A Typical First Half Of April

I believe the weather we've been experiencing this first half of April is quite typical of what one should expect. A volatile atmosphere swinging up and down as the transition to spring takes place. I will admit I am itching to get out on the golf course. Last year at this time I was closing in on my first 18 being logged into the record book. Thinking back to April 2010, it's shocking to realize that this April to date has been 12.1 degrees cooler regarding daily max temps. However, with only two days above 60 degrees thus far we are still above the Oshkosh average by 2.2 degrees. As for precipitation we are just 4 tenths of an inch below the Oshkosh average. A fairly typical first half of April in my opinion. Still though, I am in search of a warm spell no matter how typical it has been. It would seem one is about two weeks away according to the OSNW3 backyard max temp forecast using the LRC. There is much work to refine the technique, I will admit, but none the less, it verifies over 50% within a 10-15 degree range a month in advance. Speaking of the LRC, I have decided to move my studies to a more specific place on the Internet rather than cluttering up this content. A new blog to view, OSNW3 | Lezak's Recurring Cycle. Keep up with the latest weather for the area by visiting the OSNW3 Weather Brief, we are entering an active period within this years LRC.

(OSNW3 Weather Brief)
(OSNW3 April Observations)

(OSNW3 April 2011 Summary)
(click on graph for the month summary data - it will open a new tab/window)

----

Severe Weather Outbreak
The storms that rolled through the state and specifically Winnebago county last Sunday put this past weeks Severe Weather Awareness week into perspective. We here at OSNW3 luckily made it through unscathed. The northern and southern portions of Winnebago county did not and took a brunt of the severe storm damage. We awed over the light show to our north while the storms were racing through. Sirens were blowing and we were in the basement for about 20 minutes. Scary stuff. Justin Mitchell (Main Street Oshkosh) graciously allowed me to share some of his storm damage photos in this blog entry. They are below and were taken in Menasha. Click the images for a larger view.

Record April Tornado Outbreak in Northeast Wisconsin on April 10, 2011 - National Weather Service in Green Bay

(Menasha Storm Damage - Photos By Justin Mitchell)

----

First Waves Of Season
A stiff and brisk east northeast wind was howling in off Lake Winnebago the morning of Apr 15. This event marked the first time I've witnessed wave action in 2011. The lake became ice free only a few days prior. Gusts were up around 20mph making the air a bit chilly along the shore. As the day progressed the storm system that was churning to our south creating the wind and waves also created some spectacular cloud formations. Photos below. Click images for the entire photo album.





----

Front Of House
Slowly but surely the yard is getting cleaned. The budding process has started on some bushes and trees. I hope the burning bush that I trimmed has no trouble beginning a new growing season. Find out what area wildlife are up to by reading the Winnebago Conservation Photography blog. Early spring sights and sounds are abundant.

(FOH - Apr 14, 2011)

Comments

  1. Hi Josh,

    Added to my ‘favorites’ , the link to your new LRC site. Looking forward to seeing what all you may be posting there. I’ve only been following along with the ‘LRC’ for about 6 months now. Sure seems to be something to it all but I’m not sure I have a grasp yet as to how much it might vary and still be considered as being ‘correct’ or ‘valid’. Your research and presentation of findings with the winters of the late 70's certainly has given the LRC more credibility; to me anyway. If I were as deeply involved with the matter as you are, that’s the first time period I would have looked into also to see how well (or not) the LRC worked. Hoping that in the not too distant future you’ll be giving the winter of 81/82 a good looking over. Very Cold! for an rather extended period, and in this part of the state, nothing close to it (thankfully), since then.

    I’ll be in touch,
    Tony (Pl. Prairie)

    ReplyDelete
  2. J, It looks like you are getting more into Spring just like me, and those wave pictures on the lake were great!

    I'm glad you reported on the 11th severe weather outbreak becuase I was watching your area, it looked pretty nasty down your way and you had a lot of tornado warnings out. Glad you hear that went well.

    Also expect that burning bush to leaf out slightly later then normal becuase of the pruning, but it will quickly grow back large then the other one again in no time!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Tony, I've been following for about six months as well. First read about it on the WeatherWatch12 blog. I have great confidence in the LRC. I would enjoy dissecting 81/82. I will make it a priority. The time spent is a great learning experience.

    D, standing in the wind and seeing/hearing the waves crash on Winnebago was nice. I will admit I am afraid of severe weather but at the same time awed by it's beauty. Should I be trimming that bush each year?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hey,
    TN has wrapped-up Dogwood winter. Severe weather is a weekly event. Two out of the last 5 storms have cost us a limb or two from the Bradford's and a couple of neighbors their pine tree and metal barn. Glad your storms were not any worse. We will have radishes, strawberries, and lettuce to eat soon :)
    With some of the flooding you get in your yard, would a raised bed garden maybe help?

    ReplyDelete
  5. SuzieE, no matter how small the damage is, severe storms are forever frightening. I would much rather endure an all day snow storm, like yesterday, than a 20 minute span of a severe thunderstorm, like last week. No food coming from the ground here yet. Our garden bed is raised, the garden has yet to flood. What we need to do is till the soil more than once a year... I believe that was the cause to our low production last yet...

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment