Greetings and welcome!
This is just like old times typing out an update in the middle of the night!! Last night after dinner I fell asleep and never fed the wood stove. At ten below zero outside it became obvious enough at about midnight to wake me up. Now that I am awake it seems like a good time for a visit.
It seems that our cold spell has really put down roots. Today looks like the warm day between now and next weekend with an expected high of about 15. Next Friday and Saturday we could get up to the upper teens and low 20s.
There is no question that we are making ice and putting frost into the ground. I’d be very surprised if we didn’t have a foot of ice on the lakes next weekend and for sure by Christmas.
I am watching an area of snow moving in on the radar. It is expected to give us an inch Sunday, and as much as four more Sunday night. Like the cold, that should help our cause a lot.
Our recent snow then rain storm was nasty in a lot of ways, but I think that it will really serve us well. There is a nice ice layer on the ground under the snow that will at least give us some base as the snow starts adding up.
Last night I took some back roads and wow.. what a layer of ice. The only place that the roads didn’t have 1/2″-1″ of ice on them was a couple of sunny spots. A lot of times road trails are to be avoided, and usually early season is at the top of that list. It isn’t going to be that way this year. Once we get a little snow on them the road trails will be very rideable.
Ron asked a good question the other day, when do the trails open, and are there any closures and reroutes. The trails around here usually open in the 15th of December if conditions permit. I believe that there is a late bow hunting season between gun season and the 15th. Most of the time it hasn’t been an issue due to conditions.
Right now there is maybe 4″ of snow on top of the ice layer on the ground. Plowed roads are mostly bare ice. It is enough for a spin around the yard, but not much more than that. Tomorrow’s snow should help a lot. Another storm or two like that and we should be able to start the season in pretty good shape for mid-December.
There aren’t any big storms showing up on the (16 day) GFS forecast model, but the cold will continue as far out as it goes, and there is a shot an at inch or three of snow every few days.
I have a big day in the shop planned for today. There are snowmobiles to work on, the plow truck to work on, a snowmobile gas can run, and maybe some firewood too. I am not going to rule out the possibility of a lap around the yard if I work hard. To that end I am off to get a little more sleep.
Have a good Sunday and thank you for visiting!
RJB