Ice Storm

When you don't have to go anywhere (and you have a generator in the event of a power failure), ice storms are incredibly beautiful. Wednesday night and Thursday morning saw an accumulation of snow, ice, and slush on the ground. This morning (Friday), the ice was still plentiful, but melting. The soundscape was a mix of rain and sleet as water and ice came off tree limbs.

Our road had about an inch of snow/ice/slush on it, and the trees had a nice coating of ice.

Virginia pine

Pitch pine

This red maple was ready to burst into bloom. This tree has a history of blooming so early that the flowers die in a hard frost every year. It has been years since this tree has generated the classic maple "helicopter" seeds, or samaras.

Mountain laurel

Winged (or shining) sumac

Greenbriar. I thought these berries looked like they were wearing helmets.

By noon today the ice had melted and/or fallen off vegetation at lower altitudes, but the mountains still had plenty of icy trees. Here the setting sun illuminates icy trees along the ridges of Fore Mountain.

Snow to Snow

We had a 5-inch snowfall on Sunday, January 31, and then 4 inches today. Normally I take pictures with our PicturePosts once a week, but I didn't want to record two consecutive snowy days, so yesterday I took an extra set of photos to show how the snow had largely melted over the week since the first snowfall. Here are the results.

Lower PicturePost, Southeast View

Sunday, January 31. Five inches of light fluffy snow.

Saturday, February 6. Most of the snow is gone.

Sunday, February 7. Four inches of heavy, dense snow.

Lower PicturePost, South View

Sunday, January 31. Five inches of light fluffy snow.

Saturday, February 6. Most of the snow is gone. But note that the north-facing hill (and mountain beyond) still has a good bit of snow, as does a thin line at the base of the field where the trees cast a shadow on it all day.

Sunday, February 7. Four inches of heavy, dense snow.

Upper PicturePost, Northeast View

Sunday, January 31. Five inches of light fluffy snow.

Saturday, February 6. Most of the snow is gone.

Sunday, February 7. Four inches of heavy, dense snow.

Upper PicturePost, Southwest View

Sunday, January 31. Five inches of light fluffy snow.

Saturday, February 6. Most of the snow is gone.

Sunday, February 7. Four inches of heavy, dense snow.

Snowy Walks

We've had some good snowfalls this winter. Back in December (2020) we had a nice half-inch on Christmas Eve giving us a rare White Christmas. The last two Sunday mornings have seen substantial snows (5 inches and 4 inches). Depending upon your attitude toward snow, it is either fortunate or unfortunate that the snow rarely sticks around for more than a day or two, so it's important to take advantage of the snow while it's there!

Sunday, January 31

Dakota on a snowy road.

Coyotes tracks. Coyotes like to wander!

Porcupine or hedgehog? (A pine seedling totally covered with snow.)

Monday, February 1

Icicles along the Jackson River Scenic Trail.

Another cliff of icicles along the Jackson River Scenic Trail.

It wasn't cold enough for small creeks to freeze over. (Jackson River Scenic Trail)

Two small waterfalls in the cascade in the previous photo.

Winter Wildlife

One of five turkey vultures perched on fenceposts. Vultures may not be the prettiest birds, but they fulfill an essential ecological role.

Shortly after I got this picture, the vultures rose as a group and roosted in a nearby tree.

One of our game cameras captured this photo of a coyote on our snowy road.

Sky Fire

We've had some good sunrises and sunsets lately. Although we have a particularly good view for sunrises, I have to get up early to see them! Sunsets are at a more convenient time, but our western horizon is obscured by mountains. In the winter the sun sets far enough to the south to let us see more of the display.

Sunrise. 11 January 2021. Only lasted about 5 minutes.

Sunset. 2 January 2021.

Sunset. 4 January 2021.

Ice Needles

Warm-ish days (slightly above freezing), cold nights, and plenty of ground moisture are the recipe for "ice  needles" - thin needles or ribbons of ice rising up from the ground. (For a full discussion of ice physics and many astounding photos of this phenomenon, see an article by James Carter in the September-October 2013 issue of American Scientist, pages 360-369.)

Ice needles emerging from dirt.

A closer look at the needles.

Another clump of ice needles.

As the day warmed, ice needles start to melt.

A final view of another clump of melting ice needles.