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weather

How Animals Stay Warm In Winter

March 18, 2023 by Guest Contributor 2 Comments

red fox in its winter coat courtesy Wikimedia user Lvaughn7To survive the cold of winter, some animals take advantage of protected habitats, such as wooded areas or under a blanket of insulating snow. Ruffed grouse, for example, fly into piles of loose snow and create roosting cavities to rest in when not foraging. Mice and other small mammals remain active in tunnels under the snow. [Read more…] about How Animals Stay Warm In Winter

Filed Under: Nature Tagged With: birds, coyotes, dogs, fox, Science, small mammals, snow, waterfowl, weather, whitetail deer, Wildlife, winter, wolves

Icicles, Snow Doughnuts, and Hair Ice

February 24, 2023 by Guest Contributor 1 Comment

bulbous icicles hang from a branch over a river courtesy Wikimedia user Matthew.kowal A few winters ago, I snowshoed along a trail that led below a series of cliffs with rows of huge, hanging icicles. These icicles were up to 40 feet long, with colors ranging from blue-green to yellowish-brown. In some spots, the icicles extended from clifftop to base, forming thick columns of ice. This spectacular display was created by water from melting snow and underground seeps dripping off the cliffs, refreezing, and building up over time. Minerals leached out of rock and soil can contribute to the colors of icicles. [Read more…] about Icicles, Snow Doughnuts, and Hair Ice

Filed Under: Nature Tagged With: ice, snow, weather, winter

Avalanche Warning Issued For Adirondack Mountains

February 22, 2023 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

Avalanche anatomy illustration courtesy T3 AdventuresThe New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has issued an avalanche warning, advising backcountry downhill skiers, snowboarders, and all outdoor adventurers who may traverse slides or steep, open terrain in the High Peaks region of the Adirondacks to be aware of and prepared for avalanche conditions.

Several avalanches have been reported in the High Peaks over recent weeks. Forecast weather will exacerbate existing conditions, making them even more prone to sliding. [Read more…] about Avalanche Warning Issued For Adirondack Mountains

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, Nature, Recreation Tagged With: Adirondacks, Avalanches, backcountry skiing, DEC, Essex County, Hamilton County, High Peaks, skiing, snow, snowboarding, snowshoeing, Snowy Mountain, weather

Historic Snowstorms of Central New York

January 12, 2023 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

CNY Snowstorm book front coverCentral New York is renowned as one of the snowiest regions in the world. In the past, major snowstorms have crippled cities, towns, and farming country for weeks at a time.

From the Lake Ontario port in Oswego to the busy streets of Syracuse and Utica, every community in the region has found themselves buried from brutal snowstorms. [Read more…] about Historic Snowstorms of Central New York

Filed Under: Books, Events, History, Mohawk Valley, Western NY Tagged With: Disaster Management, Lake Ontario, natural disasters, Oneida County History Center, Oswego, snow, Syracuse, Utica, weather

The Aftermath of The Hurricane of 1938

December 8, 2022 by Chris Kretz Leave a Comment

long island history project logoMuch has been written about September 21st, 1938, the day that a massive hurricane hit Long Island. For Jonathan C. Bergman, the more interesting story began the day after.

His extensive research focused on the cleanup and disaster relief efforts orchestrated by a shifting network of Red Cross officials, New Deal workers, Suffolk County agencies, churchgoers, and volunteers. [Read more…] about The Aftermath of The Hurricane of 1938

Filed Under: History, Nature, New York City Tagged With: Disaster Management, Hurricane of 1938, Long Island, natural disasters, Podcasts, Red Cross, Suffolk County, weather

Lightning: A Science Primer

August 27, 2022 by Guest Contributor 1 Comment

Port and lighthouse overnight storm with lightning courtesy Wikimedia user Maxime Raynal To say that lightning “splits” the sky is no mere poetry. A single stroke contains about one billion joules of energy, roughly 280 kilowatt-hours of electricity, and could power a modern American household for more than nine days.

What’s more, it’s enough to blast apart the very molecules that make up the atmosphere and temporarily scramble its composition. [Read more…] about Lightning: A Science Primer

Filed Under: Nature Tagged With: nature, weather

Hiking Essentials: Thunderstorm Safety

July 9, 2022 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

thunderstorm safetyBefore every hike you should check the weather for the location you will be visiting. If there are thunderstorms in the forecast for that day or night, change or delay your plans. Do not risk getting caught in a thunderstorm on a mountain trail.

Sometimes, thunderstorms can develop unexpectedly and appear despite a clear weather forecast. Keep the following in mind to help you avoid pop-up thunderstorms and stay safe if you do get caught in one: [Read more…] about Hiking Essentials: Thunderstorm Safety

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

Its Been 50 Years Since Hurricane Agnes Swept Through New York

June 18, 2022 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

satellite image of Tropical Storm AgnesThis month marks the 50th anniversary of Hurricane Agnes, which ravaged the mid-Atlantic and northeast region in June 1972. At the time, it was the most destructive tropical cyclone in American history and the costliest hurricane to hit the United States at the time. [Read more…] about Its Been 50 Years Since Hurricane Agnes Swept Through New York

Filed Under: History Tagged With: natural disasters, 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

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