Pine Grosbeaks in NE

[jbrumberg]

To ALL especially Dougster:

Although the major weather services are forecasting a warm January and February, Mother Nature is sending different signals. I have been a bird watcher for many years (since the pterodactyls) and recently I have seen some birds that are very uncommon around thses parts- Pine Grosbeaks. They normally reside in the northern ranges of Canada. Maybe they have migrated south due to what they are experiencing up in Canada. Hopefully that weather will come this way Now I am on the look out for snow buntings and snowy owls (I have seen them around here on rare ocassions.). Sunday into Monday- snow to sleet to freezing rain in western NE; same for Tuesday into Wednesday. It will be wetter in eastern NE . Jay

 

[Dougster]

To ALL especially Dougster:

Although the major weather services are forecasting a warm January and February, Mother Nature is sending different signals. I have been a bird watcher for many years (since the pterodactyls) and recently I have seen some birds that are very uncommon around thses parts- Pine Grosbeaks. They normally reside in the northern ranges of Canada. Maybe they have migrated south due to what they are experiencing up in Canada. Hopefully that weather will come this way Now I am on the look out for snow buntings and snowy owls (I have seen them around here on rare ocassions.). Sunday into Monday- snow to sleet to freezing rain in western NE; same for Tuesday into Wednesday. It will be wetter in eastern NE . Jay

Some green money next week would be VERY cool Jay! I am still a bit worried about Sunday late afternoon and Sunday night. Looks like I should change my plans and head for home right after the concert in Hartford instead of visiting the old folks in Springfield. Nothing worse than not being able to get back home to the plow once my trigger point has been met.

Dougster

 

[jbrumberg]

Dougster:

Out of curiosity- what is you trigger point for plowing? I have not looked at a weather chart since around 7:00 AM. I will take a look and get back to you as to potential timing and what I thnk is going to happen. This storm is starting to look more wet than frozen . Jay

 

[Dougster]

Dougster:

Out of curiosity- what is you trigger point for plowing? I have not looked at a weather chart since around 7:00 AM. I will take a look and get back to you as to potential timing and what I thnk is going to happen. This storm is starting to look more wet than frozen . Jay

Residential trigger points are all over the place depending on where you live. In my particular neighborhood (Route 495 area SW of Boston) it is normally 2 inches... while I have seen as high as 4" and 6" posted for some providers in very snowy regions of the country. Commercial, of course, can be as low as 1/2 inch.

Dougster

 

[Doc]

We have snow on the ground here in SE Ohio. The ground has been covered for 3+ days now. it's warming up today, so I expect it will be gone by later tonight or tomorrow. It's been a year (last December) since we had snow last this long.
Last winter Novenber and December were more winter like than January and February. I wonder if mother nature will continue that trend. It wouldn't bother me a bit if it did. I'm having two roofs replaced and new siding put on due to hail damage from last Sept.

 

[Dougster]

We have snow on the ground here in SE Ohio. The ground has been covered for 3+ days now. it's warming up today, so I expect it will be gone by later tonight or tomorrow. It's been a year (last December) since we had snow last this long.
Last winter Novenber and December were more winter like than January and February. I wonder if mother nature will continue that trend. It wouldn't bother me a bit if it did. I'm having two roofs replaced and new siding put on due to hail damage from last Sept.

I guess the bottom line for me is that if we are to have another snowless winter here in SE MA... then please God, at least let it be warm!!! Having the double whammy of no snow (read: no income) and very cold temperatures (read: mucho $$$ going out for heating oil) would be a real killer.

Dougster

 

[jbrumberg]

Dougster:

I just got through looking at some weather maps. I would not be surprised if snow started around 1:00 PM tomorrow. It appears the snow/sleet line is pretty far south of Springfield, MA at 1:00 PM. I only wish the dip in the jet stream was farther East. You would have made some serious coin if that was the case. Jay

 

[Dougster]

Dougster:

I just got through looking at some weather maps. I would not be surprised if snow started around 1:00 PM tomorrow. It appears the snow/sleet line is pretty far south of Springfield, MA at 1:00 PM. I only wish the dip in the jet stream was farther East. You would have made some serious coin if that was the case. Jay

All I care about right now is my ability to get home from Hartford after that afternoon Christmas concert. From what you are saying, it could be a rough ride home.

Dougster

 

[Dougster]

Dougster:

I just got through looking at some weather maps. I would not be surprised if snow started around 1:00 PM tomorrow. It appears the snow/sleet line is pretty far south of Springfield, MA at 1:00 PM. I only wish the dip in the jet stream was farther East. You would have made some serious coin if that was the case. Jay

Well Jay, what is your final word???

a) How bad will it get late afternoon and into tonight???... and,

b) Will I have billable, plowable snow to push by tomorrow morning???

Dougster

 

[larryRB]

Well Jay, what is your final word???
a) How bad will it get late afternoon and into tonight???... and,
b) Will I have billable, plowable snow to push by tomorrow morning???
Dougster

not a big deal, maybe dusting to an inch
and no, no billable plowing, sorry

 

[jbrumberg]

Dougster:
I went out and did my snow dance again this morning . It sure feels like snow. It looks more and more that this event will start around dark with snow to sleet to freezing rain tonight, the same mess ending with freezing rain and rain tomorrow. The same thing happens again on Tuesday . It will be wetter towards the south and east . There will be a 100 mile wide band of all snow just north of of MA . You would be better off with a sander for this storm. I really am waiting for snow, but I do not rely on snow for any income. I hope I am wrong. Jay

 

[Dougster]

not a big deal, maybe dusting to an inch
and no, no billable plowing, sorry

Yep... looks like you are right! Nothing but freezing rain so far. Can't plow freezing rain!

We left the Hartford concert early and headed back around 5 PM. The concert (Trans-Siberian Orchestra) was the absolute worst Christmas concert I have ever attended, so we didn't miss much. The first flakes appeared about 5:20 PM on Interstate 84 not far from your palatial lakeside resort. But they quickly disappeared so we stopped for dinner in Sturbridge (the highlight of an otherwise bad day) before heading home on wet roads.

Dougster

 

[Dougster]

You would be better off with a sander for this storm.

Amen Jay. Despite almost no snow last year, the commercial guys with sanders did just fine, thank you. But few residential plowers have sanders. It would make plowing most driveways very dangerous to have such limited vision out the back window. That's for the guys with high-paying commercial accounts and multiple vehicles. And without a good place to store my sand and salt, it's just not practical for me to offer that service.

Dougster

 

[jbrumberg]

And crappy precipitation event was had by all - more of the same for tomorrow . I "blew" this forecast - I saw very little snow at my place, but a lot of freezing rain . It should be an interesting drive to work (1.3 miles). The night staff and I will have to run the place . Jay

 

[Dougster]

And crappy precipitation event was had by all - more of the same for tomorrow . I "blew" this forecast - I saw very little snow at my place, but a lot of freezing rain . It should be an interesting drive to work (1.3 miles). The night staff and I will have to run the place . Jay

Fear not Jay! Every good weather forecaster has had a bad day or three. And your "dance" did work... it was merely the temperature and timing aspects that slipped a little.

Dougster

 

[rlk]

We left the Hartford concert early and headed back around 5 PM. The concert (Trans-Siberian Orchestra) was the absolute worst Christmas concert I have ever attended, so we didn't miss much. Dougster

Doug, I have tickets to see the same concert in Raleigh on Dec 20. Tell me what was wrong with it. Thanks.

Bob

 

[Dougster]

Doug, I have tickets to see the same concert in Raleigh on Dec 20. Tell me what was wrong with it. Thanks.

Bob

Hi Bob - We were ultra-fortunate enough last year to see Mannheim Steamroller ("MS") in concert. We were right up front and it was by far the best Christmas concert we had ever experienced (and that includes many Boston Pops Christmas shows). They served us "free" wine and cheese & crackers. Everyone got a triple set of CD's and a santa hat. The music and show were absolutely incredible... true Christmas magic as far as we were concerned! It was the best ever! When they say that Chip Davis owns Christmas... believe it! Now I too am a believer!

But since MS wasn't coming anywhere near us this year, we looked for the best alternative. Sadly, we missed out on good seats for Johnny Mathis and settled on the "Trans-Siberian Orchestra" ("TSO") instead... reading and accepting that they were at least the decent copy of/alternative to MS. How very wrong we were.

I guess the bottom line is that if you like your music screeching and insanely loud, you might be okay with TSO. Kids at the concert seemed to like the blaring noise that was being generated from the stage. Parents were just placing their hands or anything they could find over their ears. The singers couldn't sing, the music was hard and insanely loud, the background "story" seemed too impersonal, contrived and phony... and little of the music was recognizable as actual Christmas music. In fact, much of it wasn't.

I am not a heavy metal fan. Insane, screeching, high volume electric guitar music doesn't cut it for me anymore. If you like your music delivered at dangerously high volume and enjoy mindless, screeching guitar riffs, you might enjoy the show. I will say that the light show was very impressive and most folks were still seated when we left shaking our heads and wondering if our hearing would ever return. That's the best I can say for it. Otherwise, bring some ear plugs and hope that your performance is more enjoyable than ours was.

Dougster

 

[jbrumberg]

Dougster:

I think we will be getting snow without anything else on Thursday, but not a lot maybe around 2". The upper air data is confusing. There are a lot of conflicts with the major international weather models for next week. Jay

 

[Dougster]

Dougster:

I think we will be getting snow without anything else on Thursday, but not a lot maybe around 2". The upper air data is confusing. There are a lot of conflicts with the major international weather models for next week. Jay

Forget major international weather models Jay! I need you to do the DANCE!!!

To be honest, I am kinda losing faith that I will make any money this week. God does this to me all the time. He makes it look like we're gonna get billable, plowable snow... and then he just hits here with rain or freezing rain. Been that way ever since I bought that plow.

Dougster

 

[civesnedfield]

Forget major international weather models Jay! I need you to do the DANCE!!!

To be honest, I am kinda losing faith that I will make any money this week. God does this to me all the time. He makes it look like we're gonna get billable, plowable snow... and then he just hits here with rain or freezing rain. Been that way ever since I bought that plow.

Dougster

Well ya know how to fix that problem. Sell the plow. Gaurenteed to snow for weeks once you don't have it anymore.
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