weat h erwit "getting the thing on was an exhausting process punctuated with grunts, small breaks for oxygen and comments like: help. my legs are in the sleeves."
Smurf's Up!
I saw a bumper
sticker that said: "More Wags, Less Barks." It reminded me of the time our family ventured out to the wilds of Long Beach for some wag-inducing by Steve Sakiyama fun: surfing. The good part about surfing is the black wetsuit. The tight fit (did I say tight?) made me look 20 years younger – although with gloves and booties I looked like a cross between a Ninja Smurf and an overcooked Bratwurst. Getting the thing on was an exhausting process punctuated with grunts, small breaks for oxygen and comments like: "Help. My legs are in the sleeves." By the time I suited up, I needed a nap. After our excellent lesson on the beach it was time to head out and ride the curl. The roar of the ocean called me, and with overwhelming excitement I picked up the board and Riverdanced over the sandy expanse to the beckoning surf. Yes, bring it on. Unfortunately, my vision of a sprightly dash to the ocean was far beyond my energy level and it was soon replaced by a laboured stagger. Needing to catch my fleeting breath, I collapsed in the shallow surf with an undignified "Sschhlump." But it was all worth it. The exhilaration of riding the wave and feeling the air-whipped surf splash on my face was beyond priceless (for everything else, there's MasterCard). Even my dismount was wag-inducing: a two-and-a-half turn, backwards pike position, face plant – worth at least a 9.8 due to the high degree of difficulty and my pointed toes upon entry. Speaking of waves, the atmosphere has them too. Under certain conditions, atmospheric waves can be similar to the pattern that occurs when water moves over a submerged rock. When moving air encounters a mountain, ripples or waves can form directly over and downwind of the mountain. Sometimes clouds will form at the wave crests, providing a visual clue as to the existence of these waves. As the air moves upwards to the peak of the wave it cools, and moisture in the air condenses – creating a cloud at the wavecrest. As the air heads downward into the wave trough it warms, and the cloud evaporates. The result is an alternating series of clouds and clear areas many kilometres downwind of the mountain. For our September weather outlook, will it be wags or barks? Long-term weather models indicate a bias toward warmer than normal temperatures and no preference for wetter or drier
conditions – so perhaps our spectacular summer weather will continue into a pleasant fall. September is a month of transition, in weather and life. For Labour Day my sentimental forecast is an alternating mix of sun and cloud, symbolic of the waves of change as we ride from summer vacation to other good things like work and school. In celebration of this day, I'll head out with a Riverdance skip into a wonderful day, ready to surf whatever September brings me. Then … take a nap. ~ Weatherwit What brings wags to your life? Email weatherwit@gmail.com or visit my weather blog at weatherwit.wordpress.com.
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