Lake Effect Snow

The snow wasn't such a surprise when I got up at 6:30 this morning. After all, it is January in SW Michigan.

The quantity of snow exceeded expectations, though. 10 inches and still dumping. That is more than was forecast.

This was the view out the front living room window. Just on the other side of the chain link fence is the road and the rest of the woods is across the street.

Today we are right in the middle of the lake effect snow band.


URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
803 AM EST SUN JAN 28 2007

...PERIODS OF HEAVY LAKE EFFECT SNOWFALL ARE EXPECTED...

BY SUNDAY EVENING...10 TO 16 INCHES OF SNOW ARE PREDICTED IN THE WARNING AREA FROM HOLLAND AND ZEELAND...SOUTH THROUGH SAUGATUCK...ALLEGAN...SOUTH HAVEN...COVERT AND PAW PAW. (Paw Paw - that's us.)

A LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF LAKE-EFFECT SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE. LAKE-EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS TYPICALLY ALIGN THEMSELVES IN BANDS AND WILL LIKELY BE INTENSE ENOUGH TO DROP 1 TO SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW PER HOUR FOR SEVERAL HOURS. VISIBILITIES VARY
GREATLY AND CAN DROP TO ZERO WITHIN MINUTES.

I debated the wisdom of going to church. On Sunday mornings the snowplows aren't as diligent as work day mornings. I decided to stay home and make sure the birds had enough food.

The cardinals are the first birds to arrive at daybreak.

We have a ten foot plank sitting across the back balcony because cardinals like to eat on a flat surface. It's loaded up with black oiler sunflower seeds and dozens of cardinals take turns flying in from the nearby bushes to chow down. They'll be joined by bluejays, and juncos as daylight progresses - the birds that don't like the hanging feeders on the other side of the house.

Sitting on the loveseat with my laptop, I look out on the feeding plank.

This picture and the cardinal picture are a bit fuzzy because they were taken through the window glass during a lake effect snow dump.

The top picture was taken with the window open during a lull in the snow fall action.


This picture was taken on the 10 am dog walk as we crossed the bridge over the creek to the back three acres.

Beautiful, isn't it? But we have enough. It can quit now. Please.