Pocono Talk

I had to mention the lack of snow didn’t I? I’ve been online to get work done the past few weeks but that’s about it due to a series of illnesses that my kids and I had – hopefully we’re in the clear now.

Last night we were expected to get 1-4 inches of snow – we ended up getting 11-12 inches – the largest amount we’ve gotten in a storm this winter. I swear, the weather people can not possibly be more off – the first large storm that hit the Philly region and dumped 12+ inches we were expected to get a large amount from that as well..and literally got a dusting if that.

So with a storm expected to start tonight at midnight and last through noon on Friday, it is quite possible that we might actually get some snow again.

Tuesday my son was dismissed early from school, he had off today(Wednesday) and has off tomorrow as well. The way that it looks like it is going I don’t expect him to be going back to school until Monday so he’s got an unexpected but welcomed winter break.

If you are planning on visiting the Poconos this weekend be sure to check the weather – I would assume the roads should be fine by Saturday but Friday looks sketchy as of now.

Please take your time if you’re out and about – yesterday I saw a car “parked” into a rock on the side of the road(luckily it was nothing serious).

From the Weather Channel:

WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO NOON EST FRIDAY…

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW… SLEET… AND ICE ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.

Snow at Night in the Poconos

The snow started late last night (around 12am) and it hasn’t stopped since.  After a series of disappointing storms where we received next to no snow it feels great to finally get a big storm!  I almost forgot what the ground looked like covered in snow.  Although its been a pretty dull snow season in the Poconos just a few hours south in Philadelphia with this most recent storm they officially have had their snowiest season on record.

Between the snow and the wind it was not a good day to be out and traveling – out West a bit near Pittsburg there was a 50 car pile up which prompted PA Governor Ed Rendell to shut down many Interstates.  Needless to say if you didn’t HAVE to be out today then you definitely should not have been.  Schools were closed, businesses were closed so everyone I talked to was home from work and enjoying the day off.

The snow is expected to end around midnight tonight, although looking out the window now it already appears to have tapered off.  The Poconos are pretty good with plowing – at least on the main roads, so tomorrow it will be back to business as usual.  I hope everyone enjoyed their day off and if you’re looking to come visit the Poconos this weekend to hit the slopes it is bound to be great weather!

There are about 10-11 inches of snow so far so my dog Rocket (a beagle / jack russel mix) does a little bunny hop through the snow every time he runs out to the bathroom.  This is him leaping back onto the patio out of a snow pile.  He is so low to the ground that if he tried to walk through the snow his belly would be hitting the snow constantly, I’ll try to get his bunny hop on video sometime, it’s pretty amusing but for now a picture will suffice:

My Dog Rocket in the Snow

The consensus from everyone I’ve talked to is a resounding “ugh” regarding the weather recently.  The Poconos is known for snow and winter fun – not lukewarm weather and flooding in January.  The ski resorts are closed(except one) due to the weather – I can’t imagine that the Pocono businesses that thrive on the winter weather are happy at all.  For the businesses that rely on nicer weather even though it’s warmer out between the mud and the rain I can’t imagine anyone wants to be outside doing outdoor activities or ducking in and out of stores in the rain.

When the warmer weather hits there is definitely a feeling of “welcome spring!” and if it stayed warm I really don’t think many people would  mind.  But it never stays warm – it will drift back into the cold and we’ll end up with a messy in between of ice and sleet at some point.  For those that would love for it to stay cold, mainly those interested in winter sports – it’s bound to get cold again, but ice really doesn’t match any outdoor activity (well maybe ice skating? lol).

So as we wait to see what the weather does (it was around 50 today but tomorrow snow showers are in the forecast) – take advantage of this time to do some web surfing to plan out those last rounds of winter activities before spring hits and a list of great places you want to visit this summer.  Personally I NEED to get to Bushkill Falls this year – somehow I have missed the opportunity every year but I think I’m going to break down, book a babysitter(aka one of the grandmas) and get out for some outdoor summer fun with my husband(they wouldn’t do too well with the terrain).

Is there any place you’ve been meaning to get to in the Poconos but just haven’t?  If you have any thoughts on places you want to visit – or that you’ve already visited and are a MUST SEE be sure to let us know!

We had a surprise 3-4 inches over 2 weeks ago and our last substantial storm was over a month ago.  With the warm weather and rain the past couple of days any remaining snow we had has all melted.

I got all excited when this weather alert came in on Sunday – with our son home from school on Monday it would be a great day for a storm since he’d be home from school anyway.

…WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 AM EST MONDAY…

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW… SLEET…AND ICE ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.

So I went to bed last night – checked out the window…nothing.  I got up a few times throughout the night and each time peeked outside expecting to at least see a flurry.  Nothing.

So I wake up this morning and see this:

…WINTER STORM WARNING IS CANCELLED…

THE TEMPERATURES HAVE RISEN OVERNIGHT AND THE PRECIPITATION ENDED. ALTHOUGH THERE MAY BE A FEW SNOW SHOWERS THIS MORNING NO ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED. THE ROADS MAY BE ICY IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTIES SO EXTREME CARE IS ADVISED THIS MORNING. THE TEMPERATURES WILL RISE INTO THE UPPER 30S TO LOWER 40S TODAY.

It really makes me wonder about how meteorology works when it’s that off…

So no there is no snow.  If you’re looking to ski there is snow on the mountains of course, at least for now.  My husband and 6 year old went skiing at Alpine Mountain this past weekend with some friends and they said the conditions were great.  Today(Martin Luther King Day) unfortunately was warm and misting – it’s usually a big day for skiing but it was definitely not ideal weather conditions.

Knowing the Poconos we are bound to get quite a few storms still this season and probably some lingering snow into April, but for now there is none to be found.

Well, we missed what could have been a really big snowstorm for our area and escaped with just a few inches across the Poconos.  About 2-5 inches fell across the region leaving a fresh coat of white powder, but nothing more then a typical storm and definitely not anything to write home about.

For most of us it was a very iffy storm – the predictions were initially 4-8 inches then upped to 6 to 12.  The radar showed precipitation over the area from early on Saturday – yet there was no snow falling.  There was supposedly really dry air that was preventing the snow from falling and if it had moved out earlier we would have gotten those larger numbers expected.  It wasn’t until about 5pm that the snow actually started to reach the ground and by that point the storm was already pulling out to sea and moving away.

I am disappointed – I’ll admit it.  For all the fussing I do about snow, how it can be an inconvenience, shoveling is a pain…I still love a good winter storm with nice snow accumulations.  As I headed out last night to shovel what little snow had fallen there it was…that Winter Magic.  The air was cold but crisp and the snow was light and fluffy and glistened from the nearby lights.  Our Christmas lights shone through the snow covered bushes and the only sound you could hear was the powdery snow as it hit the ground.  It is a truly magical experience that calm that a snow storm brings to the outdoors.  There are no cars, no animals, no bugs, no planes…it is the quietest that nature gets and everything seems to slow down and stop all at once.

We might have missed it this time, but it’s inevitable that there is more snow in the near future.  The next wave of snow is expected Christmas day, hopefully it will be enough for a dusting to give that true “White Christmas” with snow actually falling on Christmas, but not enough to effect travel plans.  Until then it is bound to be a mad shopping rush this week, take your time on the roads as they will still be icy – Route 611 is bound to be JAM PACKED this week – find alternatives if you can or you’ll find yourself spending the majority of the time sitting in traffic not shopping.

The initial call was to be on watch from 6am Saturday to 6am Sunday, that has changed from some snow Sat(which we got maybe an inch) to tapering off around lunch time on Sunday.  The track has greatly changed and predicted amounts have gone up and back down but currently it has only really been snowing for about 3 hours and we have about 2 inches total.  At around 1pm it was really coming down and within 15 minutes the ground was completely covered but then the storm “stalled out” until about 5 pm when snow started really falling again.

It is yet to be seen what the morning will bring, it looks like a couple of inches overnight but for the most part it looks like the Poconos was lucky  enough to avoid most of it.  Although I am sure that the ski resorts would have loved the additional snow, with it being so close to Christmas and so many people still needing to get shopping done we ended up with the best of both worlds.  Enough snow to have a fresh coat and snow covering the ground for Christmas, but not enough to really cause any major problems.

Tomorrow afternoon the snow will have stopped, and the roads should be clear enough to continue about Christmas shopping, heading to church or get to any parties you need to.  We’ll update you on the final totals tomorrow, I’m hoping for at least a few more inches of snow!

It is just before 1pm on Saturday December 19th and the snow is just starting to fall.  Even now the snow seems to be falling with a lot more intensity then it normally does.  This isn’t a “slow” snowfall, it is definitely falling with a purpose.  Ever since the cold front came in earlier this week the ground has been frozen solid which means that any snow that falls is definitely going to12″ stick and accumulate.

Right now the “Winter Storm Warning” projections are still at 4-8 inches of snow for the Poconos.  The weather “prediction” maps are showing us well within the 6-12 inch range with Philadelphia in the 12+ inch range.

Last night there was the rush and bustle associated not only with getting ready for a big storm, but also for trying to get some last minute Christmas shopping in before the snow hits.  Although this storm has the potential to drop a lot of snow in the Poconos, we have gotten ‘punked’ in the past and only ended up with a few inches.  But if the start of this storm is any indicator of what is expected to come, then it looks like it’s shaping up to be more then just a normal storm.

If you have to go out today or tomorrow morning just be cautious, the wind is going to make it more difficult to see then usual and the roads can be dangerous until they get plowed.  If you are off the main roads be especially cautious – do not pull over on the side of the road unless you need to – if you need to stop be sure to pull into a parking lot, driveway, etc.  There are many areas that have drainage ditches/holes that are bound to be covered in snow and you definitely do not want to get stuck in them.

The Poconos are definitely getting snow this weekend, the question is how much?

It looks like the storm will arrive overnight tonight and last into late Saturday night/early Sunday morning.  If you’re looking to travel to the Poconos this weekend it is definitely something you need to watch for and plan accordingly.  Traveling tomorrow with the snow combined with the holiday traffic could be make for a very difficult weekend.

Right now the Poconos are projected for about 3-6 inches, this storm is not ‘accurate’ yet by any means which means we could possibly be in for a lot more.

**Update** As of 6:30pm the snow totals have been upped to 4-8 inches

Winter Storm Warning Friday December 18th, 2009

WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH LATE SATURDAY NIGHT…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOUNT HOLLY HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH LATE SATURDAY NIGHT.

SNOW IS EXPECTED TO OVERSPREAD THE AREA FROM SOUTH TO NORTH EARLY SATURDAY. THE SNOW COULD BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES DURING SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT BEFORE TAPERING OFF EARLY SUNDAY. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL THIS WEEKEND.

THE SNOW COULD FALL HEAVY AT TIMES… WHICH MAY COMBINE WITH GUSTY NORTHERLY WINDS TO PRODUCE AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. THIS MAY CAUSE DANGEROUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT.

THERE IS STILL CONSIDERABLE UNCERTAINTY AS TO THE TRACK OF THIS DEVELOPING STORM. IF A MORE WESTWARD TRACK MATERIALIZES, SNOW AMOUNTS COULD REACH WARNING CRITERIA IN THE WATCH AREA. A MORE EASTWARD TRACK WOULD YIELD LIGHTER AMOUNTS.

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW… SLEET… OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.

This  past Sunday, December the 13th, was predicted to be icy, and sure was it.  The weekends are always busy in the Poconos with tourism in both the summer months and winter months it can make for crowded roadways.  What made it especially traffic laden this weekend was the ice that arrived in the morning hours on Sunday.  In the higher elevations it started out as sleet (picture above), changed to freezing rain and finally just rain.  There was at least some visual with the sleet that the roads could be slippery.  Unfortunately in the lower elevations the rain came down, but the problem is that the ground was frozen turning it into ice and very deceiving ice at that.  You would have just assumed it was raining, and it was warm enough too, but the frozen ground from the previous week made for quite a dangerous drive.

There were plenty of fender benders, people sliding off the road, and unfortunately a fatality or two due to the ice.  With many people heading out to church or home, it’s easy to rationalize the fact that you ‘must’ drive.  At the same time you really need to double check the weather, and the conditions, and weigh the outcomes.  Getting in an accident or being stuck in hours for traffic in the cold is not worth it sometimes.  The snow they’re pretty good about clearing, the ice, with these roads…you really need to be careful.  Unfortunately we get a lot of weather changes in the winter, it doesn’t just snow and stay snow for the winter.   Here’s hoping for more snow, and no more ice!

I woke up this morning and it was a brisk 14 degrees outside, by the time I took the above picture it had ‘warmed’ up to a not-so-balmy 19 degrees.  It’s not expected to get too much warmer in the coming days, it looks like winter has finally set in.  It has been incredibly windy and incredibly cold, not a great combination if you’re planning on visiting the Poconos this weekend and being outside.   The cold this morning combined with the wind made it feel like it was only a couple of degrees out, it wasn’t too bad at first but it’s one of those colds that makes it hurt to breathe in.  I am quite a bit of a sissy when it comes to the cold(I keep 4 blankets on when I sleep), but even for my husband the polar bear it was chilly.

If you didn’t get a chance to shovel the snow from earlier this week it is most likely rock solid.  And if you’re like me and waited to get your outside Christmas lights up until this weekend…well that might have to wait a couple of more days until it warms up a bit.

If you’re looking for something to do this weekend in the Poconos it’s the last week for the following:

Quiet Valley’s Old Time Christmas
December 12 & 13
3:30 to 7pm (call for special hours for Group Tours)

Experience an old-fashioned Christmas, from a time before the advent of bright lights Old Time Christmas Lantern and toy commercials, where the light of twinkling of stars and lanterns guide you, the noises you hear are the soft mooing of the cow and the sweet voices of carolers, when the best Christmas gift of all was from the heart and not the store. Come join us at Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm as we celebrate the holiday season with a candlelit Christmas.

Visit their website for details and a coupon