Murphy's Weather

Currently 11 with an average wind from the W of 5 mph. Feels like 6 degrees. Dew Point 6, Barometer 30.36 & falling, Humidity 78%, Visibility 8 mi., Sunrise 7:41am, Sunset 6:11 pm.

Mostly cloudy with a 20% chance of snow showers. High 15-20. NW winds 5-10 with gusts to 20 mph.

Cloudy overnight with a 40% chance of snow showers. Low 5-10. N winds 5 -10 mph.

Winter Storm Uri is causing havoc in the lower part of our nation. Ice is the very worst of winter and it’s hitting the south hard. Sure to be power outages, cold people, crop damage…and the recent horrendous traffic pile-up near Fort Worth in Texas so tragic with 6 dead and countless injured is an example of what winter is doing to parts of this nation not so used to it as those of us in the north.  Driving – even walking – on ice is dangerous and inadvisable. We,  folks in my little backyard area, continue to be sheltered from the worst of Winter so far. No sense in counting on that being a given, even though it’s been fairly constant thus far. But I suspect there will be historic damage to trees in the south and that’s hard to bear. I remember a disastrous ice storm in the south many years ago and it about broke my heart to see old beautiful Magnolia Trees, so many lovely southern varieties of trees broken and ruined. Driving by enormous piles of the broken branches piled up along sides of the roads. Made me cry and I was only a visitor at the time to the south. Didn’t even live there, but I found it heartbreaking even so. I’m hoping so much that this one isn’t as damaging, but it isn’t sounding good at the moment. I’m praying everyone stays as safe as they can be.

Currently 15 with an average wind from the NW of 5 mph. Feels like 9 degrees. Dew Point 14, Barometer 30.28, Humidity 98%, Visibility 0.33 mi., Sunrise 7:43 am, Sunset 6:10 pm.

90% chance of snow showers today. High in the lower 20s. E winds 5 -10 until midday becoming light.

Mostly cloudy with a 50% chance of snow showers becoming partly cloudy. Low 5 -10 with light winds becoming  NW 5 – 10 mph overnight.

So – snow today. Getting a kick out of the notice that flashes on my cell phone…’Are you prepared for snow today?’ And then it goes on to tell me when it will begin. We do seem to get a bit of snow most every day. Yesterday, for instance, it was as if Mother Nature wasn’t too much inclined to do more than give us a half-heart variety. Fat, lazy snowflakes meandering through the air, acting as if they were undecided whether to ever reach the ground or simply keep flitting around through the air in random movements. Interesting, especially when every so often the sun would burst through as if determined to put an end to the game. No such breaks in the clouds today, it would seem. Just whatever today’s offering is in the snow department. Thank goodness. Would hate to think we’d miss out for a day. However, looking ahead, in a week or so, it looks as if we’re going to be seeing some temperatures as high as the 30s. Won’t that be pleasant? Yes. Yes, it will be.

Currently 15 with an average wind from the E of 5 mph. Feels like 6 degrees. Dew Point 13, Barometer 30.42, Humidity 80%, Visibility 5 mi., Sunrise 7:43 am, Sunset 6:10 pm.

Mostly cloudy with a 50% chance of morning snow showers. High in the lower 20s. Light winds.

70% chance of overnight snow showers. Low 10-15. Light winds.

Once again, my little area of the world seems to be in a more-or-less protected donut. Are we getting cold and snow? Absolutely, but compared to what’s happening around the country with this humongous Arctic Air spillage and one named winter storm after another moving through it. Can you believe they’re already working with Winter Storm Uri? Fortunately, we are getting only a light taste of it. Nothing guarantees we’ll remain sheltered, but it does seem to be our pattern. Storms slide to the south or travel up north of us. May it remain so. For us, for now, keeping warm and doing what we can to help the outdoor critters survive is all we can do while we wait for Spring. You remember Spring? Where green things start to grow and the critters start to be able to find their own sustenance? Looking forward to it. So is my budget. Dang, those critters eat a lot!

Currently 10 with an average wind from the NE of 10 mph. Feels like 4 degrees. Dew Point 4, Barometer 30.51, Humidity 79%, Visibility 10 mi., Sunrise 7:45 am, Sunset 6:09 pm.

Mostly sunny until midday becoming mostly cloudy. High 15-20. NE winds around 5 mph with morning windchill readings as low as -16.

Cloudy with a 60% chance of snow showers. Low 10-15. NE winds 5 mph.

Bitter cold, snow, ice-all the ingredients of a miserable winter grips so much of our nation. And no relief in sight far as I can see until…oh..about June perhaps. No, maybe not that long, but through this month for sure. February is a cruel, comfortless month at the best of times, and this time around seems intent on being the worst of the worst. Still have a good 7 or 8″ of snow in my little backyard and since the cold refuses to relent enough for melting, it’s going to simply be there. Not going anywhere.

Watching videos of the multi-vehicle pile up near Fort Worth is heartbreaking. Ice is the most dangerous of winters woes. No skill involved in driving on ice, it’s all mostly luck and not that many of us are lucky enough to make it worth being out there sliding and slipping around on it. Plus a little ice is deceptive. A LOT of ice and we’re all stuck at home so not that many drivers attempting to get anywhere. Just a bit of it and folks seem to think it’s no problem. Well…take a look at the disaster being sorted through this morning for dead or injured and it becomes very apparent how much of a problem even a little ice on the road can be.

Trying to think Spring with all my being in spite of what seems to be an endless line of winter storms still ready to perform.

Currently 12 with a calm average wind from the NE. Feels like 6 degrees. Dew Point 4, Barometer 30.44, Humidity 72%, Visibility 9 mi., Sunrise 7:46am, Sunset 6:07pm.

30% chance of some snow showers this morning. High 15-20. W winds 5 – 10 mph.

Evening clouds should give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 0-5. Light winds.

There just isn’t going to be any escape from this cold. More and colder Arctic air is set to spill down over the country right on the tail of this batch of cold temps. My heart absolutely goes out to those homeless and trying to survive in frigid weather like this, and like what is going to continue for some time to come. Here’s a thought, naive I know, but rather than embarrassing themselves and our country with this 2nd ridiculous impeachment of President Trump, why aren’t those scared, hate-filled, overpaid useless lumps in Congress out passing out blankets and warmth to the freezing homeless – you know, doing something useful? Oh that’s right…they have no interest in doing anything good for Americans. I forgot for a minute. Silly me.

Currently 14 with an average wind from the NW of 5 mph. Feels like 6 degrees. Dew Point 8, Barometer 30.99, Humidity 79%, Visibility 5 mi., Sunrise 7:49 am, Sunset 6:06 pm.

Mostly cloudy with a 50% chance of morning snow showers. High 15-20. Light winds becoming W 5 -10 mph in the afternoon.

Mostly cloudy with a low 0-5 above. N W winds around 10 mph.

Oh yeah, it’s cold. And it looks to be cold right on through to the end of the month. The Arctic air refuses to stay up where it belongs.

The cold and snow are making it tough on the wildlife. Not only have I seen 5 deer feeding out in the stuff I toss over the fence, last night I watched one find its way over to my side of the fence and I sat there in my upstairs bedroom watching it foraging around up close among the feed I toss out for the birds and squirrels. Sure seems bigger when it’s that close, less than 20 feet away from where I was watching it. Now, of course, that means I have to throw even more out for the critters. They must be getting very hungry by now. And yes, I do know I’m not responsible for all the wildlife out there. But if I can do anything to help them survive this harsh part of winter, I’m all in.

Currently 9 with an average wind from the SE of 2 mph. Feels like 2 degrees. Dew Point 5, Barometer 30.39, Humidity 83%, Visibility 6 mi., Sunrise 7:48 am, Sunset 6:05 pm.

Variable clouds with a 40% chance of snow showers. High 19, SSW winds 5 -10 mph.

50% chance of overnight snow showers. Low 7. Light and variable winds.

Peering ahead at the coming week – and granted, we all know things can change day by day – right now it looks like, although the temperatures won’t venture up into the 20s, at least there doesn’t appear to be any big snows taking aim at us, either. In fact, there might even be a day offering us a glimpse of the sun. If things stay the same, snow might be returning about next Saturday, but for now…

Currently 9 with an average wind from the WNW of 3 mph. Feels like -3 degrees. Dew Point 0, Barometer 30.22, Humidity 67%, Visibility 7 mi., Sunrise 7:50 am, Sunset 6:03 pm.

50% chance of snow showers. Mostly overcast. High 12. WNW 10-15 mph.

Cloudy with a few show showers possible. Low 7. SW winds 5-10 mph.

We’re looking at a mighty chilly week ahead with a couple of days tossing in some snow just for the heck of it. A typical Michigan Winter week, I guess. Actually, out driving today, trying to peer off to either side to see if anything was coming that could possible take you out in a crash when stopped at an intersection reminds me of Winters in the past. We used to get tons of snow and it was truly taking your life into your hands to pull out after stopping at any non traffic signal intersection, because with the mountains of snow piled up blocking any clear view, it was plain old dangerous. Today was a milder version, but a definite reminder.

It’s cold out there. Was a whole whopping 6 degrees when I went out to breakfast (that in itself, here in a Democrat smothered state was a miracle) but I didn’t really mind the cold. The snow I DO mind. A lot. Dreaming of the freedoms and sunshine of Florida on a steady basis lately.

Currently 17 with an average wind from the N of 8 mph. Feels like 12 degrees. Dew Point 9, Barometer 30.03, Humidity 79%, Visibility 1.6 mi., Sunrise 7:51 am, Sunset 6:02 pm.

Winter Weather Advisory In Effect Until Sunday 8 am.

90% chance of snow showers today. High 18. W winds 10-20 mph.

60% chance of overnight snow. Low near 5. W winds 10 -15 mph.

Measured 10″ of snow out in my little backyard this morning and although Winter Storm Peggy has moved on, we’re now adding to the total with Lake Effect Snow. We could jolly well end up with a foot of snow by the time this ends. I know we were due, but it seems like the snow is endless lately. And there really doesn’t seem to be a stop point to it looking ahead. Snow and cold are going to be our constant companions for awhile. Getting tougher to dig my way out to the feeding station for the birds and critters. I’m doing it, but man…Lots of birds and squirrels out there this morning. 4 Cardinals among them. Beautiful against the snowy background. It is definitely Winter here.

Currently 18 with an average wind from the SSW of 6 mph. Feels like 13 degrees. Dew Point 12, Barometer 29.56, Humidity 80%, Visibility 0.33 mi., Sunrise 7:53 am, Sunset 6:00pm.

Winter Storm Warning In Effect Until 7:00 pm today.

100% chance of snow and gusty winds. High 18. WSW winds 15-20 mph with gusts to 35. An additional 2-3″ of snow likely.

60% chance of overnight snow. Low around 15. W winds 10-20 with gusts to 30. An additional 2-3″ of snow possible.

Woke up to about 7 1/2″ of snow in my little backyard. And it’s cold. Trust me, the path I shoveled out to the square I shovel to feed the birds and critters shrunk from the usual size. Both of them.  And the tree branches are so laden down with snow they’re hanging so low they kept catching in my hat. Several times I ended up with my hat hanging in the tree where I had to untangle it, jam it back on my head, and keep shoveling. I wound up moving in a slight crouch to avoid the grabbing tree fingers from finding my hat again. Just more fun.

Winter Storm Peggy was due to come calling yesterday about 4:00 in the afternoon and by 4:30 it was snowing. Heavy. Has been snowing more or less every since and still it comes down. This time we didn’t dodge the storm, it’s smacking us hard. Going to be super miserable because once this snow ceases, the cold settles in, so it’s going to continue to be the sort of winter weather we would rather not have to experience. But experience we shall…for days and days to come. Yippee…