George Taylor on ocean upwelling

[Net fun]

From today's Corvallis GT:
Is this the welcome spring transition?

By George Taylor

During most years, a big change occurs in western Oregon in April: Things really start to warm up and dry out. An average April is only about half as wet as an average March, daytime temperature rise by an average of

5 degrees fahrenheit, and frosts become much less likely.

Weather watchers must have noticed that early April wasn’t very dry, nor very warm. They must have noticed that California was getting hammered by rains and mountain snows. They also must have known that pretty soon it would be our turn.

They were right.

Storms follow the path of the “jet stream.” In winter, this path (known also as the “storm track”) invades our area quite often. After crossing the Pacific, the storms generally make landfall somewhere between northern California and southern Alaska, causing that stretch of coastline to be among the wettest in the world.

Gradually, as spring sets in, the storm track moves northward and weakens. Temperatures rise, while rain becomes less frequent and less intense. Our warm, dry summer weather follows shortly thereafter.

Two weeks ago, we watched as northern California was pelted with rain. The Sierra Nevadas received several feet of new snow. Flooding occurred in the Sacramento Valley. The storm track was very active. And it was south of us. That meant that sooner or later it would move north.

Last weekend the storm track moved over us. Saturday’s baseball and softball games at OSU were washed out by nearly an inch of rain. It was windy and cold, almost like winter.

And then the storm track moved northward, into British Columbia. April arrived — 11 days late!

The long-range computer models are suggesting that the next several weeks are going to much warmer and drier than the first two weeks of April — news which will probably gladden the hearts of most Oregonians. This is just “the way it’s supposed to be,” where a wet winter gives way to a drier, warmer spring. Last year was just the opposite: A dry winter and a very wet, cool spring. And the “spring transition” was virtually absent.

The spring transition is an important event along the Northwest coast. When the weather changes from winter-like to spring-like, the winds change as well. After blowing primarily from south to north during winter, they turn around and blow from north to south after the transition. This sets up a southward-moving current (the “California current”) which creates upwelling, leading to cold, nutrient-rich water along our shoreline. This promotes tremendously productive fishing grounds, including salmon, shrimp and other aquatic species.

OSU oceanographers Bill Pearcy and Bob Smith taught me a lot about the spring transition about 10 years ago. I learned that survival rates for Oregon salmon are influenced by (1) winter climate conditions (generally, the wetter the better); (2) ocean conditions at the same time; (3) the date of the spring transition; and (4) the amount of upwelling. Last year, all of those indicators were unfavorable, and the salmon runs were disappointing. The spring transition didn’t occur until late May and was weak. This year things look a lot more promising.

If the warm, dry part of spring really HAS arrived, the spring transition will begin soon. If that happens, upwelling will start to happen. And if upwelling starts in April and continues, there will be a lengthy upwelling season — with abundant sea life.

And everyone will be happy — ball players; gardeners; fishermen; farmers. Last year they all suffered. This year, if “the way it’s supposed to be” continues, they’ll all be smiling.

Me too.

George Taylor, the state climatologist, can be reached by e-mail at taylor@coas.oregonstate.edu.

[kenai]

Good news! We needed some.
Thanks for the post

[Jsail]

A BIG happy upwelling to all!

[WildHawg]

WHEEEEEEAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now THAT'S the kinda news I like to hear...or in this case READ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Last year was anomalous--I LOVE average!!!!

[Sweepy]

The war in Iraq! Too many injustices in the world!!The Republicans empowered again!Lower paying jobs with a decrease in benefits!!! Gas Prices!! Sealions!

Man is it nice to hear positive news.

Thanks for the post.

[Onokai]

The news from the commercial boats in Norther Cal-(Eureka ) is there is lots of upwelling life offshore now. Lots of life is the story I have heard. Upwelling is begining here now. Mark

[fish-on]

ok good thing for salmon!!!!!!!!! what does that mean for us for tuna this summer?

[Pilar]

The wheel continues to turn.

Good news, thanks.

[O Tshawytcha]

Good News!

Thanks for sharing.

GRIFF

[Bait O' Eggs]

I saw this and figured out own "George Taylor" better known as "Taylors Viewpoint" wrote this article since it was posted here.

When I asked him about being a climatologist last night at the TA meeting, I got one of these

apparently there is more than one George Taylor

[SeaSparrow]

I work in the same department at OSU as George Taylor and as far as I know, he is not a fisherman (I woulda heard some stories by now :grin!

[Taylor's viewpoint]

I missed a real good opportunity to let out a little line and then set the hook. I must be loosing my killer instinct in my old age. In my youth I would have rode this like a hobo on a freight train.
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