WEATHER UPDATE FROM THE NORTH END OF LITTLE ROCK LAKE.

Sunday, 10 February 2008

Thursday and Friday all the hype on the weather channels told of the coming "winter blast" that would impress us.   Skeptical, we waited.   And, just like they predicted, it all happened right on schedule.  I still don't believe it.  Here is how it happened for you folks in warmer climates:

Saturday - woke up to do my weather info and the temp was +20 degrees.  Calm.  Lite snow,  a little fog.   As the morning progressed the snow increased.  Came down fairly hard until 0930 hrs then slowed up a bit.  Temp stayed about 20 degrees.  For all practical purposes the snow had all but stopped about 0930 measuring .9" of fluffy stuff that totalled .04 precipitation.  

By 1000 hrs the wind started out of the south, then shifted to the west.  The lite snow stopped.  The sky cleared.  By 1030 hrs the wind had shifted to the NW and increased to 35 - 40 mph.   Temps started dropping quickly to the single digits.

In the afternoon temps dropped to zero.  The brisk wind out of the NW never slowed down.   Whiteout conditions on Little Rock Lake, and driving was hazardous with very limited visibility due to blowing snow.  Windchill temps were in the -30 degree range.   Temps continued to fall in the evening and into the night.   Driving to Rice, the snow blowing across Benton Co. Hwy #2 caused drifting on the south side of the road.   Some Benton County highways had drifted nearly closed.  Folks were cautioned not to drive unless it was absolutely necessary.   During the night, even with lots of trees protecting us from the NW wind, you could hear the gusts of wind blowing the leafless trees and threw up clouds of powdered snow in the front yard.   The furnace never shut off.....$$$$$$$$   I'll bet the folks who were coming home from Mexico or a cruse were impressed wearing their shorts and lite jackets...  From +80 degrees to -20 and blowing snow with windchills down to -40 degrees.  (I've been there on that one.)

Sunday morning the digital thermometer bottomed out at -21.1 degrees (F).

As I write this, 1330 hrs (1:30 P.M.)  it is sunny and the wind has died down but the temp is only -3.8 degrees (F).   NW Minnesota experienced a real blizzard.  By Monday afternoon the temps will again be in the 20's.   For once, the weather folks were right on the money.     The birds that had been hiding in the trees are now at the feeder in record numbers.  I feel sorry for the poor critters that have to brave those winter issues we just faced.

That's it from the north end of Little Rock Lake...

Jim Hovda