Thoughts, observations, sea stories and ideas from a former sailor and lifelong rancher
Friday, March 20, 2020
After the snow storm
It wasn't a blizzard, and it really wasn't much of a snow storm.
We ended up with 3 inches of snow and a touch more than three-tenths of an inch of liquid from both snow and pre-snow drizzle/light rain. That was very welcome, particularly since most of the moisture will go directly into the soil and help grow grass and other wonderful green springtime plants.
Yesterday's temperature profile went from just a bit above freezing to well below freezing, and combined with fog, drizzle, light rain, and wet, heavy snow it yielded a lot of surface ice. Both the east-west I-80 and north-south Highway 71 were closed from mid-afternoon yesterday to well after sunrise today.
Pretty typical weather for March in this part of Nebraska. We'll appreciate the moisture and live with the snow and ice. Tomorrow through Monday are supposed to be sunny and warm. It'll be fun to see how long the snow sticks around.
Here's a little look around the yard this morning.
And here's what the chickens and Red were up to.
The sun decided to come out for a while around 2 p.m.. It was still cold out though, with air temps only touching about 22 degrees.
The weak sunshine melts snow and ice where it touches, but where it does not touch the cold air keeps all the water tightly locked up in solid phase.
Not as warm as I'd like for the first day of spring, but I'll take it.
As if I have a choice!
Be well and embrace the blessings of liberty.
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Icicles, I don't miss them at all.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post. ( With chickens )
Paul L. Quandt
They're pretty in November, an irritating reminder that it's been cold for a long time in March.
DeleteChickens don't really care.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting Paul!
We got about 3" overnight, and another inch or two today. We also received .8" of rain before it changed to snow, and the first lightning and thunder of 2020.
ReplyDeleteGoing into the mid 40's on Saturday, so most of the new snow will melt away.
We had a blizzard 5-6 years ago -- early April I think -- that started with a thunderstorm just hammering down through a freezing fog as air temperatures plummeted and rain turned to heavy, blinding snow. It was beautiful and terrifying to be out in that thing, gravediggers slamming down all around and making the fog glow green, thunder pushing waveforms through falling snow, tree branches audibly groaning under sudden snow load. Lost a calf in that one, but otherwise we survived just fine.
DeleteForecast air temps 48 today and 50's tomorrow and Monday. Lots of sunshine and not a lot of wind predicted. I'm sure that last is wrong though. ;-)
Thanks for stopping by and commenting drjim!
Plagues come and go but the weather is indifferent. Second day of spring had my vehicle doors frozen shut.
ReplyDeleteMy sister is on her way to Sherman Hill (mm 180-182, WY I-80) for a major truck pile up in her job as an insurance adjuster/investigator.
That's a fact. Nature does her thing regardless. The ice was everywhere yesterday.
DeleteSending positive waves your way -- sounds like your sister has quite a job ahead of her.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting WSF!