tamarack

The "not limited to" items listed on the proclamation noted parking lots, sporting events, waiting in lines. The PWM/AUG newspapers' editorials (all written by the same person, I'd guess) inferred that the mandate would apply to a hunter in the woods alone. Silly - ever try walking thru a fir thicket wearing a mask? Would need it to be attached by at least duct tape (around back of head) or perhaps something even stronger, to keep it from being ripped off by the brush.

Toward the beginning of the pandemic in the US, we saw a clip of people at work desks, one with no advice about touching and the other asked to try avoid touching the face. The 2nd had fewer touches than the 1st, but still more than a dozen per hour. Instinctive. Mask use at the Farmington branch of U.Maine is essentially total among students walking around campus. During our trip to Oquossuc Bald Mountain last week we saw very few with masks among the 40 or so others on the trail. We put on the masks when at the parking lot but not during the hike.

That's odd, to me anyway. I've never had that feeling for more than a few minutes after regaining consciousness, though maybe it was because my general stupor preventing me from noticing it.

CAR has an advisory for NW Maine tonight/tomorrow, 3-5". Also high wind watch for the coast.

Hiked Oquossoc Bald (2,400') today with grandkids and some friends (10 in all), saw yesterday's IP as we hit about 1900 then SN on the spruce and fir above 2000, about 1/2" on top - enough to make the obs tower steps slippery. Probably 30-32 on top with gusts 20+ and spitting snow. Met 35-40 others on the trail, including 20-25 from Carrabassett Valley Academy. Not bad for mid-November in questionable wx, though Bald is one of Public Lands' most heavily used trails and it was a Saturday.

62/34 yesterday for 7 days of 60+, though yesterday's high and low were at opposite ends of the day, with morning/afternoon 50-52. Down to a frosty 20 this morning.

Only our 23rd November here but this week (Today's max will be about 61, recorded last evening about 10) now dominates the month's warmest days. However, 6th warmest was the 11th in 2002 and with low of 50, that day's mean of 58 remains #1. 11/6: 63/31 +10 11/7: 69/44 +20 11/8: 61/36 +12 11/9: 67/38 +16 11/10: 70/33 +16 11/11: 69/35 +17 Warmest November temps: 71 1/2003 70 Tuesday 69 Saturday 69 Yesterday 67 Monday 66 11/2002 63 4 times, including last Friday.

That spot is really catching the warmth for that latitude and elevation. I'm a bit farther north and 1100' lower and here's my past 5: 11/5: 54/27 11/6: 63/31 11/7: 69/44 morning low about 50. 11/8: 61/36 11/9: 67/38 estimated - haven't checked the max-min yet. However, in 22 years I've recorded 16 November minima of 60+ and never had 2 in a row - closest was 10/31-11/1 last year. Now I've had 2 in a row twice in succession (and may bag a 3rd pair, for a run of 6.)

"Either you forecast weather the way I want it to be, or YOU'RE FIRED!!!"

Iceland was beautiful when we were there in 2017 but Norway even moreso, in part because it has trees. On the "Golden Circle" tour in Iceland, one of the hosts said, "If you're lost in an Icelandic forest, stand up!" Lots of 5-foot-tall birches. Our Norway itinerary included the 3 cities where my wife's grandparents were born (Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim) plus the western fjords. Outstanding!

Same for Gov. Mills. Fortunately the "public settings" definition for outdoor spaces lists places where people gather, though it also has the inevitable "not limited to" phrase. Keeping one's mask in place while bushwhacking thru the Maine woods would require attaching the mask with duct tape.

My federal tax returns post-Trumptax are $600-$800 lower than before. Of course my federal tax deductions are $1200-$1400 lower. Seems like a small win. (Thanks to my wife and I being well into SSI age, our household income is a bit above the Maine median, though close to the national. The endlessly repeated commercials in Maine's senate race claiming that the 2017 tax law hammered the middle class were a bit hyperbolic.) There is a very real scenario where this all comes down to that split electoral vote in Nebraska that went to Biden. Offset by Maine's 2nd district. Last I looked, 213 electors had been called for Trump. Electors in undecided PA, NC, GA, AK total 54 which would leave him 3 short if he wins those states. (Why is AK in doubt? Sure there's only 50% counted but Trump is up 66%/34% in a reliably red state.) If Nevada also finishes red, the White House stays that color. Some big "ifs" however. Edit: That PHL ballot "recovery" has a bad odor. Unless the election officials are putting Trump and Biden ballots in separate boxes (and why would they do that?) rather than merely recording and storing them, having a stash of 20,000+ ballots with every single one voting for the same candidate is beyond mere suspicion, even from a bright blue city center.

1st measurable 3-6:30 this morning, 0.6" on just 0.02" LE despite mostly small flakes. Probably most will evaporate during the day.

That's a late winter tradition in the St. John Valley, though usually done by snowblower so they can cover both lanes. A few flakes sailing by in the wind here. We've remained comfortably between the echoes to our west and those to the northeast. A few flickers on the lamp as well - waiting for a full blink to cut off my link to the state network.

Wife's a flight attendant. Planes are the cleanest they've ever been. Study compared risk of covid between planes, subway, being in a car and others. Planes had the least risk and was extremely low. Tests have shown that air circulation patterns in jetliners help to prevent possible spread of germs/viruses. I'd be more concerned with the terminal/security processes.

Some great hikes in that general area - Acadia to the west, Cutler coast to the east, Tunk and Black Mountains west of Cherryfield.

Where I grew up in NJ 1950-71 (moved there when I was 4) was a lake community and our place was at about 700' - the town had some hills 900+ but for 1000 one has to be several towns west or north. After the Feb 3-4, 1961 blizzard we had perhaps 45" pack while Oak Ridge and Canistear Reservoirs reported 50" and 52", respectively, by far NJ's greatest depths on record. Our current residence in the W. Maine foothills is death valley for upslope but one of the better CAD locales in NNE.

Low was 11 here, coldest (by 1°) morning I've had in 23 Octobers here. Even in Fort Kent e never got below 7° in this month.

Thanks for the info. I grew up in northern Morris County - anywhere near your NJ place? Had some great winters there (some awful ones as well) including ~100" both in 60-61 and 66-67. Took 3" on April 27 to reach triple digits in '67. Down to 12-13° this AM. Hit 12° on this date in 2002 for my coldest (before today?) morning in October.

Two beautiful pics - love the framing of Stowe with that bright aspen. Had 0.24" cold RA yesterday and nothing today, October total now 5.32", about 0.3" BN as it's my wettest month on average. Looks like the month will finish about 1° BN for temps. November looks to be warm after the 1st couple days. Hope that changes after mid-month as a BN Oct followed by an AN Nov has a poor history for snow at the nearby co-op.

And then came to a spectacularly abrupt end with the March super-torch; loggers had thousands of cords stranded on winter-only roads by a week of 70s and some 80s.

Welcome back, though every time a new/returned NH/VT member signs in, I again ask "Where are the Maineiacs from the northern/eastern part of the state?" I think you will do better than 90-95. I average 90" in my CAD-rich/upslope-absent location at 395'. 30 miles to my SW, Hartford, Maine in the Sumner hills at 700' has averaged 108" for the exact same period as my record here, 98-99 on. At 1500' I'd expect you to get at least as much as they do, maybe a bit less from synoptics but more when the track is too close to the coast. Lazy flakes drifting down - ground is cold (low was23) but current temp is 32-33 and no accum likely.

The grass isn't tall enough to fall on them.

Had not heard this. Unless the Bears can offer the kind of package they sent to the Raiders for Khalil Mack, just say no. the spider is alive...someone please send help That one looks big enough to dip in batter and french-fry.

Bit of graupel as I type. Season's first frozen.