Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Dec. 21 -

We'll be seeing a little warm-up today before the next storm system moves over us tomorrow. Below are this morning's observation at the NMSU weather station.
   Yesterday           Today
High(F)  Normal     Low(F)  Normal  Record Low
  46        58        27      29      11 (1977)

With the next storm system we may pick up some more moisture in across the study region. Below is the day 1 to 3 Quantitive Precipitation Forecast (QPF) for Wednesday to Saturday.
The CPC 6-10 day forecast for temperature looks odd. Look below and see what I mean with the blue "B" or below normal probabilities of temperature. It doesn't fit my pattern for a La Nina. But then I'm not surprised. I'm not questioning the fact that we have a La Nina but the impacts to our area are not like last year.  However the CPC map does reflect the pattern of these closed upper level lows from this month.
The Air Quality Index (AQI) forecast for today is calling for good air quality.
There was an announcement today of the new Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) from the US EPA.  I listened in the live announcement by Administrator Jackson on UStream. The new standards control emissions of mercury, arsenic, chromium, nickel, and acid gases (HCl and HF). This is targeted to coal fired power plants and based out of the Clean Air Act. In the rule emitters have 3 years to comply with rule. Those who are in the process of complying may get another year to comply. According to the EPA MATS website for NM, the rule will "prevent up to 24 premature deaths in New Mexico while creating up to $200 million in health benefits in 2016."


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