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Weather diary page

Nov 4, Northern Rivers: I keep saying this, but this year is way better than last year. Tomorrow is forecast to be 33C, but after that, it's 24, 25, 23, 22, 24. Wouldn't have thought that was possible after last year where it was above 30 nearly every day in Nov, peppered with 38's. I guess it's the La Nina effect - whatever it is - i love it. Grass is growing fast - somehow cutting it makes it shoot up even quicker. Porch is finished - started building chook shed. Zucchini is producing, harvesting peas, lettuce, tomatoes are fruiting but plants looks stunted. Koels calling less, as are channel-billed cuckoos.

Nov 8, NR: According to the forecast we have three more days of moderate weather before summer sets in. Some showers today with a max of 22C. Been some snake activity over last few weeks - saw two big brown snakes (one of the world's most venomous) around long grass near creek bank in the space of 5 minutes. Another indeterminate snake with a yellow belly near house - don't think it was a tiger snake - possibly an immature brown - smaller than the other two. Possibly a taipan in wood-pile near house. Farmers across Aus are reporting a bumper harvest - just a pity that due to Covid restrictions they can't get any backpackers into pick it. (Aussies won't do that kind of work)

Nov 9, Aomori: November has been fairly nice so far, with lows in the single digits and highs mostly in the mid teens... until today that is. It was 4C at 5:30AM and the high today is forecast to be 9. The wind is howling at 20Kt with gusts to 35 Kt. There was some rain on the way to work mixed with a bit of freezing precipitation of some sort. Lovely weather. The sun is coming out now, to be fair.

Nov 10, Aomori: 0C at 5:30AM today, with snow on the ground and in the air. Less than 1" accumulation which is already melting quickly at 6:30. High today forecast to be 6C. Looks like clear skies. Currently calm. Little to no wind. UPDATE 7:15: Snowing like crazy. Classic Misawa.

Nov 15, NR: Looks like the seasonal wheel has turned in Aomori - same here - but going the other way. We've had a great run but now 30+ is becoming the norm. 37 yesterday - mid 30's today and more to come. No rain. Invented this new system of putting a flexible ice pack in my hat with a cloth covering. It's good but i still can't last a full day in that heat. Baby raven has emerged in last few days. Caught two bass and one catfish in creek early Nov. Thistles are seeding - they have this fluffy floating ball as a delivery device - with a bit of wind the sky is full of them - it's horrifying.

Nov 19, Aomori: Balmy day today with weather coming straight out of the south and a high in the very low 20's. The low tonight is only supposed to be 14, then a front is coming through that will drop temps 10C. For the next 24 hours though, sweet. Rain tomorrow as the front approaches.

Nov 20, Aomori: 20C at 5:30AM! It will be gradually cooling all day and should go down to single digits late tonight or early tomorrow morning. In two days, lows are forecast to be 0-1C. Quite a difference.

Nov 24, NR: After 38C yesterday, a change today with some rain (<5mm) and a few sub 30 days coming up. But then it's mid-30's. Young magpie turned up on porch - seemed quite tame - took some sausage from my hand - but was then attacked by the raven. Didn't see it back today. Saw a glimpse of a crake - may have been similar time last year. Despite La Nina predictions of wet spring, it hasn't materialized. Been dry all month. Fire season might still spring to life considering the weather that's coming.

Nov 28, Aomori: Overnight we had the first real snowfall, although, as noted above, this isn't the first snow. Went bed last night to the sound of heavy rain and awoke with about three inches of very wet snow.

Nov 29, NR: Happy days have gone - it's now full heatwave. 40C today, coming off a hot week, with another hot week ahead. Trying to get the roof on the shed but it's just not possible in this kind of weather. Not sure when i'll get a window to do it. Slight cool change coming tomorrow but there will be wind with that, which also rules out roofing. So much for the 'wet La Nina spring' forecast - our total is 4.2 mm for Nov - not sure if that's a record. The ave is 106mm. Nov is a month when you normally expect storms. This could be the new hair-drier type fire conditions - everything seemed fine, temps, rainfall around normal, then suddenly it turns gnarly with a month of no rain and extreme heat making conditions ripe. Before a moderate season would hold the pattern throughout the year - you could safely say it would be a quiet fire season - now it's more erratic.