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the katabatic
Jun. 9th, 2007 07:36 amOne talk in Tucson was about telescopes in the Antarctic. He showed a nice justification for automation -- a photo of himself during winterover along with a mention of T3 syndrome -- "going toast".
But he also used a word which should be in common use in Santa Cruz, and it's not: katabatic.
That's why there was ice in the back yard for three weeks this January, whilst other places in Santa Cruz never really reached freezing.
When there's a winter high pressure over the continent, the sea breeze has no chance to bring its moderate temperature on shore. Instead the high pressure fights back, and the cool air from the summit of the Santa Cruz mountains wafts down the stream channels and spills out like a river delta over the narrow coastal plain. The cool air is denser than the ocean air, and the ocean air gets lifted above. In the temperature inversion the sound of the freeway comes from the sky.
Biggest of all is the effect in downtown Santa Cruz. As the katabatic comes down the San Lorenzo it spreads out onto the place known as the Pogonip, a word for ice fog. The Pogonip sees this condition more often than anywhere else in the area, sometimes even without a high pressure system. But the winter high makes it plainest to the pedestrian. The katabatic heads for town and streams an icy breeze along Pacific Avenue.
But he also used a word which should be in common use in Santa Cruz, and it's not: katabatic.
That's why there was ice in the back yard for three weeks this January, whilst other places in Santa Cruz never really reached freezing.
When there's a winter high pressure over the continent, the sea breeze has no chance to bring its moderate temperature on shore. Instead the high pressure fights back, and the cool air from the summit of the Santa Cruz mountains wafts down the stream channels and spills out like a river delta over the narrow coastal plain. The cool air is denser than the ocean air, and the ocean air gets lifted above. In the temperature inversion the sound of the freeway comes from the sky.
Biggest of all is the effect in downtown Santa Cruz. As the katabatic comes down the San Lorenzo it spreads out onto the place known as the Pogonip, a word for ice fog. The Pogonip sees this condition more often than anywhere else in the area, sometimes even without a high pressure system. But the winter high makes it plainest to the pedestrian. The katabatic heads for town and streams an icy breeze along Pacific Avenue.
