Category: Weather

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I got my wish

The snow started late afternoon yesterday (Friday), while the temperature was above freezing.

It continued and at a perfect temperature to mix with the icy puddles and make walking normal again.

We went from ugly to pretty and by this morning (Saturday) there was somewhere between 2 and 3 inches of new stuff.

Perfect…not so much that anything except the walk to the garage needs shoveling but enough to make walking around pleasant.

And overnight we had a visitor…

Mr. or Ms. Raccoon, but I think Mr. because of the size.

2 back feet and 1 forefoot print.

The forefoot print is about 4 inches long. Auggie has large feet but his print would barely cover the pad of this raccoon.

If it is the same raccoon that has been around since I’ve lived here, it is LARGE raccoon kind of resembling a small bear cub!

Lots of tracks through the yard, around the garage…

…and all around the house.

Sometimes, wishes come true.

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It is as cold as it looks

Bear and I went down the road home and then to the dump as the highway was bare and dry courtesy of a lot of chemical, apparently.

The road home is snow over ice but it had a bit of sand on parts of it and the Jeeper stuck fine.

The sun was out over most of the valley, but weather skirted along the mountains.

It wasn’t windy, but at 19F…

…it is as cold as it looks.

And today is to be the warmest as it is forecast to get down to 5 tonight with a high of 11 tomorrow and below zero overnight the rest of the week.

Bear, Auggie and I are toasty warm. The pantry and refrigerator are full.

Firewood is stacked and ready. I have extra gallons of fresh water. If there is a power outage we can still stay warm, cook and eat! A power outage is not likely at this point unless a vehicle would take out a power pole but with the main roads dry, not likely.

My worry is for livestock and wildlife but this kind of weather used to be normal for Montana so hopefully most will be well.

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Scary Weather

This photo doesn’t show how really wet and slushy it was this morning.

It has been above freezing and raining off and on Sunday, overnight and through this morning.

It was 37F to start this Monday.

The issue with the forecast storm is probably not going to be snow, at least not in the valley – it is going to be cold and wind.

It is supposed to get very cold, very fast.

The sun came out with a bit of blue sky.

I really hoped it stayed a bit dry longer than forecast. This kind of transition is what killed so many cattle and wildlife in North Dakota earlier this year.

While it was sunny and dry, we all got outside.

It was pretty for awhile.

For a short while.

By 3:00 this afternoon, it was dusky, snowing and the temperature had dropped to 24F.

Bear and I took a long walk at 4:00. Bear was completely energized by the cold and snow. I enjoyed it also except for thinking about the animals tonight and this week.

And the roads and people deciding they need to get places.

NOAA says the roads will flash freeze this evening and be nearly impossible.

Scary weather.

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Freezing fog

If NOAA is right…

…we are in for a gloomy time.

Inversions and freezing fog are fun for a couple of days.

But a week or more’s worth makes everyone cranky.

I have supplies for Bear, Auggie and me.

I have plenty of work and chores and fun stuff to do.

Freezing fog can make for interesting photos.

Still… I hope it is not for a week or more.

NOAA was right about this week’s cold front. It went from 50 to 20’s lickety-split.

Big coat, boots, gloves & hats.

We are ready.

Bring it.