Big Winds Through Saturday (Tree Damage Likely)

[w7xman]

With a huge pressure gradient behind this storm, the highest winds of the year are likely to blow over the Whites.

With the huge ice loads in the trees right now (unless they melted out overnight)...we could see some real damage to our subalpine forests...

Peak winds could top 140 on Washington...stay safe out there the next few days...

 

[grouseking]

Funny, I was going to post a thread about this. Glad you did though.

It will be interesting to see how things are after Friday and Saturday. Could be blowdown city. There is so much ice and snow on those trees...especially ice!

grouseking

 

[w7xman]

Winds just hit 125 mph on Washington...and winds aren't forecast to peak until tomorrow around sunset...

http://www.mountwashington.org/weather/conditions.php

Going to be a rough night in the mountains...it'll be interesting to hear how much blowdown there really is with this one...

 

[Waumbek]

MWObs site weather forum has a "48-hour Big Wind Contest" running, with entry deadline at midnight. Highest guess is currently 165, highest actual recorded wind speed for the period is currently 123, but expected to pick up. I can hear the wind starting to roar here now.

 

[MichaelJ]

10.2 mph with no gusts at this point; it really, really dropped from the 24-hour max of 123.4mph.

So did the temps - ambient air temp is -7°, wow!

Today's a day to stay in; hopefully tomorrow will be a good day to play.

 

[bobandgeri]

Wow - looking at the graph it almost appears as though the wind gauge just stopped working, but the forecast is for high winds today.

 

[MichaelJ]

Wow - looking at the graph it almost appears as though the wind gauge just stopped working, but the forecast is for high winds today.

Ya know, that was my thought about 2 minutes after I posted.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Looks like the gauge seized for a few hours. Or maybe someone stood in front of it for a while?

(edit: point the image to the archive now that the archive is up to date)

Tim

 

[MichaelJ]

Yeah, I hadn't looked at the gauge history or it would have been clear that it wasn't natural.

Wind chill's -56°F ... a good day to stay down low. Or inside!

 

[leaf]

Maybe some trees on Mt. Zealand will get knocked down and be a peak with some views!

 

[rocket21]

I have to say that, at least at the foot of the Sandwich Range, the winds last night/today haven't been nearly as strong as they were a few weekends back.

 

[grouseking]

Wow - looking at the graph it almost appears as though the wind gauge just stopped working, but the forecast is for high winds today.

They probably had to deice the instruments. Perhaps it was too dangerous to get out there and do it.

Big upslope snows going on too!

http://www.outdoors.org/recreation/tripplanner/go/backcountry-weather.cfm

Jay's already claimed to have 16-18 inches since 1am Thursday morning. So once this wind dies down, as long as there isnt too much damage, it should be a good ski weekend.

grouseking

 

[rocket21]

I have to say that, at least at the foot of the Sandwich Range, the winds last night/today haven't been nearly as strong as they were a few weekends back.

As an update, the wind gusts have picked up here this afternoon.

 

[Jim lombard]

Maybe some trees on Mt. Zealand will get knocked down and be a peak with some views!

We had some nice views from Mt Zealand last Monday but we were probably standing on 6 feet of snow. With all that snow, I would think the trees would be pretty well anchored down.

 

[forestgnome]

Cranmore closed the lifts today due to wind. Chairs were bouncing off the poles. It sounds like a freight train outside. Chimes are a bad sound in winter. Out like a lamb? Oh, I can only hope and pray and enjoy a spring ale.

happy spring