January Banter 2022

[nj2va]

3 minutes ago, Deer Whisperer said:

Could anyone explain what a KU storm is? Couldn't find anything on google

Named after Paul Kocin and Louis Uccellini - literally wrote a textbook on patterns that lead to major east coast storms.  They’re The Godfathers of east coast blizzards basically.

https://www.amazon.com/Northeast-Snowstorms-1-2-Set/dp/1878220640

[Dendrimer77]

And what to my wondering eyes should appear? Three, 3-notched beers and a roaring snow fire. Any recommendations on what order I should consume? Cheers my fellow snow hounds!

[nj2va]

Lol, what an idiot.  The anti-Santa

https://wtop.com/montgomery-county/2022/01/police-man-gets-stuck-in-chimney-trying-to-rob-montgomery-co-home/

[mattie g]

46 minutes ago, Dendrimer77 said:

And what to my wondering eyes should appear? Three, 3-notched beers and a roaring snow fire. Any recommendations on what order I should consume? Cheers my fellow snow hounds!

For that group, drink “up” in terms of ABV. Basically, drink the smaller beers first, as those might seem lacking in flavor if you follow a beer that’s significantly higher in alcohol.

I’d also suggest drinking the more bitter beers first (regardless of ABV), as they may come off as astringent if you follow a soft IPA with a bitter IPA.

[North Balti Zen]

Saw a bald eagle in flight today driving near my new hood in Balt County - it was soaring across Monkton Road - unmistakeable with that wingspan and a white head. Pretty awesome to see. 

[Fozz]

A very tragic story in Pakistan of people trying to visit a small mountain town just north of Islamabad during a big snowstorm, and then getting stranded and killed by carbon monoxide poisoning in their cars.

 

[RDM]

4 hours ago, Stormfly said:

That would be the ID-1290:

Very popular due to providing temp/pressure/windspeed and direction for under $150.  Very reliable unit.

Indeed - that's it!!!   Now....  If only I knew where it is - buried someplace in a box in our basement.

The weather station was always a little "off" after the blizzard of 78.  It was as if gave in to the extremes.   

The night before the blizzard of 78 hit the barometer was dropping so fast we could almost watch it move live.  (almost).  My dad and I were out at our airplane hanger doing an engine overhaul.  Given aircraft altimeters operate off barometric pressure, if you know your altitude you can measure the barometer.  We could adjust the altimeter every 5 mins.  My dad knew something serious was up with the weather, so we locked up early and went home.  He double checked my weather station and then called the NWS at Dayton Airport to get the scoop and was informed of the pending blizzard, which exceeded their forecast by a long shot.  He then started calling all the firemen in our little town and our local police and city maintenance crew to a meeting at the firehouse.  The rest is history about the blizzard of 78.  

[Stormfly]

Not sure of the anemometer on the 1290 but I do believe it uses the generator method as seeing it in action there was a bit of needle wobble at low speeds.  Basically how that works is a small generator (like the bicycle generators that have a rub gear that contacts the tire sidewall) connected to the anemometer cups spins in proportion to wind speed.  A small current is generated which is picked up by a milliammeter in the console.  The faster the wind, the higher the current.  Quite simple but does have some wearing components besides the bearings.  (commutator and brushes).

The wind vane on that model uses a magnet attached to the shaft and eight glass reed switches.  A reed switch closes when a magnet approaches and opens when it leaves.  These are everywhere and very common in security systems, for example.  The idea is the 8 reed switches are laid out on a circuit board in a compass rose formation.  Since two switches can be engaged the same time (alnico bar magnet in between switches) this provides 16 point direction as indicated via lights.  Nifty and simple.

Temperature sensor may have used a thermistor / RTD and/or diode bridge. Diodes were quite stable but vulnerable to RFI so if used in a HAM shack with a 2kW HF linear they'd go bezerk when keying up!

Barometer was simple bellows aneroid type that's found in many home barometers.  Interesting about seeing it fall.  I know many of them respond well to change by tapping them as they don't move in small increments.  Often I would put the marker needle over the main and come back after bathroom break and see 0.05" drop which was scary.  Digital is more accurate but there's nothing like watching a mercury column when some serious weather moves through.  Speaking of digital, Heath made two very accurate digital units (one with a chart recorder) that used a crystal oven assembly to keep its transducer at a stable temperature for repeatability.  Very nice!

The anemometer operation can be verified simply by driving on a calm day and noting the vehicle speed or GPS vs. wind speed.  Wind tunnel is the best way to verify linearity to gauge limits but most don't have access to one.

Wind vane operation easily verified visually.  If something gets misaligned a point can be missing (fail to light two lights simultaneously) or even THREE lights can come on if one of the reed switches is overly sensitive or something has become magnetized. (rather rare)

The 1890's wind sensors are opto electronic and very stable mechanically but if they misbehave a little more knowledge in 8 bit logic and encoding is needed to troubleshoot.  Interesting nonetheless. 

[RDM]

28 minutes ago, Stormfly said:

Not sure of the anemometer on the 1290 but I do believe it uses the generator method as seeing it in action there was a bit of needle wobble at low speeds.  Basically how that works is a small generator (like the bicycle generators that have a rub gear that contacts the tire sidewall) connected to the anemometer cups spins in proportion to wind speed.  A small current is generated which is picked up by a milliammeter in the console.  The faster the wind, the higher the current.  Quite simple but does have some wearing components besides the bearings.  (commutator and brushes).

The wind vane on that model uses a magnet attached to the shaft and eight glass reed switches.  A reed switch closes when a magnet approaches and opens when it leaves.  These are everywhere and very common in security systems, for example.  The idea is the 8 reed switches are laid out on a circuit board in a compass rose formation.  Since two switches can be engaged the same time (alnico bar magnet in between switches) this provides 16 point direction as indicated via lights.  Nifty and simple.

Temperature sensor may have used a thermistor / RTD and/or diode bridge. Diodes were quite stable but vulnerable to RFI so if used in a HAM shack with a 2kW HF linear they'd go bezerk when keying up!

Barometer was simple bellows aneroid type that's found in many home barometers.  Interesting about seeing it fall.  I know many of them respond well to change by tapping them as they don't move in small increments.  Often I would put the marker needle over the main and come back after bathroom break and see 0.05" drop which was scary.  Digital is more accurate but there's nothing like watching a mercury column when some serious weather moves through.  Speaking of digital, Heath made two very accurate digital units (one with a chart recorder) that used a crystal oven assembly to keep its transducer at a stable temperature for repeatability.  Very nice!

The anemometer operation can be verified simply by driving on a calm day and noting the vehicle speed or GPS vs. wind speed.  Wind tunnel is the best way to verify linearity to gauge limits but most don't have access to one.

Wind vane operation easily verified visually.  If something gets misaligned a point can be missing (fail to light two lights simultaneously) or even THREE lights can come on if one of the reed switches is overly sensitive or something has become magnetized. (rather rare)

The 1890's wind sensors are opto electronic and very stable mechanically but if they misbehave a little more knowledge in 8 bit logic and encoding is needed to troubleshoot.  Interesting nonetheless. 

Man...  you REALLY know your Heathkit weather stations.   I remember the needle wobble at low speeds that you mentioned.  Was one of the quirks of in how it operated.  Great memories...  

[Jebman]

8 hours ago, snowmagnet said:

It sounds like you need to move back up north!! But I’m so glad you are still part of this forum.  I love your optimistic posts. You help to balance out Ji’s pessimism. This year it has really worked out for us!   I took a bunch of Jebwalks this week. We just moved to a new neighborhood that has a gorgeous trail behind it. I felt like I stepped into a winter fairytale land when I walked through there on Monday. If I could figure out how to post pictures on here, I would!  Waiting for our next big one… 
 

I have really adapted to south Texas, dewpoint is back up to 60 degrees and I am overjoyed, heretical as that statement may sound coming from me lol, I still am pulling for the Mid Atlantic to get a lot of heavy powder snow with a lot of Siberian cold! Ji is one of the finest posters on this board! This place would never be the same without him!

You got lots of Big Ones on the way, Pattern is setting up later this month! It just wants to snow In DC and the rest of the Mid Atlantic!

[PrinceFrederickWx]

I sure hope the long range thread is for real and not another pump-and-dump scam like some previous winters. You all are as bad as StockTwits sometimes 

[cbmclean]

5 minutes ago, PrinceFrederickWx said:

I sure hope the long range thread is for real and not another pump-and-dump scam like some previous winters. You all are as bad as StockTwits sometimes 

It's just a fact that all weenies have to live with that an advertised great pattern can collapse and evaporate at any time.  Funny how that never seems to happen to forecasted bad patterns.  They can show up at 384 hours and march relentlessly closer day after day.  Such is the life.

[psuhoffman]

Made my big post from @jonjons place Stumptown Ales. Really awesome place.  Anyone in the Davis area should stop in.
 

Ended up skiing Timberline today. Snowshoe never got western territory open. Not sure why. Kinda annoyed. They posted that it would be open this weekend earlier in the week but then went silent and stopped talking about it or updating then just didn’t open. I don’t mind that things changed. It happens although after cold all week and 14” not sure why.  But to go silent and not explain is inexcusable Imo, especially when that’s their best terrain and likely a deciding factor for any advanced skiers trying to plan a weekend. 

But had a great time at Timberline instead. Conditions were great and the new owners seem to know what their doing. Even had just enough snow to pop into the trees a bit. 

[NorthArlington101]

4 minutes ago, psuhoffman said:

Made my big post from @jonjons place Stumptown Ales. Really awesome place.  Anyone in the Davis area should stop in.
 

Ended up skiing Timberline today. Snowshoe never got western territory open. Not sure why. Kinda annoyed. They posted that it would be open this weekend earlier in the week but then went silent and stopped talking about it or updating then just didn’t open. I don’t mind that things changed. It happens although after cold all week and 14” not sure why.  But to go silent and not explain is inexcusable Imo, especially when that’s their best terrain and likely a deciding factor for any advanced skiers trying to plan a weekend. 

But had a great time at Timberline instead. Conditions were great and the new owners seem to know what their doing. Even had just enough snow to pop into the trees a bit. 

my biggest failure as a snow lover is that I cant ski. I just have zero body control -- literally can't figure out how to lean from one side to another to turn and I've got duck feet so the pizza/french fry thing fails.

[fourseasons]

32 minutes ago, NorthArlington101 said:

my biggest failure as a snow lover is that I cant ski. I just have zero body control -- literally can't figure out how to lean from one side to another to turn and I've got duck feet so the pizza/french fry thing fails.

Hello, Friend!

I've skied on the green runs of Canadian Rockies ski slopes, hoping I didn't run into people while doing the snowplow.  I was a health hazard.

[Bigbald]

27 minutes ago, NorthArlington101 said:

my biggest failure as a snow lover is that I cant ski. I just have zero body control -- literally can't figure out how to lean from one side to another to turn and I've got duck feet so the pizza/french fry thing fails.

Was just discussing this with a beginner friend, the pizza aint supposed to save you down steep terrain. I made the biggest jump in sking when I learned to move horizontal down steep stuff, side by side through pressure, which is ultimately the only braking that really saves you if that's your big fear (was my hurdle).  Alot follows from that.

[NorthArlington101]

Was just discussing this with a beginner friend, the pizza aint supposed to save you down steep terrain. I made the biggest jump in sking when I learned to move horizontal down steep stuff, side by side through pressure, which is ultimately the only braking that really saves you if that's your big fear (was my hurdle).  Alot follows from that.

I’ve got two left knees - I usually just go for the straight down and wipe out method. Only works at the worst east coast skiing sites.

[87storms]

32 minutes ago, NorthArlington101 said:

my biggest failure as a snow lover is that I cant ski. I just have zero body control -- literally can't figure out how to lean from one side to another to turn and I've got duck feet so the pizza/french fry thing fails.

you might prefer snowboarding.  it's more of a forward/back lean as opposed to side to side.

[Maestrobjwa]

Never skied or been on a slope...but I'd be willing to try it sometime--though the thought of having to stand on two thin sticks going down a hill sounds a but terrifying, lol

[Fozz]

1 hour ago, psuhoffman said:

Made my big post from @jonjons place Stumptown Ales. Really awesome place.  Anyone in the Davis area should stop in.
 

Ended up skiing Timberline today. Snowshoe never got western territory open. Not sure why. Kinda annoyed. They posted that it would be open this weekend earlier in the week but then went silent and stopped talking about it or updating then just didn’t open. I don’t mind that things changed. It happens although after cold all week and 14” not sure why.  But to go silent and not explain is inexcusable Imo, especially when that’s their best terrain and likely a deciding factor for any advanced skiers trying to plan a weekend. 

But had a great time at Timberline instead. Conditions were great and the new owners seem to know what their doing. Even had just enough snow to pop into the trees a bit. 

You should’ve told me you were up there. I just returned today after skiing Timberline yesterday, and yeah conditions were great like you said. I also met some really cool people during my brief trip.

[SnowLover22]

Can't believe I found this lol

 

 

[nj2va]

1 hour ago, NorthArlington101 said:

my biggest failure as a snow lover is that I cant ski. I just have zero body control -- literally can't figure out how to lean from one side to another to turn and I've got duck feet so the pizza/french fry thing fails.

I’m still a work in progress too….I’ve gotten better over the last few years going to Wisp so much having the house in McHenry but I still find myself panicking and reverting to pizza.  I think I like the apres ski part of skiing more than skiing itself ha

[RDM]

1 hour ago, NorthArlington101 said:

my biggest failure as a snow lover is that I cant ski. I just have zero body control -- literally can't figure out how to lean from one side to another to turn and I've got duck feet so the pizza/french fry thing fails.

There's a lot of counter-intuitive aspects of skiing, and in the process of mastering them you'll encounter several ah ha moments where it just clicks.  I cut my teeth in Ohio on 300 foot vertical bunny hill - the first time down I was terrified.  A few years later I was skiing in the Alps, with the help of some Swiss friends who provided some key pointers.  

If you watch people that are good, they don't move a lot from the waist up.  They swivel their hips/waist and do most of the "turning" from the waist down.  Combined with a slight up and down motion timed with setting your downhill edge enables you to unweighten your skis for a moment to change directions and carve into the next curve.  The less weight on your skis the easier it is to turn them.  

One exercise I used to do with beginners is have them hold their ski poles out in front of them in both hands - hold the bottoms of the poles in opposite hands and don't use them to plant in the show - use them as guides to force you to face downhill.  Hold the poles perpendicular to the fall line as a means to keep your shoulders and upper body square with the slope.  This helps force you to swivel your hips/waist while keeping your upper body pointed downhill.

Another key thing to learn to ski well is to keep your body forward on your skis and your weight on your shins in your boots.  This forces weight onto the front of your skis, which is critical to making good turns under control.  When I apine skied I used to wear all the hair off the shins on both legs.  Found out this was normal.  

Once you start leaning back in your boots and your weight moves to the back of your skis it's all over.  As one experts Swiss told me, "you steer with the weight on the front of your skis because no matter where the front of your skis go the rear of your skis will follow.  If your weight is on the rear of your skis, the front of your skis have no way to carve/control/guide the curve.  Essentially the front of your skis are lost without your weight on them."   

You can practice this while traversing across a slope...  as you traverse the hill, gradually make more turns quicker with a shorter interval.  By making more turns you won't go any faster but you'll get down the hill much faster and under control.  The steeper it is the more turns you make and the quicker you make them, without going any faster.  

When the time is right and you reach the advanced levels when you get on the really steep stuff, you can actually do double pole plants and unweighten yourself so fast it's almost like a jump.  I've been on some really steep stuff off piste in the Alps that was so steep you could reach out with your hand w/o leaning into the slope and touch the slope above you.  Of course if you fall you gotta know how to perform a self arrest with your poles. 

All the above is for traditional skiing with alpine gear.  I switched over to telemark skiing in 1990 and have not gone back to alpine gear since.  Telemark skiing is also known as free-heal skiing - you go down on one knee on each turn.  It is much much more difficult than alpine skiing, but a lot of fun and an incredible workout.  If you ever have a chance to try it, give it a shot.  For some folks it's a natural progression in the sport of skiing.   

 

[pazzo83]

10 minutes ago, nj2va said:

I’m still a work in progress too….I’ve gotten better over the last few years going to Wisp so much having the house in McHenry but I still find myself panicking and reverting to pizza.  I think I like the apres ski part of skiing more than skiing itself ha

i'm glad my parents did lessons for me early (I think i was in 4th or 5th grade).  Massanutten Resort had this program through our local YMCA where we had 6 weeks of lessons every winter - I haven't skied in several years but I feel like I'd be able to get right back into it.

[Fozz]

13 minutes ago, nj2va said:

I’m still a work in progress too….I’ve gotten better over the last few years going to Wisp so much having the house in McHenry but I still find myself panicking and reverting to pizza.  I think I like the apres ski part of skiing more than skiing itself ha

I’m a cautious skier. I’m comfortable with the blues, I don’t go as fast as some others, and I’m perfectly fine that way. 

[Fozz]

7 minutes ago, pazzo83 said:

i'm glad my parents did lessons for me early (I think i was in 4th or 5th grade).  Massanutten Resort had this program through our local YMCA where we had 6 weeks of lessons every winter - I haven't skied in several years but I feel like I'd be able to get right back into it.

I learned it in high school with some friends. They pushed me to do the blues the second time I ever skied, because they told me this is what you need to do if you want to learn it quickly. I fell every 2 seconds but I got through it. I don’t recommend any beginners to try learning that way, but we were 16 and didn’t know any better.
 

And yeah if you stop for some time then it will come back to you. For me it was almost 7 years, but after a few green runs at Liberty I got right back into it and never looked back.

[nj2va]

4 minutes ago, pazzo83 said:

i'm glad my parents did lessons for me early (I think i was in 4th or 5th grade).  Massanutten Resort had this program through our local YMCA where we had 6 weeks of lessons every winter - I haven't skied in several years but I feel like I'd be able to get right back into it.

Yeah I think that’s key to being more comfortable as an adult for sure — first time I ski’d was probably ten years ago in my late 20s.  I always laugh when I see a 5 year old fly by me on their skis.  

Fozz, same here - cautious is probably a perfect way to describe my skiing.  It’d be fun to do a amwx ski day at wisp/Canaan this winter for anyone interested.

[dailylurker]

I'd like to make an announcement to my fellow ultra nature connect snow freaks.. I'm officially back in the swamp of AA County. No snow on Parrs Ridge was worth the living hell of a relationship I fell into. Anyway..

1/8/22 season totals

Parrs Ridge 4.6

Gambrills MD 14.3

The signs from the snow gods are undeniable. I'll take my 33 and rain while the fall line points west get powder then live the way I was. Right now I'm looking at a beautiful snowpack right here in the sleety, swampy lowlands of AA County. I love bay county just as much as the highlands. MD is an awesome state. 

Peach and love,  friends 

Daniel 

Next observation will be from my home in the swampy lowlands of bay county. It's been a rocking January here in the swamps. Here's to a much deserved rocking winter to us lowlanders. Three more inches and I crack climo. 

 

[mattie g]

6 hours ago, psuhoffman said:

My first two busts were Jan 1987 and Feb 1989 in south Jersey. 1987 they were saying 1-3” changing to rain. Woke up to a couple inches and heavy snow and was excited but KYW radio said it was about to change to rain and school wasn’t even delayed. While at school watched it continue to snow and snow and snow. Around noon they decided to send us home but by then it was a mess and took hours. It was dark by the time I got home. We ended up with about 10”. It did eventually end as some drizzle lol. 
 

Feb 89 was awful. Supposed to get a blizzard. 1-2 feet. Went to bed expecting 4-8” by morning. Woke up to sunshine and wind. Atlantic City 40 miles away for 20” and nothing where I was. Storm had a sharp edge and set up 50 miles east of expected. 

I remember both the 1987 and 1989 events you mentioned…but especially 1989. Unlike today, we almost never had school cancelled the day before a snowfall, but in this case we did. I woke up disappointed, no doubt, but I recall shooting hoops at a friend’s house for much of the morning since there wasn’t a flake on the ground. That afternoon, my parents took me and my little sister to Ocean City to get our (and my dad’s!) fix. I distinctly remember the drifts that had piled up on the boardwalk businesses - well up to the roofs on many of them!

[WxUSAF]

I wonder if the 89 bust is the one I remember vividly from childhood. Remember being convinced of a snowday for the next day and woke up to clear blue sky. I was so so mad and dejected that day.