So I wake up this morning at 5:30 to get ready for work, I glance out my front window and there is a bunch of white stuff all over the place!
What!?
Here they were calling for 10-20mm of rain overnight last night and instead we get a dump of wet and nasty slush all over the place. Probably about 3cm worth in spots here at Alberniweather.
Be careful driving on Highway 4 today. I just went to drivebc and they are reporting Compact Snow with Slippery sections all the way from Tofino/Ucluelet Junction to Qualicum junction.
This should be the last we see of the white stuff. And later today we should also get a good blast of wind everywhere but in Port Alberni. On my drive home Wed. Afternoon Mr. Madryga said there was a gust of wind at Sartina Island off Cape Scott of 145kph. That’s Cat 2 hurricane strength! Yeeha.
Have fun in the snow all. Stay warm. We should warm up to more seasonal temperatures by Sunday.
March 11th, 2010 at 6:02 am
Ya….good and white out here….was a little shocked!!!
March 11th, 2010 at 10:55 am
I had a solid inch of snow here at my house… although some is melting already…
March 11th, 2010 at 9:51 pm
We had some white stuff the other night, but it didn’t stick around. Also was talking to the Estevan Pt lightkeeper today and she reported that they experienced an 80-someodd knot gust of wind overnight. Yikes!
March 11th, 2010 at 10:02 pm
Wow!
I wonder then if what Mark Madryga quoted was sustained and gusting higher than that! Generally it’s worse further north/west than Estevan.
Wow. That’ 150kph.
March 11th, 2010 at 10:02 pm
And hardly a breath here.
March 11th, 2010 at 11:27 pm
It was pretty bad here last night too. My station caught a 34kt gust at one point, but it didn’t make the computer…’course, then the power went squirrelly for the night, causing the network to go down (in an orderly way).
March 12th, 2010 at 7:27 pm
I think I have seen everything today as far as weather conditions are concerned, with the exception of hurricane force winds, lightning and thunder. And perhaps fog.
March 12th, 2010 at 11:46 pm
Well, our day was fun! Around dinner time I swear Mommy Nature opened the hoppers. Holy Crap! You didn’t dare go outside – the ice pellets would beat you into the ground! And the wind! Estevan Point reported a 93 knot gust this afternoon. Yes, you read right, 93 knots!
March 13th, 2010 at 1:22 am
Funny, the highest I could find for Estevan Point today was 94km/h and not knots.
March 14th, 2010 at 12:27 am
Well, the 93kt gust was a remark, so the EC types may have disregarded it. But the keeper definitely told us they’d had a 93kt gust!
March 14th, 2010 at 8:53 am
Wow awesome. :D
March 14th, 2010 at 8:53 am
I want to be a light keeper… but it would have to be somewhere like Quatsino or maybe in the Central Coast :D
March 14th, 2010 at 9:17 am
Oh, Chris – Cape Beale lighthouse! Best lighthouse on earth, and an awesome trail in! My favorite hike on the island! The natural bridge over the small cove is amazing!!!
March 14th, 2010 at 11:52 am
I was really impressed with the setup on Lennard Island when I was there a couple years ago putting in a satellite dish for internet, and an antenna for a wave buoy research project.
March 15th, 2010 at 12:01 am
Cape Beale’s senior keeper is retiring soon, but I don’t think they’re hiring any more keepers now. CCG wants to automate all the lights, so when a keeper retires, either the junior gets promoted, or the senior’s wife (husband) becomes the assistant.
March 15th, 2010 at 11:22 pm
I met “knobby” there a couple times on my hikes in. He was great! I believe he’s been retired a few years now (just after my last hike there), and his assistant was promoted. I hope to get out there again this summer for sure, but heard the trail is badly damaged. I’ll pack for an extra night just to be safe!!!
March 16th, 2010 at 12:54 am
His name is Norby, but he isn’t retired yet. He formally retires this spring – May I think. His original assistant, Ivan, won the competition to be senior keeper at Scarlett Point, up by Port Hardy. The current junior at Cape Beale, Karen, might get promoted, I don’t know.
March 16th, 2010 at 1:08 pm
that is SOOOO good to know!!! Thanks!!!