Last April, about mid-month, I took the studded snow tires off the trucks and promptly invited a winter storm ... followed by another snowstorm 10 days later. Well, this April I still have the studded snow tires on the trucks, but I foolishly took the snow blower off the tractor yesterday and stored it in the vehicle shed. Oops.
I've been cleaning out the corrals to start composting the manure, and not having the snow blower mounted on the tractor makes it easier to maneuver in tight spaces. But, as they say, timing is everything. Early this morning the National Weather Service in Missoula posted a winter storm warning for us (I highlighted the reference to our location):
BUTTE/BLACKFOOT REGION-
323 AM MDT TUE APR 28 2009
A WINTER STORM WARNING ABOVE 5000 FEET REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM MDT WEDNESDAY.
6 TO 10 INCHES OF SNOW ARE EXPECTED BY EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING ABOVE 5000 FEET...INCLUDING BUTTE AND ANACONDA. ELEVATIONS BELOW 5000 FEET CAN EXPECT 3 TO 6 INCHES OF SNOW. IN ADDITION... LOCALLY STRONG EAST AND NORTHEAST WINDS WILL RESULT IN BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW REDUCING VISIBILITIES TO NEAR ZERO AT TIMES. HIGHWAY 200 NEAR OVANDO...THE HIGHWAY 12 CORRIDOR FROM GARRISON TO MCDONALD PASS AS WELL AS THE INTERSTATE 90 CORRIDOR FROM WARM SPRINGS TO HOMESTAKE PASS ARE THE LOCATIONS EXPECTED TO BE MOST IMPACTED.
This is what the next few days looks like:
Although the total snowfall amounts aren't huge, with winds gusting up to 40 mph (64 kph), we'll get buried under a lot more than the forecast amounts by the time the winds finish piling up the drifts. That's the joy of living out in the middle of a wide open mountain valley. And those drifts are what the snow blower is for.
At least we'll be back to spring-like weather by the weekend!
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It's amazing to me that you all are still getting snow. Of course, I'm not going to even mention what weather has been like in S. TX. But, it certainly isn't snow.
Posted by: Colleen & Sweet Kitty Erin | April 29, 2009 at 06:10 PM
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!! Anyone for the beach this week? 85 here in Jax.. sorry Steve I had to rub it in.
Posted by: Debbie B. | April 29, 2009 at 02:15 PM
I thought about y'all this morning when Sam on Good Morning America specifically mentioned Montana and "heavy snow". Maybe this is the last one for the season??? But then, what do I know? It's going up to 85 today here in south Louisiana!
Posted by: Lynn | April 29, 2009 at 10:55 AM
Lol, you just can't catch a break, can you? It's amazing...you are still having snow storms and down here in Florida we are already in the mid 80's....I think by July I will be ready to trade places.
Stay warm...Spring is on it's way!
Posted by: Debbie | April 29, 2009 at 07:30 AM
You have my sympathies. Enough Sprinter already! Ev
Posted by: Ev | April 28, 2009 at 07:00 PM