Tag: snow

Snow Report

This is the report i wrote last Saturday, but could never get posted!

I woke to an inch of snow at sunrise, yesterday, and by 7:30 am, it was snowing again. It snowed again that afternoon at around 2 pm, large, fluffy flakes. That one didn’t last, although the one this morning lasted for an hour or two. I did get some photos, which I will post later. Missy has finally settled down to nap-she is quite the busy girl, we have a fire going, and I feel a nap coming on, too!

I have power issues, at the moment. As you may recall, my dog sitter drained my battery on the solar system so low, it won’t run the inverter or charge control. I picked up a high zoot, very smart battery charger, but couldn’t run it today due to wetness. Considering what I paid, I didn’t want to take a chance. Also, I have been carrying around an empty gas can that I thought was full. Duh ..so was without power in all its manifestations, until a little bit ago. Hopefully, by Tomorrow, both conditions will be rectified, and I will be back online with power, Internet, phone, and my usual resources.

Fortunately, I have a new hardcover book I have been wanting to read, a solar light, oil lamps, flashlights, and TONS of batteries. I also have an inverter for my car, if I need to charge the phone or iPad. I also have lots of firewood, so power is not a big thing. I’ll be back Sunday afternoon, or so.

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As I had bigsurdeb post for me, I got my power issue sorted out, and today, managed to get my coaxial fixed. It was a two pronged problem. First, it had apparently frozen in one storm or another, and then the wind picked up and broke it clear through. Secondly, we had put it on a high pole, which necessitated connecting up two 25′ lengths of coaxial, with a connector. Even though the connector had been taped with electrical tape, it had still corroded through from the rain. Rock knocker fixed both lengths of coaxial, used only one, put it up on the roof, and voila, I have a green light ALL the time. The bad connections would also explain why my Internet (and cell service) have been so intermittent for such a long time.

So, tomorrow, a Missy update with photos, I think. BIGSURKATE IS BACK! … At least until the next mountain adventure. Lets hope no wind storms, as the TV antenna and cellular booster antenna need some hunkering down to survive the high level winds I get up here!

Upcoming weather

Here it comes …
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
943 AM PST THU FEB 7 2013

.DISCUSSION…AS OF 9:24 AM PST WEDNESDAY…KMUX DOPPLER RADAR IS
SHOWING A COLD FRONT MOVING THROUGH THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA.
SOME LIGHT RAIN IS FALLING WITH THIS FRONT AS IT SLOWLY SLIDES
SOUTH. THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE MONTEREY BAY AREA
SHORTLY WITH LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS EXPECTED BETWEEN 1700 AND 2300Z.

THE PARENT LOW OF THIS FRONT IS CURRENTLY CENTERED OFF OF THE
WASHINGTON/OREGON COASTLINE. THE 0000Z ECMWF AND 1200Z GFS HAVE
INITIALIZED WELL THIS LOW AND SLIDE IT SOUTH ENTERING NORTHERN
PORTIONS OF THE CWA THIS EVENING. COLD AIR ALOFT ASSOCIATED WITH
THIS LOW WILL FALL TO -13 DEGREES CELSIUS AT 700MB. THIS WILL
RESULT IN TWO THINGS. FIRST THE SNOW LEVELS WILL FALL TO BETWEEN
2500 AND 3000 FEET OVERNIGHT. SECONDLY INSTABILITY WILL BE
ENHANCED RESULTING IN SHOWERS AND POTENTIAL THUNDERSTORMS
OVERNIGHT. THE BEST INSTABILITY WILL BE OVER THE WATERS WITH LI
VALUES RANGING FROM 0 TO -1.5. WITH THE BEST INSTABILITY OVER THE
WATERS THE BEST POSSIBILITY OF THUNDER WILL BE OVER THE WATERS AND
THE IMMEDIATE COAST. WITH THE LOW SNOW LEVELS AND SHOWERS EXPECTED
SNOW WILL BE A POSSIBILITY FOR PLACES LIKE SKYLINE DRIVE AND
HIGHWAY 17 SUMMIT OVERNIGHT WITH THE GREATEST ACCUMULATION OVER
THE SANTA LUCIAS. TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATION WILL BE LESS THAN 3.5
INCHES IN THE SANTA LUCIAS WITH 1.5 INCHES OR LESS OVER HIGHWAY 17
AND NORTH.

I finally built a fire, as it got colder and colder. 3 and 1/2″ of snow? Really? Lord, not here, I hope!

Missy update coming later today or tomorrow, if the Internet allows. Trying to get a photo to upload! Grrrr … I got spoiled on the road with fast Internet!

Snow expected today

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The above photo was taken up on Long Ridge by Zachary.

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7:30 am – there is a light dusting of snow already, but more coming. Check out that blue making its way down the Big Sur coast!

I woke early, and checked the temp, 30 degrees, checked outside, and saw stars, checked online, and found this:

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Winter Weather Advisory for Santa Lucia Mtns above 2000′

Gee, that’s me! Guess I’m not going anywhere tomorrow! Guess it is time to stock up my wood box, and make sure the windows are up in the Jeep … Oh, and better charge the batteries on my camera, too!

…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THE SANTA LUCIA MOUNTAINS AND LOS
PADRES NATIONAL FOREST ABOVE 2000 FEET FOR THURSDAY…

.A VERY COLD AIRMASS WILL MOVE OVER NORTHERN AND CENTRAL CALIFORNIA
LATE TONIGHT AND THURSDAY. THE COLD AIRMASS WILL INTERACT WITH AN
AREA OF LOW PRESSURE…BRINGING OCCASIONAL SNOW SHOWERS TO THE
HILLS…MAINLY ABOVE 1500 FEET. THE GREATEST CHANCE OF
ACCUMULATING SNOW ON THURSDAY WILL BE IN THE SANTA LUCIA MOUNTAINS
AND LOS PADRES NATIONAL FOREST ABOVE 2000 FEET WHERE 2 TO 3 INCHES
OF SNOW IS POSSIBLE.

…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM TO 6 PM PST
THURSDAY ABOVE 2000 FEET…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA HAS
ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW…WHICH IS IN EFFECT
FROM 4 AM TO 6 PM PST THURSDAY.

* TIMING: THURSDAY FROM 4 AM TO 6 PM PST.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: 2 TO 3 INCHES ABOVE 2000 FEET. 1 INCH
POSSIBLE DOWN TO 1500 FEET.

* IMPACTS: SIGNIFICANT TRAVEL IMPACTS WITH AREAS OF SNOW ON HIGHER
ELEVATION ROADS THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS. PERSONS PLANNING OUTDOOR
ACTIVITIES ON THURSDAY SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR COLD TEMPERATURES.
******************************************************************************************

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
242 PM PST WED JAN 9 2013

…SEVERAL DAYS OF COLD WEATHER FOR OUR AREA…
…ACCUMULATING SNOW POSSIBLE THURSDAY ABOVE 2000 FEET IN THE
SANTA LUCIA RANGE IN MONTEREY COUNTY….

.DISCUSSION…AS OF 2:30 PM PST WEDNESDAY…SATL IMAGERY IS INDC
THAT A COLD FRONT IS POISED JUST NORTH OF THE DISTRICT. IR IMAGERY
IS INDC PLENTY OF COLD CU BEHIND THE FRONT.

THIS FRONT WILL USHER IN MUCH COLDER AIR TO THE DISTRICT…IN
FACT…SOME OF THE COLDEST TEMPS OF THE WINTER IS ON TAP LATE
THURSDAY NIGHT/FRIDAY MORNING AND LATE FRIDAY NIGHT/SATURDAY
MORNING. EVEN THOUGH THOUGH THERE IS NOT MUCH MOISTURE ASSOCIATED
WITH THIS SYSTEM…THE VERY COLD AIRMASS BEHIND THE FRONT WILL
RESULT IN UNSTABLE CONDITIONS ON THURSDAY…WITH THE LOW LEVEL NW
FLOW THERE WILL BE DECENT UPSLOPE…IN PARTICULAR IN THE SANTA
LUCIA RANGE. THEREFORE…HAVE ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR
SNOW ABOVE 2000 FEET IN THE SANTA LUCIA MOUNTAINS…WHERE 2 TO 3
INCHES OF SNOW IS POSSIBLE (PLEASE SEE WWW.WEATHER.GOV/SANFRANCISCO
FOR DETAILS). THERE COULD LOCALLY BE 1 INCH DOWN TO 1500 FEET IN
SOME OF THE HEAVIER SHOWERS. THERE COULD BE UP TO AN INCH OF SNOW
IN THE SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS AS WELL…BUT NOT ENOUGH TO WARRANT AN
ADVISORY.

A light dusting …

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From Chews Ridge this morning. Photo by Cara Nason

8:00 am – I woke at three am – and saw this on the satellite, note blue denotes snow. I looked outside with my flashlight, but couldn’t see any.

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This morning, I saw a light dusting on the ground here, across the canyon north on Prewitt Ridge, and at the base of Cone Peak, even more. The clouds cover the peaks, so no photo. If it clears later, I will see about getting one. It is still only 32 degrees. Three dogs outside, but my older blind dog came right back in. Smart dog.

Stay safe, stay warm, and stay happy!

How cold is it?

Up here, at 10:00am, it is 33 degrees. No snow yet, but I’m watching. I have a USFS announcement to post on that page, photos of the fuel mitigation project to post on that page, and a review of Big Sur’s newest radio station to post, but sluggish or non-existent Internet has made it all impossible, for now. If any of the information were critical, I would drive somewhere to get them posted, as I would with road closures or fires, but baby it is COLD outside. I’m not going anywhere, right now! UPDATE – USFS press release up on its page and photos up on the Fuel Mitigation page. That leaves only the radio review!

Snow report and lost dogs

I did not receive any snow, but Cone Peak did! Couldn’t get a photo, as it was only visible for a short while before it was covered by clouds. I have had a fire going most of the day, although the sun came out for a bit, making my solar system happy.

lost dogs

On 11/2, Dr. Hyde’s grandson, while staying at the Hyde cabin on Plaskett Ridge Rd lost his two pugs. If you have any information, call Ash Chapman at 623-826-3620. Here is a photo of the pugs

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It’s Snowing!

5:30 pm update – It snowed several times today, but none of it stuck, so no photos. I’ll bet Cone Peak is beautiful, if I could see it. I also had slush up here, and last I checked, only about 1/2 an inch in the rain gauge. The wind has been gusting into the 30 mph plus range most of the day, and continues tonight.

Now, under the covers with four dogs to watch a DVD. No TV reception. I was lucky yesterday to have reception all evening, and that the Grammy’s were on the only station I get! S

And all I’m doing today is trying to stay warm! My heating systems are not functioning well, but I’m working on it!

Could be interesting weather Sat. nite – Sun

This is what NOAA has to say: ” LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM CURRENTLY DEVELOPING IN THE GULF OF ALASKA WILL PUSH TOWARDS NORTHERN CALIFORNIA … BRINGING THIS LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM TO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA BY SATURDAY AFTERNOON. THIS SPELLS A CHANCE OF RAIN BEGINNING IN THE NORTH BAY LATE AFTERNOON. AS THE LOW CONTINUES TO MOVE SOUTH RAIN WILL PUSH TOWARDS MONTEREY. COOL AIR ASSOCIATED WITH THIS LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL DRIVE SNOW LEVELS DOWN TO AROUND 3500 TO 4000 FEET. THIS WILL RESULT IN SOME SNOW SHOWERS OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN AND WOULDN`T BE SURPRISED IF MT HAMILTON RECEIVES A DUSTING OF SNOW SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY MORNING.”

Woohoo! I could have snow this weekend! I shot some photos of Pitkins and Rain Rocks on Wednesday evening, that I will try to post this afternoon. One is particularly nice. (teaser)