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YFNWG

CLOUD experiments results have produced many reactions.   Here are some:

http://calderup.wordpress.com/2011/08/24/cern-experiment-confirms-cosmic-ray-action/

http://bishophill.squarespace.com/blog/2011/8/24/cloud-experiment-links.html

http://www.thegwpf.org/the-observatory/3702-cern-finds-qsignificantq-cosmic-ray-cloud-effect.html

http://wattsupwiththat.com/2011/08/24/breaking-news-cern-experiment-confirms-cosmic-rays-influence-climate-change/

http://wattsupwiththat.com/2011/08/25/some-reactions-to-the-cloud-experiment/

YFNWG

Irene is now a Cat 2 level hurricane.   She is forecasted to become a Cat 3, even a Cat 4 level as she moves over the Bahamas towards North Carolina.   After landfall, she is predicted to run up the coast to the Maritimes.   Depending if the storm center is over water or land will determine whether she maintains hurricane intensity all the way up.   Regardless, it looks like the Maritimes will be affected by a lot of wind and rain this coming weekend..    And as usual, Environment Canada Hurricane Centre has NOTHING about it yet.

The latest GFS model now has Irene sideswiping North Carolina and taking a run at the Maritimes:

However, the "official" forecast from the NHC has the storm hitting the Carolinas and coming up the Appalachians:

YFNWG

We're now into the second half of August already.  This coming Monday it will be one month until the Fall Equinox.  There are visible signs that summer is on the wane for us such as shorter days (almost 3min shorter per day) and cooler nights (which are cause and effect).   Globally there are signs too.   The mean temperature of the area around the geographic north pole is below zero and falling rapidly.   In the far northern regions of the Canadian archipelago, snow is falling.   The sun is low on the horizon in the arctic regions.  On the Arctic circle the length of the day is shortening by almost 8 minutes per day.   In a few days, the sun will set half way between the Arctic circle and the north pole for the first time since April after which the daylights hours get shorter very quickly.

I enjoy watching the changing of the seasons.

YFNWG