Seattle's December proves sometimes it's dark after the dawn too
If you've ever wondered needed proof why Seattle tanning salons do a booming business in the winter time, these statistics will help.
According to University of Washington Research Meteorologist Mark Albright, Wednesday's snow and rain came from an overcast so thick that it registered as the darkest December day in Seattle (as in amount of measured sunlight) since 2006.
Without getting into gory details about how they come up with sunlight measurements (it's megaJoules of sunlight radiation energy per meter squared) and instead putting the number in perspective, Seattle typically ranges from low single digits in the winter to a max of about 32-35 MJ/m2 on our sunniest summer days. So to not only be less than 1, but be less than a half is... pretty darn dark.
Wednesday registered a paltry 0.48. It narrowly missed the honor of darkest day of the year which currently belongs to November 19 at 0.46.
But as you've likely noticed, it's not like it's been sunny on the other days. In fact, add up every day in December (which has been on average about 1.8 or so) and it comes to about 35 MJ/m2 -- or about the amount of sunlight energy Seattle receives on one sunny day in June.
(Just not last June, whose peak was about 30 as full sunny days were missing. Clouds sure have been hanging around the past few years!)
So forgive Seattleties if you find there are frequent out of office replies this time of year. They're probably off to Hawaii or some other southern place that gets at least double-digit measurements.
This also explains why solar equipment performs so badly in the winter months, But I like Bill Murray's weather forecast from the movie ground hog's day.  "...You want a prediction about the weather, you're asking the wrong Phil. I'll give you a winter prediction....It's gonna be cold... it's gonna be gray... and it's gonna last you for the rest of your life.... Once again, the eyes of the nation have turned here to this... tiny village in western Pennsylvania. There is no way that this winter... is ever going to end... as long as this groundhog keeps seeing his shadow. I don't see any other way out. He has to be stopped. I have to stop him... "
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or so it seem around Mid Feb, but it should clear up by early July....
 @DoctorPC Ahh! I love that movie. We watch it every year on Groundhogs Day. You have to interject a few "blah, blah-blah, blahs" in the middle of his rant above...LOL... Bill Murray at his finest!
Christmas In The Northwest
OK... this confirms what I was commenting to my daughter as we were out Christmas shopping. I said, "boy this is a dark and dreary day" - I guess I was right! And then I told her it was a lot brighter cuz she was with me!
 @Scoondog Awww, that's sweet.  Best Christmas wishes to you & your daughter.  :-)