NH 112 (Kanc) Closure

[Waumbek]

NH 112 Closure

Heavy rain today in the Franconia to Benton area has caused a mudslide and road closure in Bath on NH 112 west of the split off of 116, which leads over the bridge into Benton (and the North-South Road). (Technically, this part of 112 is not the Kanc.) The closure will not affect the dominant travel route from I-93>112>118>Moosilauke, but will affect those heading east on 112 for Moosilauke, Franconia Notch, the Pemi, etc., from VT and other westerly points.

Updates are at http://www.nh.gov/dot/511/

You might think twice anyway about water crossings on area trails for the next few days.

 

[bobandgeri]

WMUR has the story on their site:

http://www.wmur.com/weather/17108928/detail.html

 

[Mattl]

This summer is just incredible..More showers and storms today, and then another big slug of rain Friday. Anyone hiking this weekend needs to pay attention, 1-2.5 inches of rain Friday again for NH. This is a record setting summer for rain. Looking at radar for the last 2 months, there has been at least a rainshower somewhere in the White Mountains every single day, except maybe 1 or 2. -Mattl

 

[rocket21]

Just a hunch, but it looks like the momentum is shifting in terms of the weekend weather - I think we may see the sun for a few hours on Saturday or Sunday! It's been a very gloomy summer - take out the great weather we had around the 4th, and it's been pretty much nonestop clouds and/or rain.

 

[NeoAkela]

Makes me a bit concerned of the danger of slides on some of the steeper slopes, both on- and off-trail.

 

[Ridgewalker]

Makes me a bit concerned of the danger of slides on some of the steeper slopes, both on- and off-trail.

Definitely don't want to have another Willey Slide and see people die from all this weather. Hope that those planning to hike in the Kanc region will be able to rework their trip if need be.

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

Looks like my favorite stream gauge in the Whites got knocked out for about 30 hours, but is back recording now.

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv/?site_no=01074520&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060,00062,72020

 

[DrewKnight]

It probably isn't a particularly good sign when the flow-gauge gets sucked away in the raging stream.

If I read this correctly, the current flow rates are roughly 3x previous highs for the day. That certainly jibes with what I saw when I left home for a few days in Boston on Tuesday morning. I will be avoiding stream crossings (stream swimming, stream wading) this weekend.

I am sure everyone saw the news story about the gentleman who slipped and fell into the Swift last weekend. Condolences to his family and friends. Let's be really careful out there, please.

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

It probably isn't a particularly good sign when the flow-gauge gets sucked away in the raging stream.

If I read this correctly, the current flow rates are roughly 3x previous highs for the day.

The triangles along the lower part of the discharge graph show 15-year averages, which are around 100 CFS, vs. 1000-2000 CFS peaks the past week. You can find greater CFS events in the East Branch gauge archives, but these are usually during the spring snowmelt.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

It's logarithmic so it's not a 3X. The current is at 1010 CFS (as as I write this) and the triangle (average) is at approximately 125 CFS. 1010/125 = 8X.

Tim

 

[DougPaul]

The triangles along the lower part of the discharge graph show 15-year averages,

Actually those are medians, not averages (means).

In case anyone does not know, a median is the "center" value (ie sort the list of numbers and choose the center value). A median is often a more robust statistic than is the mean (average), particularly where only small numbers of measurements are available.

Doug

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Isn't it the 15-year average of the mean? (I'm 98.6% serious.)

Tim

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

Actually those are medians, not averages (means).

In case anyone does not know, a median is the "center" value (ie sort the list of numbers and choose the center value). A median is often a more robust statistic than is the mean (average), particularly where only small numbers of measurements are available.

Doug

Good point; I was using the word "averages" loosely, as all meaningful averages in hydrology are median values......I guess that the same argument could be made for a lot of economic indicators also (no politics!).....

 

[DougPaul]

Isn't it the 15-year average of the mean? (I'm 98.6% serious.)

Look at the (stream flow) web pages--all they say is "median", not any modifications thereof.

Doug

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Oops. I meant median above.

What is the "daily value"? The instantaneous value at any point of the day may vary greatly (and often does.)

Is it the median value for all values on today's date for the last 15 years? And what is the value of which this is the median? Is that all values for the 24-hour period? The average value? (making it the median of the average daily value for this day of the year for 15 years)

I accept it does not say specifically... Thom?

Tim

 

[DougPaul]

Is it the median value for all values on today's date for the last 15 years?

It is clear from the graphs that measurments are taken at intervals of less than an hour.

However, it doesn't say if the plotted median is median of all the individual measurements (number_of_measurements/day * 15 days) or the median of some sort of summary value (eg average or median) for each of the 15 days.

(My guess is that median of all the individual measurements is probably the most accurate. It is also simple to define.)

There is a "Questions about sites/data?" field at the bottom. If you are really curious, send them a query.

Doug

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

Oops. I meant median above.

What is the "daily value"? The instantaneous value at any point of the day may vary greatly (and often does.)

Is it the median value for all values on today's date for the last 15 years? And what is the value of which this is the median? Is that all values for the 24-hour period? The average value? (making it the median of the average daily value for this day of the year for 15 years)

I accept it does not say specifically... Thom?

Tim

Median daily is the center value for 1240 minutes, I think. So, the 15-year median for each date would be the center value for 1240x15, I believe. But, I will double check this logic.

 

[grouseking]

It has been quite a summer (ok, not that much of a summer)....but filled with severe weather.

The flash floods claimed the life of a little girl at a campground in Ashland today. More is probably on the way Friday, though I think we'll finally get a real break this weekend, esp Saturday. Hopefully it doesn't rain at all this weekend.

We seriously need to dry out. Moss is growing in places that it normally doesn't grow, and I noticed some strange fungus on some of the maple leaves in southeastern NH on Tuesday. It looked similar to the fungus that was on lots of the leaves back in 2006, and that foliage season wasn't too good locally.

grouseking

 

[Grayjay]

Definitely don't want to have another Willey Slide and see people die from all this weather. Hope that those planning to hike in the Kanc region will be able to rework their trip if need be.

I think that big slides like the Willey Slide occur after a very DRY spell followed by torrential rain. We don't have to worry about that scenario this summer.

 

[Mattl]

The rain in central NH was unheard of last night, 5 inches fell in only hours ontop of all the rain we have had. People were stranded everywhere, and roads have been simply washed away. More rain today, and tomorrow, slight respit sunday, then more next week. -Mattl