North Balti Zen

I would tell you all that this is very much like what autumn was like the years I lived in Memphis (1998 - 2009) except...it wasn't nearly this consistently warm there in fall.

BWI: 4.0" DCA: 2.5" IAD: 5.0" RIC: 7.0" Tiebreaker (SBY) : 6"

I turn 54 in month and some days, and have had a probably unwarranted weird negative reaction to jam bands in my span of years. No good reason for that I suppose, other than conditioned to enjoy the general contours or a 4-minute or less song. Then again, I never did make it to a Dead concert, never went to see Phish or Panic (in their heydey), and any of the other assorted luminaries from that genre, so never saw them in their element - which is live. In any event, this is to say, randomly, at the other side of the hill of my time on this earth, I acknowledge I may have been seriously missing out, because I ended up at Billy Strings last night at CFG - drawn because he was doing a special Halloween set built around the O Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack and there were some genuine musical luminaries joining him (Jerry Douglas!) - and had no clue that he's assuming the next gen of jam band place at the top of that mountain - so...holy shit. What a fucking amazing experience that was. I guess he's bluegrass based at heart, but that was a bluegrass/blues/rock/psychedelic fusion of unreal awesome for over three hours (they closed with an absolutely transcendent When the Levee Breaks). They are still in Balt for another show tonight and if you stumble across a ticket you should go (it's a hard sellout). Or, hell, if you have the funds and need to let it all go for several hours, grab one on the secondary market and go. I wish I could make tonight's show too. Good way to turn off the noise for a bit (whether you alter like half the crowd did last night or keep it sober) - the music was that good. Even if you don't think you vibe with that genre, I bet you would with them, for a few hours. Peace, friends. Have a good Friday. Aaron

A few sprinkles on my way out of Monkton to 83 and to downtown Balt. A few. I guess a T. Any more coming?

I do not recall this long a dry stretch for THIS much of the country in my lifetime. Maybe there has been, but it doesn't pop to mind. I think it has been about four weeks for the US from the mississippi river eastward that has been almost completely dry for that long. Saw mention that maybe closest analog was 1871 before the Chicago fire and the horriffic forest fires in northern michigan. In any event, wow, is it dry.

Pretty much resigned to, in literally any given upcoming winter, needing to chase to see legit snow. Gonna start tracking lake effect events, maybe.

Went to Micheaux State Forest in PA (it's northwest of Gettysburg by about 20-30 miles) for a hike with the pups on Saturday - was looking for foliage - maybe a hair past peak at that spot but the entire drive up was excellent for fall color. Still waiting on full color to hit in Monkton area but it is close now. Not gonna be as good as the last few years IMO but wasn't bad on Saturday.

33! So close to freeze - probably got there in a few spots by me. Heavy frost everywhere.

37 for me, but definitely frost too.

Yep, and, so far, really muted/dull - hoping the leaves about to change that are still on spark some better hues maybe.

To the extent we will have fall colors after such a hot and dry summer, I think this is the week they set in for northern Maryland. Canopy is changing and sometime this week should be pretty full colors - albeit probably muted compared to past years.

I have 37 at my home in Monkton.

We held out! (barely)

Tonight I think! Or maybe tomorrow night?

Woo???? (We are in the naked eye view line potentially) https://www.twitter.com/hunterhurleywx/status/1844013849458233533?s=46&t=rKRo5ildsXjOFWkYH7wDlg

Yes, I posted in a few other threads in the forum. Visible in northern MD.

Hey folks, if you are away from lightwash, I think it's a go for tonite. Visible in northern MD.

I was up north of White Hall, MD at Star Bright Farm for a piano concert in their gorgeous restored barn this evening and after it was done and walking to the car I 100% thought I saw streaks of northern lights starting to be visible about 8:20 pm- checked through the phone camera and absolutely it was. Worth looking north for anyone away from lightwash this evening, I think.

yesterday and today were SO good weatherwise - looks like two weeks of this maybe. After 13 days of rain, I am more than ok with that.

EH. Strong disagree. It's best 2 of 3 - it's a 0-0 game in game 1 and we know that 88% of the teams (14 of 16) since MLB went to this best of 3 initial round format who win game 1 go on to win the round. Ragens was also dealing and runs were at an absolute premium. The ball was not snuck through the hole, it was an absolute line drive base hit. The simple quick analysis is that with two outs and a runner on third and first base open, giving an intentional walk to what will be the easy runner-up for the AL MVP and who, in a year other than the one Aaron Judge just had, would be the MVP, it is a really REALLY simple calculation to put him on and take your chances with Pasquatino. Witt's OPS for 2024 was .977. Pasquantino's OPS for 2024 was .760. I simply cannot get on board with pitching to Witt in that spot in a 0-0 game in the 6th where one run might (and did) decide it. I don't care that Burnes wanted to get him. Hyde should have over-ruled that 100 times out of 100. If Pasquantino beats you, so be it, but the better hitter, by FAR, was Witt. Take the bat out of Witt's hands. Again, it is SUCH a short series, there is not time for genital-measuring from Burnes over "I wanted to get Witt". I don't care. I don't care times 1000. They literally let KC's best hitter and one of the most dangerous hitters in baseball beat them in a spot where they didn't have to give him that chance. Fwiw, I said this in real time, before the at-bat, from section 356. Couldn't believe they took the chance on pitching to him. Even if they had gotten him out, it would have been bad process. Hope Os can overcome the odds and be one of the 12% to overcome being down 0-1 in a best of three, but that decision REALLY REALLY was questionable in real time. Just hate everything about it.

Apparently 12 straight days with measurable rain in the Balt metro area now.

September rainfall across the region - the dry deficits switched to our NE for the most part. https://x.com/nwsmarfc/status/1841238116369383755?s=46&t=rKRo5ildsXjOFWkYH7wDlg

I remain extremely puzzled and kinda baseball fan irate that Hyde elected to pitch to Witt in that spot in the sixth rather than give him the intentional free pass with first open and two outs.

Fwiw, I thought this piece by CWG was excellent - they discuss some of what we’ve touched on - they also agree NWS was outstanding with the dire forecast and tried to get the danger and warnings out/communicated and also discussed how hard that is/can be. again, I am not having this discussion to blame anyone/or the NWS. Was more musing over how hard it is to get general warnings out anymore when people receive their news from so many different sources etc. https://x.com/capitalweather/status/1841109507834826775?s=46&t=rKRo5ildsXjOFWkYH7wDlg

Right. That’s literally what I said. Did you think I was blaming NWS when I said they did nothing wrong? Was just having a more philosophical discussion/set of musings over how fragmented media is now and how relatively much harder it is to get the word out to people. And also said not sure what if anything can be done. No worries , won’t discuss it here or anywhere. My bad.