iOS and Environmentalism
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iOS and Environmentalism

Byrichard

If you use the weather app on iOS 17 the weather app provides you with information about average temperature and average precipitation. It tells you how different the temperature and rainfall are, compared to average. Today, for example, I see that the temperature is 4°c warmer than the average. It tells me that usually the temperature is 17°c and that the current outside air temperature is 21°c.

For 25 September the normal temperature range is 5° to 21°, and the average high is 17°, today’s high temperature is 21°.

If I look at the average rainfall I can see that it should be 12.9cm rather than 12.6cm.

Historically the average total precipitation from 26 August to 25 September has been 128.5mm. Today, the total for the last 30 days is 125.6mm.

It also gives us the moon phase, the visibility, humidity and more. The current visibility is 27km. Some day they will tell us what the usual visibility is for this time of year, when they collect enough data.

Making Climate Change Visible

With the new weather app Apple is making climate change visible. We have gone from weather apps that tell us what the weather is and will be to what the weather usually is, and how big the difference is, from the norm. We can look at the temperature and rainfall differences. These are two easy to understand metrics. Within a second we can see that the weather is better or worse than it should be.

Comparing Locations

When you look at Chamonix it is 13°c warmer than it should be for this time of year. It is far out of the usual range for this time of year. The difference is 13°c. It’s 22°c and the average temperature should be 9°c. It’s t-shirt weather in Chamonix.

And Finally

With Big Data and AI it is easy for a company like Apple to look at the weather data from several centuries and comment on it, in relation to current conditions. Once per day it can be refreshed to give the current variation between the norm, and the current situation. By giving people this information it allows people to see how serious climate change is, as well as how it affects them personally.

I no longer have to say “it feels like it never rains” and “it feels too warm for this time of year.” The App provides quantitative data, to prove that the opinion, or sentiment, is correct.

This move makes the Apple Weather App more interesting. The Swiss weather app provides similar information but in the form of blog posts written by humans, every few days.

An Afternoon Walk in the Heat

An Afternoon Walk in the Heat

Byrichard

Yesterday I went for a walk with a Garmin Etrex 32 that was sometimes in my hands and at other times in my pocket. I could have been hands three with a GPS watch but it’s good to play with a variety of devices. I chose the Etrex because it was paired with the Tempe thermometer.
The Thermometer was in my backpack, in the top pocket. I knew that the air temperature would be around 30°c but I wanted to see what the “felt” temperature would be. As I left home the thermometer indicated 28°c before climbing to a maximum of 45°c and an average of 38°c.

I felt fine during this walk. I set off with a 600ml water bottle and for the first half of the walk I didn’t drink because I wasn’t thirsty. By the time I did start drinking my water it was warm.

Walking to Fountains

The advantage of walking the same routes every day for years in a row, is that you learn where the water points are, even in a drought, and even when they turn off most of the fountains. I know of two fountains with drinking water. One of them is by a motorway stop, near a river. It’s a fountain that is near a composting place for garden rubbish.
The second water fountain is down the road from Celigny, on a sleep climb, or descent, depending on your direction of travel. The flow from both of these fountains is slow, but on a hot day, when you’re out of water, they’re fine.
Other fountains run all year round but they have one serious flaw. They’re not “potable”. They are not certified “safe” for drinking. It’s a shame that they don’t tell us what makes these fountains unsafe, because If I knew then I could use one of my water filters to make them safe. I am not playing with water filters to clean water, when I don’t know what I want to remove from it.
The Essential Hat
I never leave home without a hat. In winter it keeps me warm, but in summer it’s to protect me from the sun. If I went for a walk, in conditions like the forecast heatwave, without a hat, then my hair, and head would overheat with speed. My head would have heated to 45°c yesterday, if I had not worn a hat, or been ready with drinking water. I drank 400 to 500ml on the way out. When I was on the return part of the walk I refilled my water bottle, and drank another 600ml.
Without a hat and water I would get heat stroke.

The New Normal

A few years ago I found it nice, and luxurious to get 30°c heat in Switzerland. Occassionaly, when I was climbing, it would get to 40°c by the cliff face. When I had a broken arm I was walking in 37°c heat, and did so for the last few years. When I have a hat, and water, heat doesn’t bother me, especially in the countryside
Heat Islands
I have been cycling on high temperature days and as long as I was riding, with the breeze blowing over me, I was fine. It’s when I stopped, especially in the ovens of Geneva, and other towns, that I felt myself cook. Heat from the sun is one thing. Heat radiating from cement, tarmac and buildings is quite another.
The coolest place I often encounter is forests through which a stream runs. Usually the contrast between the two is clear and distinct. If you’re too warm, on a warm day, head to a forest stream and you’ll recover.

Freedom From Dogs

One of the nicest feature of heatwaves is that the weather is too warm for dogs, so dogs stay indoors, where it’s cooler. I have a fear of dogs, and when the heat waves hit I feel good, because I do not need to worry about encountering dog walkers. I can enjoy my walks fully.

And Finally

For several summers my apartment was so warm that I was soaked, just sitting, doing nothing, and stepping outside into the heat, was actually an opportunity to cool down. As long as I have a hat, and water, I’m fine with the heat. Take away my hat, and water, and I will be like everyone else.
Remember, if you’re too warm indoors, open a window to the outside, and the door from your room to the hallway. Create a breeze, and it will keep you cool.

Slowed by the Wind

Slowed by the Wind

Byrichard

Yesterday I walked into the wind for two to three kilometres. The wind was so strong that the Apple watch gave me “high noise level” warnings more than once. The wind was around 30-40km/h. It was so strong that I stopped listening to an Audiobook because I couldn’t hear it. I then heard the summary for the last kilometre and was told that I was walking at 11 minutes per kilometre, compared to my 10 minutes 40 per kilometre.

I didn’t ride the bike because I saw how windy it was, but for the wind to be strong enough to affect my walking speed is new. I’ve walked in very high winds in the past, but that was at the sea side, not Switzerland. Walking in a strong wind is unpleasant because it’s noisy, So noisy that you can’t listen to anything but the wind.

Wind on a Bike

We are all familiar with the wind when cycling. We are used to that feeling of fighting an uphill battle despite being on flat ground. A few days ago I cycled to Geneva and back and I was fighting the wind. When you cycle into the wind you’re making a certain amount of effort but your progress is sluggish. You question whether you are less fit than usual, and you feel more tired. The wind makes you work hard. That’s why riding with the wind pushing is more fun. That’s when you feel much faster than usual.

Surprised

I was really surprised that the wind actually slowed me down but that’s normal. I was walking into the wind, and there were no trees or other obstacles to break up the wind. I was walking headlong into the wind, with no trees or anything else to slow it down. I tried walking in the lee of a power pole but that didn’t help. I just walked into the wind.

Warm Day

I checked the temperature before going on my walk. I saw that the temperature was 27°c, so walking in that temperature, with that wind, is not unpleasant. I wasn’t cold. I was simply impatient to get next to some trees and buildings, as well as to change direction, to stop facing straight into the wind.

According to the Beaufort scale, walking into the wind becomes difficult at around 32-38 kph (50-61 mph). This is the equivalent of a moderate gale. At this wind speed, the wind can start to push you back, making it difficult to maintain your balance and forward momentum. If the wind is blowing from the side, it can also make it difficult to walk in a straight line.

At wind speeds of 40 kph or more, walking into the wind can become dangerous. The wind can be strong enough to knock you over, and it can also make it difficult to breathe. If you are planning on walking in windy conditions, it is important to dress appropriately and to be aware of the risks involved.

According to Google Bard I was right at the limit of what can be walked in, comfortably. Just a little stronger and I would have been fighting with the wind, rather than inconvenienced.

And Finally

Overall this summer has been calmer than usual. We have had wind, rain and moderate heat. We have not had days in a row that reached 37°c or more. This summer has been more comfortable, less extreme.

Signs of Drought

Signs of Drought

Byrichard

Today as I walked I could see clear evidence that Switzerland is now dry. As you walk by the side of the road you see that it is yellow, and that there is no growth. Crops are withering away and water gauges are now filling with dust, rather than rain.


We now go for weeks without rain. If I wanted to pick up the soil it would crumble in my hands and blow away as dust. I see that one of the local rivers is drying up again.


  • A dry water meter
    A dry water meter – There is very little rain
  • View of Grass and the Alps
    View of Grass and the Alps
  • Dry grass by the river side
    Dry grass by the river side
  • Dry grass by the river side
    Dry grass by the river side


La Suisse bientot à court d’eau


Malgré la pluie, la forêt valaisanne est déjà en danger d’incendie