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16 April 2008

Still more of The Death of Frosty.

DoF = Creation + 3 days

Sometime this morning, Frosty went through the snowman equivalent of the French Revolution and lost his head!

Today's pictures of Frosty have been added to my Picasa album The Death of Frosty. A thick cloud cover has left everything looking dreary and grey, today's pictures are a little dimmer than from previous days.

It was a sunny and warm morning, but a cold front moved through around noon and brought clouds for the rest of the day. No precipitation accompanied the front, but it will knock our temps back to average for this time of year.

I measured 9.4" of snow on the ground at 17:56. It varies from 0 to 20" throughout the yard. My high temp today was a tenth of a degree above yesterday, at 59.9 degrees, after a morning low of 45.1. Dew points have risen over the last three days by 30 degrees, 42 currently.



I took this video from the middle of my front yard, close to where I take most of my snow measurements. The video shows the large snowbank off the edge of the deck, a snow-free area under some trees on the lawn's edge, Frosty says "Hi", the deeper snow along the treeline, bushes on the south side of the house, and ending back at the deck.

Almost spring on the hill.

I found a few bunches of daffodils sprouting up in the snow-free area under some trees in the front yard. I was surprised to find them over 4 inches tall already!

The snow should continue to recede the next few days, with more and more lawn and flower beds becoming exposed.

After today's cold front, the forecast calls for 53 tomorrow, 51 on Friday, and 49 on Saturday. A warm-up then takes us higher for Sunday and Monday. Between Sunday and Tuesday we may have a chance of some thunder and passing rain showers. A threat of below-freezing weather then follows as an upper-level low passes by on Tuesday.

Snow depth across the region.

This map (to the left) shows estimated snow depth from the NORHSC around western Lake Superior as of this morning.

The higher elevation of the Arrowhead of Minnesota seems to have the most snow sticking around yet. The high terrain of Wisconsin and the UP still has some deep snow yet too, but certain areas have little or none, like the sand plain around Ashland.

7 comments:

  1. How long has it been since we made that (friendly) bet? I think I'm going to win with 8 days.

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  2. Hold your horses Scout! Your guess of 8 days brought you to April 21st. You've got a few days to go :)

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  3. Awesome! Awesome! Awesome!

    How sweet it is to know I have no idea how fast snow melts when the temperatures soar above 50F. I should have went with my gut feel. I have data to look through and I know that it doesn't take very long for a 15" snow pack to melt. I decided to change my guess thinking that perhaps the area was similar to where my Mother's house is in Suamico, WI. Turns out it is and it turns out I have no idea about how fast snow melts. :)

    Nathan... great report! Thanks for keeping your readers in the loop! It is great fun.

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  4. No worries, my guess is only a shot in the dark, so many variables to calculate on something a little abstract.

    I am sorry, however, that Frosty isn't doing well. As of nightfall, I think his left arm isn't attached by much, morning's light will reveal the gory details.

    Temperatures will be a notch or two cooler the next few days, hopefully his torso can hang in there a little while longer. I'll be sad to see him go. NOT! As if I want the snow to stick around?!? Hahahaha.

    I'm ready for 80 degrees and green grass/trees!! That's probably jumping the gun :)

    I'm glad you guys are following my crazy project with so much enthusiasm. I'll look back on this in the sweltering heat/humidity of July and laugh!

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  5. Yeah, your frosty is the awesomisteristeist thing I have seen in a long time. Wish I would have thought of it. SWEET!

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  6. What kind of word is that? Good lord where do these people come from?

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  7. Keep an eye on thoughs daffodils! they will be blooming very soon! glad to see the spring has sprung in the north!

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