Record Snowfall Delights Locals - 4" Since 4AM!

[Ivan Seeking]

It is snowing in areas around Portland now, and the forecast for this weekend: Snow showers.

Freeze warnings have been issued for much of the State and the fruit growers are holding their breath. Entire crops could turn to vaporware by morning.

 

[Moonbear]

It was 85 F today! Yay! Spring is here! Though, we usually get one more frost before May is done. It's going to be a beautiful weekend though. I went out earlier and got my pots and potting soil and am ready to spend the weekend transplanting my seedlings. Not ready to put them outside just yet, but it's time to get them out of the starter packs and into small pots to transplant into the larger pots next month.

 

[scorpa]

Last weekend it was nearly +20 everyone was out in shorts and tanktops, this weekend it is supposed to be around -10 or so windy and snowy. Oh well makes it a lot easier to study for finals when it is crappy out.

 

[Evo]

It was 41F today and wet. Spring has yet to arrive here. All of the nurseries have sent their spring annuals to the stores, but it's too cold to plant. There were a few brave souls huddled up in coats looking through the flowers, but no one was buying. It should be in the 70's right now.

Yesterday we had a bad hailstorm, maybe what is left of the plants will go for cheap. I've never seen anything like this in the 15 years that I've lived here.

 

[lisab]

It was 41F today and wet. Spring has yet to arrive here. All of the nurseries have sent their spring annuals to the stores, but it's too cold to plant. There were a few brave souls huddled up in coats looking through the flowers, but no one was buying. It should be in the 70's right now.

Yesterday we had a bad hailstorm, maybe what is left of the plants will go for cheap. I've never seen anything like this in the 15 years that I've lived here.

I can relate, Evo. Here in Washington, we're getting snow. SNOW! Here...in mid-April! I have a fire in the fireplace and I'm wearing long sleeves.

 

[Janus]

It was 85 F today! Yay! Spring is here! Though, we usually get one more frost before May is done. It's going to be a beautiful weekend though. I went out earlier and got my pots and potting soil and am ready to spend the weekend transplanting my seedlings. Not ready to put them outside just yet, but it's time to get them out of the starter packs and into small pots to transplant into the larger pots next month.

It hit 80° here last weekend. Tonight: snow level at 500 ft.

 

[wildman]

Frosts are a distant dream here. It is expected to be in the 90's this weekend. The real heat is not far behind. However, it is beautiful with the deserts full of wildflowers.

 

[Schrodinger's Dog]

It's raining again, I am officially allowed to moan about it, it's part of our legal system if not a formal right given by constitution.

Snow? Don't even know what it is?

 

[Ivan Seeking]

It absolutely pouring hail out there! It is very light hail, almost snow, but heavy enough to fail like ice, and coming down as hard as I've ever seen it. It is quite a sight! Within minutes we had signicant ground coverage.

 

[scorpa]

Got over a foot of snow, and we are expecting another 5-10 cm today. I want to cry. Summer holidays start Thursday!

 

[GeorginaS]

It's just nuts, here. It's -10C (feels like -18C) with blowing snow and has been like this, almost non-stop, since Saturday. It's still going strong this morning. It's pretty miserable. I really, really want spring to come back. I was enjoying it.

 

[scorpa]

It's just nuts, here. It's -10C (feels like -18C) with blowing snow and has been like this, almost non-stop, since Saturday. It's still going strong this morning. It's pretty miserable. I really, really want spring to come back. I was enjoying it.

I looked like a snowball by the time I got to school this morning, you couldn't even tell I was wearing a black coat. I miss that one day of spring we had to!

 

[turbo]

It's currently 77 in the shade, and the frogs are having wild parties in our two back-yard ponds, croaking and chasing each other around. The pond in back of the house is probably 90% ice-covered, but the one near the garden is clear and busy. I still have snow-banks in front of the house and the garage, and my apple trees are still surrounded by snow. Temps like this can melt the stuff off eventually. I'm not hoping for rain, because we still have considerable snow-pack in the forests, and the risk of flooding is pretty significant.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Mount Hood, which is just East of Portland, Oregon, has now received over 800 inches of snow this season, and it's still snowing!

Here it is, late April, and one of the popular ski areas is reporting a 213 inch base.

 

[Astronuc]

Weeelllll - so much for Spring. We're supposed to have frost tonight and freeze tomorrow night.

 

[gravenewworld]

I posted this before.

Oswego, NY

http://aycu35.webshots.com/image/13354/2003385890951744064_rs.jpg

 

[Math Is Hard]

Weeelllll - so much for Spring. We're supposed to have frost tonight and freeze tomorrow night.

Good lord! We've had temps in the high 90's here. Not fun - I hate the heat since my slumlord forbids AC.

 

[Moonbear]

Just a frost predicted tonight, but that's not too unusual. I don't usually consider it to be past the chance of frost at night until Mother's Day. It was a miserably cold, rainy day after so many nice warm days though that it feels even colder than it is. It's supposed to be Kiddie Days at the farm, but I only saw two buses...hopefully the kids have raindates for later in the week...Thursday and Friday are supposed to be warm and sunny again (but there should still be plenty of mud puddles to keep the kids happy ).

 

[George Jones]

We are still experiencing the effects of our snowy winter, flooding.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/new-brunswick/story/2008/04/29/nb-flood.html

 

[turbo]

Yes, the St. John river on the Maine - New Brunswick is flooding and is expected to continue to rise, prompting evacuations.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080430/ap_on_re_us/flooding;_ylt=AkQgCH3zp9k2PKtWZjYpYWSs0NUE

I took a ride around today to look at the streams and rivers. Here is the Carrabassett River - normally a low-flow series of cascades over the rocks. It is nowhere near as high as I had expected, given the torrential rains we had yesterday.

Here is a shot of the North Channel Dam in Skowhegan. Every flood-gate on this dam and on it's companion hydro dam was wide open. Still, this is not really high flow given the recent weather - it could be much worse.

And here is an illustration of just how fickle the weather can be, and why we dodged a bullet. Much of the precipitation that fell in the western mountains fell in the form of snow. That big ski-mountain in the background is Sugarloaf, and the eastern slopes of that mountain and surrounding mountains drain into the Carrabassett River. If all that new snow had fallen as rain, the Carrabassett would have jumped its banks for certain.

"Snow, snow, snow" indeed! We lucked out.

 

[Andre]

A possible reason for this sudden cold spell could be the reversal of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation.

 

[Astronuc]

Here is a shot of the North Channel Dam in Skowhegan. Every flood-gate on this dam and on it's companion hydro dam was wide open. Still, this is not really high flow given the recent weather - it could be much worse.

That's still a good flow. I'll see if I can dig up the pics I took there last summer for some perspective.

 

[Evo]

Right now...

THESE ARE SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS. DUE TO THE ROTATING NATURE OF THESE STORMS...THEY ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING ALL TYPES OF SEVERE WEATHER... INCLUDING EXTREMELY LARGE HAIL... DESTRUCTIVE STRAIGHT LINE WINDS AND POSSIBLY TORNADOES. MOVE QUICKLY TO A SAFE SHELTER...PREFERABLY INTO AN INTERIOR ROOM...SUCH AS A BATHROOM OR A CLOSET...OR INTO A BASEMENT.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Eeeeeek! Then why are you online?

Course I guess there's still enough light to see something coming?

 

[turbo]

Right now...

THESE ARE SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS. DUE TO THE ROTATING NATURE OF THESE STORMS...THEY ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING ALL TYPES OF SEVERE WEATHER... INCLUDING EXTREMELY LARGE HAIL... DESTRUCTIVE STRAIGHT LINE WINDS AND POSSIBLY TORNADOES. MOVE QUICKLY TO A SAFE SHELTER...PREFERABLY INTO AN INTERIOR ROOM...SUCH AS A BATHROOM OR A CLOSET...OR INTO A BASEMENT.

Eek! I hope you live in a nice solid place - not some shoddy, pretty, but flimsy building. My best wishes. Stay safe.

 

[Evo]

tornado sirens just went off

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Take Cover!

 

[Astronuc]

tornado sirens just went off

The radar shows a strong cell moving right over you, Evo, and one to the southwest, which is moving NE.

 

[Evo]

there is a circular spinning cloud wall approaching.

I have no basement, Inside room or ravine?

 

[Astronuc]

there is a circular spinning cloud wall approaching.

I have no basement, Inside room or ravine?

Downstairs (and preferably interior) bathroom or closet with pillows or cushions would be best alternative.

Hoping for the best at your end.

 

[Evo]

The Evo child is here and she has stocked the bathroom, with everything we could need to survive if trapped. (she's terrified of storms) The plan is I grab the fruit bat, she grabs Foofer. I have a couple of heavy hammers to try to remove debris if possible, I should get a sledge hammer.

The sirens aren't helping her calm down any.

 

[lisab]

Evo, I hope you and your daughter and your animals are all OK! I'll be worried until I see your next post...

 

[turbo]

You won't be reading this in time to make any difference, but it's nice to be in a small room with some structural integrity if you can manage it. Short spans of overhead trusses/stringers are good.

 

[wolram]

I just watched one of your weather channels, boy are you guy having some tough times,
Hope all will turn out ok for Evo, child and pets.

 

[Evo]

We're just under a tornado warning until 1 am now, with another storm approaching, but the intense wind and rain have let up, still a lot of lightning.

Thanks everyone. Poor Evo Child is very uncomfortable, she's been afraid of lightning and thunder since she was little.

Hmmm,, the news says some houses on my old street were hit by lightning. Can I be lucky enought that this time it burns to the ground? Last time it was hit by lightning, I just lost $10,000 in appliances.