Winter Storm Jonas

Starting late January 22 and through the evening of the 23rd, we were hammered with wind and lots and lots of snow - over 30" in just 24 hours. The largest snow fall the area has seen in over 20 years. Surprisingly, there were no power outages in our area.

Here are some photos to mark the event:

Birds took shelter in the nearby trees and grabbed a bite to eat.

It was a quick moving storm and followed

by brilliant sunshine and blue skies for days afterwards. 

Winter Challenge

This is the 3rd snowiest winter since 1884 for the greater Philadelphia area

 with 61.7" and 11 storms since December 8, 2013. 

The winter of 1995-6 had 65.5" and 

the 2009-10 winter holds the record with 78.7".  

The website, Bucks County Weather, reporting from Warwick, is an excellent site to 

view snow storm totals, temperatures and such, 

dating back to 2009:

 http://www.619weather.us/wxsnowdetail.php?

Looking back, the 2009-10 winter's snow accumulated with mainly 3 storms, 1 in Dec. and 2 major blizzards back to back in February as this table shows, after having a 3-4 year snow drought: 

Table 1: 2009–2010 Mid-Atlantic Snowfall By The Numbers

City	Dec 19–20	Jan 30–31	Feb 5–6	Feb 9–10	Season Total	Previous Seasonal Record	Average Seasonal Total
Richmond, VA	7.4	10.0	6.6	2.8	28.0	21.6	11.9
Washington, DC	16.4	6.4	17.8	10.8	56.0	46.0	15.2
Baltimore, MD	21.1	5.0	24.8	19.5	77.0	62.5	18.2
Philadelphia, PA	22.5	2.1	28.5	15.8	78.7	65.5	20.5
New York city	10.9	0	0	10.0	51.4	75.6	23.6
Table 1 Notes: (1) Individual storm totals are based on preliminary NWS data; (2) seasonal total for 2009–2010 includes snowfall from storms not shown in this table; (3) previous seasonal record based on data extending back to the late 1880's; (4) average seasonal snow total based on official records from 1971–2009; (5) all values for snowfall are shown in inches.

(http://www.weatherwise.org/Archives/Back%20Issues/2010/July-August%202010/mega-snow-full.html

The following photos capture some of the major snow events experienced this winter season: 

A beautiful sunset 3 days after the January 22nd storm:

During this February 3rd storm, we received initially some light snow and then 

on the 6th, heavier wet snow and ice fell that stuck to the trees and branches and added up to over 17" in Doylestown, causing many limbs to fall and cause power outages:

This snow also had a bluish cast, as seen here: 

The iced trees were beautiful,

 but dangerous.

We lost a Black Cherry tree that was well over 200 years old, which completely 

toppled over from all the weight of the ice:

Already reeling from this storm, another storm came barreling down, adding an additional 17.8":

A couple of days later, the temperature increased up to 41 degrees and created this 

iced snowy bubble effect:

Temperatures held steadily cold and more than a foot of snow remained in place into March.

Only just this past week, have temperatures normalized and 

finally, the snow is melting ever so slowly. 

March Madness

During the March 8th snowstorm,

little over a year later, (see Feb 9, 2012 entry)

rather than Cedar Waxwings hunkering down in the Green Hawthorne, 

there were 8 Mourning Doves taking shelter.

After the storm, the following weekend, temperatures climbed into the 50s 

making it a great time to check in on our hives. 

We had lost 1 of the 3 hives to 4 large mice, 

and sadly they moved on over to the next hive. 

Here is one escaping! The frames were destroyed and were discarded.

Clearly, the blue tape was not strong enough to keep the mice guard in place and 

successfully keep the mice out. 

Our final hive though is doing great. The queen is laying and they have plenty of honey to hopefully make it through the tricky month of March.

After the Storm

On February 9-10th, a snow storm left about 5 inches and carved and blasted with its strong winds interesting snow patterns.

A fox left a trail looking as determined and with purpose as he always looks when I catch a glance of him as he passes through. Clearly, with the circling around several times, a mouse or vole was heard but not found.

The boreal pond has also had water in it all winter and here are some freeze patterns to enjoy.

In the woods, I disturb a Red tailed Hawk, who soars overhead, 

leaving his post near his yearly nesting site. 

The hawk is in the upper left corner and his nest is in the lower right corner.

The snow highlights the toppled trees brought down by the roaring winds of Hurricane Sandy.

We have had few winter snows this year, one at the end of January, this one in early February and now one today, March 8th, all with minimal impact or snowfall totals in Bucks County. We have missed all the greater impacts of these Northeaster storms that have hit New England and the Mid-Atlantic states hard with storm surges and sometimes record breaking snowfalls.

October Snow brings more tricks than treats!

"It was only going to be a dusting!" 

I happened to just catch a snippet of the news on Friday afternoon and was shocked to see a snow storm headed our way with 6 - 12 inches forecasted. Friday night was spent putting on the snow blade in the dark, just in case, and it was a good thing as we woke up on Saturday, October 29th to heavy snow falling -

Note that most of the trees still have leaves. 

Power went out around noon and as we meandered around the house to past the time, we suddenly heard an abrupt knocking at the window and were shocked to see some wild turkeys pecking and eating some berries that had fallen from the Green Hawthorne tree.

 As startled as we were, they headed off towards the woods, past the truck,   . . .

 . . . leaving these huge tracks behind. Stepping outside to take these photos, you could hear branches crashing through out the woods. 

The next day, we had bright sunshine, clear blue skies and brilliant white snow  . .  .

 . .  but we could then see all the damage . . .

We lost about 10 branches total, many falling from the tops of the trees and bringing other branches down as they fell. One massive branch from the old maple covered the driveway. 

We were fortunate though, as many folks were out of power for days or lost entire trees. 

Below is a snowfall total from Accuweather for the Northeast breaking records everywhere. No one in this area we talked to can even recall having snow in October. 

Apparently, power outages have increased in our area by 60% in the last few years. 

Is it system issues or more intense storms?

No Foolin'

I was reviewing my bee journal as we pick up 2 new bee packages tomorrow to increase our hive count to 4 hives and I noticed that the weather last year was amazing - warm and in the 80s.

Not this year - it has been in the 40s all week and today it is barely going to climb out of the 30s and

even SNOWING. . . . . .

Not a very funny April Fool's joke!! But beautiful just the same!

THINK HAPPY SPRING WEATHER!

Hopefully it is right around the corner.

Stormy Winter Reflections

It has been a very active winter with 5 major storms and continuous snow on the ground since December 26, 2010. The first storm or blizzard brought 15 inches of snow and high winds. Early in January, the 11th, we received another 8 inches and exactly a month after the first storm, January 26 -27th we had another blizzard leaving another 15 inches.

Just a few days later, another storm blew in, dumping just a mere 4 inches. Beginning in February around the 2nd, we had an ice storm with ice accumulation between 1/4 and 1/2 inches, wrecking havoc on tree limbs and power lines. (See blog entry of Feb. 2nd.)

This is a photo from 3 days ago.

The last few days have been milder finally with temperatures in the 40's and then climbing into the 70's for 2 days with much of the snow melting. The meadow is still lightly covered with snow though today (as pictured below) and along the driveway, where the sun doesn't reach. I visited the bees and fed them some fondant today and found them active and busy cleaning their hives.

It is only mid February. It will be interesting to see what Mother Nature still has in store for us.

Emerson's Snow Storm

Huge snow flakes, icy rain, dry blowing snow, mini snow tornados, roaring winds - these words only barely describe our fourth major snowstorm. This storm is befitting of a poem by Emerson.

THE SNOW-STORM

Announced by all the trumpets of the sky,

Arrives the snow, and, driving o'er the fields,

Seems nowhere to alight: the whited air

Hides hill and woods, the river, and the heaven,

And veils the farmhouse at the garden's end.

The sled and traveller stopped, the courier's feet

Delated, all friends shut out, the housemates sit

Around the radiant fireplace, enclosed

In a tumultuous privacy of storm.

Come see the north wind's masonry.

Out of an unseen quarry evermore

Furnished with tile, the fierce artificer

Curves his white bastions with projected roof

Round every windward stake, or tree, or door.

Speeding, the myriad-handed, his wild work

So fanciful, so savage, nought cares he

For number or proportion. Mockingly,

On coop or kennel he hangs Parian wreaths;

A swan-like form invests the hiddden thorn;

Fills up the famer's lane from wall to wall,

Maugre the farmer's sighs; and at the gate

A tapering turret overtops the work.

And when his hours are numbered, and the world

Is all his own, retiring, as he were not,

Leaves, when the sun appears, astonished Art

To mimic in slow structures, stone by stone,

Built in an age, the mad wind's night-work,

The frolic architecture of the snow.

White on White

The snow and winds intensified later in the day during our"Blizzard" creating a white on white scene.

A Winter Wonderland

After receiving almost a foot of snow over the weekend, 3 days later another snowstorm/blizzard has arrived bringing with it perhaps as much as 2 feet of snow. The area hasn’t seen this much snow since the 90’s. The snow is swirling, pelting and blowing horizontally at times.

The birds have intensified their feeding at the bird feeders as they try to endure this challenging winter. This easy food provides a way for the birds to survive and conserve energy. They especially enjoy black oiled sunflower seeds and hearts which have a high meat to shell ratio and are high in fat. Millet, nuts and thistle are also good seed choices. Suet is especially enjoyed by insect eating birds such as the red-bellied woodpeckers and wrens.

Snowy delights

December has been an active weather month. In the Philadelphia area we had record snow with 24 inches and almost record rain, ending the year with 14 inches above normal. I find that snow brightens the landscape, highlights the beautiful structure of trees, dampens sound and captures the tracks and paths of the animals traveling through. I can't wait for more!