hawkeye_wx

All models are on board some significant action mid next week as early spring warmth and moisture surges north into the region.

My backyard snow depth has fallen to 7-8".

The snow cover in my backyard is down from 18" to 11".

The northern plains had such a warm December and January, even the long-duration February cold couldn't get them anywhere close to average for winter. The lack of snow up there didn't help.

During winter cold, a mask is actually pretty warm when I walk out of a store. It may suck in July, but it's nice in January. I can certainly see people wearing one during the cold season. Now that we are all accustomed to wearing a mask and seeing everyone else wearing one, nobody will feel out of place or embarrassed while wearing one in the future. It will be very easy to just throw one on if you feel like it may offer protection, without having any worry that others might stare at you and wonder why you are wearing it.

Models are targeting the March 6-7 period for a surge of warmth into the western sub... perhaps the first 50s or even 60s here.

The nearby Hy-Vee pharmacy just had a cancelation, so my mom will be getting her shot today.

Regarding masks, if case numbers crash to very low numbers by summer, and few people who have been vaccinated are dying or even having any major issues with the virus, and it's hot and humid outside, an increasing number of people will begin to think, "Why am I still wearing this thing?"

How are you and others, close to my age (46), or even younger, getting the shot so early? My 76-year-old mom still hasn't been able to get an appointment. I don't expect to be able to get one for a few months.

I'm guessing I've lost about 4" of the 18" in the backyard.

Upper 40s here in town this afternoon. The formerly ice-clogged gutters and downspouts are now flowing with water.

It rose to the low 40s here in town. Once I removed most of the snow, the remaining snow and ice on/in the edge of the roof and gutters melted quickly. Cedar Rapids hasn't officially hit 40º since before Christmas.

I grow a beard, but there's a point when it begins to itch and it becomes annoying when my head is laying on the pillow. So, I cut it down to stubble and let it regrow again. I don't want a big, gray beard, anyway, so shorter is better.

With the melt about to begin, my peak backyard snow depth this morning is 18". The 8.5" late-December snow is now a hard, compact crust at the bottom. This morning I cleared the snow drifts away from the edge of the roof so the thick ice in the gutters can begin to melt.

My 2.5" of graupel/snow melted down to 0.35", so the ratio was a lousy 7:1.

I finished with a respectable 2.5", within the model range. This is my biggest snowfall since Feb 4th.

1.9" here, at least half of it having a Dippin Dots texture.

9-10" has fallen from Omaha north/northeastward. Unfortunately, it appears this will come at the expense of my area. The good snow is lifting northeast toward Waterloo while I've been stuck with just graupel so far. The HRRR continues to dwindle the event over here.

00z Euro

00z HRRR

Yep. It's my fault for not paying attention earlier. The snow was only three inches below the top of the fence, plus rabbits may even be able to get through the larger squares toward the top of the fence. This afternoon I shoveled a bunch of the snow away from the fence.

Overnight, a rabbit got over the protective fencing (deep snow) and shredded the bottom of my arborvitae. I began installing the fence each fall after rabbits ruined the original arborvitae during the record snow season of 2007-08. Unfortunately, the lower growth does not recover once rabbits eat it down.

Having been a victim of the derecho, I'm not itching for more severe storms. A solid number of garden-variety storms this year would be ideal.

GFS/GFSv16

00z NAM/3kNAM... pretty meager outside of northern Iowa into se MN.