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Winter 2006-07 Got Off to a Late Start, and Was Erratic |
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Winter 2006-07 Got Off to a Late Start, and Was Erratic |
| "Winter" did not really begin until the third week of January 2007. Temperatures were extremely warm (50+ F!) through most of December and January. Those of us who like winter weather (and particularly snow for skiing) took some comfort from historical data that almost all of the warmest Decembers have been followed by the snowiest Februarys. | ||
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(Click on any picture to see it larger.)
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We finally received snow on January 23, 2007. The snow was "lake effect" snow, rather than "storm" snow. "Lake effect" snow is moisture that evaporates from the (relatively) warm water of the lake, and then falls as snow on the cooler land areas downwind of the lake. We received about 12 inches at our house, but places farther from the lake shore received less, until the airport received only about 4 inches. We received some more snow in the first few days of February. The air temperatue was appropriately cold. That's 10.6 F. But, Rochesterians still go to work and other activities. Just move the snow aside, spread some salt and sand on the road (sand needed at temperatures below about 15 F because salt doesn't melt the snow and ice at such low temperatues). |
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The national news media took note that Oswego (on the lakeshore about 60 miles east of us) and Mexico (a bit southeast of Oswego) received about 10 feet of snow over about 5 days. Even for those towns that are used to receiving a lot of snow, that was overwhelming. They were running out of space into which to put the snow removed from roads and walkways. The vagaries of the wind patterns put the snow there, without much on the Rochester area.
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But then on Valentine's Day, we got "storm" snow. The snow totals around the area are much more consistent for "storm" snow than for "lake effect" snow. Most areas received about 24 - 30 inches of snow. With that amount of snow, many people decided against going about their normal activities. David did go to work, and actually had very little problem doing so, as there were few cars out. The next day was the difficult day, because most people did try to go about their normal activities, and there was still some snow on the roads. Here is our "winter wonderland." We hire a man with a plow blade on his pickup truck to clear our driveway. He has built some substantial walls of snow on both sides of the driveway. The pile on the east (right) side of the driveway is almost taller than the mailbox. All the snow piles at the sides of driveways and the sides of roads make seeing traffic around corners a bit challenging.
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| Genesee Country Village is
the third largest "living history" village in the United
States (after Williamsburg in Virginia and Henry Ford Village in
Michigan). Genesee Country Village is a bit southwest of Rochester. The
Village is generally closed in the winter, though the wooded trails at
the Nature Center are open for snow shoeing and cross-country skiing.
David likes to go over there when there's good snow.
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| On a few weekends of the winter, people are permitted to walk or ski the quiet streets of the village. The buildings remain closed, but it is nice to see the village in the snow, and experience the quiet. The hedges of a formal garden make an interesting series of snow mounds. | ||
In what strikes me as one of the odder winter features, the ice fishers can get their live bait from a vending machine! We don’t have the elaborate fishing villages built on the ice that they do on some Minnesota lakes. People just go out with a stool, or sometimes a tent to protect against the wind. |
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