An ‘abnormal,’ monsoon-like weather pattern hits Southern California. Why it’s so bad for the region and how we should adapt to it
It’s a wet, rainy night when I step into the kitchen of my Los Angeles apartment.
I take out a glass of milk. A quick flick of the tap.
Water pours into the glass like it’s from a hose.
Soon the glass is the consistency of beer.
I’ve been in a bad mood all day. It’s about 6:30 p.m. I’ve already stopped at the dry cleaner and the dry cleaner has already closed at 8 p.m.
And so I drink my milk and turn on the TV in the quiet chaos of my apartment. And suddenly I see this:
A big, gray weather system moving across Southern California.
“I was watching TV and noticed how it looks like it’s going to rain tonight,” said meteorologist Jim Halsell.
At 6:30 p.m., Halsell — a registered meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Palm Springs — decided to do something about it.
The reason he was watching TV: A new weather satellite that’s been launched by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
It’ll be visible to the naked eye by dawn.
It’s the first satellite to help meteorologists track the air quality, temperature, winds and humidity of the Western U.S. with detail, accuracy and clarity.
“It’s amazing,” said meteorologist Jim Halsell. “It’s like we’ve got this weather satellite that can take us to places that we couldn’t go before. And it’s really important. I’m here to make sure it gets here.”
For meteorologists such as Halsell, the satellite is a tool, not a cause. They’ll be able to point out and monitor these areas in what they say is the first-ever regional weather satellite network.
It will give meteorologists an even better chance at forecasting weather for the