| Thursday, January 12, 2017 | | Roller Coaster Weather | So far, 2017 has been a rollercoaster, weather wise. The year began with mild temperatures that quickly rose to spring-like and a high of 63 degrees by the 3rd. All that unseasonably warm and damp air produced thick fog over the Sound. I had an errand in Duck and was thrilled to spot a Great Blue Heron tucked into one cove on my drive up. Normally his little perch is cluttered with background shrubbery and rubbish in the water. Fog brings simplicity, and actually heightens focus in an otherwise muddled scene such as this one. Up at my little cove at the Waterfront Shops, the Canada Geese and Tundra Swan were paddling and resting. One swan duo was even sleeping but without tucking their heads under wing, behavior I had not photographed before, and didn’t realize until I enlarged the images back at home. I was there in late afternoon, which usually sees a lot of coming and going as geese fly in and out, and the whole group of geese suddenly took off right as I was photographing them. Great timing!
A scant week later we were under the same winter storm warning as the rest of the east, but the predicted snowfall mostly missed our area. Instead, we got a nor’easter with windy gusts and temperatures in the mid-30s, not enough to snow and but definitely raw and miserable outside. (Just ask my two dogs). Later in the afternoon, the temp dropped just before the moisture moved out. Rain transitioned to sleet and then a dusting of snow. I had to meet a framing customer at Yellowhouse late that afternoon; the timing of the appointment was perfect, as I was leaving the gallery shortly after the sleet ended and the snow (what there was of it) began. Areas to our north got walloped; even the northern Outer Banks got more than Nags Head or Kill Devil Hills.
But on my way back home I veered off course down Soundside Road to take a quick look at Jockeys Ridge with a wee bit of snow. I actually like those early moments of snowfall, when the white lays in pockets against the golden sand. I like the contrast of the white and gold, even before the dunes get turned into miniature snow-covered mountains, which never happened this time. And yes, I was disappointed. I figure, if it is going to be as cold as 35 degrees, with a nor’easter sending wind chills down into the teens, then it should snow already! The least the winter storm owes us is some pretty scenery! I strayed one more time closer to home to photograph a little more snow at Run Hill. By then I had groceries in the car so I merely rolled down the window.
With all that northeast wind, the Sound was driven out, so when the deep freeze came later that night, with temperatures in the mid-twenties, the resultant frozen Sound wasn’t quite as pretty as it might otherwise have been, at least not along Colington Road where I finally got a look at it just before it thawed out on Tuesday.
As I write this, the temperature has climbed into spring again, and is in the mid-60’s! That just might be a recipe for another brilliant sunset. I saw glimpses out the window last night but just couldn’t get there. Meanwhile, here are the two looks we have seen so far this year: fog, and a dusting of white.
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click for larger image | When I climbed out of my car at Jockey's Ridge with the wind blowing, it was COLD! Snow was just beginning to fall. |
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click for larger image | A wide view of the back side of Jockey's Ridge shows little pockets and drifts of snow against the sand. |
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click for larger image | In the time it took me to walk back to the car and drive back up Soundside Road, the south-facing slopes were beginning to be more white than gold. |
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click for larger image | These Tundra Swan were napping, which I did not realize until I enlarged the image back at home. |
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click for larger image | These two look as if they are striking out for the great unknown. I call it, To Boldly Go. (Yes, I am a Trekkie.) |
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click for larger image | The Canada Geese blasted off right when I was there. I love how you can tell how dense the fog is here. |
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click for larger image | This was fun! Between the fog and dusk, the lights at the Waterfront Shops began to glow and drip in the damp. |
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posted by eturek at 11:40 AM |
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