tamarack

I've read that black bears can reach 30 mph. Over 30,000 of the critters in Maine, possibly the most in the lower 48, and even with very liberal regs (including use of bait) the numbers are climbing. Very few bear-human incidents here, considering how many bruins.

Wow! I only paid 13k for mine in 2014 and have added 108k since then. However, I doubt the local Ford dealer would offer anywhere near that much in trade, not even the 12.

No transpiration, little shade and also usually low humidity means big differences between H8 and 2 meters. In 25 years here the year's hottest has been in April once, May 3x (plus a tie) and June 8x. Despite the fact that the warmest temps here run July 10-Aug 10, 49% of those hottest days fall weeks to months prior to summer's peak.

Five weeks later but 400 miles northeast, on May 22, 1977, the evening news stated that the 96 at CAR was tied with a site in AZ for the nation's hottest. (That 96 is also tied with 2 June days, in 1944 and 2020, for CAR's hottest.)

They've done it thrice, 91 on 4/19/76, 90 on 4/28/90 and 90 on 4/17/02. Only one 89, 4/28/09.

I find 19 days at BDL with 90+, including today. POR from 1/1/49. Chronologically: 1962: 27th, 94 1973: 22nd, 90 1974: 29th, 91 1976: 17-19th, 92/95/96 1977: 22nd, 90 1990: 27-28th, 92/94 1991: 7th, 90 2002: 16-18th, 90/95/92 2009: 25th,28th, 91/94 2010: 7th, 93 2012: 16th, 92 2023: 13-14th, 90/95(+?)

BDL has done that, twice - 16-18/2002, max 95; 17-19/1976, max 96. However, it appears that 13-14 this year is their earliest 2-fer. We were returning from NNJ to Fort Kent in that 1976 spell, and our poor 1971 Beetle had to be near to overheating - we could hear the heat pinging in the engine when we'd stop and shut it off. Spent that Sunday (the 96 day) overnight with my B-I-L in Boston and his Hawaiian wife had cooked up a massive meat and potatoes feed - she's essentially immune to heat - when a salad would've been better. Next afternoon when we got home there was still some snow on the ground and the max-min had barely gotten over 60. Relief!

Made another 40° range with 75/35, down to 43 this morning. GYX advertising a BD arriving here early aft, otherwise we'd make a run at 80. Spring progress: Forsythia blooming, partridge drumming and COC bird on display in our garden (dog noisily interested) for his lady friend in our apple tree, wood frogs "quacking" in our small pond. We had the muck hoed out last fall, deepening the pond from 2' to 5', and I wondered how that would affect the amphib population. Evidently, little if any.

My preference is for smaller pickups. If/when my 2011 Ranger dies (152k at present) I hope to find a reasonably priced Maverick, preferably the hybrid. (Though that choice might be less "reasonable".)

Very calm and early ice out for the local river (Sandy R.). No matter the pack depth/density, I've yet to see a significant New England flood from snowmelt alone. In 1984 I needed an extension to my 61" snow stake and the SWE was ~16", with higher numbers in the Allagash/St. John uplands (80"/20" SWE). We thought that this would be the year the protection dike in Fort Kent would have its first big test, but the major snowmelt period - mid April into early May, had almost no precip. 24 years later the pack was big but much less than 1984, and a 3"+ RA event in late April brought the St. John to nearly 3 feet higher than the previous record in Fort Kent, with serious damage.

Early April set some amazing records in 2010 - CAR had 82° on 4/3. At that time, they had recorded only one day milder than 68 earlier than April 9, 73 on 3/30/1962, though 2012 added 3 more days of 70s. Their 2nd earliest 80+ is 4/21.

Low was 35 here and temp is now 72. 50-50 on getting another 40-plus range. (Monday was 62/21.)

If I graded only on temps, my grade would also be F, as DJFM here managed to eclipse the horrid 2015-16 for warmest in our 25 years here. However, snow total alone would rate a B/B- and the AN pack plus December bomb kick it up a notch or 3. And the irony of the AN snow/record warmth in the same winter isn't lost on me. Both the weirdness and the firewood savings add to my satisfaction.

4" here, 24" at SFM. Of course.

2009, which qualifies as 2008ish. Local co-op hit 90 on 4/28/2009. Ironically, their only other April 90 came on 4/28/1990. The SNE/MA hot blasts of Aprils 1976 and 2002 failed to reach Maine. Snow is down to patches after 117 straight days of 1"+. That's precisely on the average here for continuous cover.

New Sweden Maine reported 19.5 this morning and that's mostly farm country - likely a good deal more in the forested hills to the west.

No buildings damaged as of the "near 4,000" report, and most evacuated folks have been allowed to return. Firefighters must be doing a good job keeping the flames away from infrastructure, as that part of the pines has a lot more buildings/residences than farther south in Wharton State Forest.

2,500-acre blaze in south-central NJ (Manchester/Lakehurst), northerly edge of the pine country so the flames are crowning. Numerous evacuations.

We'll be down to 1" or just patches by sunset. Yesterday's 64 then 40s overnight took out much of the remnants. Time to dig the overwintered carrots.

When the pattern is basically how it was forecast but the pieces just don't come together for snow, one should grade the forecast, not the snow stake.

2-3° warmer today but less spectacular due to clouds and wind. Low was 30 so no 40° range. A less happy spring phenomenon - first tick tweezered off my shoulder this morning, deer tick of course - hardly ever seeing the larger dog tick in recent years. Snow down to 4", may be able to dig the overwintered carrots tomorrow. Like parsnips, they get a bit sweeter that way.

First 60s of the year, 62/21 so also 1st 40+ diurnal range.

Low 60s from the 21 this morning, first 40+ range of spring. Two consecutive cloudless days in April, very uncommon in NNE. Make it 3 tomorrow?

Clear skies and low dews make for huge diurnal ranges, especially in spring. March 20-22, 2012 in Farmington had highs of 80/82/83, their warmest March days in their 130-yr POR. Lows on those days were 32/35/36 and aren't among the mildest 40 minima.

Nippy (near 20°) for sunrise service, but the first one with zero clouds in about 10 years. The sun's edge appeared just after our pastor's closing prayer.