Countdown to Spring – Melt, Baby, Melt

So, let’s see.  As I was writing last week’s entry, the snow was just starting to come down.  When it got to about 3-4”, I went outside and shoveled my deck and walkway.  Oh, look, it’s light and fluffy.  Not too bad.  About two more inches fell, then the temperature went up and it went from light and fluffy to sogged and glazed over snow.  What had been an easy job of clearing it away turned into a cardio workout at the end of it all. 

I normally appreciate the prettiness of ice coating all the tree branches, especially at night.  But at this stage of winter, it was enjoyed for maybe five minutes, then I just wanted it to go with the snow.

Over this past weekend, a lot of that wintery precipitation disappeared with above-freezing temperatures and a whole lot of rain.  There’s still snow out there, but enough of it’s gone now that it’s about a 50:50 mix of white to greens and browns. 

The forecast for my area for today and tomorrow is near to above 50°F, followed by a return to 30s, then 40s, then 50s, then 30s again.  It’s a little uneven, temperature-wise, blamed on anything you chose to blame it on in the moment.  But with temperatures remaining above freezing during the day at least, and no forecast for any precipitation but rain showers for the next ten days, maybe all these wet, white crystalline structures hanging around will go bye-bye and we’ll head into March with bare ground.

Then, it’ll likely snow again.  That’s winter for you.

In a final note, I am on the downside of what may have been either the flu or a flu-like illness.  Sore throat, body aches, chills, fatigue, and a decent chunk of fever on top of sneezes, sniffles and barking like a seal.  Definitely not a cold.  I normally don’t get sick during the winter, but this year was an exception.  Just another reason for not liking this winter season anymore, eh?

Only 34 days until Spring

Countdown to Spring - What, Again?

Just when I'm starting to become less achy from shoveling Thursday's storm, here comes another one for Sunday.

Now, depending on which forecast you read, we're getting either 3-6 inches of snow or 5-10, both with a possible glaze of freezing rain and sleet in the mix. Personally, I like my forecast of 1-2 inches of snow with no ice. Mind you, my weather prediction isn't based on maps or studying weather patterns or even a gut instinct.

Just pure wishful thinking.

Only 37 days until Spring.

Countdown to Spring – A Brief Respite

Our morning of freezing precipitation didn’t get all that ugly.  Yes, we did have some, but not enough to make roads bad or schools close (they did delay a few hours, though). 

 

It’s supposed to warm into the 40s today and, even nicer, into the 50s tomorrow.  My heating bill will love it.  But then … yes, winter’s back on Thursday, with a little snow and a 20-degree drop in temperatures from the day before.  The 20s and 30s during the day and the teens during the night and for at least a week.

 

Yeah, I know, it could be much worse.  Let’s hope it doesn’t go there.

 

Only 41 days until Spring.

Countdown to Spring - They're Scarin' Me

I was starting my coffee at 5:30 this morning and heard what I thought was one of the local garbage trucks making its way up the street.  I looked out the window and saw that it was one of the town's snowplows coming up the hill, turning around and heading back down.  We didn't have any precipitation last night.  The roads were dry and the temperature had stayed above freezing.  So, why were they making the rounds?

Tomorrow, we're under a winter weather advisory for expected snow, sleet and freezing rain in the morning.  It's supposed to turn to all rain by late morning, although the last time that was supposed to happen, we got about 2" of pure sleet, no snow or rain involved. No fun to drive on and even less fun to shovel (it's like 6" of wet snow in my book).

It should all be gone by Wednesday, as it's supposed to be in the 50s that day. But, the fact that they're coming around the day before to look for trouble spots in the sort of wee hours of the morning makes me wonder and I shouldn't wonder. Guess I'll be keeping an eye on the forecast - eww.

Only 42 days until Spring.

Countdown to Spring: The Downside to March Weather

The changeover to the warmer temperatures of March definitely has some positive effects, the biggest of which is seeing the snow slowly dwindle to pitiful spots of white that we won't miss when they're completely gone.  Okay, maybe they'll be missed by those who adore the winter sports and/or make at least part of their income from the season's existence.  But, I think most of us just want to see it gone.

Thing about March, though, is that it still clings to winter-like temperatures. They may not be near or below 0°F all that often during the month, but the temperature tends to hang out at points on the thermometer which make predicting snow or rain levels a little tricky.  There are more 20's, 30's and 40s, and a lot more mixed precipitation happening, too.  Ah, yes, that less than wonderful combination of snow, sleet and freezing rain which can be more dangerous than snow alone.  Bad roads, downed electrical and phone lines, etc. are some of the potential issues we don't look forward to this time of year.

That's what we're expecting in my location over the next 24 hours, followed by a warm-up into the mid to upper 40s, followed by a dip back into single digits again. It's like  the temperature's on a yo-yo and the string of that yo-yo has gotten longer, with the high and low points further apart than in earlier months, and it's what makes winter weather a bit more unpredictable now.

Yo, Mother Nature - quit playing with the yo-yo!

Only 17 days until spring.

Click here to view the next entry