RENDEZVOUS 2010- Planning

[squiregaby]

The Cat & Fiddle is a mostest excellent place for ya'll to be!! That way I only have to run out of the fence when I'm not doing anything and I still get to hang out with you guys!!

[Ryk Rakham]

I see voting is a little light (63 seems a small number so far). I am a meteorologist and professional storm-chaser and have a little insight into long-range and history-based forecasting. I put the forecast based on the same factors that the Old Farmers Almanac uses. But, it is a long way to try to forecast something, although the historical is interesting. I hope it helps a little. I am leaning toward the 17th and 18th because it always seems to be great weather. Our folks from the north will melt on Memorial Day weekend. A friend of mine from Michigan is part of the Scarby mud now! Well she will tell you that anyway. But I will be excited to be there and take part no matter when we celebrate REndevous! Weather forecasting is risky business anyway.

April 10/11 Opening Weekend - generally one of the last cold periods. 50% rainy over last 20 years. Almost always highs in the 60s to 70s. Forecast is seasonably cool with a 60% chance of precip.
April 17/18    - believe it or not, the best weekend based on weather forecasting. Temps generally in the low 70's for highs and less rain than most of the rest of April. 18 out of the last 20 years has been fair and dry around the 17th of April. Forecast is fair and seasonably mild with highs in the low to mid 70's and 15% chance of precip.
April 24/25 Mid Season Invasion - Some may not want to hear this one since several birthdays are celebrated, but since this event stands on its own we may want to consider that the 20 to 25th is generally very wet with highs in the upper 70's to low 80's. From April 20th in fact to May 5th is very unsettled and our wettest period. Forecast for next year is unsettled with periods of rain (70% chance) and highs near 80. It has rained during this period almost 100% of the time back to 1980.
May 1/2 May Day - another unsettled period. Forecast is for unsettled weather with periods of rain and highs near 80.   
May 8/9 Mothers Day - generally warming up here with highs in the low 80's, but a little less unsettled. Forecast for the 5th - 10th of May is becoming warmer with alternating sun and clouds with 40% chance of rain and highs near 85.
May 15/16    - Typically our average first time to hit 90 and a very stormy period (15th to the 20th). Forecast is 60% chance of thundershowers with highs in the upper 80's.
May 22/23 - this one is usually a hot and dry weekend at times getting into the mid to upper 90s but drying out some so that humidity is not always as bad. Forecast for next year is for a 40% chance of thundershowers and highs in the upper 80's to low 90's.
May 29/30/31 Memorial Day Weekend - 12 our of the last 20 years this has been our first 100 degree period. Weather becomes relatively unsettled as the heat can set off heavy storms, or the heat just decides to torture us on its own. Forecast for next year though doesn't look as hot as usual with 30% chance of thundershowers and a high in the low 90's. Long-range calls for us to hit 100 for the first time on June 8th in 2010.
   

[squiregaby]

I am a meteorologist and professional storm-chaser    

Where do you live?! I need a buddy to chase with elsewise I'm stuck in the city limits...and nothing EVER happens in the city limits

[Nicolas-Antoine]

I see voting is a little light (63 seems a small number so far).

I put a sticky under the Scarby forum about the voting with the link to the voting thread. Maybe that will help with the voter turnout.

[Blue66669]

Thanks! I'm still keeping my fingers crossed that the late April date gets it. COME ON BDAY RENDEZVOUS!!!

[Berit]

Hey all. I just need to correct a bit of misinformation.  You do STILL NEED TO JOIN THE CLUB to purchase alcoholic beverages.  It is very easy though, all we have to do is swipe your driver's license and you will receive a sticker to show that you are a member.  Easy as can be.

With regard to other issues, Lilaney is right, Screams is the towering concern for the next few months.  After that, let's see what the Faire can do to assist and facilitate.  I will try to stick my nose in at least once a week for the time being.  30 years of Scarbie with RF in celebration with us.  Yahoo!

Berit of Miller, Knight of Lite

[Lady Renee Buchanan]

I read about the prospect of rain on the April 24-25 weekend.  I don't think I've ever been to a RenDezvous where it hasn't poured at least 1 day -  but 1 day is enough!

Never been to Texas, but I'm wondering, what kind of "rain" do you actually get?  Joking aside (I'm imagining, "it rains rum, of course"), are we talking torrential downpour, horrendous thunder & lightening, a gentle misting, mud puddles that suck your boots off, and the gamut in between?

[squiregaby]

Never been to Texas, but I'm wondering, what kind of "rain" do you actually get?  Joking aside (I'm imagining, "it rains rum, of course"), are we talking torrential downpour, horrendous thunder & lightening, a gentle misting, mud puddles that suck your boots off, and the gamut in between?

The answer is......all of the above.  It could do anything at any time....we had all of them this season...especially on the joust end of the faire

[Lady Kett]

Lady Renee - after transplanting the family to Texas 16 years ago, my take on Texas spring rains is this:

It is either going to drizzle on and off, be humid and hot, and just be annoying. Or it will be a colossal thunderstorm for about an hour and then go away. Of course, the colossal thunderstorms can come more than once a day, but the nastier it is the faster it generally runs to the next county. Those all-day soaking rains that occur in the more northern parts of the country, generally do not happen here.

Both make for some level of nastiness in traipsing through mud at the faire, but our experience this past spring was the more rain there was, the more fun it was because everyone who was there just loved being at faire regardless of the weather. I personally would not even consider rain as a determining factor of whether to go to Scarby or not - we will be there no matter what.

Of course now that I've said that, whatever weekend for Rendezvous is chosen, will produce one of those all weekend, 24-hour soaking rains! Who has nargle remover that they can send me? I've sent all mine to Queen Bonnie!

[Blue66669]

LADY KETT!! HUSH NOW! It didn't rain a drop during the faire day on my birthday weekend last year. I wish to keep it that way!

[eloquentXI]

We have no idea how the weather will be, and if it does rain, then so be it! We will enjoy the rain.

We had a couple, gorgeous, non-hot Spring days last season, and I expect they'll happen again. 

[Hercules]

I actually prefer Scarborough when it rains. Less crowds and watching kids play in the mud pits is fun!

So IMHO. The day should be based off what schedule(s) works best and don't worry about the weather so much.   

[Rani Zemirah]

I thought the weather during Memorial weekend this year was perfect, short-lived cloudbursts included, and I really enjoyed having the three whole days at Faire.  Of course, I'm not sure what the typical weather is for the time of year, so it could have just been this year, but it was never so hot that I felt like leaving, and there is so much lovely shade that's it's easy to find a place to sit and cool off. 

[Lady Renee Buchanan]

As Texas residents, rain at faire is fine with you.  For those of us coming on an airplane, with limited baggage allowances, it's important to get an idea of what the weather will be to prioritize what we need to pack.

As I mentioned, the other 2 RenDezvous have had a day where the heavens opened, but having driven, we had a lot more leeway on what to take (just about everything that could fit in Chiquita)!   

[Hercules]

Texas weather is unpredictable during that time of the year. It could be a gorgeous spring day or colder then a well digger's derriere in Siberia. And those conditions can and have change same-day. My suggestion is to bring layered clothing. As much cotton clothing as possible.