Your predictions for 2009?

[BayAreaKite]

I know many of you out there have pretty good ideas and theories about our wind patterns here in the Bay, on the Coast and out at the Delta, so i thought I'd throw this out there.

In past recent years, we've had some great seasons, average ones, and not so great ones as far as the wind goes and the patterns we've seen at various spots. Some years the season is affected by El Nino, La Nina, etc.

Based on what you've seen, know or have researched or observed, what do you think is in store for us this season? Will 2009 be great, average, or so-so?

[sloughslut]

so-so

[KillaHz]

I'll tell you what I know about seasons that follow droughts... The inland spots (Tahoe/Delta/etc...) Nuke from May till september.

[BayAreaKite]

I like that! It's true, the year before last inland was very good.

[recoprianto]

Nuking at Sherman all summer is music to my ears.

[Bulldog]

I know that what GB said is the conventional wisdom, but unfortunately, last year was a drought year (officially declared in July 2008, I think) and I didn't hear too many people talking about what an epic year it was at SI (although it was pretty good on the coast). 2007 was not a drought year in Norcal, and the wind was pretty killer just about everywhere around the Bay.

On the flip side, there's a really good chance that 2009 will be even drier than 2008 -- January is normally the wettest month of the year, and we're at 0.00 inches of rain halfway through the month. So if the rule is "the more of a drought, the better the wind inland", than this year could be better than last year.

With hardly any storms and clearing winds being really weak even they have shown up, this winter season has been pretty horrible. And I haven't seen anyone predicting a major pattern shift. The forecasts I read are basically saying at this point "This dry pattern is so dominant that we aren't going to predict anymore rain until we see it on the radar."

For me personally, if we do have a serious drought this year, I hope it's windy, because I will have alot more time on my hands. We don't have enough water right now to irrigate the whole farm.

[KillaHz]

Yeah, rough on the farmers for sure....

Paul, when I speak of drought years it comes from my experience living in Tahoe for a couple years. When the lake is low, the winds crank. Doesn't need to be an official drought year, just dry inland.

[whitecap]

plus, the ocean is pretty cold for this time of year...good for inland...

[elli]

If warmer and dryer winter means more wind, then there is lots of it coming. And they also say that winter is shorter which means season is starting sooner. One man's misery is another man's wonder.

Calfirnia researchers say winters are warmer and springs come earlier