Robert Frost Trail After Snow

Fence by House - Amherst MA, 12/30/12

Ski Tracks on the Robert Frost Trail -
Amherst MA, 12/30/12

More pics - these taken Sunday morning - from the Mill River Conservation Area, Robert Frost Trail and Puffer's Pond. Early morning after a snow storm is often the best time to take photographs. Generally, the branches are still laden with snow, and the trails are pristine. I made my way to several trails near Puffer's Pond on Sunday morning, which had already been visited by one early rising cross country skier. On Saturday into Sunday, we got 5 more inches of snow on top of the 6 inches from Wednesday/ Thursday. Even without skis, I was able to easily traverse the terrain, a base of dense packed snow, with a fluffy layer of powder on top. The sun was just rising above the treetops and casting sharply contrasting areas of light and shadow across the glittering white surface. Simply breathtaking.

Following the Ski Tracks,
Robert Frost Trail -
Amherst MA, 12/30/12

Tree Branches Over the Trail,
Robert Frost Trail -
Amherst MA 12/30/12

Where Cushman Brook Meets Puffer's Pond -
Amherst MA, 12/30/12

Where is the Window Into Summer?

Mackenzie (the cat) at the Window - N. Amherst MA, 12-30-12

Snapped this photo earlier today of our cat Mackenzie gazing out the window and taking in the new snowscape outside. Another 5 inches of snow fell yesterday and last night. It is cold, beautiful, and sunny.

Jim Cantore Calling (aka Storm Warning in the Air)

Sky Over Amherst - 12/29/2012; 10:00 am

A short while ago, my phone rang, and who should be on the other end but Jim Cantore (famed Weather Channel meteorologist) informing me that a “severe weather alert” had been issued for my area. Friends who are not weather obsessed are often wowed by the fact that Jim Cantore calls on a regular basis to warn me about impending weather events. I mean, who am I to get such preferred treatment? One night earlier in the fall, as thunderstorms were marching in succession across the Valley over the course of several hours, Jim actually called me about a dozen times. To be honest, since our gathering could hear the thunderstorms all around, the warnings were hardly necessary. But I think it made all of us feel just a little more secure knowing Cantore was on the job, looking out for us. Those of you who follow the weather (heck, Cantore may actually call you, too) know that, in actuality, the phone calls I am receiving are completely automated. So far anyway, Jim Cantore has not placed an individual call to my phone. “Notify” by the Weather Channel provides the service, and Jim Cantore is the voice on the line. Those of you who receive these calls can testify to their effectiveness. Jim Cantore’s affect is serious and urgent, calm, and clear about the need for the listener to “take all appropriate precautions.” Or something like that anyway.

All this to say that, according to Jim (and as you probably already know unless you’re vacationing on a tropical island somewhere), a Winter Storm Warning is currently in effect for our area through 6 am Sunday morning. Expect between 4-6 inches of snow (possibly more, as predictions have been inching up since this morning). The area in and around Boston will get the most snow, but Amherst will also get a “plowable” amount of the fluffy, white stuff. At the moment, it’s coming down at a good rate. Skiers will be happy, as will anyone who enjoys going outside in snowy weather. My walk to Puffer’s Pond earlier today was especially beautiful in the falling snow.  I crossed paths with Millie, an adorable, 12-week old labradoodle puppy, and her new owner, both of whom paused to greet me. Millie was absolutely giddy with excitement - about me, about the outing, about the snow on the ground, about the snow falling from the sky. And I could completely relate! Enjoy the weather everyone - and stay safe out there.

Black Ice Morning and Gilliflowers

As I suspected, our driveway is a glittering, sun-soaked sheet of ice this morning, camoflaged only slightly by a quarter inch of snow on top of that treacherous ice (oh, joy!). This is what happens - even if you clear away the snow - when freezing rain is followed by more snow and cold temps. The scene outside is so pristine and silvery that I almost hate to muck it up with sand and salt. Almost. As much as I appreciate the frozen landscape, it's nevertheless necessary to go out - and the temps don't look to be rising significantly above freezing anytime soon. News stations were reporting some black ice on the local roads earlier this morning and especially last night, but between the road treatments and the sun, travel is fine now, except possibly on the most remote roads.

For the first time since the infamous October 2011 Halloween storm, our garden is blanketed with snow. As Amherst's resident poet Emily Dickinson wrote to Louise Norcross in 1861, "My garden is all covered up by snow; picked gilliflower Tuesday, now gillflowers are asleep. The hills take off their purple frocks, and dress in long white nightgowns." To be perfectly honest, I wouldn't know a gilliflower if I tripped across one (feel free to send photos if you grow them), but the sentiment resonates just the same.

Enjoy the sun while it's here - another snowstorm arrives on Saturday midday and continues into early Sunday, bringing along with it another 3-6 inches of snow!

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Morning

State Street Towards Puffer's Pond by Railroad Overpass - 12/27/12

Trail Unbroken, Robert Frost Trail/Kevin Flood Accessible Trail - 12/27/12

The snow changed to rain earlier this morning in most parts of the Valley, but at least here in North Amherst, the snow has only just changed to something more like sleet/snow, evidenced by the gentle pinging sound of ice crystals hitting the ground, fences, roofs. I measure between 5-6 inches of snow on the ground, and the temperature is holding at 31.1, as measured from my outdoor sensor. The official Amherst temperature is 32, but right here near the border of Amherst and Leverett, where the elevation is slightly higher, the temperature is often just a tad lower. In this case, that may have kept us in snow longer than expected. We are still likely to experience a turnover to rain, freezing rain, and sleet, and I hear the roads are treacherous, so go slow if you have to drive out at all. (We'd love reports about what's happening in other parts of Amherst and surrounding areas.)

If you have snow shoes or cross country skis, you may still have some time to make use of them. But be aware that the snow is heavy and wet, so keep that in mind. I trekked down to Puffer’s Pond this morning wearing boots and was beautifully rewarded for the effort. It is pretty rare to be the first person to break trail at Puffer’s, but that was me this morning. And there is nothing like falling snow against fresh snow to paint a landscape.

Robert Frost Trail - 12/27/12

Robert Frost Trail, Bridge Over
Cushman Brook - 12/27/12

Cushman Brook (which feeds Puffer's Pond) - 12/27/12

And, yes, the title of this posting is a bit of an homage to Robert Frost's "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" - seemed only right as the trail I was traveling is called the "Robert Frost Trail." Enjoy the snow, everyone, and stay safe out there.

Head in the Clouds Amherst Also on Twitter and Facebook!

Just in case you haven't discovered this yet, Head in the Clouds Amherst is also posting occasional "short" messages (tweets and quick updates about the weather) to Twitter @cloudsamherst and Facebook at Head in the Clouds Amherst. "Follow" us on Twitter and/or "Like" us on Facebook to get the full "Head in the Clouds" experience. During storms and power outages, we particularly appreciate receiving frequent updates about what's happening where you are. We've got over an inch on the ground right now, snow falling steadily and temperature hovering just around 31 degrees in N. Amherst. (Up .2 degrees in the last hour.) Barometer continues to fall and is now at 29.22 Hg. Do you have snow?  And if so, how much?

Winter Storm Euclid Headed Our Way

If you've been caught up in holiday festivities over the past few days, now would be the time to watch the weather more closely. A "winter storm warning" is currently in effect for our local area including interior parts of southern New England from 7 pm this evening to 1 am EST early Friday morning. Named "Winter Storm Euclid" by the Weather Channel, this storm wreaked havoc to the west and south of us yesterday, with snow, ice and sleet over the midwest and an unprecedented number of tornadoes in the south. Exactly how much precipitation we will get as snow in Amherst seems to be a moving target - last night, local estimates had us getting a few inches of snow starting tonight, with precipitation turning over to sleet/freezing rain/rain by tomorrow. As of this morning, the snow accumulations are higher, with forecasts predicting as much as 6 to 10 inches overnight, with a mix of ice, sleet and rain by tomorrow mid-morning as temperatures jump above freezing before dropping back below freezing later tomorrow afternoon and evening. With the temperatures hovering just below and above freezing during this storm, it's easy to see how even a slight shift in either direction could make a big difference in how this plays out. Whatever snow does fall will be heavy and wet, and anything else that comes down on top of that will only make things worse. Of course, the forecast will continue to be refined as we get closer to the main event - and regardless of how much comes down and in what form, it's clear we are in for a major storm, with snow, sleet, wind, ice and rain. Expect hazardous driving conditions tonight into Thursday, high winds (15-25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph), and visibilities down to a quarter mile or less in areas of heavy snow.

Dusting of a White Christmas

Snowing on the Robert Frost Trail - 12-25-2012

Robert Frost Trail/Kevin Flood Accessible Trail - 12-25-2012

Snowing at Puffer's Pond, South Beach - 12-25-2012

Although conditions may not be ideal for breaking out the snow shoes or cross country skis (in Amherst anyway), nature has brought us a lovely, gentle dusting of snow this Christmas morning. It’s expected to continue snowing lightly until around noon today, so we may even come close to accumulating an inch of the white stuff. No complaints here, however. My morning walk to Puffer’s Pond and along the Robert Frost Trail was beautiful. Except for the snow falling gently, everything else was still, with every tree and stone etched in white.  Enjoy the view, everyone - and to those who are celebrating, have a very merry Christmas!

The Year in Weather 2012 - A Video Retrospective

What could be more appropriate on the solstice (in my opinion the only true demarcation between one year and the next) than the year in review via satellite? Our friends at Weather Underground have put together this 4 minute video, comprised of some 8,000 satellite images, showing the most significant meterological events of the past year, including Superstorm Sandy, Hurricane Isaac, droughts, and more. It is - in a word - mesmerizing.

Our Bridge of Concrete and Pine Barricades

Mill Street Bridge barricade festooned with pine and other natural decorations

Anyone who lives in or drives through North Amherst has undoubtedly discovered by now that the Mill Street Bridge, which is located immediately downstream from the Puffer’s Pond waterfall, is closed to vehicles. It’s been closed, in fact, since July, when state inspectors discovered that rust had compromised the integrity of the supporting beams. After the closing was announced, it took me about three weeks to remember not to use that road, and for a few months beyond that, it was interesting to watch as motorists blithely ignored the “Bridge Closed” signs only to have to make a U-turn when they reached the bridge some 50 feet later. Cars still take a run at it from time to time, but most of the locals know enough to navigate around the structure.

Being forced to take the detour has ruffled some feathers - and we’re talking about people, not the ducks or geese that frequent the pond. Some residents who live on the far side of the bridge (including folks from Leverett) are frustrated about this ongoing state of affairs since it means they can no longer use Mill Street to shorten their ride into town. Instead, they are now forced to loop back onto Route 63 up to Pine. I’m guessing, maybe, that’s a 10 minute detour. And while that doesn’t seem so taxing to me, to hear others tell it, the detour, in traffic, takes them more like half an hour out of their way. (This may be a bit of a stretch - since you can go end to end in Amherst in under half an hour - but I live on the “town side” of the bridge, so what do I know?)

It seems pretty clear that there is no money in the budget to fix the bridge (our town manager is reported to have said there are “two and a half or three and a half million reasons” why the bridge cannot be fixed).  Meanwhile, as some folks chew over what this indefinite bridge closing says about where North Amherst sits on the town’s priority list, and others continue to ignore signs about the bridge being closed (only to have to turn back), a most interesting thing is occurring on the bridge itself – or, more specifically, on the concrete barricades that now block off both ends of the bridge.

At least one person (and by now it may be more than one) has taken it upon herself to festoon the barricades with pine branches, garlands of berries, and other assorted natural decorations. I have to assume the goal is to soften the unsightly concrete barricades, to make them blend a little more with their surroundings. I’ve heard one neighbor express concern that hiding the barricades under pine might actually encourage motorists to plow right through, sending them crashing into the concrete, but between the warning signs and the wall of pine/concrete, you’d have to be pretty clueless/inebriated to continue anyway (a wall of pine/concrete should be as much of a deterrent as a wall of concrete).

Last week, I went to check out our “Bridge of Flowers” as it has been dubbed by some, and while it doesn’t come close to living up to its Shelburne Falls namesake, there is nonetheless something charming about the attempt to take the unsightly concrete and return it (if only just a little) to nature. You can still walk out on the bridge, and now that there's no traffic you can even linger for a time without stressing about being run over. If you plan on taking a trip over there, however, be careful about the ice near the waterfall side of the bridge – no one is treating the surface with sand/salt/gravel anymore, and when the spray from the waterfall hits the bridge in subfreezing temperatures, it forms a treacherous sheet of ice on the road.  Wear your stablicers/”ice cleats” - and if you bring a little garland to add to the scene, so much the better.  Of course, with tomorrow’s wind/rain nor’easter, it’s anyone’s guess whether any of the decorations will still be in place by the weekend.

Weather Advisory Extensions and the Sound of Ice

Ice on trees at Puffer's Pond - 12/17/2012

Today has been a study in weather advisory extensions.  As of this moment, the freezing rain advisory we've had since yesterday continues right through 2 am Tuesday. The temperatures really are supposed to rise out of their current state of hovering around freezing, but they are taking their sweet time going anywhere. Right now, in North Amherst, the temperature is 32.5, which is only about 2 degrees higher than it was four hours ago. The roads have been well treated, but side roads may be another story. Also, if it keeps drizzling like it’s supposed to over the next 3-4 hours, some of those surfaces will be refreezing.

At the same time, while no one loves freezing rain, it did paint a beautiful picture for most of the day – everywhere we looked, the trees and fields were brushed with silvery white. At one point, as I was walking (with my ice cleats) on a path near Puffer’s Pond, I suddenly heard a soft crackling/rustling sound all around me. Not able to identify what was causing it, I turned around a few times before realizing it was the sound of ice falling gently from all the tree branches at once. Apparently, exactly at that moment, the temperature outside must have climbed just high enough to melt the ever-so-thin casing of ice over everything and send countless tiny pieces shattering to the ground.

Afternoon of Light Freezing Rain and Potassium Soup

As I wrote yesterday, a few degrees lower, and we have a completely different forecast. Indeed, yesterday's forecast for today - rain with ice pellets - has morphed into an afternoon of on and off freezing rain, with some sleet and snow. We are under a weather advisory starting at noon today all the way through 9 am Monday. Precipitation will start out as light snow and then transition quickly to light freezing rain and sleet. The temperature, at 31.8 right now, should stay around that all day. Though accumulations are expected to be light, if you don't have to travel, so much the better. My plan is to stay in and make Potassium Soup (see our Weather Cooks page for the recipe) - how about you?

Ice Pellets in the Forecast (along with everything else)

As most of you will have heard by now, a nor’easter as well as a second storm behind that are on their way, bringing a whole mixed bag of weather over the next week, but probably not a lot of snow. Located as we are on a line between northern and southern New England (and different weather forecasts for each area), of course things could change, but for now it looks like snow, ice, rain, thunderstorms, and more rain. Tomorrow morning starts off with snow showers in the morning, rain/snow in the afternoon, and all rain by evening. The UMass weather station, which is a great go-to authority for our local forecast, is also predicting “ice pellets” tomorrow and tomorrow night. However, if the temperature drops even a few degrees lower than is being forecast, it could be an icy mess out there. By Tuesday, as the second storm rolls in, look for temps in the mid-50s, with the possibility of a thunderstorm. We may get a little snow/rain on Friday for Winter Solstice, but otherwise, a “white Christmas” seems unlikely, sorry to report.  But you never know – storms around here have a way of surprising us fairly often. I remember about 12 years ago entertaining some friends during a forecasted “no nothing” bit of weather that turned into a major ice storm – a fact we discovered only when our guests went to leave. So, keep a close eye on the weather this week, stay safe, and avoid ice pellets whenever possible.

Weather Networking

Head in the Clouds Amherst is now on Facebook and Twitter! Find us (and like us please!) on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter. During weather-related power outages Twitter will be our primary avenue of communication. And come back to this page soon for new updates on our impending nor'easter, starting late tomorrow into Monday - and beyond.

Star Gazing by Smart Phone and Star Chart

Many years ago, while photographing variable stars at the Maria Mitchell Observatory on Nantucket, one of the many challenges we faced (after highly changeable “seeing” conditions and having to develop glass plates in utter and total darkness – no red lights allowed) was actually finding the precise point in the sky on which to fix the telescope. That probably seems odd to astronomers who work in the field today, but we had no computer to set the coordinates - it was all "right ascension and declination" and using math to figure out what point in the sky was where. We managed of course, but there was always a bit of anxiety involved. What if we got it wrong and spent three hours collecting images of the wrong star field?

It’s been decades since I’ve done anything similar, and although I know computers do much of that work now, I’ve never experienced it myself. So imagine my astonishment just now to discover an app on my phone (I’m also new to smart phones) that can immediately identify any object in the night sky that you point your phone at. I’d heard about this technology before now, of course, but seeing it was a whole other revelation. Jupiter floating onto my screen, with a view of the planet right behind it in the night sky, was, to me, nothing short of miraculous.  

If you have a smart phone yourself, give it a try. The “Sky Map” app I used, for android phones, is free. If you know others that work well, please let us all know about them by commenting to this post. And if you don’t have a smart phone, check out the “Night Sky” page on this blog for a minute-to-minute, constantly refreshing star chart. It may be old school, but it still tells the same story. And you don’t need any of these tools to enjoy the show tonight. Just go outside. The night is dark, and the sky is filled with stars – some of them appear stationary, and some (the meteors) are streaking across the sky.

Geminid Meteor Shower to Put On Spectacular Show Tonight

Astrophotographer Babak Tafreshi caught this Geminid meteor in 2009.

The upside to clear, blue, sunny days is clear, starry nights. And if you get a new moon on top of clear nights and a meteor shower on top of the dark moonless sky, you have a wonderful trifecta of star gazing opportunity. But beyond all that, tonight's show is shaping up to be no oridinary Geminid meteor shower. NASA is saying there’s a second possible meteor shower that could significantly boost the number of meteors on display. The source of the possible new shower is Comet 46P/Wirtanen. Bill Cooke of NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office says debris left in Wirtanen’s orbit might produce as many as 30 meteors per hour, added to the 100 meteors per hour from the Geminids. This is one meteor shower you don't want to miss!

Named for the constellation of Gemini, the Twins, the Geminids appear to emanate from a spot in the sky near the bright star Castor in Gemini. The constellation Gemini will begin to come up above the east-northeast horizon at nightfall. So you might even catch sight of a few early Geminids as soon as the sky gets dark. In addition to light streaking overhead, you may also spot "Earth-grazing" meteors, long, bright shooting stars that streak overhead from a point near the horizon. The Geminids will gather steam after 10 pm, peaking around 2 am, when the star Castor - the point the Gemids radiate from - will be passing almost directly overhead.

When the sky is dark (new moon) the Geminids tend to be among the most exciting of all the annual meteor showers. The Geminds have a reputation for being rich both in slow, bright, graceful meteors and fireballs as well as faint meteors. Many appear yellowish in hue. Some even appear to travel jagged or divided paths.

All that being said, you won't see much at all if you're too cold to stay outside for long. Dress more warmly than you think you need to, and bring along a thermos of something hot to drink. And if you're looking for a good viewing spot, I'm told that Cherry Hill often draws meteor shower watchers. So if you want company, head over there. But whatever you do, don't miss this one - there is nothing quite like a meteor shower to connect you to the vast universe beyond our tiny corner of the world.

Is That Sun We See?

The forecasters were predicting we would see sun by 9:00 am today, and sure enough, it's 9:04 as I write this, and the sun is breaking through the clouds. You might be startled at first, unsure about what is happening - it's been a while. And what's more, the sun is expected to hang on all day, giving way to a starry, clear night. As you ponder this new state of being, don't get too comfortable (this is New England, after all). A new storm threat is brewing for Sunday into Monday. It's too early to know where it is headed and what it will bring - right now the storm tracks are all over the place, with our area experiencing anything from all snow to all rain and everything in-between. For more on the possibilities for our upcoming storm, see Matt Noyes’ column, “The next Northeast storm threat...should bring at least some wintry weather.”

Regardless of what Sunday/Monday’s storm brings, forecasters are predicting a change in the weather pattern we’ve been having, which should deliver at least some snow around here in the near future.  Snow does seem to be flying all around us. Following fast on our reports about snow in Key West (ahem) and Colorado, we learned that Europe was buried in more snow than they could handle over the weekend – for more on that, see yesterday’s Spiegel Online article, “Heavy Snowfall: Winter Weather Brings Europe to a Standstill.” That report should perhaps be filed under “be careful what you wish for.”

But all that’s for another day. For now, look outside (or better yet, go outside) - the sun is shining! 

Crazy Dense Fog Tonight

We may not have snow yet, but we have been blanketed nevertheless. This past week has been - off and on - a study in varying amounts of fog, tonight's being the most dense yet. My drive back from Hartford after nightfall started out fine, but by the time I had arrived in North Amherst, the visibility was down to about 50 feet. Years ago in New Hampshire, I once found myself driving in fog that was so thick we literally couldn't see five feet in front of us and had to resort to opening the car door and navigating by the yellow line down the center of the road (also a handy trick in blizzard conditions). Tonight wasn't quite that bad, but it was starting to remind me of that time. It's one of those nights I feel blessed to be inside a brightly lit, warm house and not outside in the blanket of fog. For anyone traveling tonight, stay safe - and keep a good distance between you and anyone else on the road. The fog is forecast to let up later this evening, with rain until about 3 am. But by 9 am tomorrow, this will all be behind us and the sun will come out...finally.

It's Snowing in Colorado - Finally!

Elaine in the snow (photo by Dan Vardamis)

Dan demonstrating depth of snow
(photo by Elaine Vardamis)

Dan in snowy night
(photo by Elaine Vardamis)

For the folks partying in the “snow” in Key West (see our previous post), and for Amherst locals who are starting to forget what snow looks like after last year’s paltry showing, here’s some photos of the real thing, taken yesterday by Dan and Elaine Vardamis, who live high in the mountains of Nederland, Colorado. They’ve just had their first bona fide snowstorm of the season (even there it was late in coming), and apparently where there is snow, there is skiing – lots and lots of skiing!  

If you are planning a trip to Colorado and want to follow the latest snowfall forecasts, you will find incredible detail at Meteorologist Joel Gratz’s website, The Colorado Daily Snow. I am told that Joel is basically the skiers' local man in Boulder. He does daily updates, and has an array of snowfall charts to keep you occupied. And if you’re curious about how Dan and Elaine live when they’re not playing in the snow (hint: they spend A LOT of time in the snow) check out Dan and Elaine’s blog on skiing, hiking, and life in the mountains.

It's Snowing in Key West!

Video by John Nutting

Just about everyone loves snow, and apparently some people will go to unusual lengths to experience white stuff falling from the sky! I've never spent much time in Key West, but judging by my Facebook feed, this is a pretty unique, fun-loving community. And for those of you unfamiliar with Key West, it's located at the southernmost tip of the Florida keys - the lowest temperature ever recorded there was 41°F in 1886 and again in 1981. More commonly, in the coldest month, January, the average temperature is 70°F, with average highs of 76°F to 82°F. So if you want snow without leaving Key West, this would be the only way to get it!  Thanks for sharing, Kim and John.

First International Cloudspotters Conference

Los expertos afirman que observar las nubes es bueno para la salud

• Los expertos afirman que observar las nubes es bueno para la salud

"Experts at the First International Cloudspotters Conference in Spain

say that observing clouds is good for your health"

Just in case you thought you might be the only one fascinated by clouds in your circle of friends, it may interest you to learn that the first International Conference for Cloudspotters was held in October in Galicia, Spain. Though only 80 people attended this celebration of clouds, the Cloud Appreciation Society - which currently boasts more than 31,000 members from around the world (20,000 of whom are from the U.K and 4,700 from the U.S) - reports "there were talks throughout the weekend by experts in meteorology, photography, music, astronomy, and anthropology." One of the presenters, Marcos Alvarez Merinero from the European Space Agency, presented on the observation of clouds from Space, and "Society founder Gavin Pretor-Pinney, though unable to attend in person, was beamed up onto the screen via Skype to open the conference. He welcomed the gathering and enthused about the importance of cloudspotting and why it is good for the soul." 

The gathering in Spain was hardly the first of its kind. Only a few months earlier, this past July, the second International Cloud Festival - not to be confused with the first International Conference for Cloudspotters - was held in Sligo, Ireland. The first "International Cloud Festival" was also held in Ireland, which only makes sense when you consider how many cloudy days present themselves for observation in that part of the world. Indeed, "cloudspotting" seems to be quite popular across Ireland and the U.K. And there's a lot to recommend it - free fun for the whole family, endlessly changing scenery, numerous photo ops, and opportunities for dreaming, meditation, and exercising one's imagination (apparently some cloudspotters make an art of figuring out what different clouds look like). To read more about the October conference, see photos and some of the many Spanish media reports, click here: Spain's First International Conference for Cloudspotters. 

Mispredictions

Amherst has been shrouded in a thick fog all afternoon and evening, as the temperature and dew point have been hanging together around 46°F. The temperature is projected to climb into the low 50s by midnight, which should end the fog, but I’ll believe it when I see it. Nothing about this day is turning out as predicted by the professionals. At 9 am, with the “official” temperature listed at 44°F, my outdoor thermometer read 33°F – that’s more than a 10 degree difference! Could North Amherst be that much colder than the center of Amherst two miles south?  Seems highly unlikely. And did anyone actually experience that partially sunny day predicted on the “official” Weather Channel’s hour-by-hour rundown? And more to the point, what happened to the 57°F temps predicted for mid-day? Ultimately, the clouds never parted, the sun didn’t shine, the air didn’t heat up, and the temperature never got out of the mid-40s. As the fog wraps around the night, it’s hard to believe it will be “mostly sunny” tomorrow. The truth is, we just don’t know for sure. We may leave the house without an umbrella and get soaked. Or go on a scenic road trip and encounter walls of fog. But, ultimately, that’s part of what makes observing the weather so endlessly fascinating (especially around here). No matter how closely we observe or how expert we are, we are going to be wrong on a regular basis. And that’s a good thing – it keeps us humble, on guard, and frequently looking up and admiring the scenery.

Just Wait

The start of the weekend - Saturday morning, 12-1-2012

"If you don't like the weather in New England, just wait a few minutes." This maxim of New England life - attributed to Mark Twain and repeated over the years by countless residents and travelers - has been on full display this weekend in Amherst. Saturday morning started out snowing lightly and colder than normal, moved into rain later in the day, and changed to freezing drizzle over night (leading to patches of black ice last night and this morning), which became freezing fog this morning. By late morning Sunday the temperature had climbed above freezing, and it is projected to continue to climb, right up to a downright balmy 50° F by mid-afternoon. It will be clear for a few hours after that, with showers starting by evening. We recently learned that variations of "if you don't like the weather" exist in other regions across the country, but we're betting the saying originated here, in weather just like we're having now.  As Mark Twain also said, in his "Weather Speech" delivered in 1876, "there is a sumptuous variety about the New England weather that compels the stranger's admiration -- and regret. The weather is always doing something there; always attending strictly to business; always getting up new designs and trying them on the people to see how they will go."

To see how all this weather is affecting our dog walker, as well as our dog Kelvin, see today's "Walkin' Kelvin" entry on the right sidebar of our home page.

Ending Blue Sky Thinking

Contrails, cirrus clouds, and a lovely setting sun
Friday 11/23/2012; 5:00 pm, Amherst
Photo by Mindy

It's been a few weeks of mostly sunny, blue skies and mild temperatures, at least up until the weekend. And while there are plenty of people who would love day after day of "blue sky" weather, we here at Head in the Clouds Amherst are not among them. A cloudless, blue sky is just about the most boring sky around, second only to a uniform gray sky (stratus opacus uniformis).  Is there anything more beautiful than clouds illuminated by the setting sun? And we will never understand people who don't feel some spark of excitement at seeing that first snow of the season. So here's to the end of blue sky thinking - and today's first bona fide dusting of snow in the Valley.

Taking Flight

Puffer's in Fog - morning 11/23/12
(if this photo included sound, you would also hear
loud trumpeting of geese emanating from the fog)

Anyone who follows our "On Puffer's Pond" sidebar has read about the ever increasing duck population congregating near South Beach over the past few weeks. By Friday, we guess that more than 100 ducks had formed a tight community on the water by the bridge, and even in the thick fog that morning they could be identified by their sound - a noisy chorus of quacking and wings flapping. A small gaggle of about eight geese had even joined the lake population by Friday, and around mid-day they seemed to have staked out the center of the lake, with the ducks remaining closer to shore. And then a cold front blew in yesterday morning, and by mid-day, there wasn't a duck or goose in sight. Our Thanksgiving house guests took flight yesterday, too. It's quieter, of course (in both places), but we miss the spectacle.

More Top Ten Gifts for the Weather Obsessed

This second installment of our “Top Ten Gifts for Weather Watchers” includes five unique gifts ranging in price from the fairly affordable to very pricey. We don’t own and haven’t experienced numbers 6-9, but we would certainly like to! For the first five picks on our list, refer to our 11/19/2012 posting here. Also, check out our updated all-new gift list for 2013 for more great gift ideas! And if you think there are other items we should know about, please add your thoughts in the comments section below – we are always on the lookout for tools that will enhance our weather watching.

6.  Heat Index and Wind Chill Gauge. Most standard weather stations report the temperature indoors and out, barometric pressure, and often some other readings, but most do not record wind child or heat index. So if you want to know what it really feels like outdoors, this Heat Index and Wind Chill Gauge for $58 seems likely to do the trick. This instrument is described as “a comfort meter mechanism (crisscrossing thermometer/hygrometer) with the addition of an accurate heat index gauge and wind chill chart.”

7. Advanced-Level,Pocket Sized Wind Meter. For $124, you can hold a complex weather station in the palm of your hand. An internal "wind vane" ensures all readings are on the wind's axis, and the specially designed case keeps hands away from affecting sensors. Measures temperatures ranging from -20° to 158°F; wind speed from .8 to 89 mph; and wind chill from -50° to + 50° F.

8. Dancing Leaves Iron Wind Spinner. For fans of the movie Twister who long to have one of Aunt Meg’s kinetic, wind-powered sculptures in their backyard, this is the next best thing. While much smaller than Aunt Meg’s work, this 25”W x 75”H kinetic spinner is sure to evoke similar feelings. And at $99.95 it’s happily also more affordable than Aunt Meg’s sculptures would be.

9. Storm Chasing Adventure. At $2,600, this high end gift vacation could well be unforgettable (in a good way, hopefully!). Perhaps it’s already on your bucket list? This particular company is the first site that popped up in our Google search, and while it seems to have a long list of endorsers, be sure to weigh the many different “storm chasing tour” options out there before you sign on. This tour company provides a tornado guarantee, and it's also been covered on National Geographic Television & Film, NBC Nightly News, The Discovery Channel, BBC World TV, CNN News, The Weather Channel, and many other media outlets. It offers a variety of 6-day tours which travel across the Great Plains, and it uses vehicles equipped with mobile broadband data connections, up-to-date radar software, and state-of-the-art communications equipment. Several years ago, I saw a special on one such tornado chasing tour – not only were the sights and sounds simply amazing, but the tour group, which included 10-12 interesting and eclectic people from all over the world, was an experience all by itself.

10. Weather Desktop Max. [NOTE ADDED 12/2013 - this item has recently been discontinued; the Weather Channel now provides apps free of charge.] Brought to you by The Weather Channel for $30/year, this desktop application provides a mini screen mode for viewing detailed weather forecasts for your local area and four other locations around the country. In addition to relaying information about present conditions, including a "map in motion" showing your local real-time radar (essential if you want to know where that thunderstorm you hear is located exactly), Desktop Max also provides extended forecasts (45-hour and 10-day), interactive maps, dining and travel conditions, pollen and allergy report, weather trivia and more. Even when “minimized,” it will “thunder” at you when a weather advisory or alert is issued. You can try this out before purchasing through their 7-day free trial offer.

________________________________________________________

* For the record, with the exception of the "Weather Desktop Max," we have no direct experience with the other items listed here, so do your own research before purchasing. And if you do purchase any of these items or go on a storm chasing tour, please send us a review!

Gifts for the Weather Obsessed

It’s that time of year, and we here at Head in the Clouds Amherst have been looking around at what’s out there, and what we ourselves own, to compile a list of “Top Ten Gifts for Weather Watchers.”* While we sometimes enjoy “storm in a tube” toys, fake snow in a can, and depictions of the weather on paraphernalia like caps, t-shirts, and jewelry, we vastly prefer equipment, tools, and guidebooks that enable us to get closer to the real thing.  So with that in mind, here are the first five of our top 10 picks - we will post the other half of the list later this week (see the second half of the list here). And PLEASE add your own recommendations in the comments section – we LOVE new ideas!

      1. WeatherStation.  [Note added 12/8/2013: The station we featured here in our 2012 posting is no longer available.Check out other Oregan Scientific stations now available here, or see our 2013 gift list for a more affordable option.] There are lots of varieties of weather stations out there, but we quite like the look of this one, which is on sale right now through Oregon Scientific for $169.99. Any good weather station comes with at least one outdoor sensor that sends information (usually temperature, humidity, and sometimes wind speed and direction) back to your main display at home or in your office.  Each model’s price tends to depend on how much information is provided, but not always – you may also be paying for brand, style/size, color, etc.  This particular weather station provides weather forecast, Atomic time, wind speed and direction, indoor and outdoor temperature and humidity, barometric pressure with bar graph, and rainfall reading with bar graph. Best of all, it also comes with three Thermometer and Humidity Sensors so you can monitor temperature and humidity of three different locations from your Main Display. I have owned a basic weather station for years, and refer to it multiple times each day.  If price is not an issue and you are interested in tracking minute weather changes over time, check out the Davis Vantage Pro2 Weather Station ($430-$536) and other models that allow you to organize data through your computer.

      2.   Stablicers.  LL Bean sells these for $21.95, but you can undoubtedly find versions of these all over the place this time of year. I swear by these (I call them my "ice cleats") – not only are they invaluable for hauling garbage cans down an icy driveway and walking the dog on icy days, but they enable you to walk out after an ice storm with camera in hand and capture some amazing scenes. Clueless people will occasionally make some comment about not needing these, as though only people of a certain age would wear them to keep from falling. That lasts until the first glaze of ice confines them to their house (or they fall while hauling a garbage can to their curb). Weather watchers who like to follow the weather will probably have two sets, one in the car and one in the house.

      3.  NationalAudobon Society Field Guide to Weather (North America).  This guide is the most popular reference to every type of weather system, cloud formation, and atmospheric phenomenon common to North America. The 378 dramatic photographs capture cloud types, precipitation, storms, twisters, and optical phenomena such as the Northern Lights. Essays with accompanying maps and illustrations discuss the earth's atmosphere, weather systems, cloud formation, and development of tornadoes and many other weather events. You can purchase it through this link for $19.95 from Mount Washington Observatory, and you can also order this online from a vast array of sellers. 

      4. Self-powered NOAA Weather Radio.  This is one of the more inexpensive versions we’ve seen (at $32.99) – but do check out the features on different varieties before you buy.  A NOAA weather radio is an important piece of equipment to have as part of your weather emergency kit. These radios function as a dedicated receiver to alert you 24 hours a day to hazards in your area, even when the power goes out.

      5.      Membership to the Cloud Appreciation Society. For the weather watcher who has everything except this, treat them to a bit of pure fun. For about $14.00, they will receive a membership certificate, enamel “cloud” badge, occasional emails about cloud watching (from a decidedly quirky and fun crew), and that great feeling of belonging to a group that understands. You can also find other unique and affordable gifts here, including the annual Cloudspotting Calendar (for $16), and the ultimate Cloudspotter Gift Box ($60), which includes a life-time membership, badge, window sticker, Cloud Collector’s Handbook, Society window sticker, and Society mug.

Please add your own suggestions in the comments section, and go to our second "gift list" posting from 2012 and our updated all-new gift list for 2018 for more great gift ideas!

________________________________________________________

* For the record, we have not tested most of the equipment listed here, so do your own research before purchasing – and we also don’t work with anyone who makes or sells these items, so our only ulterior motive in recommending them is our hope that our family and friends are paying attention!

Look to the East Tonight

I've already seen two meteors tonight, and I was just driving at the time. Tonight promises to be clear, dark, and cold for a great viewing of the "Leonids," a meteor shower that will be peaking between midnight and especially before dawn, at about 4 am. Expect to see 10-15 meteors per hour. Sure, you will be half asleep and cold (bundle up), but trust me, it'll be worth the view!

Pumpkin Bread Cupcakes

It's that time of the year, of course. Crisp, cool days, and frost on the pumpkin overnight (those pumpkins that haven't been harvested yet, anyway). We've added a new recipe to our "Weather Cooks" page - an easy, incredibly moist pumpkin bread, or, for a decadent twist on the classic pumpkin bread, pumpkin bread cupcakes. Don't let the simplicity of this recipe fool you - people simply go crazy for these delectable treats!

Venice Under Water

People sit at a table in a flooded Piazza San Marco in Venice, on November 11, 2012. (AP Photo/Luigi Costantini)

Over the past few weeks, while we have been watching Sandy here at home, the people of Venice, Italy have been experiencing some of the worst flooding in decades as a result of heavy rains and high tides. Although "acqua alta", or high water, is common in Venice this time of year, right now 70% of the city is at least partially under water and water levels are now among the highest ever recorded. The photos of this year's flood show both the vast extent of the deluge as well as the ability of many residents to take it all in stride. Of course, part of what makes many of these scenes so bizarre to non-locals is just how "normal" they seem. Is this just another face of global warming worldwide? For more photos of flooding in Venice, click here.

Swimming at Puffers - in November!

Lone swimmer at Puffer's Pond - 11/12/2012

Ducks paddling at Puffer's Pond - 11/12/2012

Anyone who’s been visiting this blog regularly knows that we post updates, just about daily, on conditions at Puffer’s Pond, including air and water temperature. Today – with the water temperature at an even 43° F – we actually spotted a man swimming. No, it wasn’t some accidental slip on the rocks that sent him into the frigid water, but a determination to get into shape. He insists that cold water swims are essential to his training and weight loss regimen. The one caveat he provided – just don’t stay in the water too long or you might risk nerve damage. Needless to say, I won’t be putting that to the test anytime soon. As soon as I told him what the thermometer was reading, he jumped back in – apparently knowing it was all of 43° F made it that much easier to bear!

A blue and gold mistake

These are the days when birds come back,
A very few, a bird or two,
To take a backward look.

These are the days when skies put on
The old, old sophistries of June, --
A blue and gold mistake . . . .

Oh, sacrament of summer days,
Oh, last communion in the haze,
Permit a child to join,

Thy sacred emblems to partake,
Thy consecrated bread to break,
Taste thine immortal wine!

Whatever we might say about the upcoming warm days we are about to experience here in Amherst, Emily Dickinson said it better in this poem. And while the weather we are having does not qualify as the "Indian Summer"* Emily is describing here (at least, that's how we read this poem's meaning), this still seems like a perfect time to offer up this seasonal literary gem. For more such gems, and for local resources on Emily Dickinson, visit our popular "Emily's House" page.

* An Indian summer is a period of unseasonably warm, dry weather (above 70 degrees F) occurring after a hard frost - in our area this would normally occur between late-September to mid-November. Since the temperature is not expected to go above the mid-60s, these next few days do not technically qualify as Indian Summer.

Occupy Sandy

Thousands in New York City remain without clean water, food, heat, or power. Relief efforts by locals offer continuing direct aid to the neighborhoods most affected by Hurricane Sandy.

Please visit: interoccupy.net/occupysandy

Video by:
Alex Mallis | @analectfilms
Eric Phillips-Horst
Nicodemus Nicoludis

Music by:
Loscil

brooklynfilmmakerscollective.com | @brooklynfilmny
analectfilms.com