More glaze ice!

2009-09-01 17:07:37.000 – Brian Clark,  Observer and Meteorologist

Glaze ice forming on the top of the tower

My work ‘week’ started a couple days later than usual this week. As many of you know, our shifts run from Wednesday to Wednesday. I took couple vacation days last Wednesday and Thursday so that I could be back in my home state of Pennsylvania for my high school‘s annual alumni soccer game between the current varsity team and the alumni such as myself. The game went well. The alumni (a.k.a. ‘old guys’) emerged victorious after a hard fought 1-0 match. I played an entire half as the goalkeeper (my native position), much to the chagrin of some of the people close to me in my life. I say that because about a little over a month ago, I tore my hamstring while playing soccer in Conway. Then two weeks later I jumped back into soccer too soon and did it again. Was it the brightest idea to play in my alumni game, just 3 weeks after this second tear of my hamstring? Probably not, but I did it anyways. I’ve always had trouble sitting on the sidelines and probably always will. Now, it has until ski season begin to rest up and heal!

I told you all that to tell you this.

I was very disappointed that I missed the below freezing temperatures on the summit very early last Thursday. That may seem silly to some, especially considering it only lasted an hour or two and there was only a very small amount of glaze that formed as a result. However for a winter, snow, and cold lover such as myself, sub-freezing temperatures and ice in August is a big deal. Not to mention it was the first icing of the season.

Luckily yesterday morning, for the second time in less than a week, temperatures dropped below the freezing mark. It was slightly unexpected; temperatures were forecasted to stay in the mid 30’s before rising to the upper 30’s. As often is the case, Mother Nature doesn’t care what the forecast says and the mercury dropped to roughly 31 degrees for an hour or two around 9 a.m. This caused about a quarter inch of glaze ice to form on the tower and a few other surfaces exposed to the wind, as see in the picture attached to this comment.

Fall is certainly in the air, and winter will be here before we know it!

Brian Clark,  Observer and Meteorologist