Today Through the Fourth Friday (22 to 28 days) Weather Outlook for the U.S. and a Six-Day Forecast for the World: posted February 14, 2024

February 14, 2024Posted inweatherNo Comments

It is difficult to find a more comprehensive Weather Outlook anywhere else with the ability to get a local 10-day Forecast also.

This article focuses on what we are paying attention to in the next 48 to 72 hours. The article also includes weather maps for longer-term U.S. outlooks and a six-day World weather outlook which can be very useful for travelers.

First the highlights from the NWS.

Short Range Forecast Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
Wed Feb 14 2024
Valid 12Z Wed Feb 14 2024 – 12Z Fri Feb 16 2024

…Quick-hitting wave of low pressure will bring a round of heavy,
accumulating snowfall across the Northern Plains, Upper Midwest, and the
Great Lakes today and Thursday…

…Next Pacific storm system will bring locally heavy rain along the West
Coast and heavy high elevation snowfall into the Intermountain West over
the next couple of days…

Above is a 72 hour animation of the forecast.

Then, looking at the world and of course, the U.S. shows here also. Today we are looking at precipitation.

Please click on “Read More” below to access the full report issued today.

13 Feb 2023 Market Close & Major Financial Headlines: Hot Inflation Report Sends The Dow Down 700 points, Nasdaq Opens Down More Than 2% In The Red, All Three Major Indexes Closing Near Session Lows

February 13, 2024Posted inmarketsNo Comments

Summary Of the Markets Today:

  • The Dow closed down 525 points or 1.35%,
  • Nasdaq closed down 1.80%,
  • S&P 500 closed down 1.37%,
  • Gold $2,006 down $27.50,
  • WTI crude oil settled at $78 up $0.83,
  • 10-year U.S. Treasury 4.314% up 0.144 points,
  • USD index $104.88 up $0.71,
  • Bitcoin $49,393 down $552 (1.42%),

*Stock data, cryptocurrency, and commodity prices at the market closing.

Click here to read our current Economic Forecast – February 2024 Economic Forecast: Index Again Modestly Declined But Remains Well Above Levels Associated With Recession

Today’s Economic Releases Compiled by Steven Hansen, Publisher:

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in January 2024 increased 3.1% year-over-year – down from 3.3% in December 2023 but unchanged from 3.1% in November 2023. The all items less food and energy index rose 3.9% over the last 12 months, the same increase as for the 12 months ending December. The Federal Reserve uses the PCE inflation index to monitor inflation which the January data will be released at the end of February – and most likely it will be little changed. The market reaction to this release is surprising as I have been saying that inflation pressures are increasing – and the market mistakingly believed inflation has gone away.

The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index decreased two points in January 2024 to 89.9, marking the 25th consecutive month below the 50-year average of 98. The net percent of owners who expect real sales to be higher declined 12 points from December to a net negative 16% (seasonally adjusted), a very negative shift in expectations.  NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg stated:

Small business owners continue to make appropriate business adjustments in response to the ongoing economic challenges they’re facing. In January, optimism among small business owners dropped as inflation remains a key obstacle on Main Street.

Here is a summary of headlines we are reading today:

  • Why Are China’s Solar Panels So Cheap?
  • Bearish Market Conditions Persist for Stainless Steel
  • Oil Steady As Inflation Comes In Hotter Than Expected
  • Mining Billionaire Slams Carbon Capture as ‘Falsehood’
  • ETF Frenzy Pushes Bitcoin to Highest Levels Since 2021
  • Diamondback Energy’s $26 Billion Endeavor Acquisition Shakes Up Permian Basin
  • OPEC Sees Strong Long-Term Oil Demand
  • Dow tumbles 500 points, posts worst day since March 2023 after hot inflation report: Live updates
  • Here’s the inflation breakdown for January 2024 — in one chart
  • Here’s what bitcoin’s chart says about its next moves after it breached $50,000 this week
  • Prices rose more than expected in January as inflation won’t go away
  • This stock-market predictor with a great record is even more bullish now than it was last year
  • Treasury yields end at highest levels since at least December after hotter-than-expected CPI inflation report

Click on the “Read More” below to access these, other headlines, and the associated news summaries moving the markets today.

Today Through the Fourth Friday (22 to 28 days) Weather Outlook for the U.S. and a Six-Day Forecast for the World: posted February 13, 2024

February 13, 2024Posted inweatherNo Comments

It is difficult to find a more comprehensive Weather Outlook anywhere else with the ability to get a local 10-day Forecast also.

This article focuses on what we are paying attention to in the next 48 to 72 hours. The article also includes weather maps for longer-term U.S. outlooks and a six-day World weather outlook which can be very useful for travelers.

First the highlights from the NWS.

Short Range Forecast Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
Tue Feb 13 2024
Valid 12Z Tue Feb 13 2024 – 12Z Thu Feb 15 2024

…Strong nor’easter to impact portions of the northern Mid-Atlantic and
southern New England today with areas of heavy snow, strong winds, and
coastal flooding…

…New storm system to arrive across the Northwest over the next couple of
days which will bring locally heavy rain and mountain snowfall…

Above is a 72 hour animation of the forecast.

Then, looking at the world and of course, the U.S. shows here also. Today we are looking at precipitation.

Please click on “Read More” below to access the full report issued today.

12 Feb 2023 Market Close & Major Financial Headlines: Wall Street’s Three Main Indexes Continued The Bull Run By Setting New Historic Highs Finally Closing Mixed, While Bitcoin Breaks $50,000

February 12, 2024Posted inmarketsNo Comments

Summary Of the Markets Today:

  • The Dow closed up 126 points or 0.33%,
  • Nasdaq closed down 0.30%,
  • S&P 500 closed down 0.09%,
  • Gold $2,034 down $4,40,
  • WTI crude oil settled at $77 up $0.23,
  • 10-year U.S. Treasury 4.166% down 0.021 points,
  • USD index $104.12 up $0.01,
  • Bitcoin $50,226 up $2,216 (4.62%),

*Stock data, cryptocurrency, and commodity prices at the market closing.

Click here to read our current Economic Forecast – February 2024 Economic Forecast: Index Again Modestly Declined But Remains Well Above Levels Associated With Recession

Today’s Economic Releases Compiled by Steven Hansen, Publisher:

Global Supply Chain Pressure Index (GSCPI) for February 2024 rose to -0.11 in January, up from -0.15 in December. GSCPI readings measure standard deviations from the index’s historical average. This index uses input from the Baltic Dry Index (BDI) and the Harpex index, as well as airfreight cost indices from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. These current readings show the supply chain is not under stress and is near the historical average despite the disruptions in the Red Sea.

Here is a summary of headlines we are reading today:

  1. How Fracking Helped the U.S. Become the World’s Top Oil Producer
  2. Trinidad & Tobago Declares National Emergency after Ghost Ship Oil Spill
  3. Houthis Strike Greek Ship in Red Sea Due to ‘American’ NASDAQ Listing
  4. Plunging Oil and Gas Sales Drag Russia’s Exports to Europe Down by 68%
  5. Dow rises more than 100 points to close at a record: Live updates
  6. Bitcoin extends its gains, breaking through the $50,000 level
  7. JetBlue resets with new CEO, industry veterans to run airline on time, and profitably
  8. Trump’s NATO comments stir up a political storm as Russia keeps quiet
  9. Jeff Bezos just sold $2 billion in Amazon stock. That doesn’t mean you should sell too.
  10. The AI machines are not coming for your job

Click on the “Read More” below to access these, other headlines, and the associated news summaries moving the markets today.

Snow Drought Current Conditions and Impacts in the West – El Nino Pattern – February 12, 2024

February 12, 2024Posted inweatherNo Comments

I receive this information once a month but it is really available weekly. But I get a nice report once a month so I send much of that out. The full report can be accessed HERE.

Here are the Highlights

 But there has just been a big snow event. So in the body of this article, I include much of the rest of the information provided to me by NIDIS but I also update one of the maps to February 10 conditions and include an end of January reservoir storage graphic also.   Some readers will have to click on “Read More” to access the rest of the article and others will not. It just depends on when and how you accessed this article.

Today Through the Fourth Friday (22 to 28 days) Weather Outlook for the U.S. and a Six-Day Forecast for the World: posted February 12, 2024

February 12, 2024Posted inweatherNo Comments

It is difficult to find a more comprehensive Weather Outlook anywhere else with the ability to get a local 10-day Forecast also.

This article focuses on what we are paying attention to in the next 48 to 72 hours. The article also includes weather maps for longer-term U.S. outlooks and a six-day World weather outlook which can be very useful for travelers.

First the highlights from the NWS.

Short Range Forecast Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
Mon Feb 12 2024
Valid 12Z Mon Feb 12 2024 – 12Z Wed Feb 14 2024

…A significant winter storm crossing the Mid-South today will transition
to a strong nor’easter for the Mid-Atlantic and New England by Tuesday…

…Areas of severe thunderstorms, heavy rainfall, and flash flooding will
be possible across portions of the Southeast today…

…New storm system to arrive across the Northwest by the middle of the
week with areas of locally heavy rain and mountain snowfall…

Looking out a bit farther and focusing on the more series events:

Above is a 72 hour animation of the forecast.

Then, looking at the world and of course, the U.S. shows here also. Today we are looking at precipitation.

Please click on “Read More” below to access the full report issued today.

Today Through the Fourth Friday (22 to 28 days) Weather Outlook for the U.S. and a Six-Day Forecast for the World: posted February 11, 2024

February 11, 2024Posted inweatherNo Comments

It is difficult to find a more comprehensive Weather Outlook anywhere else with the ability to get a local 10-day Forecast also.

This article focuses on what we are paying attention to in the next 48 to 72 hours. The article also includes weather maps for longer-term U.S. outlooks and a six-day World weather outlook which can be very useful for travelers.

First the highlights from the NWS.

Short Range Forecast Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
Sun Feb 11 2024
Valid 12Z Sun Feb 11 2024 – 12Z Tue Feb 13 2024

…A significant winter storm will continue impacting the Southern Rockies
and High Plains today before turning northeast and aiming for the Northern
Mid-Atlantic, New York, and New England early this week…

…Areas of severe thunderstorms and heavy rainfall will impact the Gulf
Coast states and Southeast for the remainder of the weekend and through
Monday…

…Above normal temperatures to generally persist into early next week for
much of the northern and eastern U.S., with below normal temperatures
across the South…

Looking out a bit farther and focusing on the more series events:

Above is a 72 hour animation of the forecast.

Then, looking at the world and of course, the U.S. shows here also. Today we are looking at precipitation.

Please click on “Read More” below to access the full report issued today.

Nonfinancial Corporate Credit and Inflation: Part 1

February 11, 2024Posted ineconomicsNo Comments

We have found that the correlation relationships between various types of credit and inflation are variable over time.  So far, the kinds of credit studied are government spending,1 consumer credit,2 and mortgage debt.3 Here, we address another category of credit spending, Nonfinancial Corporate Credit. This series studies the correlation between Nonfinancial Corporate Credit and CPI inflation.


Image by THAM YUAN YUAN from Pixabay.

Weather is Not Climate February 10, 2024

February 10, 2024Posted inClimateNo Comments

What is the difference between weather and climate?  It is quite complicated and quite frankly arbitrary and I personally do not like the NOAA definition of climate but this blog post sheds a little light on the subject.

It was posted in late January and it contains three short YouTubes you can watch that show how averaging turns weather into climate. It is not as precise as I would like but it at least starts the conversation. The post was written by Michelle L’Heureux

As many of the ENSO Bloggers do from time to time they intertwine the science with personal experience which may help in understanding the concept.

The official NOAA definition of Climate is the average over the last three completed decades so currently that is 1991 -2020. I do not like that definition because it does not reflect the influence of long cycles such as the AMO and PDO but I can not think of a better definition.

You can read the Blog Post with the comments HERE   But I have reproduced most of the post in this article with some of my comments so click “Read More” to read my article.