Thursday, July 31, 2008

Sun-Mercury Storms Haiti; Mars Heats Up The U.S.

In my July 17th post "A Hurricane for Haiti?" I presented a couple of possible weather scenarios for the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The Sun-Mercury conjunction of July 29th lead me to believe that a tropical storm or hurricane might hit the island between July 28-31. If not a hurricane, I conjectured that a severe weather system producing dangerous thunderstorms might hit the island.



Tonight the Weather Channel reports "A tropical wave moving through the eastern Caribbean Sea has enhanced activity across Puerto Rico and will do the same to the Dominican Republic and Haiti through Friday. Flash flooding is possible along the mountains of both islands."



The Dominican Republic's weather service is calling for downpours, gusty winds, and flooding in low-lying areas. The infrared weather map above shows the system approaching the island.




The next post entitled Mars and the Solar Eclipse of Sept 11, 2007 explained how transit Mars would trigger last September's solar eclipse degree. Since the Sun-Moon eclipse line ran through the Rockies and Mexico, I concluded that nature's heat element would be active over theses areas and could even produce a tropical system along the Mexican coast south of Guadalajara between July 30th and August 2nd.

Here's how things are shaping up:

Nature's heat element is definitely at work over the Rockies. Accuweather reports "A dome of high pressure over the Four Corners is producing the blazing sunshine and triple-digit temperatures. Increasing humidity east of the Rockies will create RealFeel® temperatures that will make it fell hotter and more uncomfortable."

The heat is also expanding eastward into the Plains. According to the Weather Channel "Both Saturday and Sunday, afternoon highs will reach the lower 100s over much of the southern Plains, Texas, and parts of the Lower Mississippi River Valley, with middle and upper 90s across the rest of the Deep South."

Further south in Mexico, their weather service reports that a tropical wave around 101 west longitude is causing strong convective activity along the coasts of Guerrero, Michoacán, Colima y Jalisco where strong to intense rains may fall. Since Guadalajara is located in the state of Jalisco, we're right on target.

A Hurricane For Haiti
Summer 2008: The Eastern United States
Summer 2008: The West Coast Part 1
Summer 2008: The Rockies Part 1
Summer 2008: The Plains and Mississippi Valley- Part 1
Introduction to the Weather Alternative
How Long-Range Forecasts Are Made

Thank God For Everything?

One couple heard me speak on praising God for everything and went home quite disturbed. For months they had grieved over the condition of their daughter who had been committed to a mental institution and had been diagnosed as hopelessly insane.


Prayer groups across the country had been asked to intercede for her, and daily the parents had pleaded with God on their knees to heal their daughter. Her condition remained unchanged.


Their initial response to the challenge that they should praise God for the condition of their daughter had left them distraught and unhappy.


But finally they decided, "We have nothing to lose, do we? Why don't we try it?"


They knelt together. "Dear God," the husband began, "we know that You love us and that You love our daughter even more than we do. We're going to trust that You're working out in her life what You know is best for her; so we thank You for her sickness, thank You that she's in the hospital, thank You for the doctors who haven't found a way to help her. We praise You for Your wisdom and love toward us ... "


The longer they prayed that day, the more they became convinced that God was indeed doing what was best.


The next morning the hospital psychiatrist called.


"Sir, there's been a remarkable change in your daughter," he said. "I suggest you come and see her."


Within two weeks she was released from the hospital.


A year later a young man came up to me after a meeting. He introduced himself as the girl's brother and told me that she was married, expecting a baby, and "is the happiest girl in the world!"--Power in Praise by Merlin R. Carothers


Thursday, July 24, 2008

Mars and the Solar Eclipse of Sept 11, 2007

On July 31st, transit Mars will conjoin the Sept 11, 2007 Solar Eclipse degree. Astrometeorologists know that the conjunctions, squares, and oppositions to Solar Eclipse degrees by the outer planets provoke an atmospheric reaction over the places where the Sun and Moon were angular at the time of the eclipse.
The astro-locality map above has been stripped of all other planetary lines to show the position of the Sun-Moon Ascendant line at the time of the Sept 11, 2007 eclipse. The line ran through the Rockies and down through Guadalajara, Mexico to the southern Mexican coast.
Mars' influence relates to heat and is usually pretty energetic. Around this time, let's say from July 30th through August 2nd, nature's heat element should be active over these areas. This may provoke storms over the Rockies, and may even attract a tropical storm along the coast of Mexico south of Guadalajara.

Problems vs. opportunities. (Zig Ziglar)
Be grateful for your problems. The problems or challenges we face force us to grow and become more capable. The long-distance runner who trains for the Olympics by running downhill will have no chance of winning the medal. The runner who trains by running uphill is far more likely to develop the speed, mental toughness and endurance which it takes to win the medal.

The best thing that ever happened to boxer Gene Tunney was that he had weak hands. His manager felt that he could never punch hard enough to be the heavyweight champion. Instead, Tunney decided that he would become a scientific boxer, not a slugger. Boxing historians will tell you that he developed into one of the best boxers who ever fought. Tunney would never have been champion had he not had the problem of his weak hands. So the next time you encounter a difficult climb, obstacle, or "problem," you should smile and say, "Here’s my chance to grow."

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Dolly's Landfall and Mississippi Valley Severe Weather

Tropical Storm (soon to be Hurricane) Dolly is approaching southwestern Texas and northeastern Mexico. It is expected to make landfall somewhere in that area some time tomorrow. Why is it headed there? Notice the "crossing" of Mercury and Uranus in the Cancer Solar Ingress map over that very area. These Cardinal Solar Ingress maps are key maps for long-range weather forecasting. The crossing is being activated at this time.


The Weather Alternative's long-range forecast for July 22-24 called for the following:

July 22-24
Mercury trines Uranus over the Plains and brings cool, dry air southward. Mars influence adds stormy and windy conditions over the Mississippi Valley.

Notice the cooler air indicated on this Accuweather map and the storms forecast for today that will bring heavy downpours, gusty winds, and hail.

A Hurricane For Haiti
Summer 2008: The Eastern United States
Summer 2008: The West Coast Part 1
Summer 2008: The Rockies Part 1
Summer 2008: The Plains and Mississippi Valley- Part 1
Introduction to the Weather Alternative
How Long-Range Forecasts Are Made

Success in Life


Your success in life depends on your motive. There is an old fable about a dog that boasted of his ability as a runner. One day he chased a rabbit and failed to catch it. The other dogs ridiculed him on account of his previous boasting. His reply was, "You must remember that the rabbit was running for his life, while I was only running for my dinner." The incentive is all-important.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Tropical Storm Cristobal and the Northeast

The Weather Alternative's long-range forecast for July 18-20 called for stormy conditions throughout the Northeast due to Mercury's opposition to Jupiter on the 19th and their contraparallel on the 21st.



Storms began to assail the Northeast on the 18th. Accuweather reported "Thunderstorms pounded portions of New York, New Hampshire and Maine on Friday afternoon (July 18). Some areas received pea- to marble-sized hail. Thunderstorm winds downed trees in Ferrisburg and North Hero, Vt."

More storms are expected today over New York and New England with strong wind gusts and hail.




It looks like Tropical Storm Cristobal will add to the mix. Today, conventional forecasters are noting that drenching showers and locally gusty thunderstorms are spreading slowly northward from the Carolinas to the Delmarva Peninsula and surrounding areas. Cristobal's expected path is seen at right.


A Hurricane For Haiti

Summer 2008: The Eastern United States

Summer 2008: The West Coast Part 1

Summer 2008: The Rockies Part 1

Summer 2008: The Plains and Mississippi Valley- Part 1

Introduction to the Weather Alternative

How Long-Range Forecasts Are Made

"In many churches Christianity has been watered down until the solution is so weak that if it were poison it would not hurt anyone, and if it were medicine it would not cure anyone!" --A.W. Tozer

Thursday, July 17, 2008

A Hurricane For Haiti?

Haiti is one of the worst places to take a direct hit from a hurricane. The devastation and loss of life can be tremendous. The Atlantic Basin is already active as we speak, and planetary alignments do promise some hurricane or severe weather in and around Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

Specifically, February's lunar eclipse localizes the Sun-Mercury conjunction of July 29th over the island of Hispañola. In season, Sun-Mercury conjunctions are known to produce hurricanes or severe weather systems that generate strong winds.


The chart at right is a view of the Sun-Mercury conjunction as seen from February's lunar eclipse over Haiti. Notice the Sun and Mercury conjoining on the Midheaven and squaring the Ascendant.

So roughly between July 28-31, 2008 a tropical storm and/or hurricane is possible over this area. If not an actual tropical system, the next scenario would be a severe weather system producing dangerous thunderstorms over the island.

Summer 2008: The Eastern United States
Summer 2008: The West Coast Part 1
Summer 2008: The Rockies Part 1
Summer 2008: The Plains and Mississippi Valley- Part 1
Introduction to the Weather Alternative
How Long-Range Forecasts Are Made


O'er uncharted sea
To their hearts' desire
Do men of faith set sail,
While the beaten men
Walk with fearful hearts
Along life's beaten trail.

The men of faith will challenge
Both men & Satan's wrath,
But the beaten men will compromise
And walk the beaten path.

Beaten roads are for beaten men,
As they walk with measured tread,
With tuneless souls they move along
To dwell among the dead.

But men of faith climb unscaled walls,
And sail uncharted sea.
They dare to cross convention's bounds
To set the captives free.

-- Thomas Wyatt

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Here Comes the Sun (Trine Uranus)

Do you see that cool and dry air mass over the U.S. midsection on the Accuweather map? That's the result of the Sun trine Uranus. The Weather Alternative's long-range forecast for July 13-15 specified that cool and fair conditions would embrace the Plains at this time.



The Accuweather Midwest report for yesterday said " As the storms move into the Northeast tonight, the region will experience cooler temperatures and a break from thunderstorms starting on Sunday, due to unseasonably cool air moving southeastward from Canada. "




The Weather Alternative forecast for July 11-13 was less successful. The forecast expected a low pressure area or moisture to be drawn up from the south and generate storms over the Pacific Northwest.

While the Weather Channel spoke of a return of moisture from the south in their weather summaries on the 11th and 12th, the moisture has not been able to penetrate as far as the Pacific Northwest.

Summer 2008: The Eastern United States
Summer 2008: The West Coast Part 1
Summer 2008: The Rockies Part 1
Summer 2008: The Plains and Mississippi Valley- Part 1
Introduction to the Weather Alternative
How Long-Range Forecasts Are Made

"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."--Mohandas K. Gandhi

"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."--Thomas A. Edison

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Bertha, The Northeast, and Western Weather

All eyes have been on Hurricane Bertha, and here at The Weather Alternative I've speculated that Bertha may fulfill my long-range weather forecast for July 9-11. This forecast called for a front or low-pressure system off the coast of the Carolinas to affect the New England area. The forecast is being fulfilled but not by Bertha. Let's look and see.






First of all, here's the original forecast:



July 9-11 The Sun's opposition to Jupiter and Mercury's opposition to Pluto at the time of the First Quarter Moon show the potential for a low pressure system or front to develop off the U.S. East Coast around the latitude of North Carolina and bring severe weather to the New England area.



As shown in the Accuweather map at right for July 9th, some severe storms were expected Wednesday. Today Accuweather reported "Storms pounded New England on Wednesday. Trees and power lines were toppled in Brattleboro, Vt., while North Adams, Mass., recorded 2.64 inches of rain in the 24-hour period ending today at 2 a.m. EDT."





As for the low-pressure area off the coast of North Carolina, the Accuweather forecast map at left shows tomorrow's weather scenario (July 11th). And there sits the low-pressure area off of North Carolina.



The Weather Alternative forecast for July 7-10 awaited severe weather over the Great Basin and Rockies. Here's the original forecast:

July 7-10 Mars will parallel Saturn on the 7th and conjoin Saturn on the 10th. The Mars-Saturn conjunctions usually result in destructive, windy storms due to the clashing of contrary air masses.

The Accuweather map for today at right shows areas of the Southwest, particularly Arizona and New Mexico being affected by drenching showers and thunderstorms due to a plume of monsoon moisture. Thunderstorms also erupted over the Sierra Madre on the 9th. These storms brought dangerous lightning strikes but little moisture.

Further north over Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming the National Weather Service has issued High Wind Warnings as an upper level trough of low-pressure brings strong sustained winds of 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 60 mph.

Summer 2008: The Eastern United States

Summer 2008: The West Coast Part 1

Summer 2008: The Rockies Part 1

Summer 2008: The Plains and Mississippi Valley- Part 1

Introduction to the Weather Alternative

How Long-Range Forecasts Are Made

The Power of a Compliment

We all want to know how to get along with difficult people. Dale Carnegie's (How to Win Friends and Influence People) basic principle for winning friends is to give compliments, to find something genuinely good in everyone.

A young man lived with his brothers and widowed father. His one sister kept house for them all, and her services were taken for granted. Because of his assignment (to give genuine compliments for a week), he looked around at home for something to compliment and noticed some new flowered drapes. He told her how beautiful they were, and she replied, "I'm glad someone finally noticed. I made them months ago and I felt none of you even cared. You're the only one who's noticed." The next day when he came home from work, there was a new sweater on his bed with a note: "Because you noticed."


How to Get Along with Difficult People--By Florence Littauer

Sunday, July 06, 2008

Mercury Square Uranus--Flooding Downpours and Large Hail

A potent cold front is advancing over the Plains today eliciting strong and severe storms from Michigan to Nebraska. According to Accuweather forecasters, the violent collision of air masses will cause storms that will produce flooding downpours, hail, strong winds and even an isolated tornado.





The present weather fulfills The Weather Alternative's long-range forecast for July 5-8, which was posted on June 13th. The forecast read as follows:



July 5-8

Mercury descends along the entire East Coast and squares transit Uranus on the 5th. Venus trines Uranus on the 6th, and the Moon conjoins Uranus on the 8th. A cold air mass descends over the Plains out of Canada setting off storms. A cold front along the East Coast brings storms from Florida to New England.





These next Accuweather graphics show the storms predicted for the East Coast from Florida to New England. Today, Accuweather meteorologists report that "As a high over the western Atlantic forces a sultry flow up the Eastern Seaboard, more storms will fire over the mid-Atlantic and southern New England... Locally drenching downpours will still affect the region, but no widespread strong or severe storms are expected."



Here we see the storms along the southern portion of the East Coast. According to Accuweather "Thunderstorms will again be a concern for Sunday afternoon across the southeastern part of the country... The greatest threat with these thunderstorms will be small hail and gusty winds. Brief, heavy rain and vivid lightning will also accompany the thunderstorms, which will be slow moving due to the light winds higher in the atmosphere."

Summer 2008: The Eastern United States
Summer 2008: The West Coast Part 1
Summer 2008: The Rockies Part 1
Summer 2008: The Plains and Mississippi Valley- Part 1
Introduction to the Weather Alternative
How Long-Range Forecasts Are Made

Character


It's what you do when you have nothing to do that reveals what you are.
What lies behind us & what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.
Reputation is what you need to get a job; character is what you need to keep it.

Friday, July 04, 2008

Will Tropical Storm Bertha Fulfill Long-range Prediction?

Meteorologists are keeping their eye on Tropical Storm Bertha in the Atlantic Basin. The National Weather Service's 5 day track forecast places Bertha headed toward the United States by July 8th.

The Weather Alternative posted a long-range weather forecast for July 9-11 back in mid-June. The forecast read as follows:

July 9-11 The Sun's opposition to Jupiter and Mercury's opposition to Pluto at the time of the First Quarter Moon show the potential for a low pressure system or front to develop off the U.S. East Coast around the latitude of North Carolina and bring severe weather to the New England area.

Bertha may be the fulfillment of the low-pressure system forecast off the North Carolina coast.

Summer 2008: The Eastern United States

Summer 2008: The West Coast Part 1

Summer 2008: The Rockies Part 1

Summer 2008: The Plains and Mississippi Valley- Part 1

Introduction to the Weather Alternative

How Long-Range Forecasts Are Made


Love is in the air in classrooms. (Thomas Bell, The Telegraph)

The Singapore government is offering students lessons in seduction to boost the city state’s flagging birthrate. Students at two polytechnics can earn two credits towards their final degree by choosing the love elective. Activities include watching romantic films, holding hands and "love song analysis."

Wednesday, July 02, 2008

California Heat and Fires-- Northeast Storms

The Solar Ingress chart for the summer season (June 20, 2008) placed Mars on the Midheaven along the U.S. west coast. Mars traditionally is know for heat, dryness, and regional fire hazards.









Check out Accuweather's headlines for the western U.S. for the last week:


7/2 More Hot, Dry Days7/1 No Fire Relief6/30 Heat, Fires and Storms6/30 Hot, Dry and Smoky6/29 Heat Continues, Relief For Some6/28 Dry Thunderstorms Increase Fire Threat6/27 Severe Weather Causes Fire Threat6/27 Storms Ignite New Fire Threat6/26 Weekend Storms, Fire Threat


The astro-locality map at right shows transit Mars' position as of today in the Solar Ingress map: smack dab over the Intermountain West. When compared to the Accuweather map (above left), the correlation between the West Coast heat wave and Mars' position is impressive.

The Weather Alternative's forecast for July 1-3 called for precipitation over the New England area. Such is the case, as shown in the Accuweather graphic at left. New England will have strong, scattered thunderstorms today. The stronger storms will bring hail, gusty winds, torrential rainfall and frequent lightning. A front will stay put over the region through July 4th.

Summer 2008: The Eastern United States
Summer 2008: The West Coast Part 1
Summer 2008: The Rockies Part 1
Summer 2008: The Plains and Mississippi Valley- Part 1
Introduction to the Weather Alternative
How Long-Range Forecasts Are Made


Money buys happiness—if you spend it on someone else.

(Reuters) Money can buy happiness, but only if you spend it on someone else, researchers say. Spending as little as $5 a day on someone else could significantly boost happiness, the team at the University of British Columbia and Harvard Business School found.
Their experiments demonstrated that "Regardless of how much income each person made, those who spent money on others reported greater happiness, while those who spent more on themselves did not," reported Elizabeth Dunn, a psychologist at the University of British Columbia.