HikeArizona.COM

The endless chatter of weather.

jhodlof wrote:Bring back the sun so I can do stuff outside.

Maybe its because I'm Norwegian, and bad weather is pretty much a part of daily life in Norway, but we live in a pretty advanced society -- we have some impressive clothing options. I actually think doing stuff outside, including hiking, snowshoeing, and skiing can be more fun when its raining or snowing than in sunny weather. There will be no shortage of sun in this state. Enjoy the cloudy days.

But maybe its just me?

I don't mind the clouds, either, although a little sun is nice once in while. Besides, in the NE, cloud cover tends to moderate temps a bit.

I just got back from xc skiing. Pole knoll could use a bit more snow to cover up the iciness. It wasn't bad, mind you, it could just use a little over the top of it. There is still at least 3 feet there. It is very warm today, windy, cloud cover coming over, looks like we will get a little snow out of this own. Hope so.

big_load wrote:in the NE, cloud cover tends to moderate temps a bit.

Thats like living in a rain forest and saying rain makes it a little wetter. It's always cloudy in the NE and temperatures are about as moderate as they get. I do mind the clouds. It's also cloudier here than it is at lower elevation, and for some reason it seems like weekends this year are cloudy and weekdays are not.

jhodlof wrote:Thats like living in a rain forest and saying rain makes it a little wetter. It's always cloudy in the NE and temperatures are about as moderate as they get.

Well, to be more specific, the cloud cover reduces radiative cooling at night. A cloudy night at this time of year brings lows in the 20s, whereas we're more likely to hit single digits under clear skies.

big_load wrote:

jhodlof wrote:Thats like living in a rain forest and saying rain makes it a little wetter. It's always cloudy in the NE and temperatures are about as moderate as they get.

Well, to be more specific, the cloud cover reduces radiative cooling at night. A cloudy night at this time of year brings lows in the 20s, whereas we're more likely to hit single digits under clear skies.

Maybe being in the NW part of the state makes that more significant. In Burlington county it seems like the low seldom ever gets below 20, and that can be from a high of 35 or 40, with or with out cloudy skies (which it almost always seems to be there) the temperature varies so little back east it seems like it never moves at all. Too much water in the atmosphere for my taste. Now, I like that we can have a low of 5 and a high of 55 in Flagstaff, that and a warm sunny day in winter are what makes winter here so nice. Add some deep white snow to the deep blue skies and a mid-January day can actually be really nice for snowshoeing.

Yes, Burlington County is far more governed by the sea and rarely gets the lows possible in the NW highlands. We're even different enough from Morris County that another 800 feet up and 20 more miles inland subtracts 10 degrees and generally worse road conditions. Still, the huge diurnal swings you get in AZ are nearly impossible.

I'm hoping to snowshoe tomorrow, since the ice/slush combination is bad skiing. Someday I',m going to get some waxless skis to see if they perform any better on warm snow, but I just don't feel justified, since the average skiing days per year are so few.

Why is it that southern Arizona keeps getting wet this winter and all we get is clouds with just a light dusting? I just looked at the radar. The valley and points south got wide spread half inch plus totals. Sky Harbor is reporting 7/10 of an inch and Ski Mt Lemmon is reporting a 66 inch base of snow, which is more than Snowbowl. It looks like Flagstaff will finish up the month about an inch under it's mean of 2.56". We are still over for the year due to the one storm last month, but if March doesn't deliver it's going to be like last year really fast.

jhodlof wrote:Why is it that southern Arizona keeps getting wet this el nino winter and all we get is clouds with just a light dusting? I just looked at the radar. The valley and points south got wide spread half inch plus totals. Sky Harbor is reporting 7/10 of an inch and Ski Mt Lemmon is reporting a 66 inch base of snow, which is more than Snowbowl. It looks like Flagstaff will finish up the month about an inch under it's mean of 2.56". We are still over for the year due to the one storm last month, but if March doesn't deliver it's going to be like last year really fast.

We're still slightly ahead of last year. I remember hiking in Oak Creek Canyon last March and there wasn't any snow to be found. Right now there is quite a bit down in the canyon, especially on the north faces. Still, you're right, we do need another good dump. It needs to get it over already because I'm ready for warm weather, damn it!

According to the NWS, Flagstaff picked up nearly 6/10ths of an inch of precipitation overnight, all of it snow. It must have been really wet and started to melt as soon as the sun came up, because the snow I have is right around 2 inches. Snowbowl reports 6 to 12". Anyone else get much?

Got rained on last night repeatedly. Cedar Mesa was snowy yesterday, and I'm sure they got another dusting from this storm as well.

Only looks like a couple inches at Ft. Valley. But it does look pretty wet with how its caking the trees. I'm attaching the webcam picture because its a really cool timing shot with the bird just flying away with a fresh snack!

Nah, but I think Sunrise did get some this morning and yesterday. This morning I could see it snowing over by Water Canyon, and yesterday afternoon, my daughter said it was snowing at Sunrise. Good thing, too, because the runs are getting icy.

Sunny here today, very spring-like, which in Springerville also means a lot of wind. On the north side of my house I have had a pile of snow for months, and it is really starting to shrink! When it is all gone, then it will really be spring!

Oddly, there are pockets around our valley where the deciduous trees get leaves earlier. This is a matter of a few blocks here, and a random few blocks over there--no rhyme nor reason. I will have to go over to one of those areas and see if there are any leaves showing!

It is almost time to change the title of this thread again!

Sprinkling right now here in Page.

We had some more snow, but aside from the existing snow pack on which there was accumulation, it seemed to melt everywhere. We may get some more overnight, and then some more in the week before it turns warm and sunny for next weekend. Hopefully, it will stay nice until the 22nd or so. I'm still hoping for a bug dump in the last third of the month. What we really need is a big storm like we had in January. Probably won't happen, though. Then it can melt off and I can rename the thread for the 2010 monsoon!

We've had some very light snowfall overnight, and it is continuing to fall lightly, with very little build-up due to the temperature. Roadways are not showing white. I wish it were more--I like it when we have a school delay (I drive a bus) so that I can get more homework done. I'm a morning person...

chumley wrote:Only looks like a couple inches at Ft. Valley. But it does look pretty wet with how its caking the trees. I'm attaching the webcam picture because its a really cool timing shot with the bird just flying away with a fresh snack!

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Great picture!!!

Still drizzling here...been like that for about 12 hours or more. Very wet - I've already gotten almost 3/4 of an inch of rain at my place, and all with these little, drippy drizzles. Fun. Made soup and grilled cheese last night. mmmmm.....

Sunny all day here!

3/4 inch of rain at my place in North Phx between Sunday and this afternoon.