Deep Winter Spillover

Long time observers of Lake Lucerne will tell you that the end of January does not mean the end of Deep Winter. Last week added a few exclamation points to that truism.

The Farmer's Almanac uses, among other things, animal behavior and physiology to do long term weather predicting. We should have seen the cold coming when we observed the bottle rocket forts huddling together a few days before the icy slap.

There's a cliché about hot summer days being more about the humidity than the heat. In Deep Winter, it's not the cold, it's the wind. Sub-zero snow devils danced over the lake all day on Thursday.

We have our share of snow, but could use more. Knott Lane is sort of passable.

On Thursday, we were told it was -19°F on the top of the hill at Brule when the skiing day started.

By around 10:30 AM the temperature had soared to 1°F and Brule apparatchiks closed the back of the hill for logging. This marks the first time we were ever kicked off a hill due to tree cuttery.

We think the worst of the cold is behind us. History seems to confirm that, as do current forecasts. Punxsutawney Phil has proffered a contrary opinion which reminds us; for the rest of Winter we are offering free pickled eggs and beer for anyone bringing a fresh groundhog pelt to the bar.We didn't get a lake ice measurement this week. We were ascared that a snow devil would snatch the ice auger from our frozen fingers and make off with it. We were equally worried that a snow devil would take the drone if we put it up, so no drone pictures this week. Pesky snow devils. There's about 4 inches of snow on the lake and no slush (it froze) under the white stuff.

-Nemo's thinking of adding Ski Hill Loggers to The List.

Deep Winter Spillover

February 3rd through 9th, 2015