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Author Topic: PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep  (Read 4762 times)

Offline Dane Bramage

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PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep
« 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:


Joy.  I miss summer!!!  lol!

Offline annette

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Re: PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep
« Reply #1 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

Offline hardtime

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Re: PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep
« Reply #2 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?
your frend   hardtime

Offline Dane Bramage

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Re: PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep
« Reply #3 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:
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

Offline Lone

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Re: PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep
« Reply #4 on: December 23, 2008, 07:23:42 am »
You'll have fun knitting little beanies for all your bees, Dane.

Offline asprince

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Re: PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep
« Reply #5 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
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Offline reinbeau

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Re: PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep
« Reply #6 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! 

Offline JP

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Re: PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep
« Reply #7 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.


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Offline Keith13

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Re: PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep
« Reply #8 on: December 23, 2008, 11:30:19 am »


Dane remember these days?

Keith

Offline DayValleyDahlias

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Re: PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep
« Reply #9 on: December 23, 2008, 11:57:13 am »
Oh my I am not going to complain about the "cold" here...

Offline Dane Bramage

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Re: PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep
« Reply #10 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.


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

Offline Brian D. Bray

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Re: PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep
« Reply #11 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.
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Offline Kathyp

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Re: PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep
« Reply #12 on: December 23, 2008, 07:31:49 pm »
i'd be pleased right now, to have a chat with algore. 
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline Keith13

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Re: PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep
« Reply #13 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

Offline dpence

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Re: PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep
« Reply #14 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

Offline Dane Bramage

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Re: PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep
« Reply #15 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.

Offline TwT

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Re: PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep
« Reply #16 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  ;)
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Offline Kathyp

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Re: PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep
« Reply #17 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.
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline Dane Bramage

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Re: PNW "Arctic Blast" | Snow = 1 deep deep
« Reply #18 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!).

 

anything