycle lasts approximately 30-60 days.

The prediction is that there is a potential of storms developing in November, providing a wetter than average fall. We shall see and HOPE.

Where would you rather live?  In an area that gets bombarded each year by hurricanes or tornadoes or would you rather live in an area that may experience an occasional earthquake?  I can’t help but think what those individuals have to deal with each hurricane season as hurricanes threaten their homes.  As Hurricane Ike builds in the Gulf of Mexico and many mainland towns are are threaten, I wonder why would anyone want to live in an area that has to deal with this type of disaster each year.  I personally would much rather take the chance of having to go through an earthquake.  I like not knowing when something devasting will happen.  I think the anticipation of a hurricane or tornado would do me in.  What type of natural disaster would you rather deal with?

This year is the worst fire season on record. It seems just as one fire is contained another begins. The Telegraph fire in Mariposa is posing a huge threat to the Mariposa’s communities. As of 11:30 last night, it has burned nearly 30,000 acres, has destroyed 25 homes and 27 other structures. In addition, 4,000 residences in the communities of Midpines, Briceburg, Mariposa, Greenley Hill, Coulterville, Bear Valley, and Mt. Bullion Camp are still being threatened. In a situation like this we need to pull together as a community and assist all those in need. The American Red Cross is doing its part and we need to do our part. This fire is not only affecting the residents of the community but others around the valley. The air quality remains unhealthy and it is recommended to stay indoors and avoid outside activities. Lets join forces and lend a helping hand to all those in need. If you have any ideas what we as a community can do to help out let us know by responding to this blog.

My favorite thing to do in August is to hike up to the top of Fresno Dome in Eastern Madera County and lay back to watch the Perseid Meteor Shower.  The night sky will be filled with grazers and shooting stars.  There can be up to 60 shooting stars per hour.  They are best viewed at pre-dawn but can be seen all night long.  Fresno Dome is a perfect place because it is quiet and peaceful, away from any lights, and just a short drive up Sierra Sky Ranch Road.  This meteor shower takes place every year in mid August.  I look forward to this annual event and can’t wait to share it with my children.

Did you have older relatives who would claim to know that the rain was coming buy the creak they felt in their knees? Or do you people who can look up into the sky and forecast the weather based on the cloud formations they see?

There is something to be said for these methods of predicting weather, but we can also use modern technology to get an idea of what to expect weather-wise.

Would you like to help your neighbors by assisting the National Weather Service in its efforts to compile information about the weather in Eastern Madera County?

The National Weather Service has a program called Citizens Weather Observation Program (CWOP). The program aims to collect weather data from citizens so that weather services and homeland security can make use of this information. Citizen participants will also get feedback so they can make adjustments as necessary to improve the quality of the date they contribute.

The information is transferred through the internet. To participate, you will need:

A home weather station (the are various brands that fit the bill)

A personal computer with a cable or DSL internet connection

Software and/or hardware for porting data

Visit this site to learn more about the program.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!