40/70 Benchmark

This is almost analogous to the correlation between storminess and the teleconnections, whereas it isn't so much the modes, but the modalities that are the correlators.

Yard work is like exercising to me....I hate knowing that I need to do it, but enjoy during and after.

And if you look at 2000-2001, the middle portion of that season was not blocky, which is in alignment with my early thoughts with respect to this season...so IOW, consider a modified version of 2000-2001 in which the month of March isn't so extreme and what are you left with? A slight DM +NAO in the mean, which is essentially what 2002-2003 was.

Exactly my thoughts. Agree RE blockiness, but it doesn't necessarily have to be this year...we could also still see some blockiness, while averaging a +DM NAO.

In my opinion the trend of the solar cycle plays a significant role, and its ascending pretty quickly with regular activity.... coupled with a modoki la nina, which teleconnect to +NAO. Now, if la nina becomes more basin wide, them maybe I would soften my stance a bit. 2000-2001 is a decent analog and I am entertaining the notion of a solid ending, but we would need to see a major SSW manifest properly in order for a - NAO season to become more viable. I would not be shocked to see the AO average slightly negative and oppose the NAO a bit....kind of like what I suspect we may see in the Pacific in relation to the PDO/PNA. I will get into all of this in more detail this fall.

Let it die...less yard work.

Triggered over missing the rain? I really don't care-

Yea, I feel like +NAO is a given, but could be some more favorable stretches early and late.

I'm actually not that concerned about the negative PDO....my hunch is that we actually average a slightly positive PNA. The larger concern will be the tendency for a fairly flat Aleutian ridge if la nina remains modoki through the fall and into the winter, which is not a given.

Two points: 1) Do we really need to ferret out tweets at this point to re enforce the notion of a third consecutive la nina this winter? No one is doubting that at this stage... 2) Be careful what you wish for because if you look at the structure of the subsurface right now, a strong easterly wind burst near the dateline is only going to serve to erode the modoki nature of this la nina.

Even though its mostly a whiff, its still nice to see a nor' easter develop this early in the season.

That solution verbatim is NBD.

Overall unfavorable, but that doesn't mean that there can't be some favorable stretches....early and late is the most likely timeframe for any such period IMO.

The NAO will average positive, but that doesn't mean we will never see neg NAO...best shots are early and late IMO. PNA may be decent, too, which could save us.

Strong and east based is small sample, but good....2010-2011 and 1956-1957.

Lol Thanks

It won't be weaker...we are ascending into SC 25, but I think those sudden, big flare ups can wreak havoc with the polar domain.

March 1975 was pretty good, too.

Yup...big solar flare. I also think the solar flare last October played a role in keeping the polar domain pretty hostile most of the season...thankfully we got the poleward Aleutian ridge in January with the la nina being so eastern biased. I'm not worried about a 2011-2012 outcome, but we will deal with some lower heights up there is this remains a modoki.

Yea, I have been placing the over/under at 1/2" for eastern areas.

Yep. What a PITA forecast.

But if it has some tropical characteristics, then there will be plenty of moisture....just maybe more compact.

Good consensus for at least about a half inch of rain here...whether I get grazed on the western edge, or its LBSE TBD.

If you are really worried about that stray 2011-2012 outcome, then I guess it would be comforting to see it more basin wide. Last year I saved the la nina EMI composites for the outlook itself because I was still editing them, but I can probably introduce them next week, since its all I need to do is add last season to the east-based composite.