Harbour Town Yacht Basin, A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, is ready for your reservation with newly renovated docks, upgraded electrical service and onSpot WiFi, also a CRUISERS NET SPONSOR. And, as always, numerous activities at the Sea Pines Resort are offered for your enjoyment, as you will see in the Event Schedule below. Hilton Head Island is absolutely marvelous any time of year.
*** Thanks for SPARRING with me on what feels like a slippery slope! ~J
If you’ve just joined our engaging little community, please read SPARS & SPARRING, my introductory piece.….and share it, if you are so inclined….that works wonders.
Each day there is frosty artwork on the outside of STEADFAST’s temporary shelter; these are two stunning examples. Is it the dust particles that create such stunning designs? Is it Mother Nature’s remarkable gift to me? A tradeoff, perhaps, as she slows progress and offers only downright treacherous conditions to do what needs to be done?
Water is our planet’s most precious resource in its many forms: liquid, solid, gas, salt, fresh, brackish; 85% of me is water as I pen this musing about the impacts of something so prevalent and accessible for some that it can be taken for granted, while others walk miles each and every day for mere survival, not for showers or luxury or houseplants, but for subsistence. Although it is salt water which flows in human veins, fresh is what we must partake of to survive; a couple was found lifeless last year, their raft adrift atop the salty Atlantic while, ironically, the fish below would even more quickly perish in a sea of fresh. There are fine degrees of difference in the water all creatures need, but need it we all do.
This flock of assorted seagulls was gathered, I think, to fend off the impending ice. They did not prevail.
In parts of the U.S last week, Mother Nature bestowed all forms of the sometimes controversial, hard-to-manage stuff; inches of intricate, delicate crystals were topped with freezing rain resulting in a crusty coating causing gridlock, cancellations, photographic opportunities and one more lesson about the powerful natural forces that control our lives.
Now, she is maintaining temperatures low enough to keep that solid state remarkably slippery and impenetrable. Each day sunshine slicks the surface, mimicking relief, only to refreeze again when the day ends. As a child I skated on the ponds of Upstate New York but never really took to the uncertainty of it all, a counterintuitive activity that encourages movement on two skinny blades of steel. In Colorado my younger self would don harness, grab axes, challenge the ice falls of Ouray to revel in the beauty and adrenaline. The final time I chose that activity a shard broken loose by my own hand crashed into helmet, nose and cheekbone, dripping blood on the crystal clear surface. My crampons may still be tucked somewhere, perhaps in my brother’s North Country basement, (they are an essential tool for winter ascents of the Adirondack Mountains), but the helmet and axes were retired. I try not to repeat too many SPARRING matches I cannot win.
Beauty and the beast.
There is still no safe way to navigate the hundred yards from where STEADFAST is entombed to our boatyard office. Yacht Maintenance Company spent a day removing the five or so inches of clear, glaciated water from in front of their main entrance. Folks build entire hotels out of the stuff! Such a stay is not even remotely appealing to this thin-blooded girl.
That same blood boils when I hear about acts committed by some members of the U.S. government entity with the same name as Mother Nature’s treacherousessential.**May this debilitating ice and that wayward ICE quickly be transformed into something less menacing and far, far kinder.
See you next week.~J
Some forms of ICE can be surreal.
I hope you value SPARRING WITH MOTHER NATURE. My friend Switter has a view of the world that always broadens my own, which I find incredibly valuable: Do partake.
Pamela Leavey left a thoughtful note on Substack that triggered my own memories:Some women don’t get to live soft lives. They get handed chaos, grief, betrayal, and they have to learn how to bloom anyway. They become the ones who know how to carry others when their world falls apart because they remember what it was like when no one showed up for them. They’r…
6 months ago · 26 likes · 14 comments · Switter’s World
Some men don’t get to live soft lives, either. I strive to always appreciate mine.
REFERENCES:
** In case you’ve decided to stay under a large rock for the last year (not altogether a bad choice in these aggressive times), the current President of the U.S. created Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The majority of citizens do not agree with their tactics and some are blatantly illegal as well as immoral.
-For more commentary on water’s impacts, I recommend John Lovie’s ‘Stack
Harbour Town Yacht Basin, A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, is ready for your reservation with newly renovated docks, upgraded electrical service and onSpot WiFi, also a CRUISERS NET SPONSOR. And, as always, numerous activities at the Sea Pines Resort are offered for your enjoyment, as you will see in the Event Schedule below. Hilton Head Island is absolutely marvelous any time of year.
Fred Pickhardt’s Substack is free today. But if you enjoyed this post, you can tell Fred Pickhardt’s Substack that their writing is valuable by pledging a future subscription. You won’t be charged unless they enable payments.
A powerful arctic cold front will bring a major weather shift to Florida this weekend. Hazardous cold is expected Saturday night through Monday with widespread hard freeze conditions and wind chills potentially dropping to 20 degrees or less in the Tampa Bay area.
Forecast Summary (Next 3-4 Days)
Today (Friday, Jan 30): Expect a brief warming trend with highs reaching the upper 60s to low 70s under mostly sunny skies. Clouds will increase late as a cold front approaches.
Saturday (Jan 31): The cold front pushes through, bringing morning showers and a sharp drop in temperatures during the afternoon. It will become extremely blustery with northwest winds of 15–25 mph and gusts exceeding 40 mph.
Saturday Night – Sunday (Feb 1): Dangerously cold air arrives. Lows will plummet into the 20s for the Nature Coast and low 30s for Tampa and interior areas. Wind chills could reach the single digits in northern counties and the 20s elsewhere.
Monday (Feb 2): Clear and remaining very cold. Record-low temperatures are possible Monday morning before a slow moderation begins mid-week.
Key Hazards
Extreme Cold: Widespread Hard Freeze Warnings and Freeze Warnings are anticipated for Saturday and Sunday nights. Record low maximum temperatures are possible on Sunday as highs struggle to reach the mid-40s.
Frozen Precipitation: NWS forecasters mention a low (10–20%) probability of light snow flurries or “Gulf-effect” snow/rain mixtures from Citrus to Hillsborough counties late Saturday night as residual moisture meets freezing air. There is a small risk that some areas could see a light dusting of snow.
Does History Repeat?: On January 19, 1977, the city of Tampa, Florida, experienced a rare and historic weather event when measurable snow fell for the first time in recorded history. While only about 0.2 inches of snow was officially recorded in Tampa, surrounding areas like Plant City received up to 2 inches, and flurries were seen as far south as Miami.
Marine & Coastal: A Gale Warning is expected for coastal waters, with gusts potentially reaching storm force. High surf and dangerous rip currents will impact area beaches through the weekend.
A major snowstorm will affect all of South Carolina from Friday night into Saturday morning, and it will last into Saturday night or Sunday morning. The entire state is under a Winter Storm Warning.
Frigid air will move into the state during the storm and will remain through Monday. The cold will be comparable to the extreme cold around Christmas 2022. An Extreme Cold Warning is also in effect statewide. Wind chills will be in the single digits and teens over most of the state starting Saturday and lasting through Monday morning.
Many areas may see light rain at the onset, and parts of the Coastal Plain and Midlands may see up to a few hours of sleet and freezing rain. However, the risk for power outages will be low because significant ice buildup is unlikely, and the snow will be dry and fluffy.
Snow will start Friday night in the Upstate and spread over the state through the night, reaching I-20 toward daybreak and the Lowcountry around midday into early afternoon.
The Catawba Region, the Pee Dee, and perhaps the Grand Strand will likely see the heaviest snowfall, with a realistic chance for double-digit local snow accumulations. Areas farther south and west see less, but most of the state is at risk for seeing 4 inches or more of snow.
Snow will taper off from west to east Saturday night and early Sunday, ending around midnight in the Upstate and by midday along the Grand Strand.
Winds will increase during the storm with peak gusts of 35-40 mph along the Coastal Plain and around 30 mph elsewhere on Sunday. The wind will cause widespread blowing and drifting snow.
Roads will become slippery for a few days where substantial snow falls because it will remain cold behind the storm, resulting in slow daytime melting and nighttime refreezing. Travel problems may persist into midweek in areas where the heaviest snowfall occurs.
We remain on track for a snowstorm across the state this weekend. The forecast has changed only a little since Thursday, with snow amounts revised upward. Here’s the latest from the National Weather Service:
We now have high confidence that snow will fall across South Carolina late tonight through early Sunday, with most of the state seeing heavy snowfall. Travel will become hazardous during the storm, with heavy snow and even blowing snow, resulting in slippery roads and poor visibility at times.
The good news is that we expect mainly snow. The storm will start with plain rain in some areas. There can be 2-3 hours of sleet or freezing rain during the transition across the Coastal Plain and Midlands, but not enough to cause power outages. Also, the dry, fluffy snow that will fall won’t adhere well to trees or power lines. So, our primary concern from the storm will be slippery travel.
Don’t be surprised if what falls in your backyard varies considerably from what a buddy of yours 15 miles away sees. Storms like this cause narrow bands of heavier snow, so people not too far away could get a good bit more or less than you get.
The arctic blast that will arrive during the storm is our second problem. This Extreme Cold Warning that the National Weather Service has in effect is something that will be new to many South Carolinians. It means that dangerously cold temperatures or wind chills are in the forecast. The minimum temperatures and amount of time we spend at or below freezing will rival what we saw with the cold snap at Christmas 2022. Bundle up and layer up if you go out to play in the snow or if you must be out for work or an emergency; this will be among the coldest snow events we’ve seen. Definitely ensure your pipes are well-insulated and leave them dripping if it’s appropriate. As someone who had a flooded apartment due to a busted pipe on Christmas Day 2022, I can assure you it’s something you don’t want to deal with! The cleanup took a couple of weeks!
The cold will keep the snow cover around for a while. A little will melt each day and then refreeze each night. Where the heavier snow falls over the northern part of the state, we may see travel problems persist until the middle of next week. On the other hand, most of the Lowcountry should be in good shape by Monday afternoon.
Speaking of travel problems, all our neighboring states will see the snow as well, especially the vinegar sauce zone to our north. Be ready to deal with deep snow if that’s your weekend destination. The peach posers to our west see less; only northern Georgia and the area near the Savanna River will be affected.
This email was sent to curtis.hoff@cruisersnet.net using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: South Carolina DNR ·1000 Assembly Street · Columbia, SC 29201
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A Hurricane Force Wind Warning has been issued for a rapidly intensifying low-pressure system in the western North Atlantic. The system is forecast to deepen significantly over 48 hours, reaching a peak intensity with storm to hurricane-force winds (50–65 KT) and seas up to 11 meters (36 feet) in 36 hours. The most severe conditions (50–60 KT winds and 13-meter (43 ft) seas expected by 48 hours within the SE, W, and N quadrants of the storm center, with gales extending out up to 720 nautical miles.
There is always plenty to do around Charlotte Harbor. While berthed at Fishermen’s Village Marina, A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, you are certain to enjoy visiting Western Florida’s beautiful Charlotte Harbor/Peace River.
Fishermen’s Village February Calendars of Entertainment/Events
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A powerful winter storm, forecast to intensify into a “bomb cyclone,” is expected to create dangerous marine conditions along the US East Coast and Western Atlantic from Saturday through Monday…
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A snowstorm is likely to affect South Carolina Friday night through Saturday night. A Winter Storm Watch is in effect for the entire state.
Many areas may see light rain at the onset, and parts of the Coastal Plain may see up to a few hours of sleet and freezing rain. However, the risk for power outages will be low because significant ice buildup is unlikely, and the snow will be dry and fluffy.
Snow will start Friday evening in the Upstate and spread over the state through the night, reaching I-20 by around midnight and the Lowcountry around daybreak.
There remains uncertainty about how much snow will fall. However, the Catawba Region, the Pee Dee, and perhaps the Grand Strand will likely see the heaviest snowfall.
Snow will taper off from west to east on Sunday, ending by daybreak in the Upstate and by midday along the Grand Strand.
Winds will increase during the storm with peak gusts of 35-40 mph along the coast and around 30 mph elsewhere on Sunday. The wind will cause blowing and drifting snow where we see a substantial accumulation. The winds will also drive wind chills down to the single digits and teens over most of the state on Saturday through Sunday.
Roads will become slippery for a few days where substantial snow falls because it will remain cold behind the storm, resulting in slow daytime melting and nighttime refreezing. The extent and duration of potential travel problems are uncertain; it will depend on how much snow falls.
It’s gonna snow this weekend, y’all, with impacts from the storm lingering into early next week. The only questions are how much, and who gets the heaviest.
In the meantime:
A moisture-starved front in the area through tonight brings us some high clouds, but no rain or snow. Probably would have been snow with a better supply of moisture.
Clouds will increase on Friday into Friday night ahead of the approaching storm. Highs on Friday will range from the low 40s in the Upstate to the upper 50s in the far south.
Uncertainty remains in the forecast, but there is more confidence than before. We can provide you with an accumulation forecast now; here’s what the National Weather Service (NWS) is calling for:
The current questions are about where the heaviest snow falls and how much we all see. The heaviest snow may fall over tomato-and-vinegar country instead of here, though it’s most likely that some of the heavy snow will affect the northern part of the state. The greatest uncertainty for snow amounts is over the Grand Strand and lower Pee Dee region; the ceiling is pretty high there, but the most likely scenario is relatively low. I just did a quick check before sending this out; it looks like the NWS is in the process of increasing the forecast snow for the Pee Dee region, so don’t be surprised to see the forecast for that area being bumped up.
Storms like these sometimes cause oddities, such as a large difference in snowfall over a relatively short distance, due to small bands of heavy snow that often form. Don’t be surprised if what falls in your backyard varies a lot from what a buddy of yours 15 miles away sees.
The primary impact will be slippery travel, since it’s going to be mainly dry, fluffy snow (parts of the coastal Plain might see a brief period of freezing rain that would make elevated roads slick like a muddy pig). Snow-covered roads will be a problem Saturday through Monday morning, and it’s going to remain cold behind this storm, so the roads could remain slick for a while. How hard it will become to get around and how long the roads remain bad will depend on how much snow falls. If you’re in an area that could see over three inches, start planning to avoid travel from Saturday through at least Monday. Areas to the south are likely to see lower impacts, but travel will be hazardous at least through Saturday and Sunday morning.
Bundle up if you go out to play in the snow or if you must be out for work or an emergency; this is among the coldest snow events we’ve seen. The frigid winds will bring a bite, so layer up! Do check your pipes if you didn’t before the last storm to ensure that they’re properly insulated, because it will be at least as cold behind this storm as it was after the last one.
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