April Musing
The sun shone and the wind whipped, this past week. Persistent NNW winds held maximum temperatures down, but overall it was a pleasant week. No precipitation fell and we had plentiful sunshine each day. (OSNW3 April Observations)
(Temp Comparison 2008 / 2009 | April 1 - 12)
Max temp: 47.7 / 47.5 / -0.2
Min temp: 34.1 / 30.7 / -3.4
(April 2009 Precipitation | April 1 - 12)
2009 Monthly Total
Precip.. 0.24"
Snow.... 0.0"
Oshkosh Average
Precip.. 2.87"
Snow.... 1.5"
Departure
Precip.. -2.63"
Snow.... -1.5"
----
The Second Week of April
Nathan brought up the famed "April 10th storm" from last year and instantly I wanted to see the radar. Sure enough. Impressive radar returns with 2008 and even 2007. Seems we here in the North have been spared in 2009, but places to our south have not. The second week of April is truly an active part of the year, well at least during 2007-2009. (click images for radar loop)
(Radar from Apr 11, 2007)
(Radar from Apr 9-13, 2008) the famed "April 10th storm"
(Radar from Apr 9-12, 2009)
----
Winter's Lasting Effect
With a potentially hazardous freeze on tap in his area, WxWatcher brought up talk of "last frosts". I dug back into my records looking for last freezes but got completely sidetracked and instead ran some of my newly acquired data through the "Winter Duration" ringer...
(Winter Season Duration 2005-2006)
From the above graph it's noticeable that Winter/Spring happened twice. I didn't anticipate this outcome so soon but as it turned out, the previous year to the genesis of OSNW3, Winter had two tales. Nathan stated last April, "Of course, it's reasonable that a little Spring occurs in Winter and vise versa as things begin a transition. In this case, the definition fits my weather perfectly." I am anxious to find the first Winter with three tales.
Question. Have the past two Winters been odd for lasting 100+ days or was the 2005-2006 Winter odd for maintaining Spring like weather for a substantial period of time in what is usually the middle of Winter? Curious.
----
Superior Heartland
My wife, Alicia, and I celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary this past week. My thoughtful wife dug deep and came up with the perfect gift. Superior Heartland - A Backwoods History is a set of books which are "considered the most complete chronicle of the history of the Central Upper Peninsula of Michigan". I've read the Preface, Forward, Introduction and Acknowledgments, and already I've been enlightened.
All accomplishments start with an urge.
The urge is blind without knowledge.
The knowledge is vain without work.
But work is empty without love.
- Fred Rydholm
Discovering
The secret streams that flow beneath the cliffs of colored stone,
The forests thick and healthy with birch and pine and oak,
Surrounded by the greatest lakes this World has ever known,
The black bear's awesome presence as he roams the hills and fields,
The call of the timberwolf, the loon's lonesome trill,
The eagle soaring high above, the trout lies deep and still,
These are what I treasure, the only way I measure
The feeling that I have for this fine land.
There is so much to discover when you're a long time lover
Of Northern Michigan
- Mark Mitchell, Marquette, Michigan
----
Front Of House
It's Spring!
(FOH - Apr 12, 2009)
(Temp Comparison 2008 / 2009 | April 1 - 12)
Max temp: 47.7 / 47.5 / -0.2
Min temp: 34.1 / 30.7 / -3.4
(April 2009 Precipitation | April 1 - 12)
2009 Monthly Total
Precip.. 0.24"
Snow.... 0.0"
Oshkosh Average
Precip.. 2.87"
Snow.... 1.5"
Departure
Precip.. -2.63"
Snow.... -1.5"
----
The Second Week of April
Nathan brought up the famed "April 10th storm" from last year and instantly I wanted to see the radar. Sure enough. Impressive radar returns with 2008 and even 2007. Seems we here in the North have been spared in 2009, but places to our south have not. The second week of April is truly an active part of the year, well at least during 2007-2009. (click images for radar loop)
(Radar from Apr 11, 2007)
(Radar from Apr 9-13, 2008) the famed "April 10th storm"
(Radar from Apr 9-12, 2009)
----
Winter's Lasting Effect
With a potentially hazardous freeze on tap in his area, WxWatcher brought up talk of "last frosts". I dug back into my records looking for last freezes but got completely sidetracked and instead ran some of my newly acquired data through the "Winter Duration" ringer...
(Winter Season Duration 2005-2006)
From the above graph it's noticeable that Winter/Spring happened twice. I didn't anticipate this outcome so soon but as it turned out, the previous year to the genesis of OSNW3, Winter had two tales. Nathan stated last April, "Of course, it's reasonable that a little Spring occurs in Winter and vise versa as things begin a transition. In this case, the definition fits my weather perfectly." I am anxious to find the first Winter with three tales.
Question. Have the past two Winters been odd for lasting 100+ days or was the 2005-2006 Winter odd for maintaining Spring like weather for a substantial period of time in what is usually the middle of Winter? Curious.
----
Superior Heartland
My wife, Alicia, and I celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary this past week. My thoughtful wife dug deep and came up with the perfect gift. Superior Heartland - A Backwoods History is a set of books which are "considered the most complete chronicle of the history of the Central Upper Peninsula of Michigan". I've read the Preface, Forward, Introduction and Acknowledgments, and already I've been enlightened.
All accomplishments start with an urge.
The urge is blind without knowledge.
The knowledge is vain without work.
But work is empty without love.
- Fred Rydholm
Discovering
The secret streams that flow beneath the cliffs of colored stone,
The forests thick and healthy with birch and pine and oak,
Surrounded by the greatest lakes this World has ever known,
The black bear's awesome presence as he roams the hills and fields,
The call of the timberwolf, the loon's lonesome trill,
The eagle soaring high above, the trout lies deep and still,
These are what I treasure, the only way I measure
The feeling that I have for this fine land.
There is so much to discover when you're a long time lover
Of Northern Michigan
- Mark Mitchell, Marquette, Michigan
----
Front Of House
It's Spring!
(FOH - Apr 12, 2009)
What a cool book. I love to read about the folks who lived in the ozarks where I grew up, long before electricity...much simpler life back then.
ReplyDeleteNice comparisons with the "April 10th Storm", I especially appreciate the loops. I was in Rolla on the 9th of this month when the squall line of storms came through at night. My Dad and I were up watching the line evolve and kick up numerous tornado warnings and sightings. The line finally hit Rolla around 9 or 10, but they had overcast skies all day, so the atmosphere didn't "cook" as long as it did southwest of there. It was fun..reminded me of growing up on the farm.
By the way, if you get sick of all that sunshine up there, send a little down here will ya?
WxWatcher, my Grandfather-In-Law grew up down there. Endless stories. Simpler, but to our standards today, much more difficult.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could've provided a better loop from this year. Intellicast changed their link of where the radar image resides on the Internet so I had to rely on there "Yesterday Loop". Blah. They put it together in hourly intervals. I like better "resolution" then that. Anyways, I am glad you appreciated it. I bet watching the t-storms roll through was exciting. I haven't heard thunder in months. :)
Today is the first day in over a week that the sky has been completely overcast. You stole my sunshine!
Sounds like a pretty sweet book, indeed. The radar loops are still great. The first time we had 100% cloud cover was yesterday, too. The weather has been so dry!
ReplyDeleteScout, yes that book is inspiring. I find history inspiring. So be it. :)
ReplyDeleteAnywhoot. Bring on the moisture!