3.22.2008

What Fresh Hell Is This?!?

The forecast is nothing but ice, snow and wind for the next two days. The MWO is forecasting record-high winds (in the last year or so). There will be so much snow moving around today, tonight and into tomorrow that a Saturday trek is hard to decide. tMail and I have exchanged a few emails about it, and the possibilities include (but not limited to):

  • Carrigain (on tMail's 48 list)
  • The Bonds (although the key bridge into the Pemi is out - also on his 48 list)
  • Lincoln's Backbone (again, but hopefully above treeline this time)
  • Something where we can check out the avi runouts on Washington
  • ...
I've got to bolt my snowshoes back together.
[Update 3/20 4:30pm] I'm testing the idea of using 'Sticky Posts' with this article. The idea is that I'm post-dating it for Saturday so it stays at the top of the page and any new posts show up underneath it until Sunday.

[Update 3/21 8:30pm] Nice. "15 min" peak speeds at the MWO have hit 140mph. Luckily winds are supposed to calm down into the 90's by noon and even lower by tomorrow night. Eeeegads! tMail and I decided on Carrigain via Signal Ridge. Take a deep breath... okay, step, hold tree... step... hold tree... step...step, stepstepstep ahhhhhhhhhhhhh......!.

[Update 3/22 5:30am]
"As a result of a blocking pattern, stalling and intensifying a center of low pressure in the Canadian Maritimes, winds peaked at 149 mph yesterday, with an average of 104.5 mph for the day. [...] The air aloft will be pretty dry, but the strong winds will be more than sufficient to lift the lingering low level moisture up and over the summits, providing fog for much of today and tonight. Winds have dampened to below 100 mph, but they will still be above hurricane force for much of the forecast period. Blowing and drifting snow and freezing fog will continue to contribute to severely limited visibility above tree line, with white out conditions prevailing at times."

5 comments:

  1. MZ I will be home tomorrow checking blog and gmail...I am anxious to see the MWO morning weather report...

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  2. It looks like their anemometer died at 4am.

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  3. The strong winds will violently lift and blow the freshly fallen snow about, contributing to white out conditions above tree line. Tomorrow, as the low begins to weaken, winds will be on a slight decrease, but will still be quite strong, above the hurricane force threshold with continued blowing and drifting snow.

    It may be a good day for Carrigain elevation 4700 feet it will be cold but we will not get our asses handed to us on a silver platter...

    what do you think?

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  4. Then tomorrow the Mount Washington Observatory is predicting winds pushing to 140mph (225kph)! These speeds are absolutely vicious making travel above treeline virtually insurmountable and contradictory to good judgment. I would recommend we give the mountain some alone time to go through its tantrums before we resume play this weekend.

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  5. I just sent an email describing the same points. I think above treeline will be sketchy. I'd be up for Carrigain (don't forget the slog along the road) or Lincoln's Backbone (the hour-long slog up falling water to the turnoff).

    Jeezum! It's so snowy out in the bright sun that I can't see anything on my monitor if I glance out the window without sunglasses.

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