First freeze (of sorts) of the season
Out in my neck of the woods (suburban to rural in nature), temperatures reached the freeze level last night. Horace Williams airport registered a hardy 30 degrees (registering about 3 or 4 hourly observations of 31-32) as a low. Meanwhile, my two thermometers registered a 35 (western sensor) and a 31.3 (eastern sensor). Part of the difference in sensor instrumentation is due to the amount of shelter (the western one is further inside the confines of the house structure, whereas the eastern one has much less building shelter). RDU briefly flirted with 33 at 7am, but couldn't make any significant inroads though.
Current forecasts aren't showing any significant intrusions of 30's yet, but we are certainly moving on in the season.
METAR KIGX 310256Z 00000KT 10SM 05/02 A3040 RMK SLP296Labels: meteorology
Too many downward dolphin kicks!
This clip has been making the rounds on certain swimming sites, so I thought I would make a few comments on it.
In this breaststroke swim, the swimmer shown in the video is clearly doing what would be considered a downward dolphin kick. It's real easy to see, as the knees are clearly flexing, with the legs moving simultaneously up and down with respect to the torso. It's all definitely illegal in all swimming rules codes, except that a downward dolphin kick is permitted while completely submerged, immediately followed by a breaststroke kick, during the first stroke off the wall (this is commonly referred to as the pull-out). Beyond this exception, "A ... downward dolphin kick is not permitted" (FINA SW 7.5, USA-S 101.2.3, NCAA 2-2-2-c, NFHS 8-2-2f, USMS 101.2.3).
The swimmer at this meet, conducted under FINA rules, was not disqualified. We don't see the whole swim in the video, so we can't tell if the swimmer continued into the wall. It's possible it didn't occur throughout the race (it's hard to see in the finish shot whether he was), but it's also a little surprising that the stroke judge walking the side of the pool didn't see it. Still, this is a pretty straightforward call to make, even to me!
METAR KIGX 270156Z 13502KT 3SM -RN FG OVC001 20/19 A3010 RMK SLP190 P0001Labels: swimming
Urgent Advisory for Users
The CEDS (Current Earth Destruction Status) from the International Earth-Destruction Advisory Board appears to be loading slowly. Current observations appear to indicate that the planet Earth, contrary to popular demand, is not destroyed.
This blog apologizes for the inconvenience to data users. We urge them not to vent their frustration by the act of jumping into thorns, as it would not be a good idea at the time.
METAR KRDU 200256Z 23505KT 10SM CLR 22/16 A2975 RMK SLP068Labels: other
How many people...
..would defend keeping a cat on a warship by using a five graph set of probable fatality rates?
The cat of course is this officer's cat, but rather someone else's. And no, she didn't defend it by using the story of the man who jumped into the thorns--it seemed like a good idea at the time!
If you really want to lower your fatality rates, you have to get Buyo from Inuyasha (he's practically indestructible) (picture forthcoming).
METAR KIGX 180356Z 9SM CLR 17/13 A3006 RMK SLP175Labels: anime
Crepuscular rays?
This wasn't really discussed in my atmospheric physics class, but this is (in my opinion) a fairly beautiful drawing of crepuscular rays (at least, that's my feeling). The rays themselves are a little incomplete (that's my feeling from personal observation), but the color and balance of the picture is quite excellent. Notice the use of the sunset in the distance and the intermediate obstructions--either someone has seen this before personally or with a photograph to draw this scene, or they have excellent skills. (Galaxy Angel 26, Field Guide to North American Weather 557, plates 343-4).
METAR KIGX 130356Z 10SM CLR 12/03 A3000 RMK SLP157Labels: anime, meteorology
