Snow Equipment Owning/Operating Climate Change & Current National Freezing Conditions

[ovrszd]

It all started when Dad let me rest my hands on his old Snowbird 3 1/2 horse power snowblower, his hands over mine feeling the power and snow blasting out.
That was back in 1966, I still love snowblowing, has a certain tranquility to it.

I've ran a township road grader for 29 years. I still feel that tranquility when blading snow. The peacefulness just doesn't last as many hours before it becomes burdensome. Fortunately I've got a young neighbor that is an excellent operator and loves blading snow as I do. Difference is his endurance.

 

[ovrszd]

I for one am looking forward to the usual January thaw and dreading the February freeze that always seemed to follow it most years.
But it will happen if it does and we'll get through it as we all ways have.

Last year we had a very easy February. No frost in the ground. Worked in the timber wearing a light sweatshirt. This year we are getting hammered by cold temps. We are also in a drought with minimal snowfall. Our weather is mostly coming from the Arctic and has very little moisture in it. It's snowing here today with temps in the teens. Doubt we get much more than a dusting.

 

[CincyFlyer]

I suppose the concept of a "January thaw" is an old wives tale.

We got a couple of days of that, just to taunt us. Then back to the cold. Funny, in September 35° seems cold, in January, it's shorts weather!

 

[tcreeley]

Egon,

As you are aware, there is a thread dealing with this subject in Rural Living. If you read the posts here in a snow category, the reception is rather cold, no pun implied. Seeking cooperation from everyone to just let this specific thread quietly melt away, yea, exactly like frosty.

I like discussing this topic. Many don't. I am always amazed that those who do not like this topic, bother to read these posts. No explaining people!

Yesterday we had a day of rain, hard at times. Las night the temp never reached freezing. The driveway is a mass of slick ice. (A few weeks ago we also had a day of rain.)

We have lost a fair amount of snow. The snow banks are 1/2 the height.
What is interesting is that we had no flooding a few weeks ago with the rain and none with yesterday's rain. I think that the ground was not fully frozen - and the water was sinking in, rather than running on the surface. It will give us a drier spring.

 

[k0ua]

I like discussing this topic. Many don't. I am always amazed that those who do not like this topic, bother to read these posts. No explaining people!

Yesterday we had a day of rain, hard at times. Las night the temp never reached freezing. The driveway is a mass of slick ice. (A few weeks ago we also had a day of rain.)

We have lost a fair amount of snow. The snow banks are 1/2 the height.
What is interesting is that we had no flooding a few weeks ago with the rain and none with yesterday's rain. I think that the ground was not fully frozen - and the water was sinking in, rather than running on the surface. It will give us a drier spring.

Thomas, how high are your snow banks now? Almost all of our snow melted today, and we are supposed to get freezing rain tomorrow.

 

[tcreeley]

Thomas, how high are your snow banks now? Almost all of our snow melted today, and we are supposed to get freezing rain tomorrow.

Between 3-4' high around where I plow. I use a bucket so it is as high as 5' in places. We are due for 8-12" of snow tomorrow - so the banks will be up there again. When it gets hard to see over them in my pickup when I pull onto the road is when I know they are up there!

The road I live on is generally pretty good for banks- plows really throw the snow and they come along and knock the banks down before major storms.

Snowing now- light, and unexpected.


tomorrow's forecast

 

[tcreeley]

It is snowing now- tomorrow will be tractor time to clear the snow.
Yesterday I had this guy land just outside the window, on the shingle cover over the window box where where we feed the stray cats.

This a ruffed grouse (partridge}. Has been around the house.

This is from the last storm -

 

[majorwager]

Tcreeley,
Do you believe a cab would be worthwhile in Maine?

 

[/pine]

It is snowing now- tomorrow will be tractor time to clear the snow.
Yesterday I had this guy land just outside the window, on the shingle cover over the window box where where we feed the stray cats.

This a ruffed grouse (partridge}. Has been around the house....

The term partridge is a misnomer for Ruffed Grouse...They used to be very plentiful here but over the last 30 years or so wild turkeys have overtaken the habitat and available fodder...They make extremely good table fare IMO...it's all white meat...not dark at all like most other wild fowl...

Used to love to hear them drumming...

Ruffed Grouse also have one of the most perplexing natural cycles known to animal science...

Back to the current WX...the daffodils are up about 3 inches in the last week...crocus will be blooming any day...iris are not far behind...

 

[cqaigy2]

The term partridge is a misnomer for Ruffed Grouse...They used to be very plentiful here but over the last 30 years or so wild turkeys have overtaken the habitat and available fodder...They make extremely good table fare IMO...it's all white meat...not dark at all like most other wild fowl...

Used to love to hear them drumming...

Ruffed Grouse also have one of the most perplexing natural cycles known to animal science...

Back to the current WX...the daffodils are up about 3 inches in the last week...crocus will be blooming any day...iris are not far behind...

I miss that sound too. Used to be a lot of Sage grouse around, but their numbers have decline dramatically.

 

[tcreeley]

Ruffed grouse are still fairly common around here. Mostly seeing them roost in trees or crossing small roads out on a drive. We also get spruce grouse but those are less common in this area. - Some years back my son and I were chased by a ruffed grouse in our back woods. We heard what sounded like a buzzing set of bees coming our way - we turned and ran 10 feet before seeing a grouse flying at us. We looked back and saw a bunch of chicks scattering and trying to hide in the brush and leaves on the ground! (Local people don't know what a ruffed grouse is - it is all partridge to them!)

Turkey were introduced and now are common most everywhere. We have them in the back field coming out from the small white pines.

We got our snow- 7" it looks like.Really no deeper than the last photo I posted - due to the melt.

A cab would be nice but I can't justify the money for it when there is always someplace to spend the money! I've got a super LLBean coat (rated -40F and I bought some leather bike chaps for leg coverings - 30 bucks from Pakistan! Being retired, I can wait for the temperature to rise and the sun to shine!

 

[tcreeley]

I read to day that the polar vortex has split. Western Europe and Asia will be frigid. The west coast and western Canada will be frigid. The Arctic and the East coast will have milder temperatures. It is 42F right now here in central Maine 2:30 pm. The ground is completely snow covered and there must be a foot of snow on the roof.

I do enjoy these milder temps though. To others less fortunate re temps - embrace the cold!

 

[ovrszd]

I read to day that the polar vortex has split. Western Europe and Asia will be frigid. The west coast and western Canada will be frigid. The Arctic and the East coast will have milder temperatures. It is 42F right now here in central Maine 2:30 pm. The ground is completely snow covered and there must be a foot of snow on the roof.

I do enjoy these milder temps though. To others less fortunate re temps - embrace the cold!

Yeah but,,,, what about us in the middle???

 

[Jstpssng]

I read to day that the polar vortex has split. Western Europe and Asia will be frigid. The west coast and western Canada will be frigid. The Arctic and the East coast will have milder temperatures. It is 42F right now here in central Maine 2:30 pm. The ground is completely snow covered and there must be a foot of snow on the roof.

I do enjoy these milder temps though. To others less fortunate re temps - embrace the cold!

Part of me agrees, especially as I get older and find snowshoeing to become more and more tedious. Yet I do enjoy winter even more than summer, so when we get a few weeks of cold it's a letdown when the warm weather comes so quickly. Tapping trees was not on the agenda for this weekend but looking at the long term forecast... Right now I'm listening to the wind howl outside, which apparently started down somewhere in Kittery.

Yeah but,,,, what about us in the middle???

Apparently it's just "business as usual"

 

[tcreeley]

Forecast is for 62F this Wednesday. We got 4" of snow last night - some plowing. I used to cross country ski- real joy on a full moon night. Age has changed my perspective. Stiff legs means no more skiing. Walking through snow- no more than an inch deep - or it is a chore.
Cold air cuts into my lungs, and my fingers actually get numb.

I'll enjoy the warmer weather - but I still sleep best when it is not any warmer than the low 50's!

Very nice day today with the sun out. - I can imagine that the taps will be out for the syrup - used to do that as a kids, boiling the sap over a fire in the pasture!

 

[tcreeley]

42 F today, rain coming tomorrow. There is still a foot of snow on the ground!

 

[tcreeley]

Polar vortex must have split! We have had our rain. A few days later we had 4" of snow, and then an inch. What fell is melted and what was on the roof is 1/2 gone. Under the spruce where the sun reaches there is bare ground.

I listened to a cardinal singing outside the window from 5:30 am on. And a chickadee using it "phoebe" spring call. The nights are still in the 20's and colder, but the days are above freezing - and there is the drip of water and the slushy puddles to step around on the paths.

Sap season has been underway! The "bump" in road signs are starting to appear. If the weather keeps on like this- we will have a very early spring here in Maine!

 

[majorwager]

Thomas,
You seem to be the only person who responds to this thread, Did you read the private message sent to you?

 

[/pine]

Spring has sprung here...the seasonal drift is apparent again this year (in line with el nino activity)...
All the ornamental fruit trees are blooming as I'm sure the orchard crops (peaches, apples) are...With the early Spring we are likely to still get a killing frost or freeze that will not be good for the orchard growers...

Also common here is what is called "Blackberry Winter"...this is usually a late season cold snap (with light frost) after the blackberries have started to blossom...

The seasonal drift may be the reason more and more former orchards are becoming vineyards...

A pair of Canada geese showed up yesterday here on the river they are about 10 days early...they only stay a few days and don't see them again until the fall...

 

[tcreeley]

I enjoy the spring greatly. It is cool and I enjoy watching things green up. At the end of the month we'll start to see snow drops and crocuses amd ***** willows.

Our black berries start well- flower mid June - but as the fruit is growing and green- they are hit by something that turns the fruit brown and it dries up. Every few years we'll get fruit. - The evergreens do something like that to raspberries we have planted in the past - from what I read.

Seeing more crows around, and my wife saw some mallards in a stream (really small brook- but they don't use that term up here!) as we were heading to see my some and family.