mattie g

In about a month, that's a fun little event.

Doesn't matter. It drives views and clicks, and people will forget about it as soon as the next BrEaKiNg NeWs!!1! hits.

It really does seem like high-latitude blocking wants to stick around, which is obviously one big necessary ingredient if we want to score. If nothing else, it keeps hope alive.

I love how the guesses in the snowfall contest thread fluctuate in response the most recent long-range runs/discussions. If you were to do an analysis of the guesses and compare them to 24 hours worth of ensemble runs, you'd probably see a pretty close correlation between low guesses and bad ensemble looks/analysis and high guesses and good ensemble looks/analysis.

-PNA

He was playing with something...

Those kinds of storms result in nice little 3-6" / 4-8", stressless events in the heart of winter.

I was scared, man. Almost willing to lose my job to get on a flight back to DC to make it in time, and if I hadn't made it, I would have sh*tposted the board to the heavens and sustained a ban the likes of which no one has seen before.

I flew out to LA for a 10-day meeting on the Saturday before. As soon as things started to look like we were really locked in, I started putting heat on the organizers to let the DC folks get back early so that we didn't get stuck out there. I took a redeye Thursday night and landed at IAD the next morning with cloudy skies and cold temps. The whole flight back I was buzzing, and that buzz didn't let up until the snow stopped on Saturday night.

One problem that I can see is that there's a shortwave diving down into the upper Midwest that helps to tug the low up and into the block. I'd also prefer the low heights in Quebec to be father east, but as far as I can tell it's not far from being damn good. I don't know how that would actually play out, but that is a beast of a block and those lower heights in Quebec are on their way to the east. Timing always matters, but I'd take that and see how things shake out as we got closer in time.

I'll always take that look at 500 and worry about the details later.

Might have to do it. Worked out well for Teddy KGB.

And that 978mb lows off the coast of Jersey drop 12mb in six hours while retrograding back to Wilmington, DE. Of course, when they do that, they do rain up north and snow to the south.

Great points all around. We've never looked so dominant against Mexico in all the years (lots) I've been following international soccer. yes, we've gotten big results in the last 20 years (including that World Cup 2002 win!), but they have never been as convincing as Friday was. Our midfield just bossed that game, and we were almost camped out in the attacking half of the field for much of the second half. It was so impressive - Mexico just didn't have any answers. Yeah...the talent is insane. This is a side that could have played in the Olympics as a U23 team! They're so young, but that's part of the point I made a few posts back - they need time together to gel, and I think that's starting to happen. Pulisic as a sub due to previous injury, and Dest and Reyna injured - it just didn't really affect us. Now...a few more injuries and/or suspensions against that Mexico team and it might be a different story, but these are three of our best players not playing or only playing limited minutes. Ayoung team's depth is always going to be challenged, but we have lots of other young players showing promise and/or playing regularly in very good club teams who will at least be able to fill a gap when called upon.

This is probably the best reason to move to a place like Denver.

Mexico and Canada away will be tough. I do think people are going a little overboard for Canada, as I think they're quite inconsistent, but when they're on they're really good (and Davies is an absolute beast of a player). Jamaica and Costa Rica away...I'm not terribly scared of not getting points. I'm not banking on it, but if we can get a win tomorrow night in Jamaica, we're sitting WAAAAY pretty. A draw would work, too, and even a loss wouldn't be absolutely devastating, though it really would take the shine off Friday's result. Having Panama at home is a big plus for us, as it's a "six-pointer" in our back yard. Thrilled to have El Salvador and Honduras at home, who will both likely be playing for bragging rights to not be at the bottom of the table after the last matchday.

I cancelled winter after the 12z GFS op run and the ENSO prediction flipped to moderate-strong Nina.

We’re top of the table halfway through the final round, so we’re in a good spot. It’s an insanely young (and talented) team but it’s finally gelling. Also, barring any more injuries, we could have all our first-choice starters on the field when qualifying resumes in January. Seven more games to go. If we pick up just 10 points in those games, we’re pretty much guaranteed to qualify.

Dominating 2-0 win for the US against Mexico last night. Can’t recall a similar performance from us…ever?

Awful morning. Sun just popped out, so I’m feeling a bit cheerier now!

Moving this to banter... It really is great. I grew up in South Jersey and don't necessarily associate Thanksgiving with cold weather or anything, and I'd prefer not to be shut in on a holiday like that anyways. Being down south for the holiday usually lets us open things up a little and is kind of like a last hurrah before the cold season kicks in up here. I feel like it's just the right time to enjoy mild weather before we're shivering for a few months! I hear you on the traditions dying hard. I grew up with a very big extended family all living close by, so gatherings were very regular and very large! HHI is where my in-laws live, so the slightly awkward break with my family traditions began when my now wife and I started getting really serious 15 years ago or so. We did rotate holiday gatherings between my family and my wife's family for a few years, but we've generally done Thanksgiving there and Christmas up here (usually with my family) for the last 10 years or so, which has worked out great for us!

The weather is almost always the same around Thanksgiving down there - 65 or so and partly cloudy - though we've had some pretty nasty days and some really warm ones in the 10 years or so we've ben there for the holiday. It's honestly pretty great. We can open the windows and enjoy the fresh air, let the kids run outside, go fishing, play a round of golf. Then we can come home and be ready for the chill and the Christmas season!

Congrats! Wife is boosted - I'm getting mine today. Older daughter is getting her first shot next Thursday, but the 4-year-old has to wait...