First Snow...

Well, we had our first snow yesterday (Sunday) in my area. Not anything measurable, but it was definitely coming down, mixed in with the rain. Some of my friends in Cleveland had theirs a few weeks ago, so I guess that the Old Man is on his way.

25 degrees this morning...brrr!

Heck, it's still 100 degrees here. I hear the leaves are finally starting to turn fall colors in our high country (150 miles north of Phoenix), but here in town it is still summer. I'm ready for cool weather, so maybe ours is about to turn "colder" too! We all have our dreams, eh?

[Mark Sedenquist]

Thanks for the great road trip reports on the advancing fall color reports on the other threads. Snow? Yikes.

It is still remarkably warm here in Las Vegas for the 20th of October. In two weeks we start mandatory water restrictions -- only one day of yard watering allowed per week (& none between noon and 7pm) -- still feels like Spring here with temps in the high 90's

M

[Sweens]

Hey Mark, I see you live in Las Vegas! You've helped me on some of my previous posts with places to see, etc., for our trip out there in December. My MIL lives in the Spring Valley area west of the Strip, and my BIL and SIL (just found out last night she's expecting her 2nd) live in Henderson. Whereabouts do you live? We sure are looking forward to coming out... 5 weeks till we leave!

It gets worse (or better, depending on your view!)...
we had our first measurable accumulation overnight. Started around 5 or 6pm (I work nights). Went on into this morning. Not much total (maybe 1/2 inch), but still something different.

I'm against snow in Autumn on principle. Wait your turn, Mr. Snow!
It was interesting driving home with both flakes and leaves coming down in the night. Tuesday I'm driving the muscle car, today I've got the wagon with the heated seats on "max". Haven't seen Indian Summer yet, either. We usually have that, then a couple of days of freezing rain, and then just cold, then the snow. The sequence has been disrupted...insert sci-fi storyline here!

I don't know about Phoenix or LV...you guys usually don't get Arctic Lows coming out of Canada, at least the way we do. Even Colorado is staying pretty warm right now from what I hear. Be patient, it's coming!

I heard the weather service is predicting another dry winter in the southwest without much snow. We are in a drought cycle and it appears it is here for the long haul. That's a normal part of life in the southwest, in a historical sense, but with some aggravating complications -- the lack of precip has stressed the western forests so they are not withstanding a plague of bark-beetles. The Forest Service estimates that at least some of Arizona's forests will be 80%-90% decimated by these bugs, particularly in the Crown King area north of Phoenix. These are old growth forests that took possibly 400-500 years to grow -- so they will not be replaced easily or soon. So I wish and pray for rain, snow, anything we can get! I can't imagine what it will be like without our forests!

Last Summer (2002) I took a trip out there, and going through Colorado I witnessed the devastation that the drought has brought. Coming out of Denver we saw many hillsides that had been eaten up by fire, and several exits that were closed to traffic. If there was some way I could will the weather we have had this year (quite wet) to go your way, I would. 2500 miles yet worlds away!

[Mark Sedenquist]

Sweens,

I see that your most recent query about the Wigwam Motel solicited a response with 1/2 hour of the posting -- almost a real-time response!

The RTA office is mid-valley near Eastern and Windmill Avenue. Our "house" is on the southern side of the valley near St. Rose Parkway.

Weather is still unseasonably warm -- but nice -- temp reached 99 today at the office.