First, a brief update on this February’s weather. After the snowy weekend we had on Feb. 6th, the biggest storm ever rolled over us on Wednesday the 10th. This storm was an honest to goodness all day snowfall, very like the all day drizzly rain we had over the summer. The weather report called it a Nor’easter and we lost power for one whole hour just at twilight.
Not far from my house, in Hillsborough, NJ, there is a paved trail through greenspace. It is part of bike trail, when not snow covered. During a lull in the storm, it was the perfect slog through the deep snow.
At this point (around 11am) we had about 12 to 18 inches fairly even across the ground. The wind hadn’t picked up yet, but it would later in the day, creating large drifts. Before retreating inside, I completed the obligatory heavy snowfall ritual of building a snowman. This guy turned out about 2 feet high because the snow began falling again, with some heavy wind thrown in, and I was ready for some hot chocolate.
Throughout my entire walk, I had seen tracks but no large wildlife. I was sure the dozens and dozens of deer that inhabit the backyards of Hillsborough were active somewhere the snow was still shallow, or bedded down someplace out of the wind. I did observe a plow crew trying to restart a broken down vehicle. These guys do a heck of a job, but this storm must have given them a ton of work to do.
The only wildlife I glimpsed in the flesh was the stray cat below. He or she seemed less excited about the snowfall than I was, hanging out under the overhang of a bay window.
I also had the pleasure of viewing a whole crowd of birds at the feeder during the storm. Here is a male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) with the snow falling around him.
When I ventured forth later in the week, I found my snowchild completely covered by the additional 24 inches of snow that fell on the 10th.
A high pressure system moved in immediately after the snow fall, preserving the heavy snow cover. Normally our snowfalls here in New Jersey do not reach 12 inches of accumulation and the snow melts away completely within a few days. This latest storm, however, amassed so much cover that it remains even today, over one week from the original snow fall. The view from the same greenspace trailhead below shows the beautiful blue sky of Sunday, Feb. 14th.
Despite several days of melting in the sun, the snow was still at 12 inches or more to stomp through along the trail. I trudged along, following the human footprints. It was easy to see the deer running wild throughout area by their numerous trails.
In many areas, I could now see that the snow had brought down many trees through sheer weight of accumulation. I noticed that almost all trees that suffered damage were evergreens. I wonder how this will effect the landscape next winter. This has not occurred in this part of New Jersey within anyone’s memory. We simply never see this much snow at one time.
While the walks through the snow were fun, I can’t help but look forward to the coming warm weather. I will strive to make good use of the coming cold, cloudy weeks to complete my examination of environmental philosophy and aesthetics. But I’d rather be outdoors, out on the trail.
