Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: Dane Bramage on December 21, 2008, 02:29:43 pm

Title: PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep
Post by: Dane Bramage on December 21, 2008, 02:29:43 pm
Sheesh.. this is unusual weather for here.  We're on our 2nd week of "Arctic Blast" with sustained freezing temps and about 2' feet of snow.  Today we've got a nice freezing rain (@ 25°F) creating a good 1" thick layer of ice on top of the dry fluffy snow below (major avalanche/slide scenario in the mountains). 

Here's pics:
(http://i43.tinypic.com/2rxb492.jpg) (http://i40.tinypic.com/2hd3dqb.jpg) (http://i43.tinypic.com/mhr1jn.jpg) (http://i44.tinypic.com/2dj8fia.jpg) (http://i42.tinypic.com/adf0wz.jpg)

Joy.  I miss summer!!!  lol!
Title: Re: PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep
Post by: annette on December 21, 2008, 02:39:37 pm
Boy oh boy Dane, that sure looks beautiful, but it is way to cold for me!!!  We do get that cold at night around this time of year, but always warms up during the day at least to 40-50.

Very unusual weather patterns around the country this year. Must be global freezing!!!

Hope you are doing well Dane and enjoying your large amount of hives. They look great with the snow all over them and I am sure the snow provides some warmth.

Take Care
Annette
Title: Re: PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep
Post by: hardtime on December 21, 2008, 02:48:30 pm
i see ur hives have ? is  that  brether holes  on top .how did u make that .  does it help the bees .. what is it anyway?
Title: Re: PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep
Post by: Dane Bramage on December 21, 2008, 03:40:40 pm
Hi Annette ~> thanks.  We're all doing well despite this very unusual weather.  Hope you're doing great too!  :-D

hardtime ~>  those are ventilated inner covers.  Here's the copy on them from one manufacturer (http://www.honeyrunapiaries.com/store/season-inner-cover-p-50.html):
Quote
Ventilation is very important to the health of the hive. It can be especially important in the winter in colder climates as well as during the heat of the summer. We have found an upper entrance so moisture can escape the hive in the winter combind [sp] with insulation so the moisture does not condense on the underside of inner cover and drip down on the cluster significantly improves overwintering success.

Chilly Cheers,
Dane
Title: Re: PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep
Post by: Lone on December 23, 2008, 07:23:42 am
You'll have fun knitting little beanies for all your bees, Dane.
Title: Re: PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep
Post by: asprince on December 23, 2008, 08:40:51 am
Dane, I can remember seeing a spring time photo of your hives on your deck overlooking that meadow. What a drastic change! Living in the south where we rarely see snow or extremely cold weather, it amazes me that bees can survive those extremes.

Looks like a pretty place to visit now and then, but I will take the sunny south.

Steve
Title: Re: PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep
Post by: reinbeau on December 23, 2008, 09:22:20 am
I know you guys aren't used to that, but I have to say, it looks just like around here right now.  It's unusual for us to have 20-30" on the ground at this time of year, but I'll take it, I love a white Christmas! 
Title: Re: PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep
Post by: JP on December 23, 2008, 09:39:59 am
Make snowmen, snowballs, and hot chocolate and put your honey in warm tea, they are all tucked in.


...JP
Title: Re: PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep
Post by: Keith13 on December 23, 2008, 11:30:19 am
(http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/886/2wexhxuzr4.th.jpg) (http://img376.imageshack.us/my.php?image=2wexhxuzr4.jpg)

Dane remember these days?

Keith
Title: Re: PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep
Post by: DayValleyDahlias on December 23, 2008, 11:57:13 am
Oh my I am not going to complain about the "cold" here...
Title: Re: PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep
Post by: Dane Bramage on December 23, 2008, 06:33:22 pm
Thanks for all the replies!  :)

Yes indeed I do have fond memories of how drastically different it is here during the rest of the year.  Just to reiterate, this is very bizarre weather for the region.  It rarely dips below freezing nor snows in the valley.  We've now had these sustained low temps and massive snow accumulations for over a week.  There are "States of emergency" being declared, etc., etc., - all due to the weather.  If this storm hit the mid-west, or anywhere else where it is the winter norm, it would be a bit challenging, but not as much as here.  Thankfully I'm gtg in my 4x4 but mostly have been just hanging out & stuffing loads of oak in the wood-stove.
(http://i43.tinypic.com/fvzg9.jpg)

Today it is just above freezing here and the bees are out doing some cleansing flights... quite a few of them apparently not making it back to the hive as well.  It's easy to spot out the casualties as they contrast with the white snow.  I think we're headed for a slow melt over the next week... slow is good, from what I understand, so that there is less chance of flooding.

Merry Christmas all!

~Dane
Title: Re: PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep
Post by: Brian D. Bray on December 23, 2008, 06:41:08 pm
It is bizarre weather up here in the PNW, just to put things into perspective for the rest of the USA, Portland, Or has not had more snow fall at one time since the 1950's.  The greater Seattle area has to go back to 1861 to have a record of this much snow on the ground at Christmas time.  That's correct One Eight Six One--1861.  That's over a hundred and fortyfive years.
Title: Re: PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep
Post by: Kathyp on December 23, 2008, 07:31:49 pm
i'd be pleased right now, to have a chat with algore. 
Title: Re: PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep
Post by: Keith13 on December 24, 2008, 09:10:57 am
i'd be pleased right now, to have a chat with algore. 

SHHHH next thing you know we will be headed to the next ice age like we were in the 70"s

Keith
Title: Re: PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep
Post by: dpence on December 24, 2008, 04:29:42 pm
Dane, you live in a beautiful part of the country.  Personally I like snow, ice I can do without though...LOL  Mother nature tends to throw us some curves sometimes.  Know what you mean about chucking oak in the wood stove...nothing like wood heat.  Nice looking hives.  Do you have any trouble with the girls propolizing the vent holes?

David
Title: Re: PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep
Post by: Dane Bramage on December 26, 2008, 12:47:31 pm
Brian is right.  I think this weather will have broken some all-time records (e.g. for Dec snowfall) before it's over & done, which couldn't happen too soon imho!  lol!

I'll leave the political discussion for another sub-forum/thread.  Nothing politcos say or do surprises me anymore.  Whether fear, guilt or greed is the method, they're always about putting themselves into more power and separating people from their money it would seem.

dpence ~> thanks, it truly is gorgeous here & the weather is most always relatively quite mild.  Combine that mild weather with a hilly city and that makes it all the more difficult for when a snow/ice event like this occurs.
I don't have any problems with the bees propolizing the inner cover vent holes.  They don't build burr comb or treat that area as part of their internal hive in any way actually.
Title: Re: PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep
Post by: TwT on December 26, 2008, 12:55:25 pm
wow, and is going to be 71 degrees here tomorrow  :-D ,

 the 10 day forcast here http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/30817?from=36hr_fcst10DayLink_undeclared

time for some more feeding  ;)
Title: Re: PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep
Post by: Kathyp on December 26, 2008, 12:57:22 pm
it has been pretty, but i sure has been pain to work in.  not to often that i wish my barn were closer to the house and not up hill, but i did these two weeks!  dane, we still have over  a foot on the ground with ice between.  is it melting any faster on your side of town?  

at least most of the ice is off the trees here.   yesterday did that.
Title: Re: PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep
Post by: Dane Bramage on December 26, 2008, 05:26:17 pm
I hear ya TwT... I don't recollect you bragging about the weather there during the last drought however.  ;)

Kathy ~> We're living at the triple point of H2O here atm (fog, rain/snow, ice, water), though warming and melting more rapidly.  There is still a LOAD of snow/ice/slush on the ground. It's a mess... The roads are really interesting - deep, icy ruts with moguls!  I think it's actually worse then when it was fresh, at least wherever hasn't been plowed (which is most everywhere, lol!).