A River Runs Through It

Over the last few days with highs in the mid to upper 60's we have had a lot of melting snow. We went from highs in the negative numbers earlier this month to highs that we normally experience in spring. This unseasonably warm windy weather has reduced over a foot of snow into raging rivers in a matter of 3 days. Since mother nature is giving us a hand in the melting we took the opportunity to remove snow from some of our shaded greens, fairways and approaches. We have had snow cover in these areas for just over six weeks, so it is about time to start removing the snow. In those six weeks we monitored the areas and we saw no sings on ice so that is why we left the snow on. That snow cover also helped protect the turf from the record cold we had in late January and early February. But with the extremely fast melting snow on these greens and cold freezing nights lately we starting to develop small ice layers in spots. Now with the snow gone the sun was able to work on the ice and in a matter of a day the greens we have cleared are free of snow and ice.

# 3 fairway Mountain course

Close up of a green that was covered with snow

Looking pretty good

Little or no ice on #3 green Mountain

Wind Chill

What is wind chill temperature? Its the temperature that it feel like outside based on the temperature of the air plus the wind speed and its effects on exposed skin. Wind chill can not effect inanimate objects such as water pipes. Below is a wind chill chart devolved by The National Weather service. It gives us information on how long you can be out in the cold and how long it takes to get frost bite given a certain temperature and wind speed. As you can see with the temperatures we had in the last week with lows near -20 below and wind chills in the -30 to -40 below it does not take long to develop frost bite. The best way to protect your self from frost bite is not to go outside for prolonged periods of time when the temperature is this cold. If you have to go out dress in layers, cover exposed skin and cover your mouth to protect your lungs from the extreme cold.

Just plain COLD.....

What a change in the weather just 3 days ago we were having a beautiful day with 65 degree temps and now today we wake up to 15 below and a high of 7 below what a extreme change. And it looks like this cold arctic air is here for the next few days. Tonight the National Weather Service is predicting 17 below or colder with wind chills near -30 to -35 below. Here are some winter weather records that I though you might be interested in.

- Coldest recorded temp -128.6 in the south poll, Antarctica in 1983

- Most snow in one season 102 feet on Mount Rainier, Washington in 1971

- Largest snow flake observed 15 inches in diameter in Fort Keogh, Montana in 1887

Now those are some records I would prefer not to break.