Friday, February 02, 2007

Snow and more snow!

This is the view out my kitchen window.

We were under a "lake effect snow warning" most of the day Thursday. For those of you who are not familiar with lake effect snow, please read the following:

The heaviest lake-effect snow episodes usually occur when a bitter cold outbreak dives southeast across the Great Lakes. As cold air flows over the warm water, the bottom layer over the surface of the water is heated from below. Moisture also evaporates into the air as it is heated. Since warm air is lighter and less dense than cold air, the heated air rises and begins to cool. As the air cools, the moisture that evaporated into it condenses and forms clouds. When enough moisture condenses out of the air, snow falls over the regions downwind of the Great Lakes. The greater the temperature contrast between the cold air and the warm water, the heavier the snow showers will be. If the temperature contrast is great enough, the rising air will have enough buoyancy to form thundersnow, which are thunderstorms that have snow falling out of them rather than rain.

I happen to live in one of these so called snow bands and in the last 2-3 days we have received about 18 inches of new snow! Now this is the kind of Michigan winter I grew up with. We use to play outside every day in this stuff and we didn't know anything about windchill back then either. Cold was cold and that's all there was to it!! We went sledding, and built snowmen and rolled down hills and had snowball fights and went ice skating at the local outdoor rink. When your toes and fingers hurt and you could no longer feel your nose we knew it was time to head inside for some much needed warming up and a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows floating in it. If we were really lucky we might also get some homemade cookies or brownies! Yum yum! And you know what else? I don't ever remember having a 'snow day' off from school! School was held no matter what and was only dismissed early if there was a tornado warning or watch. I guess we were tougher in those days; or maybe they just didn't know as much technology back then and no one really knew just how cold it was.

It is official now, the television just announced that we received 9 inches of new snow yesterday....I guess there is even more snow out there than I thought. There is another snow advisory out for today for more snow and blowing and drifting snow from noon until 7 PM, and than at midnight EST, we will be under a 'winter snow warning' until midnight on Saturday.

I think it sounds as if it's a good thing that we didn't have any plans to go anywhere to watch Superbowl Sunday! We will only have to worry about getting Amber back home safely....she is coming for the weekend today after school. Hubby will pick her up after he gets out of work....maybe we can build a snowman and slide down the hill and then come in for hot chocolate!

13 comments:

Itchy said...

It's beautiful!!!!!!!!! OH....if only I could roll in it's soft, white, untouched wonderment. I would make you snow angels. I would laugh and giggle and promise not to hit you with snowballs. I would run and fall and roll all around until I couldn't feel my nose. And then I would ask for hot chocolate and peanut butter & jam on toast. Oh how I wish I was with you right now...

Renee said...

WOW, that's a lot of snow. Cool. Get you some hot chocolate and marshmallows and let the good times roll.

janet copenhaver said...

You sure know your weather and what makes it happen.
I also remember the days of the deep snows, ice skating everyday after school, sled riding, snowball fights and making snow caves. Those were the good old days and your right we always had school of course population and liability weren't so much an issue.
Enjoy your weekend. I don't even know who's in the super bowl but will watch the commercials. We'll have to post about a favorites.

Anonymous said...

Wow! Now that's some snow! Thanks for explaining Lake Effect Snow. I heard that term on The Weather Channel one night recently and wondered what it was. We had 2 inches of snow yesterday and schools closed for the week. Now that sounds really wimpy doesn't it! LOL The snow melted by 4 pm yesterday. I guess some back roads might have been bad though.

Hot chocolate and cookies sounds mighty good! Yummy! The picture looks really cold btw.

Hugs!

Ame said...

wow - i've never heard of that before!

all that snow ... gosh ... i cannot even place it anywhere in my mind.

even though, i lived in connecticut from age 2-7, and i have some memories of lots of snow, snow forts in the snow drifts, snow plows, play snow shovels, sledding down our neighbor's back yard b/c they had the best hill, and playing in the playground in the snow waiting to be let into the school for school to begin. there are some not-so-good memories of snow, too. but i moved to florida when i was 7, so i got the "sand in my shoes" as they say there, and the idea of living in that much snow actually scares me :) i love the pics - sooo beautiful!

Smalltown RN said...

my oh my....I guess groundhog must have seen his shadow out where you live. That's alot of snow....It's just been so terribly foggy and cold here. Today it is raining but it's ice rain...heavier than sleet....I am off starting my night shifts tonight..but I will touch base with you soon.....hope you have a fantastic weekend with Amber....cheers my friend...

River Rat said...

Snow! Now that's quite a bit of snow you got there! My husband is dying to get up to Michigan right now, it's been the forties here, he calls it a tease! Have fun this weekend with Amber, and drink a cup of hot chocolate for me!

Anonymous said...

With 9 inches of snow you could build a whole family of snowmen. Oh my...try and stay warm. The hot chocolate sounds like a wonderful idea.

Take care,
Connie

Headgirl said...

Now, thats what I call snow!!!!!
Even when I spent a December & a January in Saskatchewan,CA. didn't see the like..

Martie said...

itchy ~ I wish you were here too...I bet you make beautiful snow angels!

renee ~ We have plenty of hot chocolate....stop over and we'll all have some together!

janet c. ~ We more "mature women" are pretty tough cookies being able to handle no snow days when we were young!

editor ~ I doubt that we'll have school here Monday since it is now Sunday and we are still under a winter storm warning until 7 PM tonight! Stay safe and warm!!Hugs

ame ~ living in this much snow even scares me....I refuse to drive in it when it gets like this!!! Hugs

smalltown rn ~ It's Sunday and we now have somewhere between 2 -3 feet of snow....Amber might be here for a longer visit than we thought! Hugs

river rat ~ we've been enjoying just staying in the house mostly in front of the fireplace and playing games.....we did consume a fair share of hot chocolate and drank and extra cup for you! If hubby wants, I can ship some of this stuff down there....let me know! LOL

Connie ~ We could make lots of snowmen if it was the right kind of snow ;( not enough moisture in this snow for it to stick togehter!

blue ~ Welcome, thanks for stopping in for a visit, hope you come back again! Maybe next time some of the snow will have melted!

Anonymous said...

I couldn't survive that IMom (internet Mom) :)

Well, not without 10 layers of clothing and maybe a heater that I can carry around

thewriterslife said...

Hi Martie again! I just visited your other blog and forgot to comment! Man...look at that snow! We're under weather advisory but not for snow...we're having reeeeeally cold temps here on the eastern part of Virginia...it's terrible...pipes are frozen and everything...miserable. Anyway, I'll be back...don't you worry about that...stay warm! Whow...look at those pictures!

EV said...

My Gawd, that view looks cold. It's forecast to be 70 here today - that works for me. I can vividly recall digging my car out of six foot snow drifts. Brrrrrrr. Stay warm. ;)