NOVEMBER 2008 WEATHER & PHENOLOGY IN REVIEW

From the North Shore of Little Rock Lake

Jim Hovda, Rice MN 56367-0265   jhovda.rice@jetup.net

 

WEATHER LAST NOV:       It was difficult to believe, but it was a LOT DRYER.   The entire month produced only .05" of snow flurries/rain and total snowfall was only .10".   We ended the month 23.19" of precipitation for the year.  Temps were about the same.  No snow on the ground.  Little Rock Lake did not freeze over until 02 Dec.    We did get our first below zero reading at the end of the month.  The coldest reading occurred on the 28th with a -2.4 below zero reading. 

 

WEATHER:       A mundane month weather wise.  Temps were normal.  Our average low was 22.14 degrees while the high was 41.35 degrees.    Our coldest day was on the 22nd when I recorded +1.0 degrees (F) while a 71.7 degree (F) reading was our high on the 4th.    Of note, the first below zero wind chill on the TV appeared on the 19th on the 10:00 P.M.  news.

          On the rain/snow side of our weather picture the first half on the month looked promising for lots of rain and snow.    By the 15th rainfall measured 1.55" and .6" of snow.   It looked good for lots of moisture.  Not to be.  Only .03" of rain fell the rest of the month and we ended the month with bare brown ground.    The most rain fell on the 6th when I recorded .64" of rain.   This was part of a three-day session of lightning and thunder storms (last one in 08???) that produced winds gusting to 38 mph and rainfall that totaled 1.27".  We ended the month with 1.58" of rain giving us a total rainfall for the year at 29.67' with one month of measurement for the year.  Precipitation stands at 6.48" more than last year.

 

WEATHER RECORDS:       Winter is fast approaching!  Record temps tell it all.  The coldest area temp was -23 degrees below zero (F) while greater MN recorded -45 degrees below zero (F) in 1896 at Pokegama Dam.  It is not all gloom and doom.  On the warm side November can be really nice in MN.  St Cloud recorded a 75 degree reading in 1999 while it reached a balmy 84 degrees in Winona in 1950.    Temps can differ nearly 100 degrees in November.    The longest dry spell in MN history started on the 9th in 1943, lasting 79 days without precipitation on the 26th of Jan 1944.   On the 11th in 1998 (Veterans Day) the lowest barometric (pressure) reading was recorded at Albert Lea MN with a 28.42 inHG (962.7 mb).

 

PHENOLOGY:      The first part of the month flowers still hung on stubbornly.  Small Pansies, blue Monkshood and Mums still in full bloom.  Parsley, Chives and Trumpet Vines still had lots of green.  The following cold weather would be their demise. 

          With cold temps and winter fast approaching, I installed the heater in the bird bath on the 9th.   This has been a popular place for lots of different birds and a few squirrels in need of water.   For those of you folks who really enjoy birds and small critters, the heated bird bath is a must.   Water is a difficult commodity in the winter.  By the end of the 10th, we ended our first 48 hours below freezing.   On the 10th, several visits to the bird bath by American Robins surprised me.  I wonder if they will winter over?  There seems to be a large supply of berries in the area to feed them.  On the 19th ice started extending its long fingers out onto Little Rock Lake.  Inland backwater ponds froze over and only the most stubborn streams remained open in the center.   On the 22nd, Little Rock Lake froze over.  It has remained frozen even tho we have had some warm days.   At the end of the month I observed nine different places that folks were ice fishing.  Not to mention that the first fish/spear house was on the lake on the 21st even tho there was a lot of open water in the center of the lake.    The lake ice is as smooth as glass in most areas.   If the snow stays away, ice skating will be in order.

          Winter birds are in good supply.   All species of woodpeckers that include a pair of Pileated that were both at the suet at one time are present.  A Bald Eagle landed on a large maple tree in our front yard and a “hooting” owl was heard on the 30th.  Speaking of eagles, the day the lake froze over I counted no less than eight bald eagles and a flock of crows on the ice.  I have no idea of what sparked their interest other than maybe one of the eagles caught a large fish. 

 

RESIDENT OBSERVATIONS:       Our postmaster in Rice, Mr. Matt Fountain had a quote I must share.  “You can tell it’s winter when the birds line up on the sunny side of a building.”   I’d have to agree with that.    

          The most notable resident observation comes from Nancy Carver and Joan Spiczka.   There must have been a small patch of open water on Little Rock Lake and a group of the Trumpeter Swans were there resting.  To confirm their observation she sent a great pic by e-mail for me to look at.   It’s good to know so many folks have a strong interest in our feathered friends.