Samhain Waxing Moon of the Winter Solstice
We are in the midst of a storm that will be remembered, one like Halloween, 1991 and Armistice Day, 1941. The snow and the wind have continued or intensified since I remarked last night that the snow had begun.
Below are a series of photographs taken out of my study window facing north, some looking out over one of our boulder walls. The last two are from today.
October 26th, 2010
November 14th
December 1st
December 11th
December 11th, northeast
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.
