The all-time temperature record in Phoenix, Arizona, could be under threat next week. The record stands at 122F (50C) set in June 1990. Next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday the forecast maxima are 48C, 49C and 48C. Serious heat!

Take a look at the Death Valley forecast 54c on Tuesday not far off a world record.

 

 

Take a look at the Death Valley forecast 54c on Tuesday not far off a world record.

 

I don't think I've ever seen the 35C 850hPa isotherm before! 

 

 

I don't think I've ever seen the 35C 850hPa isotherm before! 

 

I think I have- er, might have; but certainly not over so vast an area; there must be a 40 850 in the middle of that splat, somewhere. Also, add in the preferential location of eg Furnace Creek- could we not get a high 50s? It's about time the now-rarely-quoted Al Azizyah (Libya: no idea if spelt right) was replaced with a credible reading.

 

I think I have- er, might have; but certainly not over so vast an area; there must be a 40 850 in the middle of that splat, somewhere. Also, add in the preferential location of eg Furnace Creek- could we not get a high 50s? It's about time the now-rarely-quoted Al Azizyah (Libya: no idea if spelt right) was replaced with a credible reading.

The Libyan reading was  officially struck off the record fairly recently for being, well, rubbish.

Death Valley holds the official record now, at 134F (56.7C).

https://www.livescience.com/23156-new-world-hottest-temperature.html

I might be wrong but I would have though that parts of the Middle East quite often see 35°C t850s?

Yes I've looked at some charts and it seems 35C+ is quite common over Iran and Saudi Arabia, for instance:  http://www.wetterzentrale.de/maps/GFSOPAF12_120_2.png

Accuweather now going for 54C in Death Valley on Tuesday, which would break the day record of 52C.

53.3C in Death Valley, Monday vs 52.2C forecast.

53.9C forecast on Tuesday. Will be interesting to see if it goes to 54+; and by how much.

Currently 54.44C in Death Valley. Still some time for it to edge even higher.

Santa Ana driven forest fires in California aren't that unusual this time of the year. However, by historical standards 2017 looks like ending up being horrendous.

Been watching LA local TV live and I've certainly never seen anything like this, regarding Ventura County.

Local fire chief interviewed and said it's the worst he's seen in 25 years.

They can't take the water borne planes up due to the high winds and there have been grid issues too.

And if your house is on fire all the local fire crews can do is watch it burn, given they need (unsurprisingly) to protect unaffected properties.

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/12/05/us/ventura-county-fire-california/index.html

Amongst all the snow talk here, over in Texas, Houston has recorded its second snowfall in about 17 years (some north of the city have had a few falls but not the city).

1-3 inches was recorded and a Winter Storm warning was in place for Corpus Christi TX down to Laredo TX on the Mexico border which last had snow in 2004. Prior to that it was 1940 and then 1895, so only the forth recorded on recorded!

 

I think I have- er, might have; but certainly not over so vast an area; there must be a 40 850 in the middle of that splat, somewhere. Also, add in the preferential location of eg Furnace Creek- could we not get a high 50s? It's about time the now-rarely-quoted Al Azizyah (Libya: no idea if spelt right) was replaced with a credible reading.

Calgary Alberta, Canada remains so unseasonably mild for 0800am currently +12c 

https://www.theweathernetwork.com/ca/weather/alberta/calgary

Many parts of central England woke up to -12c or -13c ! Meaning we (East Wales and West Midlands) are/were some 20c colder than parts of the Canadian Prairies at one point! ha! 

Average for Calgary in December is -5c 

Just so crazy.

Here's some proper snow.

Erie, PA; 60.5" in two days; smashing the previous record of 44".

Here's some proper snow.

Erie, PA; 60.5" in two days; smashing the previous record of 44".

 

That's extraordinary.  A classic if extreme example of lake effect snow.  Erie lies on the snow belt that extends along the southern shores of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, susceptible to Arctic flows from the north-west.

From a colleague in Colorado Springs - bitter cold on Boxing Day continued into the night and at 0400 local time on 27th it was -17C. Then a Chinook dived down the Front Range of the Rockies and at 0700 local time it was +4C with a strong and gusty westerly wind.

74531          AIR FORCE ACADEMY           2003m
                                                      39.0 -104.8    27/12/17

Hr Wind/Gst  TT TD PPP  Tend   WX  Vis N Cloud1 Cloud2
-- -------- ------ --- ----- ----- --- - ------ ------ ------ ------
17 17006    -11-15 291              66   CLR                  
18 16006    -13-16 304              66   CLR                  
19 16005    -13-15 311              66   BKN006               
20 19004    -13-15 322              66   OVC004               
21 00000    -13-15 320    -SN    64   OVC004               
22 00000    -13-15 317              66   OVC004               
23 00000    -14-16 324              66   OVC005               
00 00000    -14-16 311    -SN    66   OVC004               
01 33004    -15-17 301              66   SCT004               
02 25006    -16-19 301              66   CLR                  
03 30003    -17-19 307              66   CLR                  
04 35004    -17-19 296              66   CLR                  
05 00000    -15-17 298              66   CLR                  
06 00000     -9-12 279               66   CLR                  
07 26025/33   4-17 231              66   CLR                  
08 26024/37   5-17 231              66   CLR                  
09 18012/32   3-14 236              66   CLR                  
10 03004/16   1-16 253              66   CLR                  
11 18013/20   5-16 234              66   CLR                  
12 22020/32  10-16 208              66   CLR                  
13 22014/23  10-16 203              66   CLR                  
14 26016/26  13-19 201              66   CLR                  
15 30015/22  13-18 204              66   CLR                  
16 25005       12-18 211              66   CLR

Yes it sure is cold over there .