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weather

Flowery & Imprecise: 19th Century Weather Reports

February 8, 2022 by Maury Thompson Leave a Comment

Central Park weather station courtesy National Weather ServiceThe Whitehall correspondent submitted a long-winded, pun intended, weather report for the Dec. 28, 1889 issue of The Granville Sentinel: “The atmosphere was in great commotion here Sunday night – evidently having urgent business elsewhere – and things movable presented a decidedly twisted appearance in town Monday morning.”

A contemporary editor likely would ask the reporter to consult the National Weather Service about the speed of the wind, and would have boiled down the verbiage to something like, “Severe winds in Whitehall uprooted trees and blew off roofs at Whitehall on Sunday. But dramatics frequently trumped details in 19th century newspapers. [Read more…] about Flowery & Imprecise: 19th Century Weather Reports

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, Arts, History, Nature, Recreation Tagged With: Glens Falls, Granville, Newspapers, Warren County, Washington County, weather

1880s January Weather Reports: Ice Harvest, Cold Weather, Snow

January 12, 2022 by Maury Thompson Leave a Comment

ice harvestIt was a frigid January at Glens Falls in 1883, which was good for the ice men.

“The ice in the river at this point is now twelve inches thick,” The Morning Star reported on January 4th. “Several ice men announced they will commence their annual harvest on Monday.” [Read more…] about 1880s January Weather Reports: Ice Harvest, Cold Weather, Snow

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, History Tagged With: ice, snow, Warren County, Washington County, weather, winter

The Wild Turkey in Winter

November 24, 2021 by Tom Kalinowski Leave a Comment

There are only a few dozen species of birds capable of surviving the rigors of an Adirondack winter, and of these, the wild turkey is one that is more closely associated with the warmer and less snowy regions of New York than those to the north. [Read more…] about The Wild Turkey in Winter

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, Capital-Saratoga, Hudson Valley - Catskills, Mohawk Valley, Nature, New York City, Western NY Tagged With: birding, birds, nature, Turkeys, weather, Wildlife, winter

Reconsider ‘Fall Clean-Up’ and Leaf it Be

October 21, 2021 by Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

Autumn leaves courtesy LPLCRight on cue, Autumn has once again made its swift return to the Adirondacks. With it comes a list of work to ready ourselves for winter, including yard and garden cleanup. Well, we’re here to help alleviate your workload and share a “radical” concept. When prepping your yard for winter, do less! [Read more…] about Reconsider ‘Fall Clean-Up’ and Leaf it Be

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, Nature Tagged With: fall, Lake Placid Land Conservancy, nature, weather

September 1886: When Winter Comes Early

September 10, 2021 by Maury Thompson Leave a Comment

19th century winter farm scene folk art painting (unidentified creator)Visions of chestnuts roasting on an open fire come December could be squelched if Jack Frost nipped at your nose in September.

“We have good promise of a fine crop of chestnuts. Frost holding off is favorable for large nuts with rich meats,” the Fort Ann correspondent reported in The Granville Sentinel on September 22nd, 1876. [Read more…] about September 1886: When Winter Comes Early

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, History Tagged With: Newspapers, weather

Erie Canal Preparations Underway For Approaching Tropical Storm Ida

August 31, 2021 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

Tropical Storm IdaIn preparation for potential impacts from Tropical Storm Ida, the New York State Canal Corporation has preemptively lifted the upper gates of the movable dams along the Erie Canal and Mohawk River between Lock E-8 (Rotterdam) and Lock E-12 (Tribes Hill). [Read more…] about Erie Canal Preparations Underway For Approaching Tropical Storm Ida

Filed Under: Capital-Saratoga, Mohawk Valley, Nature, Recreation Tagged With: Erie Canal, Mohawk River, weather

Understanding Our Smoky Summer Skies

August 26, 2021 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

Hazy skies in Albany courtesy DECOn July 20th, 2021, NYS issued its first statewide air quality health advisory for fine particulate matter in at least a decade. Wildfire smoke blowing in from fires out-of-state caused hazy skies, red sunsets, and poor air quality across the Northeast.

Most of the smoke likely originated from fires in Canada, just north of Minnesota, then was carried southeast through the Great Lakes by northwesterly winds.

The smoky skies created hazy conditions that captured the attention of people all over the state and reduced visibility to as low as 2.5 miles in some places. [Read more…] about Understanding Our Smoky Summer Skies

Filed Under: Nature Tagged With: DEC, nature, weather

August 1884, An Early Frost In Warren County, NY

August 11, 2021 by Maury Thompson Leave a Comment

A party of guests of the Worden Hotel, Lake GeorgeAugust 1884 opened with a promising outlook for Warren County farmers, but as the month continued the weather would be an up-and-down roller coaster ride.

“The recent rain made vegetation revive so that it looks quite promising,” the Horicon correspondent reported in The Morning Star of Glens Falls on August 1st. [Read more…] about August 1884, An Early Frost In Warren County, NY

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, History Tagged With: local farms, Newspapers, Warren County, weather

July On The Farm In The 19th Century

July 21, 2021 by Maury Thompson Leave a Comment

Farming in JulyA July 1876 heat wave ripened Washington County garden crops early.

“Peas, summer squash and cucumbers are plenty,” The Granville Sentinel reported on July 21st. “The mercury climbs up every day into the nineties and drops only to seventy or eighty at night.” [Read more…] about July On The Farm In The 19th Century

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, History Tagged With: Chestertown, Glens Falls, Horicon, Lake Luzerne, local farms, Warren County, Washington County, weather

Washington County Farmers In Spring, 1876

May 6, 2021 by Maury Thompson Leave a Comment

S. Timmons farm, Walla Walla County, ca. 1892 Photo by F. Fortin, Courtesy UW Special Collections (WAS0304)If April showers bring May flowers, what do May showers bring?

Optimism for a prosperous agricultural season.

“The weather for the past two or three days has been quite warm and spring-like, with frequent showers, and Mother Earth is fast putting on her robe of green,” the Putnam correspondent reported in The Granville Sentinel on May 12th, 1876. “The farmers have nearly finished their sowing, but we have not heard of much planting being done yet. Winter grain is looking finely, and the prospects are good for an abundant harvest.” [Read more…] about Washington County Farmers In Spring, 1876

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, History Tagged With: Agricultural History, local farms, newspaper, Washington County, weather

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