Dash Camera Note

One thing about having a dashboard camera on your truck, is you get an opportunity to review your driving mistakes. Last week driving back from Kaaterskill Falls, I had to slam on my brakes when I suddenly came up against stopped traffic in Catskill during rush hour. I didn’t see the stopped car in front of me until I was rapidly approaching it. While I stopped in plenty of time, I wanted to know why I didn’t see the stopped car in front of me until I had to rapidly apply the brakes. I normally try to avoid hitting the brakes hard in my truck.

It turns outΒ I was running a yellow light to try to save some time,Β or because I was distracted looking at the Christmas lights or the scenery along US 9W/NY 23A in Catskill. Whether or not I should have stopped for yellow was debatable — the light had just turned — but I really should have not only been focused on speeding through the light but what was ahead of me a half of block. I should have also been driving a little bit slower with the traffic, so I could have safe distance to stop.

Driving can be a challenge, and human attention can be limited, but I like being able to review my driving experience later.

Cole Hill In Berne.

I didn't have HDR turned on during this shoot but it was still pretty going up Cole Hill.

December 29, 2016 8 AM Update

One of the last days I’ll be taking the express bus downtown this year. Like so many Americans I’ll be glad that it’s over, although it’s been a hell of a year and really not that bad all things considered. Still gray out there, although sometime between getting up at seven and now we’ve gotten a dusting of snow on the sidewalks. Still about one degree below freezing but we will have to watch and see how long it will remain below freezing. Thirty-five and snow turning to rain and slop later.Β  Listening to Joan Baez’s Sweet Sir Galahad, the song that made Baez famous after her Woodstock performance in 1969.

Today’s forecast is expected to pretty similar to last year. On that day one year ago weΒ rain, snow and also a high of 35 degrees. The record high of 71 was set in 1984. 6 inches of snow fell back in 1915. We won’t break that record today at least in the city. The more things change the more things stay the same. Why reinvent what is good in America?Β 

The sun will set at 4:31 pm with dusk around 5:02 pm, which is 47 seconds later than yesterday. By then it should be a winter wonderland but I’m not sure how much it will stick on the roads.Β Today will have 9 hours and 5 minutes of daylight, an increase of 37 seconds over yesterday.

Tonight will have a chance of rain and snow before 10pm, then a slight chance of snow between 10pm and 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low of 31 degrees at 5am. 14 degrees above normal. West wind 8 to 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible. In 2015, it got down to 35 degrees with periods of rain. The record low of -21 occurred back in 1933.

While the president is expected to be moving out of the White House over the next few days, there ateΒ 3 weeks until Obama’s Last Full Day when the sun will be setting at 4:53 pm with dusk at 5:23 pm. Then it will be Donald Trump’s America. Definitely a new era in our country’s history. I know a lot of people are excited about the change, but I’ll let take a wait and see approach to the change. On that day in 2016, we had snow and temperatures between 23 and 13 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 30 degrees. We hit a record high of 62 back in 1929.

December 29, 2016 7 AM Update

Good morning! Are you ready for the snow?  Another very dark morning around 31 degrees in Delmar. There is a south-southeast breeze at 7 mph. The current wind chill is 18. There is just to the east of us, it should be here in the next hour. Not a big snow event with it turning to rain but the timing and expected winds may impact evening commutes especially outside of the city. 

Snow starts around eight or so and will continue to snow until 11am, then rain mixes in. High of 35 degrees at 1pm. Three degrees above normal. Southeast wind 6 to 11 mph becoming light in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Total daytime snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible. Not a big deal but roads could be slippery for the evening commute if the mercury drops below freezing.