Our weather forecasts tend to be dry, informative, and to-the-point. When the writers at NOAA Weather Service become verbose, I pay attention. This morning, they seem almost giddy, which makes me worry.
Here’s the beginning of this morning’s report:
“…A NEW SNOW STORM EXPECT TO ARRIVE AT END OF WEEK…”
“IT’S BACK….WINTER IS PROVING THAT SOUTHEAST ALASKA IS NOT DONE WITH THE SNOWFALL. A LOW MOVING NORTHWARD INTO THE EASTERN HALF OF THE GULF LATE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY…WILL BE SPREADING WARM MOIST AIR INTO THE PANHANDLE RESULTING IN AN OVER RUNNING SNOW EVENT FOR MUCH OF THE PANHANDLE. THE MAJORITY OF THE SNOW IS EXPECTED TO FALL ALONG THE COAST MOUNTAIN RANGE AND THEN OVER THE CENTRAL AND NORTHERN PANHANDLE. POTENTIAL SNOW FALL TOTALS FROM THE EVENT INTO SATURDAY APPEAR TO BE 8 TO 12 INCHES…BEFORE CHANGING OVER TO RAIN FOR MUCH OF THE REGION BY SATURDAY NIGHT.
THE REGION THAT THE BEST SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED WILL BE SOUTH AND EAST OF A LINE FROM HAINES TO CROSS SOUND TO NORTHERN PERIL STRAIT TO NORTHERN KUIU ISLAND TO ZAREMBO ISLAND THEN BEHM CANAL.
RESIDENTS SHOULD PREPARE TO DEAL WITH THE SNOW AND ITS REMOVAL FROM ROADS AND VEHICLES. FRESH SNOW PACKED ROADS WILL RESULT IN SLIPPERY SURFACES.”
I turned on the weather radio to hear the computer simulated human voices read this script. It’s quite entertaining, especially since the “female” voice always has an odd little inflection on the word “snow” that doesn’t quite match the tone of the rest of the message.
We’ve had a long period of cold, clear, windy weather. I’ve been cutting firewood like crazy in the Blowdown (see Coming Into the Wood Work) so I need to devote a day to tarping my piles. I’d rather not lose the gains I’ve made in drying.
The good news is that this might be my chance to haul the piles home from the Blowdown by pulk (see The Pulk: Our Homestead’s Winter “Truck”). That’s a huge job, but not nearly as tough as hauling it home on my back.
I figure I have till Thursday to get the piles covered, arrange for an extra rick to take the additional wood, and get anything we don’t want to get wet under cover. I may have part of Friday to do some of this, but I don’t dare count on it.
You may have seen in the news where the south has really been dumped on this year. Snow we can handle but ice and sleet is the real problem – we got them all Sunday afternoon plus sub- zero temps – It started to melt today, but slush is as bad as ice – I am currently setting about 20 feet from the rode unable to move forward or backward – no traction – plus the propane is just about out – hopefully it will warm so the space electric space heaters will cover things – guess this would be a plus for wood heat – take care – the nephews coming over to push me with his 4 wheel drive