(WSB photos)

The Rotary Club of West Seattle drew about 200 people to its annual fundraising breakfast this morning at Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor). This year’s keynote speaker is well-known to weather-watchers in particular: Cliff Mass, described on the program as “University of Washington Professor of Atmospheric Sciences and renowned Seattle weather prognosticator/personality.” We photographed him with incoming West Seattle Rotary president Dr. Susanne Gee:

Mass has often said he’s not a forecaster, but more of an analyst. And as those at today’s event heard, he’s outspoken on a variety of related topics, including no love lost for some news media’s tendency to engage in hyperbole related to weather events. He also talked about what he sees for the Pacific Northwest in terms of climate change – including more rain, less snow, between now and 2050, but no “dramatic” increase in temperature until later this century. You can find him online here.

P.S. Today’s fundraising will benefit Rotary projects including the Children’s Holiday Shopping Spree and Pencil Me In For Kids.