Back To School

As I mentioned before, today was the first day of class for my Aviation Weather course. I was expecting about 16 or 17 students (that is what I was told was the number that was signed up), but only a dozen showed up. It is always interesting on the first day of class when the students come in. They all just sit down, and don't make a sound. I think they are afraid that I might breath fire and instantly incinerate anyone who has the audacity to speak to a classmate. This usually last for a few days, until they get to know each other a bit better, and then the pre-class scene turns into total bedlam. This is the 5th year that I have taught this class at Spokane Falls Community College. I think I need to get some new jokes because the ones that I am using are getting a little long of tooth, and blank stares have replaced laughter. All in all, it was a good start, at least no one got hurt.

Outside the temperatures are taking tumble once again. There are some high clouds drifting in from the west, and that should help to keep us from getting too cold overnight. Clouds act like the blanket on your bed. Some of the heat that is radiated from your body is absorbed by the blanket, and re-radiated back to you. That keeps you warm at night. Clouds absorb some of the radiation that comes off of the earth's surface, and send it back down to the ground, keeping the air just above the ground warmer than if the sky was clear. There you go! You just learned something by reading this blog. Education...just another service that I offer free of charge. It will be another chilly start to the day tomorrow, in the 40s and in the afternoon we will rise to the low to mid 70s. The mid 70s will be in the middle of the city. There will be more clouds than today, bit there will be some sun, so call it partly sunny. The longer term trend is for sunny and warmer weather into the upcoming weekend, By Saturday and Sunday the afternoon highs will be in the mid to upper 80s.

Note to Larry and Darlene, who are heading for Redfish Lake in the mountains of central Idaho this weekend. You picked a winner. The weather will be nice and sunny and the temperatures will be very nice. Highs will be in the low 80s, and the nights will be clear and cool. It will be a lot nicer than it was last weekend.