Seasons

Cold start

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It looks like it only got down to 15 last night. But no big warm up today, the high will barely reach 27 later with the wind making it feel around zero. ⛄Some sunshine though.

The truth is that it’s not all that uncommon for January but odd to be hitting this early. Like every cough of a smoker, one could blame the wavy jet steam and the polar vortex dipping so far south on climate change but I think that’s unfair and unscientific.

But in a week there should be a definite warming trend. Winters just ain’t as cold as they once were in Albany.

Snow?

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I am increasingly concerned that we might be getting snow Thursday into Friday. This may require a re-evaluation of the weekend plans, as I don’t want to head far into the backcountry and have to deal with icy roads. I might end up heading up to NY 8 and doing something off that way. Only time will tell…

Icy Potomac Road

October 22, 2019 – Next Sixteen Weeks

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During the second half of October, the weather gets much cooler with much earlier sunsets. Winter starts creeping in, and within a few weeks we might even have a big snow storm. But still we have a few weeks in Albany before freezing becomes the norm most nights.

Week Date Dawn Sun-
rise		 Sun-
set		 Dusk Day Avg High Avg Low Record Hi Record Low
0 Oct 22 6:47 am 7:16 am 6:02 pm 6:31 pm 10:46 57 38 86 (1979) 20 (1959)
1 Oct 29 6:56 am 7:25 am 5:52 pm 6:21 pm 10:27 55 36 77 (1946) 19 (1969)
2 Nov 5 6:04 am 6:33 am 4:43 pm 5:13 pm 10:09 52 34 75 (1994) 17 (1951)
3 Nov 12 6:12 am 6:42 am 4:35 pm 5:05 pm 9:53 49 33 68 (1909) 15 (1976)
4 Nov 19 6:20 am 6:51 am 4:29 pm 5:00 pm 9:38 47 31 71 (1921) 12 (1972)
5 Nov 26 6:28 am 6:59 am 4:25 pm 4:56 pm 9:25 44 29 67 (1979) -11 (1938)
6 Dec 3 6:35 am 7:07 am 4:22 pm 4:53 pm 9:14 41 26 63 (2009) -1 (1976)
7 Dec 10 6:42 am 7:14 am 4:21 pm 4:53 pm 9:07 38 23 64 (1966) -4 (1902)
8 Dec 17 6:47 am 7:19 am 4:22 pm 4:54 pm 9:03 35 21 59 (1984) -8 (1942)
9 Dec 24 6:51 am 7:23 am 4:26 pm 4:58 pm 9:03 33 18 72 (2015) -15 (1989)
10 Dec 31 6:53 am 7:25 am 4:31 pm 5:03 pm 9:06 32 16 53 (1984) -21 (1933)
11 Jan 7 6:53 am 7:24 am 4:37 pm 5:09 pm 9:12 31 15 56 (1915) -12 (1878)
12 Jan 14 6:51 am 7:22 am 4:45 pm 5:16 pm 9:22 30 14 66 (1932) -24 (1957)
13 Jan 21 6:48 am 7:19 am 4:53 pm 5:24 pm 9:34 30 14 61 (2006) -18 (1994)
14 Jan 28 6:43 am 7:13 am 5:02 pm 5:32 pm 9:49 31 15 56 (1916) -16 (2005)
15 Feb 4 6:36 am 7:06 am 5:11 pm 5:41 pm 10:05 32 15 61 (1991) -13 (1978)
16 Feb 11 6:28 am 6:57 am 5:21 pm 5:50 pm 10:23 34 17 59 (1981) -18 (1962)

November On Old Erie Canal Trail

November

Hazy December Day

West

Cold and Wet Today

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Today sure would be a cold and dreary day if I was out camping. I would probably stay out in the wilderness, as it beats being home, hiding out under a tarp or in the tent, with a book, reading and studying. I’d be next to the Big Buddy Heater, and probably would bake some bread and cook up some stew to eat. The wilderness represents freedom, even if sometimes freedom is cold and raw.

The latest 8-14 day outlook looks like we might end up getting fairly warm and less wet weather, although it gives a 33% chance of above normal precipitation.  I am sure hopeful, it’s been a long and tiresome time working out here in Syracuse. I need to get away. But regardless I’m saving for a better tomorrow, when eventually I’ll have a place with a nice solid roof, and a toasty warm wood stove, located in the wilderness for days like today.

Festive in the Rain

The Plastic Pumpkin

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Meet The Mascot Of Our Broken World: The Plastic Pumpkin

"Jack-o’-lantern season is here, and if you have $23.49 to spare you could always get yourself a styrofoam pumpkin from Walmart to truly bring the horror of Halloween to life. You’ll need to be fast though; the orange version has already sold out online. Fake pumpkins seem to be everywhere. 🎃 Dollar Tree has a styrofoam range that you can “cut, carve, paint, and add props to.” And Target is offering an $8 carve-your-own plastic pumpkin with “highlights” including its compatibility with most pumpkin carving kits."

"Truth is, there’s something else that fits these descriptions: a natural pumpkin." 🎃

BOMBOGENESIS

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BOMBOGENESIS

Bombogenesis is cyclogenesis taken to the extreme. Bombogenesis is defined as a mid-latitude cyclone that drops in surface barometric pressure by 24 or more millibars in a 24-hour period. The height contours pack around the center of rotation and the number of height contours increases rapidly in the developing stages. The most common time of the year for bombogenesis to occur is in the cool season (October to March) when the temperature gradient is large between the high and mid-latitudes. Bombogenesis typically occurs between a cold continental air mass and warm ocean waters or between a cold polar air mass and a much warmer air mass. Many Nor-easters are the product of bombs. The contrast in temperature between polar air spilling over the eastern U.S. and the warm Gulf Stream waters sets the stage for cyclogenesis on the boundary between these air masses.