There is something about a good snowstorm that delights the soul. We started hearing predictions of a big one at the end of last week, and sure enough on the solstice it arrived. The nor'easters that roar up the Atlantic coast sometimes don't give us much snow at our house. The
shadow effect of the White Mountains can make all that snow drop on the eastern side of the Presidential range, leaving us wondering what all the fuss was about and let down because we didn't get snowed in. But I was pretty sure that the forecast for a good slug of snow would be accurate--the storm was coming from the southwest. It started about 10 AM Sunday, and as I write this on Monday afternoon we're still in flurries on the tail end of it. I estimate we got about a foot, adding to the 4" that was already on the ground. The town plow was up twice yesterday and then again at 4:30 this morning.
I heard the wind blow strong and loud for a while last night. When I got up I could see evidence of just how windy it was by looking at the icicles outside of our laundry room window. The bigger icicles had a distinct lean to them. It was clear that steady wind had been blowing from the west when the icicles were forming. If you look carefully at the bottom of the longest icicle in the photo, you can see it straightening out again as the wind diminished. Pretty neat.
I went to my favorite Mac weather program,
Seasonality, and could see the graph of when the wind shifted. At just about midnight last night the wind shifted strongly into the west (bottom graph). At the same time, the wind speed picked up, reaching its peak speed of 35 mph at about 4:30 AM (middle graph).
What lovely photographs, I am seriously envious. We get so little snow over here in England, and I love it. I haven't seen icicles for years. Hope you are keeping warm.
ReplyDeleteC.B
I love the icicle picture!
ReplyDeleteWhoa! Great snow - and extremely cool icicles!
ReplyDeleteWe went from snow to slush here (in a small city just outside of NYC).
That is an impressive amount of snow. We'll be going to Chicago in a couple of weeks or so and I'll have to take photos of the snow there, too.
ReplyDeleteOh what fabulous icicles! Fantastic photos, thanks.
ReplyDeleteLove the weather info and the snow and icicle photographs are so beautiful.
ReplyDeleteLinda in Chapel Hill
I would love to have that snow for Christmas but we rarely have snow let alone at Chrismas. It appears that you will be having a picturesque Christmas. Love the leaning icecicles.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all your nice comments. As often happens after a snowstorm, frigid air came in last night. It was -20º this morning at 6 AM.
ReplyDeleteNan! The header is too die for! Stay warm!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Maggie! I have this old magazine cover framed and hung on the kitchen wall. I just love it.
ReplyDeleteWOW Nan, how beautiful ! Here in the Antipodes it is warm and sunny with rain today but not cold about 23 degrees C - not sure what that would be in F - I am in a sleeveless cotton top and shorts !!
ReplyDeleteHave a Peaceful Christmas ..
Wow. Like CB I live in warm, slushy old England. Even when I was little (when winters were proper winters!) I cannot recall icicles that long. Beautiful, but then I don't have to try to drive in it!
ReplyDeleteWe got the same storm with about the same snowfall - and we got those nasty frigid temperatures and wind! yesterday. Today it was still and I could enjoy the beautiful landscape. You have wonderful photographs.
ReplyDeleteMarvelous post, Tom! I love the photos. That's quite an icicle! Stay warm and safe.
ReplyDeleteI love these weather posts! "Seasonality" sounds like a wonderful, addictive program!
ReplyDeleteHere in Wisconsin the meteorologist said we're already just shy of the average season's snowfall amount. I hope all the woodland critters are doing alright!