Daily Archives: December 8, 2009

Minnesota, Weather +Climate

Snow Has Come. Will Stay At Least Through Christmas.

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Samhain                                       Waning Wolf  Moon

We’ve had steady snow since about 10:30 a.m.  It began to pick up after dark and we now have a couple of inches or more; the leaves have disappeared.  The rocks have become snowy bulges as the wind whips what snow has fallen from place to place.  The warnings have expanded their scope and increased their estimation of snowfall amounts, here in Anoka County we may see 6-8 inches.

(Armistice Day Blizzard, 1940.  MHS)

Though these numbers may not fit the technical definition of a blizzard, falling/blowing snow with visibilities under 1/4 mile for at least 3 consecutive hours, sustained winds over 35 mph, but if you happen to get on a road filled with blowing  snow, as you well might, the difference will not mean much to you.  Translation, travel will be dangerous tomorrow.  If you  don’t have to go, stay put.

Paul Douglas says he does not see above freezing weather between now and December 25th, so he’s predicting a white Christmas.

The barometer has a steep downward trajectory having fallen .6 of an inch Hg since midnight, very near the mark for bombogenesis which I mentioned in a post early.  This is the equivalent of 20 millibars in just under 24 hours and the definition of bombogenesis is a drop of 24 millibars in 24 hours.  The winds have gusted here already to 24 mph and may go much higher, probably will go up to 35 mph or 40 mph.

Family, Great Work, Weather +Climate, Writing

Let There Be (which) Light?

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Samhain                         Waning Wolf Moon

The snow continues and the wind now gusts around 12 mph.  Accumulation so far is minimal, but NOAA says the storm will pick up energy tonight and continue on through tomorrow afternoon.  Afterward, the temperature will drop below zero at night and remain in the single digits for highs through Tuesday.  This means winter has come on apace.  Average over these same dates is 27-28 with lows in the teens.  Since October our months have been on a sine curve, wonder if that means January will be balmy?  Unlikely, since it’s typically our coldest month, but with the new weather regimen, who knows?

We began a while ago to swap out incandescents for CFLs, though there are still places like stairwells and coat closets where the instant on power of the Edison heritage bulbs still make sense.  We’ll switch to LEDSs when they become affordable and equivalent.  It’s still difficult to find CFLs that really match the brightness of incandescents though halogens work well.  These transition periods are difficult, finding the new tech that performs as well as the old one takes time, sometimes several generations of the new one.  We’re not there yet with efficient lighting.  The LED light shown here retails for $129.00.  Yikes!

Oddly, the post on which I’ve received the most comments was one on the Sunday throat.  Apparently other folks in the US have friends who find the term odd.  Several folks wrote in to say that their family used it.

Thursday is Jon’s 41st birthday.  Wow.  I met when he was 21.  His life has changed a lot since then.  Most notably sobriety, marriage, two kids, home ownership and a good job.  It’s been fun to see him grow.

Minnesota, Weather +Climate

Let It Snow

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Samhain                                    Waning Wolf Moon

The snow began around 10:30 a.m., an hour and a half earlier than predicted.   Though the snow is light right now, the wind has stayed pretty steady around 9 mph, driving the snow at a 60 degree angle to the ground.  The wind has increased the windchill factor to 9 degrees, compared to a 17 degree air temperature.

We have gas, groceries and chew toys for the puppies.  We should be set for a while.  I have my annual physical on December 10th, but the roads should be cleared by then.  If they’re not, I may take the Northstar, but that would leave me stranded in the city until 3 p.m., the first train north.

When a large snow storm approaches, there is a mild hoarding frenzy that occurs.  Cars line up at gas stations, groceries line extend past their usual points.  People do last minute shopping so they can be done before the roads become difficult.  I did see a guy with two snowmobiles on a trailer hopefully gassing up his truck.

Once finished with whatever errands and shopping are necessary, if we can, we hunker down and watch it snow.   Later, some of us will strap on snowshoes or cross-country skis and get out to enjoy the changed countryside.

Right now, Kate and I will take our nap and see what the yard looks like after an hour or so of sleep.

Weather +Climate

Bombogenesis

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Samhain                                       Waning Wolf Moon

The anticipation of a snow storm, especially the first one of the season, still generates wonder.  A force of nature moves slowly toward us, we know it will transform our world, change it to some extent beyond recognition, yet it feels benign, unlike the hook echoes, derechos and tornadoes of summer thunderstorms.

12809goesThe storm continues to lift toward the north.  According to NOAA it will reach us here in the northern suburbs around noon, perhaps a bit later.

(The GOES shot currently posted on the NOAA website.)

While reading Paul Douglas on this storm, I learned a new word, bombogenesis–a low that drops its central pressure by 24mb or more in a 24hr period, essentially 1mb per hour for 24 hours.  Why does this matter?  It intensifies the winds in a storm and is more typical, again according to Paul Douglas, of  Nor’easters.  The air rushes in toward the suddenly lower pressure in the middle of the storm.

I have to put up my Just Needs Snow sign and my snow depth gauge, then head out to Costco.  Oh, boy.