Head in the Clouds Amherst: Wind on the Water

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Wind on the Water

Given the gloomy, cold, and blustery day we are experiencing, it may be hard to imagine a sunny, warmer, and dry weekend. Temps are heading into the 50s on Saturday and Sunday – and even the mid-sixties by Monday, Veteran’s Day. It’s shaping up to be a great final week to the season at Cherry Hill, our “golf course for everyone” here in Amherst. Keep in mind that Cherry Hill closes for the season on November 15^th, so this weekend would be a great time to get in a last game or two before winter. On the other hand, if you are tempted to squeeze in one more swim at Puffer’s Pond, you may want to reconsider. How many degrees did the water temperature off South Beach drop over the last 4 days? 10 degrees! Look to our Puffer’s Pond mini-report (right sidebar on the Head in the Clouds Amherst home page) for the more or less daily water temperature number.

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On Puffer's Pond

Saturday, February 4, 2023, 3:35 pm: The past two days have seen record-breaking cold in the area, with the temperature dipping to -14F overnight, Friday into Saturday. To make matters worse, the wind was unyielding, whipping through the trees and driving wind chill readings down to -40F. In a season that had been unusually mild up until that point, it was something of a shock. Local residents were suddenly forced to think about warming up their cars, preventing pipes from freezing, and dressing in multiple layers to walk their dogs. By Saturday, while many were happy to hunker down and wait for temperatures to stop breaking low records, this was the moment that ice fishers and skaters had been waiting for all winter. With temps hovering around 12F (albeit above zero) by Saturday afternoon, Puffer's Pond was the place to be for about 30 people, many of whom were spread out over the ice, either ice fishing or playing hockey. While this is a fairly typical sight at Puffer's in the coldest winter months, our current lack of snow made it unique. No one had to contend with snowpack - the skaters didn't even have to clear a "field" for their game. And with all the hiking paths snow and ice-free, photographers had no trouble capturing water flowing through, under, and around layers of ice on the water. And, still, at 12F, without hand and foot warmers, I did not linger long. The temps will be rising quickly in the coming week, climbing well above freezing, even to 50F in the days to come. So, I'm guessing the skaters and ice fishers also won't be here much longer.

(Read past entries here.)

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Thursday, November 8, 2012

Wind on the Water

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