It's Official - First Winter Has Arrived

19 October 2012
10:46 PM

Sunrise at	8:58 AM	in direction	113°	East-southeast
Sunset at	6:12 PM	in direction	247°	West-southwest

Duration of day: 9 hours, 13 minutes (6 minutes, 43 seconds shorter than yesterday)

North from campus - homes along the lower hills,
heavier snow along the higher ridge

The temperature has not risen above freezing since the snow earlier this week.  Snow is not predicted over next week, but the temperatures will remain low so the roads will clear.  Gradually the deck will be free of snow as it evaporates, but overall, snow will remain on the ground without melting.

Gary calls this the first winter.  We do have three winters.  First  winter starts in September or October.  Even though snow is on the ground, temperatures are mild.  This week they have hovered between the teens and mid 20s Fahrenheit.  The weather is chilly, but pleasant.  Temperatures will remain comfortable in early winter, extending into the negative teens.  Then we have deep winter where the temperatures range from -20F and lower.  As expected, it intensifies as we near solstice and we experience extreme cold periodically through February and sometimes well into March. Later in the spring, we have late winter where the temperatures creep back up to the lower negative range, gradually slipping into temperatures above 0F.  Winter is not over, though, until break up.

Right now, since it is very mild, I am wearing no long underway and a lighter weight coat.  I carry light weight wool gloves, but don't really need them between the car and office.  The steering wheel can be chilly, so I will put them on in the evening when we return home.  But, we are not plugging in the car, wearing hats, heavier winter clothes or following through with any other deep winter habits.

We will be soon though.  It is nearly November already.  The end of the year is just around the corner and with it the end of this journal for 2012.

Campus walkways from the Wood Center