Snow on the mind.........

Now that we are heading toward the New Year and the real part of winter I've got something on my mind. Snow! How much will we get this year? How cold will it be?
Already we are aware winter has started stronger then years past. The Metro dome in Minneapolis collapsed due to the weight of a record setting snowfall there. Along Lake Superior we are off to a good start. According to NOAA we are in a LA Nina pattern.That means more moisture and cold then average meaning more snow. Great for winter sports and scenery. A friend in Scotland sent a picture of his driveway area after their record setting snowfall recently. They too are having some unexpected heavy snow. Bring it on I say, if it's going to be winter make it a REAL winter.

Full Moon

Happy Holiday!

"Before going to bed
After a fall of snow
I look out on the field
Shining there in the moonlight
So calm, untouched and white
Snow silence fills my head
After I leave the window.

Hours later near dawn
When I look down again
The whole landscape has changed
The perfect surface gone
Criss-crossed and written on
where the wild creatures ranged
while the moon rose and shone.

why did my dog not bark?
Why did I hear no sound
There on the snow-locked ground
In the tumultuous dark?

How much can come, how much can go
When the December moon is bright,
What worlds of play we'll never know
Sleeping away the cold white night
After a fall of snow."
- May Sarton, December Moon

Snow for Christmas

The live cam down at Canal Park shows a very grey scene today. It says a white Christmas is coming. The sky says nothing but snow to me. Which is what the north is all about.I'm sure somebody is getting skis for Christmas!

Copper Harbor Christmas

When it comes to lighting a Christmas tree Copper Harbor Michigan does it right. Not only do they light up the tree, they light up the sky as well. A wonderful village at the tip of the Keweenaw Copper Harbor is open all winter for X-Country Skiing and Snowmobiling. Or snowshoeing,sightseeing or downhill skiing! The Keweenaw Mountain Lodge is now open in the winter as well. Two restaurants on the Main street are open all winter. Mariner and the Pines.

http://www.copperharbor.org/

From the paper:
-----------------------------
Daily Mining Gazette/David Archambeau

Fireworks, a bonfire and Christmas lights are shown at the fourth annual Christmas tree lighting and bonfire at Grant Township Park outside the community building in Copper Harbor. Between 50,000 and 60,000 lights were lit and a crowd came to watch the events.

Holiday Season

Downtown Grand Marais is looking festive, some shopping at the Trading Post and lunch at the Blue Water Cafe sure sounds pleasant doesn't it? The view from a booth of the harbor is my favorite. Always interesting people coming and going and all friendly. That is my experience when visiting. If your fond of X-Country Skiing the snow is deep and trails are groomed. The report from the Cascade Lodge is that trails are excellent.

Where is the snow and ice?

I never get tired of looking at Satellite shots of Lake Superior. They are fascinating. Where is the snow and what bays are frozen? You can see the inner harbor of the Twin Ports is frozen and Chequamegon bay also frozen over. There have been some very cold nights. Everywhere in the north land has snow cover. The last time Lake Superior was completely frozen over was the winter of 2002-2003 I believe? Correct me please if I'm wrong! The top picture was 2008-09 in which the lake was just about frozen over but not quite. A open area is visible along the Eastern side of the Keweenaw. I do however recall the winter of 1979 which was brutal and the lake was completely frozen over. To this day friends and I talk about working outside in the winter of 1979 when we were young and dumb enough to work outside.

Weekend storm brings more then snow

The end of last October a big low pressure system brought huge waves to Grand Marais Mn. This time the wind was blowing from the north and hitting Marquette Mi. breakwater. This is a good wave watching spot as the waves hit this breakwater quite often. It was howling this weekend on the open lake.

A snow event followed by a cold event

One thing that goes with the Lake Superior Region more then anything else is weather.
When you’re near the big lake you think weather, you can’t look at the big lake without thinking about wind and waves. And in the winter its snow and wind chill values. Another storm is approaching for the weekend. First comes the snow of various depths depending where you are near the lake. Second comes the wind chill on Sunday night into the next week. Cold we haven’t seen for awhile as recent winters have been mild. This is weather that makes you think of winters past. Its early in the winter and I’m still looking forward to snow and storms. I think by the time we reach February that will likely change.

Saturday:
Windy...snow. Areas of blowing snow. Snow may be heavy at times. Snow accumulation of 5 to 10 inches. Highs 20 to 25. Northeast winds 20 to 30 mph.
Saturday night:
Windy. Mostly cloudy. Snow showers likely in the evening...then scattered snow showers after midnight. Areas of blowing snow through the night. Snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches. Total snow accumulation 7 to 18 inches. Lows 1 below to 4 above zero. North winds 15 to 25 mph...except north 25 to 35 mph near Lake Superior. Chance of snow 70 percent. Lowest wind chill readings 15 below to 25 below zero after midnight.

Grey is beautiful

Tonight's Grand Marais live cam looks very grey and lonely. But I like it alot, grey can be very beautiful. It really has a feeling to it. It says winter and change. The light looks pretty lonely out there on the breakwater.

Northern Minnesota?

Where is this? Where is Waldo? This photo looks like it was taken in Northern Minnesota if you consider the snow depth. Perhaps near Eagle Mountain? Not really of course, it was taken today in Northern Scotland. They have been getting very unusual winter weather that hasn't occurred since 1966. Some areas got a foot of snow. That is a friend who now lives there and once used to enjoy the Gunflint Trail with his Grandfather on East Bearskin Lake. That is the connection to Minnesota and Lake Superior.

Where are we?

You could play the Where is Waldo game with pictures around Lake Superior. I'm sure there are folks out there that can guess right away where pictures are taken as they are so educated about lake Superior. These shots were taken in Copper Harbor Michigan on Hunter's Point. Purchased and protected by donations this point of land is a real gem. Yes you can search for rocks. Protected from development it's a nice addition to the Copper Harbor's list of things to do.

Trails go out to the point and you can view Lake Superior to the north and Copper Harbor across the harbor. How long did it take for the waves to wear that concave shape into that very hard rock? I'm guessing the entire 11,000 years since the glaciers melted. Of course the lake level was much higher so waves weren't hitting this rock all that time. But you get the idea. For more information I found this interesting site:

http://www.lakesuperiorstreams.org/understanding/geology.html