Where Are Gustav and Hanna Headed?

Current thinking says Gustav, as a strong hurricane, will most likely hit Louisiana around September 2nd. Of course, things could change. The Weather Alternative forecast for September 3-7 posted back in May and based on indications in the Solar Ingress chart warned that Weather gets nasty over the Plains as Mercury and Mars parallel Uranus provoking windy conditions or severe thunderstorms packing damaging winds. Severe weather then pushes eastward over the Mississippi Valley.


When considering other indications present in the New Moon chart, the area of southeast Texas and western Louisiana are highlighted again.


The Weather Alternative forecast for August 30-Sept 2 also warned of stormy weather and damaging winds over the East Central area due to Mercury's parallel to Mars. Both of these planets occupy the Midheaven through Florida in the Solar Ingress. Conventional forecasters are saying the a high pressure area is building over the Southeast U.S. It remains to be seen if this Mercury-Mars combo is indicative of the high pressure area or if some other type of severe weather will result there at that time, which was my leaning.

Meanwhile Tropical Storm Hanna is churning in the western Atlantic. Forecasters show Hanna curving southward and over the Bahamas by September 3rd.

The Weather Alternative forecast for Sept 6-9 stated This is a very active period for the East Coast. Strong storms and high wind velocities are indicated for the mid-Atlantic area as Mercury, Venus, and Mars transit the area. Mars will parallel Uranus--a high wind breeder, and square Jupiter. Mercury also squares Jupiter and conjoins Mars--another wind maker. Lastly, Venus squares Jupiter and parallels Uranus. Tropical storm or hurricane landfall is possible over the Carolinas. If not a tropical system, powerful storms lash the mid-Atlantic and push eastward.

We'll have to wait and see if Hanna plays into this or if Gustav is eventually pushed toward the East Coast. Perhaps it will be neither of them but some other weather pattern that affects the area.

Another Weather Alternative forecast was recently fulfilled as shown in the Accuweather map for August 25th. The forecast read a dose of cold air descends over the West generating a low pressure system over the Great Basin and Rockies.

Accuweather stated that showers would be present along with a noticeable chill. Temperatures were 10 to 20 degrees cooler in most locations as the front pushed eastward through the forecast area.

This next Weather Channel map for August 28th shows the fulfillment of two other Weather Alternative long-range forecasts.

The first one was for the East Coast between August 27-29 and stated Mercury and Venus square Pluto on the 27th and 29th respectively. Venus is also contra parallel Mars, which now occupies the Midheaven at 83 west longitude on the 28th. Although Pluto has been busted down from its status as a planet, it still exerts its full power on the weather. In the Ingress chart, Pluto runs along the East Coast, which should feel the strength of its storm-producing capabilities, while Mercury and Venus affect the East Central area with thunderstorms.

The remnants of Fay headed into the Northeast and spread rain and heavy downpours in the Southeast, Tennessee Valley, and Central Appalachians.

The second forecast was also for August 27-29 calling for summer storms to hit the Mississippi Valley. A low pressure area can be seen over the Mississippi Valley in the above map, which brought stormy weather to the region.

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

Check out my article and interview in Saptarishis Astrology Volume 3

Knowledge is a collection of facts. Wisdom is knowing how to apply knowledge.

Fay Over the Gulf Coast and Other Weather Updates

Former Tropical Storm Fay is now over the Gulf Coast area fulfilling The Weather Alternative's long-range forecast for August 23-25, which read:

Mars is now transiting across the East Central area at 86 west longitude. On the 26th, Mercury is contra parallel Mars. Heat increases and may result in storms and windy conditions.


86 west longitude centers around the western Florida Panhandle and Alabama. Accuweather reported today that "Tropical Rainstorm Fay was located about 60 miles north of Mobile, Ala., at 4:00 a.m. CDT. The storm continues its slow track moving west-northwest near 8 mph, and maximum-sustained winds are only near 30 mph. "

Another recent long-range forecast for August 20-24 stated This period starts with a warm and moist air mass pushing up over the Plains due to Mercury's conjunction with Venus. As these planets pass to the opposition of Uranus a cold air mass clashes with it resulting in storms throughout the Plains.

The Weather Channel map at left shows a front and storms pushing through the area. During the period severe thunderstorms were reported through North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, and 1 to 2 inches of rain in Missouri.

Going back a bit further, there were some Weather Alternative forecasts made for the period of Aug 15-17 and Aug 17-19 that need to be assessed.

First August 17-19: The Weather Channel map at left for August 20th shows a front and storms entering the Pacific Northwest. This fulfills what was mentioned in the "Solar Eclipse Time" post about a low pressure system off the U.S. West Coast developing between the 17th and 19th and pushing inland. The same post also mentioned possible hurricane formation further south along 128 west longitude. No hurricane formation resulted.

The long-range forecast for August 15-17 warned of heavy rains over western U.S. The National Weather Service reported the following on August 17th:

656 AM PDT SUN AUG 17 2008
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE OVER PORTIONS OF WESTERN WASHINGTON TONIGHT......AN UNSEASONABLY STRONG AND WET STORM SYSTEM WILL AFFECT WESTERN WASHINGTON LATE TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY...

THE AIR MASS WAS BECOMING INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE OVER THE AREA AND IS EXPECTED TO BECOME EVEN MORE SO TONIGHT. THE THUNDERSTORMS THAT DEVELOP TONIGHT WILL POSE A RISK OF DIME SIZE HAIL OR LARGER.

The forecast also mentioned hurricane formation at 123 west longitude, which did not occur.

The same forecast pinpointed three locations outside of the U.S.--Iran; Brisbane, Australia; and the northeast Atlantic, 450 miles southwest of Ireland.

Iran

I was expecting some type of strong increase in heat and humidity over the country, and in an extreme case a tropical storm. I was unable to confirm any weather patterns over Iran.

Australia

The forecast called for a winter storm in and around the Brisbane area. A severe weather warning was issued on the 17th for damaging surf across the coastal areas and Strong Wind Warning. This was due to a pressure gradient resulting from a high pressure area over Australia and deep low pressure area near New Zealand.

Northeastern Atlantic

The forecast called for a strong low pressure system 450 miles southwest of Ireland heading toward Europe.

Accuweather reported the following on August 17th:

Flooding has occurred across parts of the United Kingdom over the past few days. A slow-moving area of low pressure has moved over Ireland, bringing locally heavy rainfall and gusty winds. As much as 3 inches of rain fell across Scotland and Ireland since Friday, in addition to the 1-2 inches which fell across much of the same area on Tuesday. Numerous trains were delayed across Scotland and Wales due to flooding, as well as downed trees. Limerick, in southwestern Ireland has received 8.44 inches of rain so far this month, more than 5 times the normal amount. Dublin, Ireland, has received more than 4 and a half times their normal rainfall so far this month. Rain is expected to continue across much of the British Isles on Sunday and Monday, as the low pressure system moves very slowly to the east.

Solar Eclipse Time

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

Check out my article and interview in Saptarishis Astrology Volume 3

Fay, Why Florida? -- Other Weather Patterns

It's apparent that T.S. Fay is the offspring of the Mars-Pluto square that was exact on August 17th. But why Florida? I was expecting tropical activity further west along the Gulf Coast as posted in Solar Eclipse Time. Our all-important Cardinal Solar Ingress chart has some answers.



As shown in the astro-locality map at left, the Pluto line at the time of the Mars-Pluto square ran across Cuba (see diagonal white line). But there are two positions to choose from when looking at planetary lines. The position that I normally use is the zodiacal position.

The other position is the inmundo position as shown in this next astro-locality map for the moment of Mars square Pluto. Most planets, except Pluto, don't vary much when switching between these two positions. Because of Pluto's rather eccentric orbit there is a considerable difference at times.

Comparing Pluto's inmundo position to Fay's actual path as shown on this Weather Channel map, one can see that Fay was hugging the Pluto line in it's trip across Florida.

The geographical area mentioned in Solar Eclipse Time has been active nevertheless. The forecast called for an outbreak of storms or tropical activity along 88 west longitude roughly between August 17-19. The Accuweather Map at right shows drenching storms that have been over this general area lately.

Originally I had said the period starts on the 16th and 17th with severe weather over Arkansas. No severe weather was reported, but further south over Louisiana a front had stalled bringing numerous thunderstorms over the area.

Solar Eclipse Time
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


Risk Taking

Sometimes the risks you take might even cost you. Not every single venture will be immediately successful. Some might not be successful at all, and that also applies to the opportunities that come your way. But it’s better to try something new and to discover that it doesn’t work than to never try anything different or outside-of-the-box.

Saturn Lives Up To Its Cold, Dreary Name; TS Fay

Traditionally, Saturn’s astro-meteorological influence brings excessive cloudiness, wetness, and subnormal temperatures. It’s conjunction with Venus lowers the barometer, produces easterly winds and increasing cloudiness with characteristic dull, leaden skies.

The Weather Alternative forecast for August 12-15 has definitely been fulfilled. The forecast read:

Aug 12-15

The conjunctions and parallels of Mercury and Venus to Saturn will bring a storm system to the Rockies lowering temperatures after its passage.

The Accuweather weather maps shown here for August 13th and 16th show the easterly component of this weather pattern as well as the cold, and rainy side. The dull atmosphere and increased cloud cover are mentioned in the following Accuweather statements as well.

Dreary Weather, Heavy T-Storms Updated: Saturday, August 16, 2008 7:24 AM
Cooler flow will continue to wedge against the Rocky Mountains with an upper-level storm over the Four Corners
region today. This will cause dreary weather over the Colorado Rockies and over the Front Range. Thick clouds will
cover these areas. Areas of drizzle and light rain will add further misery to the gloomy, unseasonably cool weather.

The Weather Channel August 15th:
Meanwhile, a cold area of low pressure aloft and an easterly upslope flow will keep temperatures way below average over parts of Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico.
Areas from Wyoming to eastern Colorado may see rain and highs in the 50s. Some very high elevation snow in the Rockies above 9000 to 10,000 feet is possible.
Rain and thunderstorms will plague the eastern sections of the central and southern Rockies and adjacent high Plains through the weekend.

Meanwhile in the tropics, Tropical Storm Fay has taken shape over the Dominican Republic. Present thinking has Fay developing into a stronger storm and moving into the Gulf and making landfall along the Gulf Coast area that I mentioned in a recent post. (See Solar Eclipse Time)

Solar Eclipse Time

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

Wind of Love, Wind of God

Do you hear the wind? Listen to the wind of My love. Let the gentle breeze pick you up and carry you into My arms where you can abide with Me in sweet communion. Let it blow away all of your cares, all of your worries, and all of your burdens. The wind of My love will also whisper in your ears the love words that I wish to speak to you.

Let the wind of love cleanse you, carry you, and whisper to you. Let the wind of My love blow gently upon the embers of your spirit and light the fire of love in your heart so that it may burn brightly for Me.

Solar Eclipse Time

No, we're not expecting a solar eclipse, but Mars will trigger two past solar eclipses in the next few days. As we've shown a number of times on The Weather Alternative, when one of the outer planets makes a hard aspect to a recent solar eclipse degree, there is an atmospheric reaction over the geographic area where the Sun and Moon were angular. This reaction is in accordance with the nature of the planet making the hard aspect.



The first eclipse to be triggered is the March 18, 2007 solar eclipse. Mars will oppose this degree on August 18th. As shown in the map above, the Sun-Moon line ran through the central Atlantic around 38 west longitude. At the time of the solar eclipse, the Sun and Moon were square Pluto. On the 18th when Mars triggers this degree, Mars will also be square transit Pluto. This location should be watched roughly from August 17-20 for the formation or strengthening of tropical weather systems. Lately there has been concern amongst conventional meteorologists that the Atlantic hurricane season will spring to life soon. This is one indication that backs their concerns. There are others as well.

If we take a look at another view of the same eclipse, we see that the Sun and Moon descended over the eastern Pacific at that time. The southern part of the Sun-Moon line (at 128 west longitude) is another area to watch for hurricane formation between the same dates (Aug 17-19)--roughly between 15 and 25 north latitude. Further north, off the U.S. coast a front or low pressure system could develop in response to this and move inland. (For more info about this period see Summer 2008: The West Coast --link below)

The September 22, 2006 solar eclipse is the other one that will be triggered by the conjunction of Mars on the 18th. In a recent post we saw the effect Mars had on U.S. weather when it triggered a recent heat wave. This time, as seen in the astro-locality map at left, the 88th degree of west longitude will be triggered. My forecast for August 16-17 for this area already warns of severe weather over this area. (See Summer 2008: The Plains and Mississippi Valley--link below) This will extend the period a bit. Once again we're watching from August 17th to 19th. Other factors involved here indicate that a tropical system could result in the Gulf and Yucatan of Mexico.

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

FATHER FORGETS
W. Livingston Larned
Listen, son: I am saying this as you lie asleep, one little paw crumpled under your cheek and the blond curls stickily wet on your damp forehead. I have stolen into your room alone. Just a few minutes ago, as I sat reading my paper in the library, a stifling wave of remorse swept over me. Guiltily I came to your bedside.

There are the things I was thinking, son: I had been cross to you. I scolded you as you were dressing for school because you gave your face merely a dab with a towel. I took you to task for not cleaning your shoes. I called out angrily when you threw some of your things on the floor.
At breakfast I found fault, too. You spilled things. You gulped down your food. You put your elbows on the table. You spread butter too thick on your bread. And as you started off to play and I made for my train, you turned and waved a hand and called, "Goodbye, Daddy!" and I frowned, and said in reply, "Hold your shoulders back!"

Then it began all over again in the late afternoon. As I came up the road I spied you, down on your knees, playing marbles. There were holes in your stockings. I humiliated you before your friends by marching you ahead of me to the house. Stockings were expensive—and if you had to buy them you would be more careful! Imagine that, son, from a father!

Do you remember, later, when I was reading in the library, how you came in timidly, with a sort of hurt look in your eyes? When I glanced up over my paper, impatient at the interruption, you hesitated at the door. "What is it you want?" I snapped.

You said nothing, but ran across in one tempestuous plunge, and threw your arms around my neck and kissed me, and your small arms tightened with an affection that God had set blooming in your heart and which even neglect could not wither. And then you were gone, pattering up the stairs.

Well, son, it was shortly afterwards that my paper slipped from my hands and a terrible sickening fear came over me. What has habit been doing to me? The habit of finding fault, of reprimanding—this was my reward to you for being a boy. It was not that I did not love you; it was that I expected too much of youth. I was measuring you by the yardstick of my own years.
And there was so much that was good and fine and true in your character. The little heart of yours was as big as the dawn itself over the wide hills. This was shown by your spontaneous impulse to rush in and kiss me good night. Nothing else matters tonight, son. I have come to your bedside in the darkness, and I have knelt there, ashamed!

It is a feeble atonement; I know you would not understand these things if I told them to you during your waking hours. But tomorrow I will be a real daddy! I will chum with you, and suffer when you suffer, and laugh when you laugh. I will bite my tongue when impatient words come. I will keep saying as if it were a ritual: "He is nothing but a boy—a little boy!"

I am afraid I have visualized you as a man. Yet as I see you now, son, crumpled and weary in your cot, I see that you are still a baby. Yesterday you were in your mother's arms, your head on her shoulder. I have asked too much, too much.

Tropical Storm Edouard and Other Weather

The Solar Ingress map for the summer season, as you recall, placed Uranus angular through the Plains. The astro-locality map at left shows Uranus as a yellow line. Transit Mars opposed Uranus on the 6th as Tropical Storm Edouard made landfall along the Texas coast and pushed westward.



The Weather Channel map at right shows Edouard's position on the 6th. The Weather Alternative forecast for August 5-7 stated "Mars-Uranus signifies storm emergencies and windy conditions, which will hit the Plains. Tornadoes may be a by-product of these storms."




Besides Edouard's arrival, Accuweather reported on the 6th that "Strong thunderstorms will unleash torrents of rain across a large swath of the country Wednesday night and Thursday. These storms have enough moisture to dump 2-3 inches of rain on some locations causing temporary flooding. Tornadoes are unlikely, but some of the storms will produce wind damage." This area included the Plains.

Another Weather Alternative forecast for August 6-8 stated "More moisture is pumped into the western US resulting in a low pressure area or front that sets off storms. Wind may be a salient feature."

On the 7th, Accuweather reported "...some moisture will make its way into the Sierra and Cascades, increasing the potential of dry thunderstorms in the tinder-dry areas that have not already burned." So although moisture was pumped into the western US, it did not make it to the Pacific Northwest as I anticipated.

The last Weather Alternative forecast was for August 7-9. It read "Chilly and damp weather develops over the Great Basin and Rockies." The Accuweather map at right shows a cool air mass pushing into the Pacific Northwest but not fully entering the Great Basin and Rockies as forecast.

However, damp conditions will exist as thunderstorms will be focused...across the mountains of eastern Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah according to Accuweather.

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

Got a Problem? Try Thanking God For It

One Army wife came to me, convinced that her problem had but one solution. Her husband had developed an excessive drinking problem and for the past several years had been an alcoholic. Often he would pass out drunk on the living room floor where the wife or his teenage children would find him, stark naked. In this condition he'd also been found in the hallway of the apartment house where sev­eral other families lived.

In final desperation the wife decided to take the children and leave. Friends persuaded her to at least come talk to me first.

"Whatever you say, Chaplain, don't tell me to stay with him," she said. "I just can't do it."

"I don't care whether you stay with him or not," I said. "I just want you to thank God that your husband is like he is."

Carefully I explained what the Bible had to say about thanking God for all things, and that if she tried it, God would be able to solve her problem in the best way.

She thought it sounded ridiculous, but finally agreed to kneel while I prayed that God would release in her enough faith to believe that He is a God of love and power who holds the universe in His hand.

At last she said, "I do believe."Two weeks later I called her."I feel absolutely marvelous," she said. "My husband is a different man. He hasn't had a drink in two weeks."

"That's wonderful," I said. "I'd like to talk to him."

"What do you mean?" She sounded surprised.

"I just think it would be good if I talked to your husband about the power that is working in your lives."

"Didn't you tell him already?" She sounded puzzled.

"No, I haven't met him yet."

"Chaplain, this is a miracle," she cried out. "The day I was in your office he came home from work and for the first time in seven years he didn't go to the refrigerator for a beer. Instead he went into the living room and talked to the children. I was sure you had talked to him." --Merlin Carothers

Heat Wave

This is from a 2002 news article.

One deadly natural disaster: The heat wave

By Tara Bahrampour, NY Times News Service

Natural disasters usually come rife with drama. Hurricanes, tornadoes, forest fires, earthquakes-all make for good headlines and even better visuals.

But it would be hard to make a blockbuster movie about a heat wave. Heat waves come on subtly, raising summer temperatures just a little higher than normal and then receding. But they kill more people in the United States than all other natural disasters combined.

According to the Center for Climatic Research at the University of Delaware, an average of 1,500 American city dwellers die each year because of the heat. Annual deaths from tornadoes, earthquakes and floods together total fewer than 200.

The most deadly US heat wave in recent years occurred in Chicago over a week in July 1995, when temperatures hovered around 100 degrees. Then, over 50,000 people were left without electricity, nearly two dozen hospitals closed their doors to new patients, ambulances lined up around the block waiting to drop off victims, and the county buried 68 people in a 160-foot-long trench. Scientists say that 739 people died that week.

For context, the great Chicago fire of 1871 killed half that many. The San Francisco earthquake of 1989 killed 62, and Hurricane Andrew in 1992 killed 26.

People find it hard to consider heat as a disaster, said Dr. Eric Klinenberg, a sociologist at New York University and the author of Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago. Heat waves cause little visible destruction. "If a tornado touches down, the moment it hits, you can assess the damage," he said. With heat, at worst, roads buckle, trains derail and livestock die.

It does not take a lot of extra heat to kill the vulnerable. "The body works in a very small temperature range," said Dr. Lawrence Robinson, deputy health commissioner of Philadelphia. "The body circulates blood to the skin and perspiration removes heat from the skin. In extreme heat, the heart has to pump faster and harder," leading to heart attacks or strokes. Even a healthy person who overexerts in the heat can die of heat stroke.