Winter Weather Alert

It looks as if winter has finally arrived.  I got this weather alert email this morning.

WARNING

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT


NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA
801 PM PST SUN FEB 12 2012


...A SERIES OF COLD WINTER STORMS TO IMPACT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THIS WEEK...

SEVERAL WINTER STORMS ARE POISED TO IMPACT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THIS WEEK WITH PERIODS OF RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOW...GUSTY WINDS AND COLD WEATHER.

THE FIRST STORM WILL BRING LIGHT PRECIPITATION AS EARLY AS MONDAY MORNING AS IT APPROACHES FROM THE NORTH. RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOW WILL BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING WITH THE COLD FRONT. RAINFALL IS EXPECTED TO BE LIGHT TO OCCASIONALLY MODERATE WITH A TENTH TO A QUARTER INCH WEST OF THE MOUNTAINS. UPWARDS OF A HALF INCH IS EXPECTED OVER THE MOUNTAINS WHERE SNOW WILL FALL ABOVE 5000 FEET. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE SAN BERNARDINO MOUNTAINS FOR 4 TO 9 INCHES OF SNOW. HIGH WIND WARNINGS AND WIND ADVISORIES ARE I N EFFECT FOR THE MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS MONDAY...AND A GALE WARNING WILL BE IN EFFECT OVER THE COASTAL WATERS.


THIS FIRST STORM WILL MOVE EAST ON TUESDAY AND THE PRECIP WILL TAPER OFF DURING THE DAY. A SECOND STORM WILL APPROACH THE AREA WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. MOISTURE WILL BE LIMITED WITH THIS SECOND SYSTEM...AND PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS ARE STILL BEING DETERMINED. HOWEVER...IT WILL BRING ANOTHER SURGE OF COLD AIR AND GUSTY NORTHERLY WINDS INTO THE REGION WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING.


A BREAK IN THE WEATHER FOLLOWS WITH DRY WEATHER AND OFFSHORE FLOW THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND FRIDAY...BUT THE LONG RANGE MODELS SHOW THE POTENTIAL FOR A THIRD WINTER STORM NEXT SUNDAY OR MONDAY.

So if you are traveling up or down the mountain today, take the necessary precautions.  As of 10 am, there is no snow and it is not raining presently.  It is cold and foggy though. 

Snow Fall Totals

I was asked to post snow fall totals here on the blog and I think that is a great idea.  So each time it snows, I will do that.  As I said in my previous post, it is snowing as I type today, however, it really isn't sticking to the roads at this point.  They are wet at this point, but that is about it.  If you have any questions about weather conditions or road conditions, I have posted a pretty conclusive list of places to get that information on the left side of the blog.  Just scroll down to where it says websites of interest. 

I know when you are off the hill it is sometimes hard to get accurate information about what is going on up here weather wise.  I hope these links are helpful as are my posts.  As always, it is best not to be out driving during a storm if it can be helped.  But if you do find yourself having to go out, it is best to be as prepared as possible.

Winter Weather Ahead

The official start of winter is still over a week away, but no matter what the calendar says, it is here now.  Snow is falling as I type and I have heard all sorts of wild predictions.  Everything from 1/2 of an inch of snow up to 20 inches.  I always say to prepare for the worst and hope for the best.  Emergency preparations are never a waste of time in my book.  I don't think anyone can be too prepared. 

As we go around our homes preparing for winter weather and storms, lets not forget out pets and animals that are outside.  Bring pets indoors when ever possible.  If you can't bring them indoors with you, perhaps you could put them in a garage or other protected area of your home.   If your pet must stay outdoors for some reason, please be a responsible owner and make sure that your pet has an adequate, clean, dry shelter complete with bedding such as straw and a few old rugs or blankets for warmth.  These suggestions also apply if your pet is in an unheated space such as a garage or basement.  Be sure they have plenty of fresh, clean food and water as well.  Many outdoor pets enjoy something warm to eat as well.

It is also important to provide clean, dry, draft free shelters for other animals you may keep outside as well.  Many animals, such as chickens, goats and horses, do fine in cold weather as long as they stay dry and draft free.  They too also enjoy some hot water on these cold, snowy days.  It helps warm them up from the inside out.

The CDC has some great information on their website about preparing for winter storms.  Here is a link to their site and I will put it in the side bar as well.

http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/winter/takesteps/

Please take some time to read over their site and make sure that you, your pets, your home and your car are prepared to deal with what ever Old Man Winter throws out at us.

Snowy Thanksgiving

Another storm moved through yesterday and left us with a few inches of snow.  Looks like it is going to be a white Thanksgiving this year.  More rain/snow if forecast for Thanksgiving Day, so if you are traveling, please drive carefully.  And remember, many times it is the other drivers on the road that are causing the hazards, so stay alert and go slow.  Better to get where you are going a little late, than not at all. 

Monday Musings

August is here!  Wow, where is the time going?  Wasn't it just the 4th of July the other day?  Well, we still have lots of summer concerts and the Jazz Festival to look forward to before we head into Labor Day weekend.  July went out spectacularly.  What a lovely, rainy weekend.  While I didn't get any painting done on my shed, I can't complain.  The rain was well worth putting off the painting for another week. It will probably take me until Christmas time to get it done anyway.  The rain was a good excuse for staying inside and napping!  I did do some inside chores, but I also took the liberty of goofing off as well.  I just love waking up to a cloudy, rainy morning and it puts me in a good mood for the remainder of the day. 

This morning as I walked to work, everything looked so refreshed.  I think most of the pine pollen has now been washed away, as I saw very little of it during this storm.  The last storm that came through created yellow rivers and puddles, due to the large amount of pine pollen that had settled onto everything.  I noticed the plants and trees all looked extremely happy this morning.  Freshly showered and cooled off, they were standing taller, looking greener and I think some of my trees actually grew over the weekend!  Rain is an amazing gift and it rejuvenates everything living here on the mountain.  The plants and trees  Rain is so incredibly refreshing during the summer.  I tire easily of the heat and the dryness.  But the rain brings a coolness to the air that is invigorating and I think plants, animals and humans are grateful for the break from the unrelenting sunshine. 

We have a couple more chances for rain this week and I do hope they pan out.  Here in southern California, I don't think we can have too much rain in the summer time.  At least not in my opinion.

Are you ready?

They are calling for more snow on Friday night.  I don't know if I am ready for more just yet, but ready or not, it will come and I can't do a thing about it.  How about you? Are you ready for more snow so soon after this last storm?   Luckily, my misery is eased by the fact that all this snow will melt into the ground and provide water for a the trees and hopefully our wells, which is a very good thing!

So when I am outside trying to shovel out a path for my little dogs so they don't sink down into the snow and disappear, I try to tell myself I am really watering the pine tree next to the path where I am shoveling.  It doesn't make the shoveling any easier, but it does make it a more satisfying activity knowing that the snow I am piling up on the ground will eventually melt, soak into the ground and go to the tree roots.  Keeping this in mind makes me a little more of an enthusiastic shoveler!  So as this next storm approaches, I will try to keep in mind how much we need the moisture and I will try not to complain, no matter how cold it gets and no matter how high we have to pile up the snow!

Monday Musings on Tuesday

If you recall my post from last Friday, I mentioned that I had seen two weather reports with varying snow amounts predicted.  One was calling for 4 inches and another one said about a foot.  Well, they were both wrong!  About 18 inches actually fell here in Pine Cove.  Wow!  Does the saying when it rains it pours, apply to snow as well?  After several dry weeks this winter, this is a welcome sight.  I hope you were all prepared.  One good thing is that they seemed to get the roads cleaned off very quickly this time.  There didn't seem to be any waiting around for the plow to come down the street.  That was a good thing!

So we will have a few days of sun before the next storm comes through.  They are calling for a possibility of snow this coming weekend.  That will give us a chance to get dug out from this last storm.  I am hoping some of this melts off, otherwise I may not be able to see out of my windows! 

As always, if you have any pictures you would like to see posted here, just email them to me at PCWD2675@yahoo.com and I will post them.  We love to see what is happening around Pine Cove, especially after a big snow.  So don't be shy, send your pictures in.

It's Snowing!

I was surprised to see it snowing this morning. I heard it rain during the night and thought that was all we would get. However, when I looked out the window it was snowing. It has now turned to rain but not before leaving a dusting of white. Perfect weather to put you in the Christmas spirit!

If you are going to be out driving, please be careful. Wet, slick roads mixed with fog can spell trouble for mountain drivers. If you are planning to come up the hill for the holidays, please be sure to check road conditions and weather reports prior to heading out. Make sure you have all the necessary equipment for driving in snow or rain. Don't let being unprepared put a damper on you mountain visit.

As always, please be mindful of your pets in this weather. Please provide an adequate shelter for any animal you keep outside. Dry bedding that helps keep them warm is greatly appreciated. Fresh food and water daily is a must. A healthy animal is better able to withstand the harsh weather than one that is not in his prime. If your pet has a condition like arthritis, please consider keeping them indoors if possible. Remember it is your responsibility to provide for your pet's needs.

Don't forget to go to our website at www.pcwd.org and check out our webcam. You can see what is happening with the weather on our real time weather webcam.

More Rain!

According to the weather station, we have received 1.14 inches of rain so far in October! This is great. 4 days into the month and we have over an inch of rain on the ground. Saturday's storm was fairly heavy and at my house we even got some hail. More rain is a possibility this week.

Now might be a good time to get out the old umbrellas and rain coats and make sure they are in good condition as we slowly move into the autumn and winter months. And remember to drive carefully if you find yourself on the road during one of these downpours. I had to drive to Hemet on Friday afternoon and there were times when my windshield wipers could not keep up with the pouring rain. Also remember to slow down as rain can make the roads very slick. Better to get where you are going a little late, than to not get there at all.

We hope you are enjoying these pleasant cool days and the refreshing rain showers. Hopefully, we will be blessed with many more rain storms over the next several months. Stay dry and stay safe!