Sunday, March 24, 2013

Springtime in Minnesota: Palm Sunday

Sunday, March 24, 2013. Palm Sunday. Looks like Easter will look a lot like Christmas this year. On the other hand, maybe not. This is Minnesota, after all.



Springtime in Minnesota. March 21, 2013.

I've been sharing a cold with my family. Doing things together is supposed be good for family bonding. Somehow, though, this doesn't feel much like "quality time."

Monday, March 18, 2013

Bright and Sunny, or Closed for the Day: Blizzard in the Upper Midwest

As blizzards go, this one's a fairly modest affair. Even so, Sauk Centre public schools cancelled classes today. I get the impression that the district is a bit less gung-ho about requiring attendance during storms: sort of like the admirable determination shown by Leonidas, except the local brass didn't drive a bus.

Anyway, an impressive list of schools, roads, and businesses in the region either didn't open today, or are closing early. A few minutes ago storm-related announcements on the radio included an update on Interstate conditions. Interstate 94 is now closed from Osakis to Moorhead, Minnesota, and a major road from Fergus Falls to Breckenridge is out of service.

Meanwhile, it's clear and a bit chilly here in Sauk Centre:

Small Town America: Central Minnesota


That's a reduced-size image from my webcam, near the corner of Ash Street and South 9th in Sauk Centre, Minnesota.

In the news:
Related posts:

Checking the Weather at Midnight

I checked the weather at midnight, and saw that we're getting the first installment of Monday's blizzard.


(from wunderground.com, used w/o permission)

My webcam sees more than I do, when it's this dark.

Small Town America: Central Minnesota

Midnight in Sauk Centre, near the corner of Ash Street and South 9th. We have new snow, with more on the way. March 18, 2013.

If you want to check back later, my Small Town America: Central Minnesota webcam will be online all night. As for me, I'm calling it a day. Good night, and may God bless.

Related post:

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Happy St. Patrick's Day, and a Blizzard Warning

Sunday, March 17, 2013. St. Patrick's Day. I checked wunderground.com's weather history page for this area. The average high for today is about 36 degrees Fahrenheit, with 18 as the low temperature.

Since this is Minnesota, "average" temperatures are statistics that don't necessarily have anything to do with the weather. Statistics for the last five years show that Sauk Centre will definitely have a high and a low temperature on St. Patrick's Day:

March 17 Low High
2013 -4 °F 23 °F
2012 53 °F 75 °F
2011 34 °F 43 °F
2010 31 °F 52 °F
2009 -4 °F 18 °F

A more practical point is that we can expect blizzard conditions from late tonight through Monday evening.


(from National Weather Service, used w/o permission)

It looks like folks living a few counties north of us will have to make do with a mere winter storm.

The Weather Service says that we can look forward to another two to five inches of snow. That, and the 35 mile an hour winds and whiteout conditions they're promising, should make travel - - - interesting.

Previous experience tells me that we'll probably have accidents, when folks learn that what's a 'safe' speed during nice weather is anything but when the horizon disappears:
"...A condition of diffuse light when no shadows are cast, ... No surface irregularities of the snow are visible, but a dark object may be clearly seen. There is no visible horizon...."
("Whiteout (weather)," Wikipedia)
On a happier note, this storm will most likely give kids even more snow to play with.


Snowman: with plenty of snow left over, and more on the way. March 13, 2013.

That's it for me this week. Next week, I might even have something besides the weather to talk about.

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Springtime in Minnesota, Snow, and Nail Clippings

Sunday, March 10, 2013. "Sleet, freezing rain, followed by snow ... That's springtime - in Minnesota. :)" I wrote that Thursday,March 8, 2013, on Google+, when we had a winter storm coming. It was a bit of an anticlimax: the weather, not Google+. Even so, I'm glad I didn't have to travel farther than St. Paul's Church, near downtown, on Saturday.


Morning frost. March 7, 2013.


The curved icicle and snowfall Saturday afternoon. March 9, 2013.

That curved icicle (curvicle?) was gone today, but there's a fresh set started in that corner.


St. Paul's Church, Saturday afternoon. March 9, 2013.

The biannual jet lag for folks who don't travel came last night. I'm not a fan of Daylight Saving Time, but there are worse things: like the Black Death; or finding nail clippings on your keyboard that aren't yours.

I hope to get caught up sleep tonight.

Sunday, March 3, 2013

Snow, Ice, and More Snow

Sunday, March 3, 2013. We had enough snow this year to give us a more imposing late-winter melt than usual.


Melting snow and - stuff - on Ash Street. March 3, 2013.


One of the little ice sculptures near the curb on Ash Street. This one's only an inch or two tall. March 3, 2013.

It'll take quite a while for all the snow to disappear. Probably. Unless we have a really hot spring: which could happen. This is Minnesota, after all.


Snow piles by the Coborn's parking lot in Sauk Centre. March 3, 2013.


Curved icicle. My guess is that there was a steady wind while the curved part formed. March 3, 2013.

There's a winter storm on the way, which makes me glad I don't have to go out tomorrow. On the other hand, the six to 10 inches one forecast promised will refresh those wintry outdoor scenes quite nicely. Barring technical difficulties, my Small Town America: Central Minnesota webcam should be online throughout the storm.