Snow

[BEES4U]

:scratch:
21 September 2009
Snow was reported in Steamboat Springs , Colorado
I hope the bee keepers have their winter management up to date!
Regards,
Ernie

[alpha6]

Yeah we got a dusting yesterday...mountains are getting a nice coat. Weather is supposed to warm back up starting tomorrow and be nice for awhile. Supers are off and bees are being fed. This cold snap will probably end the rabbit brush nectar and anything else that is producing.

[DRUR]

Yeah we got a dusting yesterday...mountains are getting a nice coat.

I am jealous. I sure miss the smell of fresh mountain air after a snowfall, and the invigorating nip in the air.

[honeyman46408]

HEY watch the use of 4 letter words on here :p:lookout:

[BEES4U]

HEY watch the use of 4 letter words on here

Love that Snow
Ernie

[alpha6]

I am jealous. I sure miss the smell of fresh mountain air after a snowfall, and the invigorating nip in the air.

Not to rub it in DRUR but this evening I could also hear the Bull Elks bugling. :D

[chevydmax04]

Two years ago in RMNP I got to hear the Bulls bugle. It was awesome. oh and BTW I can wait on the snow as well!

[honeyshack]

That 4 letter word is a swear word around these parts. We have avoided frost so far and now we are pushing our luck on that one.

[DRUR]

Not to rub it in DRUR but this evening I could also hear the Bull Elks bugling. :D

Brings up memories of my oldest son, and me logging with draft horses in the Hoback mountains of Wyoming between Daniel and Jacksonhole Wyoming. We had been there all summer to beat the Texas heat. We sure loved to hear bulls bugleling.

We pulled out in a big 'snow' storm early November. Driving the interstate between Rock Springs and Cheyenne with over a foot accumulation of snow on the interstate by the time we reached Rock Springs, Wy., pulling about 6500# (3) of draft horses with an old Ford 1 ton dually. We were wanting to exit the interstate but dared not as at each exit that we passed they were blocking entrance onto the highway. Even the semi's had pulled over along the highway to wait and we had the whole road to ourselves, driving at night and wondering if we were going to be the last ones ouf of Wyoming.

We finally stopped in Laramie for breakfeast and fuel after out-running the snow storm which had turned to rain. Didn't last long as by the time we had finished eating it was snowing heavy again as we headed for Texas. Stopped for a pit stop at a rest area around Colorado Springs Colo. It was snowing so heavy it accumulated a couple of inches while we were stopped in about 20-25 minutes. It snowed and then rained (from about Raton N.Mex.) on us all the way to Texas.

Alpha thanks for pulling up the cherished memory.

[DRUR]

How about Montana:
http://www.weather.com/multimedia/videoplayer.html?clip=15433&from=hp_video_3

Or maybe New Zealand:
http://www.weather.com/multimedia/videoplayer.html?clip=15433&from=hp_video_3

Hmmm, so much for global warming.

[BEES4U]

Forecast for October 09, 2009
I hope that the bees and their owners are ready for this weather forecast:

Unseasonably cold air for the season will blast down into Montana, Wyoming and Colorado today. Snow accompanied by gusty winds will also occur especially across Montana and Wyoming.
Highs today will be in the 20s across most of Montana and northern Wyoming, ending up some 30 to 40 degrees below average.
Snow will wind down by Saturday but it will feel more like winter than fall. Plenty of daily record lows will be threatened or set this weekend as temperatures bottom out anywhere from just below zero to the mid teens in Montana and Wyoming.

Meanwhile, the Southwest will be warm and sunny today and Saturday with high temperatures ranging from the 80s in the Central Valley of California to the upper 80s and low 90s in southern Arizona.

Some lingering show showers will fall Saturday night and Sunday across southern Montana, Wyoming and parts of Colorado. Cold conditions are in the forecast for the baseball playoff game in Denver Saturday evening.

A very potent Pacific storm will hit much of the West from late Monday to Wednesday of next week as temperatures rapidly moderate. The brunt of the storm, rain and wind, will hit parts of southern Oregon and northern California.
Ernie

[DRUR]

Meanwhile, the Southwest will be warm and sunny today and Saturday with high temperatures ranging from the 80s in the Central Valley of California to the upper 80s and low 90s in southern Arizona.
Ernie

We had low 90s yesterday with 85% humidity. Hot and humid. Currently raining. Forecast is for rain today, and highs only mid 70s with lows in the 60s over the next few days. Nice to be here in Texas in the fall, winter, and spring; but Hot, Hot, Hot summers.

[irwin harlton]

Snowing here today, not much accumulation,1-2 cm,mostly melted now , windy and cold,minus 1 Celsius.
Was moving Bees to winter locations in this little storm and one did not need to lite a smoker, so cold blustery weather does have its good points

[justin]

woke up to about an inch today, lows in the single digits here tonight. spent a couple hours on a ladder today with the roof dripping 32 1/2 degree water on my head. it's supposed to be back in the high 40's by tuesday so i'll wait till then to finish getting the hives ready for winter.

[beeman]

It is supposed to snow here and we have 35 locations to pull honey off of yet. Ruh Roh

[peacekeeperapiaries]

I would like some snow here in FL.. It was hot, hot, hot today. I thought I was going to fall out workin the bees. Good pepper flow going, but man its hot.

[Beeslave]

.... and we have 35 locations to pull honey off of yet.

How do you feed when it gets this cold and what about controlling those mites so you have a healthy winter population?

[JohnK and Sheri]

How do you feed when it gets this cold and what about controlling those mites so you have a healthy winter population?

I am getting 2, 3 calls a day from folks with this very question. It is going to be a very bad winter for bees....
Sheri

[beeman]

How do you feed when it gets this cold and what about controlling those mites so you have a healthy winter population?

Get done and get to Texas asap. I hope. Traveled out to the western part of the state last week and saw many boxes on. Some of us got caught with our pants down, others didn't.

[Beeslave]

Texas explains it. I barely got done myself before the weather turned but I made it. Good thing it is supposed to be in the 50's here starting Sat. and upper 50's to lower 60's next week. Had a nice late flow until mid sept so most of the bees got good weight. Giving them some more feed now and shipping them to Cali 2nd week of Nov.

[Ian]

snowing here again today,

[BEES4U]

This contains some recent historical information!

http://www.weather.com/multimedia/videoplayer.html?clip=15527&from=36hr_outlet_video

Ernie

[Birdman]

No snow here yet record cold temp last night. It has my other addiction start to itch again Im ready to tap the maple trees and get the syrup boiling. temps are going up in mid 60 this so I can work with my bees a little this week. Pat

[Beeslave]

Here is some more data-cooling trend not global warming
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=10783

[laurelmtnlover]

6 inches of snow north of here at Penn State. Expecting more:


http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/2162


Beekeeper friend here at Half Acre Farm:
http://half-acrefarm.com/index.htm

[Riverdog]

I prefer the hives that are strong go brood less for a time before we wake them queens up for almonds in December. It really helps break the cycle of the all mighty mite. Bring on old man winter and wax up them boards for some fun. A couple of resorts are open for skiing already! See ya on the slopes.. I think I might even sneak up to Steamboat the end of Nov. I'll Call ya Alpha.

Regards
Chad

[BEES4U]

Snow and 12 year records broken.


http://www.weather.com/multimedia/videoplayer.html?clip=15632&from=hp_main_tab3

Ernie

[BEES4U]

NOAA reports in for October 2009.

http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2009/20091110_octoberstats.html

NOAA: U.S. Posts Third Coolest-Highest Precipitation for October on Record
November 10, 2009

The October 2009 average temperature for the contiguous United States was the third coolest on record for that month according to NOAA’s State of the Climate report issued today. Based on data going back to 1895, the monthly National Climatic Data Center analysis is part of the suite of climate services provided by NOAA.

The average October temperature of 50.8 degrees F was 4.0 degrees F below the 20th Century average. Preliminary data also reveals this was the wettest October on record with average precipitation across the contiguous United States reaching 4.15 inches, 2.04 inches above the 1901-2000 average.

Ernie

[Allen Martens]

The October 2009 average temperature for the contiguous United States was the third coolest on record for that month according to NOAA’s State of the Climate report issued today.

Similar October up here -- way below average. November has been a blast with daily highs being 10 C above normal and the next week keeps looking great.

[irwin harlton]

CURRENTLY WEAK EL NINO CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO STRENGTHEN AND PERSIST INTO
THE 2009-10 NORTHERN HEMISPHERE WINTER. THE LIKELIHOOD OF A CONTINUING EL NINO
EVENT INFLUENCES THE TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION OUTLOOKS FOR OND 2009
THROUGH MAM 2010, MAINLY VIA COMPOSITES FOR WEAK-TO-MODERATE EVENTS. THE IMPACT
OF EL NINO ON THE CLIMATE OVER NORTH AMERICA IS EXPECTED TO BE GREATEST DURING
THE WINTER SEASONS. A MODERATE STRENGTH EL NINO IS MOST LIKELY DURING THE
WINTER. A STRONG EVENT IS LESS LIKELY, BUT STILL POSSIBLE. UNCERTAINTY IN THE
FUTURE STRENGTH AND DURATION OF THIS EVENT IS CONSIDERED IN THE SEASONAL
FORECASTS, ESPECIALLY AT LONGER LEAD TIMES.

THE TEMPERATURE OUTLOOK FOR NDJ 2009-10 INDICATES AN ENHANCED LIKELIHOOD OF
ABOVE AVERAGE TEMPERATURES FOR MUCH OF THE WESTERN HALF OF THE CONUS AND
ALASKA. WHERE THE CHANCE OF ABOVE OR BELOW AVERAGE SEASONAL MEAN TEMPERATURES
ARE SIMILAR TO A RANDOM DRAW FROM THE HISTORICAL RECORD (CLIMATOLOGY), EQUAL
CHANCES OF BELOW, NEAR, AND ABOVE AVERAGE ARE INDICATED

from http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/long_range/fxus05.html

[alpha6]

I prefer the hives that are strong go brood less for a time before we wake them queens up for almonds in December. It really helps break the cycle of the all mighty mite. Bring on old man winter and wax up them boards for some fun. A couple of resorts are open for skiing already! See ya on the slopes.. I think I might even sneak up to Steamboat the end of Nov. I'll Call ya Alpha.

Regards
Chad

Snow coming tomorrow and the weekend...but nice the week after. This Indian summer has been great for getting feed on the bees..they been pigging out. Give me a shout if you head this way Chad...hey BTW did you see that guy in Palisade selling his hives?

[BEES4U]

12/08/09

25 degrees F. in Sacramento this morning, 6:00 AM
29 degrees F. in Fresno
27 degrees F. in Modesto
-08 degrees F. in Fargo, ND
34 degrees F. in Bakersfield



Ernie

[irwin harlton]

Current Weather Updated: Tuesday, December 8, 2009, 9:00 CST - Brandon Airport
Souris, MB A few clouds

-30

°C

* °C
* °F

A few clouds

* Feels Like: -40
* Wind: W 11km/h
* Sunrise: 8:23
* Sunset: 16:38

* Relative Humidity: 61%
* Pressure: 103.07 kPa
* Visibility: 24.0 km
* Ceiling: unlimited

Makes for healthy bees..................only the fittest survive

[pahvantpiper]

Got 8 or 10 inches here in Utah yesterday/last night. Guess I won't be moving bees for a few days.

[DRUR]

Currently 47F, been unusually cold here lately also. Predicting a high of 62F today and over the next 10 days the lows range from 37F-53F and the predicted highs from 49F-66F. On Friday and Saturday we had our first freezes 20F. Saturday morning everything looked like a white wonderland with the heavy frost, took all the green out of our pastures and wilted all the leaves on the trees. We even had our annual snow fall last Friday, a few flurries mixed with a little sleet, but nothing was sticking. The long hard winter has begun here in East Texas:lpf:.

And, yes before air conditioning we only had survivors here in Texas. Our hot Texas summers kept all the riff raff snowbirds up north. Only the weak who couldn't survive the cold winters now come South. Now even the illegals from south of the border want to set up permanently in Texas.:no::cry::ot:

[loggermike]

-1 F here this morning.Maybe an inch of powdery snow from yesterday.Next weeks storms are supposed to be wetter and warmer. Not a lot of snowpack up higher yet(in the Shasta Lake watershed area)

If anyone wants to guess how much water will be available for California agriculture heres a good place to start.
http://www.water.ca.gov/drought/conditions/

[JohnK and Sheri]

The snow is just getting started here in Wisconsin. They can't decide if it will be 1" or 10" but they all agree we will be getting below zero with a 20mph wind, can't wait to get back to California even if it IS only highs in the 40s.

DRUR, when you call us northerners riffraff, you better smile.;)
Sheri

[Barry Digman]

We didn't get anything other than the 50mph wind, but I see the traffic coming down from the north with several inches of snow on their roofs.



... MAJOR WINTER STORM CONTINUES TO POUND WESTERN... CENTRAL AND NORTHERN NEW MEXICO...

.MODERATE TO LOCALLY HEAVY SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE DAY ACROSS MUCH OF THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS REGION TODAY WHILE WEST AND CENTRAL SECTIONS WILL SEE THE SNOWFALL DIMINISH FROM WEST TO EAST BETWEEN MID MORNING AND MID AFTERNOON. THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS WILL FAVOR THE UPPER WEST FACING SLOPES... ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE SOUTHERN SAN JUAN AND SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS. WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL BE VERY STRONG TODAY... LEADING TO EXTENSIVE AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW AND POOR VISIBILITIES. HEAVY SNOW AND STRONG WINDS WILL BRING A FEW HOURS OF BLIZZARD CONDITIONS IN THE UPPER GILA REGION... THE SANDIA AND MANZANO MOUNTAINS... AND CENTRAL HIGHLANDS. HEAVY SNOW WILL GRADUALLY DIMINISH BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON WITH WINDS SUBSIDING TUESDAY EVENING.

[loggermike]

Wow, climate change is real...Fall has changed to WINTER:D

[DRUR]

DRUR, when you call us northerners riffraff, you better smile.;)
Sheri

John and Sheri, you can bet I was only joking, especially since my heritage is originally from Sinking Springs, Pa. I actually love the cold weather and come July and August, sure consider going back to my roots. I also have spent some time during the winter in the Spencer Wi./Greenwood? area. Was looking for a farm to buy years back but your property taxes were way to high. Property taxes used to be fairly low in Texas, but now have become unbearable, but at least teh Texans don't have an Income Tax to contend with.

Kindest Regards
Danny Unger

[JohnK and Sheri]

Danny we have bees in the Greenwood area, it is only 10-15 miles south of us. I sure do agree our property taxes are too high. Not sure if it is still true but at one time our combined taxes in WI were the highest in the country, still in the top 5 I bet.:(
I hate it here in the winter but the summers are great, I would love to be one of your snowbirds. Texas is beautiful in the winter.
Sheri

[DRUR]

I would love to be one of your snowbirds. Texas is beautiful in the winter.
Sheri
I would help you find a place/places if I can be of any assistance. We are all in this thing together and I would do what I can.

Kindest Regards
Danny Unger

[peacekeeperapiaries]

Well I am jealous of your winter weather, I don't get any here in FL. I am also jealous that WI is getting snow tonight as I just spent a week up there (Nov 30-Dec4) and we got a slight dusting. I wanted a couple inches, I love to bowhunt when there is snow on the ground. Happy holidays to all.

[Hambone]

Hey Sheri,

I know ya'll don't make it down here much. But when you do come down. Can ya'll bring me a Badger? TIA.

[Missoura]

Peacekeeperapiaries,
I was raised in DeLand, Florida. However when a teenager we called DeLand "Deadland" so I sold my hives to my partner and struck out to make a fortune in beekeeping.

Sitting home tonight fresh out of the hospital from my third hernia surgery in six years with a rotator cuff in between hernia surgeries.

Thinking of this years New years resolution. not sure if should be the same as last years as last years was not to end up in the hospital with another hernia.

Not working bees tomorrow Peacekeeper because if you are its one am in Florida?

Opps! Time for my pain meds! Never underestimate the power of good drugs.

I normally go to bed at 8-9 PM when working bees the next day but planned things right as we are under a blizzard warning tonight. Wind chills -20F. tomorrow. My hives in Missouri are heavy with feed and strong so should not lose many.

Too bad not a way to transport you tomorrow to my office Peacemaker then you could sit tomorrow and watch a blizzard first hand. A bit different than in the movie "White Christmas".

I have drove loads of hives in a blizzard before as recently as two winters ago. Interesting story but for another time.

Ok if you insist.

We knew a blizzard was predicted for Kansas but we were to meet a bee hauler (chrome wheels & stacks etc.) from North Dakota and transfer our hives onto his semi. We met on the street of a town of a few hundred people and the only place open was a small bar. There was six inches of snow on the ground when we arrived and snow coming down about an inch an hour. The driver said I guess we will have to wait to load. He watched as we loaded and netted his semi in blowing snow.

When we came inside he was sitting at the bar drinking shots. Said he was done till the roads were plowed. He asked my name and said he had heard of me.

He went on kind of like he was talking about Clint Eastwood in the movie "The Outalw Josey Wales" about a Missouri outlaw.

He said" You are the guy which is reported to drive at times around weigh scales, agriculture stations and bug stations". He said "you know there is a $10,000 fine for driving around a bug station" as he and a Kansas beekeeper downed another shot of "Wild turkey".

He said" you are the guy which drives trucks in snow & ice and claims to have two million semi miles without and accident. ' I said my last accident was in 1967 in a 1961 chevy convertable. when the guy in front of me slammed on his brakes to miss a pot hole. I was pissed off as i loved the car and put a couple small dents in my bumper. True story!

I then asked if he would sell us his chains if he was going to stay the night as our tires were the same as on his truck. He said" What for none of us are getting out tonight and who would you get to install those chains in 8 inches of snow tonight"

I said I would install the changes. He said he would buy another set at the turnpike truck stop when the roads were plowed just to see me install those chains. The Kansas beekeeper and the bartender bet on me I was told later.

I left the bar an hour later (with installed chains) and arrived home about six hours later. At times through "whiteout" conditions. "Whiteout conditions" Peacekeeper is when the only time you can see out the windshield is with a cross pass of the wipers. For a like period of time the inside of the cab is dark and you are driving blind. My beekeeping partner and owner of "Bell Hill Honey" sleeps while I drive in a blizzard but he has put in many miles in the cab of a bee truck with me over the years. the young beekeeper ( now owner of Bell Hill Honey) was wide awake and on the edge of his seat.

The above is a true story ( Bill B. of beesource ( wild Bill? ) will verify the story as he was the Kansas beekeeper) but you will have to wonder about what the other driver said about me. Bill will also say myself and the two Missouri beekeepers I was with did not drink that night as we knew we were going home once we could chain up. Last we saw as we drove off was Bill and the North Dakota beekeeper standing in the bar doorway with a couple shot glasses in their hands shaking their heads.

We could have stayed as Bill's wife offered to let us stay at Bill's house that night. Bill even put her on the phone to try and talk us out of leaving but I thanked her for her kind offer but said a little thing like a Kansas blizzard would not stop us.

We called Bill the next day so he would not worry if we made it home. We called mostly so his wife would not worry!

Good night and Happy Holidays!

[Missoura]

Peacekeeper<
Bill B.'s handle was not "Wild Bill" (maybe what I named Bill )" but Bullseye Bill. Sorry!

I also see I called you once "Peacemaker" (the gun which tamed the west) instead of "peacekeeper".

My beesource handle is simple. Even law makers often say Missoura instead of Missouri.

Peacekeeper might give the impression your day job was a lawman. With "peacemaker" you could be lawman or outlaw?

At the NRA website both the names peacekeeper & Peacemaker are used.
My NRA website handle is "Big Iron" . Taken from the song by Marty Robbins.

Sorry for getting your hamdle wrong I meant no disrespect! I would hate to be pulled over in Florida and while the ticket is being made out hear the officer say:

" My handle on beesource is peacekeeper not peacemaker"

Kind of interesting to learn the actor Steven Seagal has been a lawman partime for jefferson parish in New Orleans for 20 years. Tough area from my visits.

He has a new show named "Steven Seagal lawman". maybe he will work his way up to try beekeeping?

I liked Seagal especially in the Mine movie set in Virginia when the gal ( from CSI Las vegas) played a beekeeper and he stood up for her when she lost her hives. I forget the movie name but Kris kristoferson played the bad guy!

[JohnK and Sheri]

Danny, thanks for the kind offer. You never know we might take you up on it some time. Likewise, when/if you get in our area you should definitely look us up, especially if you are so close.
Derek, I suppose you are working on a recipe for Badger mignon?
Sheri

[Keith Jarrett]

Derek, I suppose you are working on a recipe for Badger mignon?
Sheri

I think he was going to put the Badger in the ring with Chuck. :)

[Hambone]

Derek, I suppose you are working on a recipe for Badger mignon?Sheri

I really was just wanting one as a pet. But since you mentioned it smoked badger may not be to bad. :) (wrapped in bacon of course)


I think he was going to put the Badger in the ring with Chuck

That would be a good fight until Chuck roundhouse kicked it to Mars. :)

[Ian]

-35 this morning, and again tonight
at least there is no wind
kind of glad we got that dump of snow earlier, it is a nice blanket for our winter crops

[Ian]

my brother flys for a major airline,
he left here at a -30 degree C temperature, and landed in orlando with a +30 degree temp.

the funny thing is he has to fly back :)

[Tom G. Laury]

Now that is FUNNY!

For us, anyway.

[BEES4U]

12/10/09
Sacramento, California forecaste:
Come on Mother Nature, it's time to fill those dry lakes, build a snow level and fill those reservoires.
Ernie
http://www.weather.com/multimedia/videoplayer.html?clip=720&collection=localwxforecast

[Tom G. Laury]

So far we haven't gotten the moisture that was predicted, at least here in Central Valley. I can hit dry dirt digging with my boot heel.

[loggermike]

This one looks wet:

http://sat.wrh.noaa.gov/satellite/showsat.php?wfo=sto&area=west&type=ir&size=16

[BEES4U]

12/17/09

NOAA up-date for the West Coast:
http://sat.wrh.noaa.gov/satellite/loopsat.php?wfo=lox&area=sw&type=vis&size=4
Ernie

[HAB]

NOAA reports in for October 2009.

http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2009/20091110_octoberstats.html

NOAA: U.S. Posts Third Coolest-Highest Precipitation for October on Record
November 10, 2009

The October 2009 average temperature for the contiguous United States was the third coolest on record for that month according to NOAA’s State of the Climate report issued today. Based on data going back to 1895, the monthly National Climatic Data Center analysis is part of the suite of climate services provided by NOAA.

The average October temperature of 50.8 degrees F was 4.0 degrees F below the 20th Century average. Preliminary data also reveals this was the wettest October on record with average precipitation across the contiguous United States reaching 4.15 inches, 2.04 inches above the 1901-2000 average.

Ernie

But look what the same site said GLOBALLY for Oct & Nov 09.

""October 2009 was the sixth warmest on record""
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/?report=global&year=2009&month=10&submitted=Get+Report

""November 2009 was 0.60°C (1.08°F) above the 20th century average of 12.9°C (55.2°F). This is the fourth warmest such value on record.""
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/?report=global&year=2009&month=11&submitted=Get+Report