This Is How It Starts
Thursday, 24 October 2013 23:22![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dr_phil_physicsIt snowed today, here in Allendale. I saw some pictures from Ohio where there were places which had a complete white covering.
Last night Mrs. Dr. Phil reported that graupel had pummeled her on the way up the driveway with the trash can -- she was pulling the trash can back from the road, the grapple was just falling and not beating her with the container. (grin) Still, there was enough stuff to make a slick layer on some West Michigan roads during the morning commute.
Around 9am I noted that there was a thin layer of white on the front weeds, but surfaces like the concrete sidewalk were merely damp. An hour or so later, I saw those larger snow flake clumps falling and in an unusual move for around here, they were falling perfectly straight down.
By afternoon, as the skies alternated between dark and overcast and brighter with some blue skies, there was no sign of snow. Overall, not very serious. And a week before Halloween? No, it's not so impossible for First Snow as some people would like. And no, it doesn't mean we get a heavier winter than usual. Or that this early snowfall invalidates global warming -- remember climate and weather are not the same thing.
Naturally on the 11pm local news tonight, with a chance for more snow on Friday, the Hysterical Severe Weather Center report had to go on about wind chills. Because, you know, the actual temperatures aren't all that winterlike and therefore nothing to talk about. How can we instill panic if you don't have something scary to talk about.
No pictures as I haven't unpacked the camera gear or even started to recharge batteries.
Dr. Phil
Last night Mrs. Dr. Phil reported that graupel had pummeled her on the way up the driveway with the trash can -- she was pulling the trash can back from the road, the grapple was just falling and not beating her with the container. (grin) Still, there was enough stuff to make a slick layer on some West Michigan roads during the morning commute.
Around 9am I noted that there was a thin layer of white on the front weeds, but surfaces like the concrete sidewalk were merely damp. An hour or so later, I saw those larger snow flake clumps falling and in an unusual move for around here, they were falling perfectly straight down.
By afternoon, as the skies alternated between dark and overcast and brighter with some blue skies, there was no sign of snow. Overall, not very serious. And a week before Halloween? No, it's not so impossible for First Snow as some people would like. And no, it doesn't mean we get a heavier winter than usual. Or that this early snowfall invalidates global warming -- remember climate and weather are not the same thing.
Naturally on the 11pm local news tonight, with a chance for more snow on Friday, the Hysterical Severe Weather Center report had to go on about wind chills. Because, you know, the actual temperatures aren't all that winterlike and therefore nothing to talk about. How can we instill panic if you don't have something scary to talk about.
No pictures as I haven't unpacked the camera gear or even started to recharge batteries.
Dr. Phil
