Even though Spring may seem far away yet, Winter is gradually winding down. Why do I say that – especially when the months of March and even April can bring some impressive snowfalls? Small game hunting seasons end this coming Sunday, Feb. 28. Rabbit, grouse and gray squirrel hunters will then have to wait until next fall to seek some tasty and healthful natural meat for the family larder. Other winter activities don’t have a closing date, but depend on the availability of snow to continue
As I watched some of the alpine events at Vancouver’s Olympics, with its mild temperatures and sparse snow cover, it was somewhat ironic that an area of North America we normally associate with cold and snow was having to truck snow in from the higher elevations in order to provide a better base on which the competing skiers could ply their talents. Meanwhile, the Mid Atlantic region of the U.S.– where we don’t think of as a big snowfall area – has been buried under record amounts.
Psychologically, we tend to associate weather conditions, both actual and anticipated, with the calendar dates, none of which are very good forecaster of the actual weather conditions. Take the Spring Equinox, the date on our calendars that boldly proclaims “Spring begins.” Many years see that date come and go while deep snow covers the ground and temperatures often are more winter-like. Conversely, some years see the Winter Equinox come and go as snowless autumnal conditions continue to dominate, sometimes up to and including Christmas.
It’s for these reasons that I’ve never been a “calendar addict.” Rather, I prefer to take whatever Mother Nature offers and run with it. I really don’t expect that on March 20 every year all the snow will melt, the sun will pop out, the grass will grow, and the temperatures will suddenly soar into the upper forties or lower fifities. It would be nice, but it rarely happens. Instead, snowmobilers, skiers and even ice fisherman are often still enjoying their sports while golfers and open-water anglers are lamenting about how cruel the weather can be.
As I write this, there is a series of potentially major snowfall fronts heading our way. Depending on a variety of often unpredictable atmospheric and jet stream conditions, even the meteorologists with all their sophisticated equipment, radar and satellite imagery often drag their feet on advising us what we may get for total snowfall accumulations. I sometimes feel I should have become a meteorologist as it’s one of the few professions where you can be wrong 50 percent of the time and not get fired. Naturally, being a politician would be a close second choice.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I often get the weather report and forecast prior to leaving on a road trip or on an outdoor excursion, but it’s primarily the 24-hour forecast and not the “extended forecast” – which is usually where the meteorologists’ 50 percent failures come into play. It’s amazing how many people head off into a remote mountainous area without checking the short-term forecast first, and then get stranded because of foul weather conditions.
Maybe because I’ve spent so much of my life enjoying the outdoors, I’ve also learned to observe natural signs that usually can forecast weather changes. Many of those old weather harbingers can be pretty accurate despite their seeming simplicity. “Red sky at night, sailors delight. Red sky in morning, sailors take warning.” A red sky in the morning indicates that storms and rain can be expected within 24 hours, whereas, a red sky at night indicates clear skies for the next 24 hours. “When the dew is in the grass, rain will never come to pass. When grass is dry at morning light, look for rain before the night.” Dew forming overnight indicates fair weather, whereas no dew forming indicates approaching rain. “When forests murmur and mountains roar, close your windows and your doors.” Sounds travel farther before stormy weather.
Most wildlife as well as fish sense approaching weather, especially foul weather. Researchers say it’s due to their ability to “feel” barometric changes. When they sense falling barometric pressure, they become very active, moving and feeding heavily in preparation for hunkering down during the foul weather period that follows. Anglers know that a cold front normally slows fishing success substantially. Why? It’s not because of the actual drop in temperature, but rather the fish feel the sudden change in barometric pressure, even though they’re many feet below the water surface. Since low pressure causes smoke not to rise, another indicator of approaching bad weather is: “When smoke descends, good weather ends.”
Many years ago one early November, DEC wildlife biologist Wayne Masters and I packed eight miles into the Adirondack high peaks to deer hunt. As we began packing in, we could barely see the nearby mountains due to low-hanging fog, and we knew some foul weather was moving in. Shortly after, it began to snow and fog settled in. Using our compasses in combination with our knowledge of the geography there, we easily found our base camp site.
However, on the trip in we encountered another hunter who had become lost. Without a compass, he had no idea of where he was. Our only advice was to follow the various streams that drained the range there until he finally hit a distant road and then follow it to where he’d left his truck. We estimated the distance he had to walk was at least three times farther than a straight line back to his vehicle. Had he paid attention to the weather conditions and made sure he had a compass, he wouldn’t have placed himself in such a difficult situation.
Given a chance, nature can be a pretty good weather forecaster. You just have to pay attention and not be overly guided by what the calendar and those pesky Equinoxes seem to indicate.