The High Knob Landform: November 2016

November 5, 2016

Upper Elevations of High Knob Massif

Beaver Dam In Upper Big Cherry Basin

The High Knob Landform

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The Appalachian Climate Center

The first weekend of November was frosty cold amid mountain valleys, with upper 10s to middle 20s recorded from the High Knob Massif to Burkes Garden in high valleys ( upper 20s to low 30s were common in lower elevation valleys )

As often is the case, by contrast, exposed ridges
remained much milder with upper 30s and 40s.

November 5, 2016

Upper Elevations of High Knob Massif

Late Autumn In The High Mountain Valleys

November 5, 2016

Upper Elevations of High Knob Massif

Late Autumn In The High Mountain Valleys

November 5, 2016

Upper Elevations of High Knob Massif

Late Autumn In The High Mountain Valleys

Smoke from a large fire on Pine Mountain, near Pound, spread into the Norton-Wise & massif area late Saturday ( November 5 ) as air flow trajectories shifted NW-N.

MODIS Satellite View of Fires On November 5

*Before The Smoke Plume Advected S-SE

November 5, 2016

Upper Elevations of High Knob Massif

Late Autumn Sun In High Knob Meadow

November 5, 2016

View From High Knob Lookout

Forest Fire Smoke Transported By Wind Shift

The top of the spreading smoke plume was
clearly visible from the High Knob Lookout.

Smoke cleared from many places as winds became more easterly
into Sunday ( November 6 ), pushing smoke back toward Kentucky.

Smoke from a new forest fire near Mendota began
spreading west to northwest on the easterly flow.

November 5, 2016

View From High Knob Lookout

Top Of Forest Fire Smoke Plume ( To Left )

November 5, 2016

Elevation 4223 feet Above Sea Level

Late Autumn At High Knob Lookout Tower

November 5, 2016

Late Autumn In High Knob Meadow

It is hoped that a major change in the flow field across the Pacific Ocean into North America will bring needed moisture to the mountain landscape by mid-November
( with an increasingly cold pattern expected to develop in the eastern USA ).

November 7, 2016
Northern Slopes High Knob Massif
Rugged Stone-Pickem Mountain In Late Fall

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

November 7, 2016
View From Flag Rock Recreation Area

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

November 7, 2016
Looking West To Forest Fire In Kentucky

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

November 7, 2016
View from Flag Rock Recreation Area
Looking Southwest-West Toward Forest Fire

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

November 7, 2016
Flag Rock Recreation Area
Forest Fire Smoke Along Horizon

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

November 7, 2016
Rugged Stone-Pickem Mountain In Late Autumn

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

November 7, 2016
Flag Rock Recreation Area
Sugar Maple Leaves Backlit In Late PM Light

November 7, 2016

Late Autumn In Flag Rock Recreation Area

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

November 7, 2016
Late Autumn In Flag Rock Recreation Area

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

Visibility and air quality decreased dramatically into November 8 as smoke from many fires burning in the southern Appalachians was transported northeast in advance of a cold front.

November 7, 2016
Major Fires Burning In Southern Appalachians

*Winds Veered S-SW Into November 8

Birch Knob of Pine Mountain
Pre-Sunset & Post-Sunset Views

November 13, 2016
Airplane Rock of Pine Mountain

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

November 13, 2016
Russell Fork of Upper Ohio River Basin
View From Airplane Rock of Pine Mountain

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

November 13, 2016
Clinch Ranger District of Jefferson National Forest
Lookout Cliffs At Birch Knob of Pine Mountain

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

November 13, 2016
Birch Knob of Pine Mountain
Lichens Growing On Cliffs at Birch Knob

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

November 13, 2016
Looking Across Birch Gap
Lens-Filter Optics Before Sunset

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

November 13, 2016
Along The Rugged Virginia-Kentucky Border

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

November 13, 2016
Rugged Cliffs on Birch Knob of Pine Mountain

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

November 13, 2016
Peak Elevation 3149 Feet
Approaching Sunset from Birch Knob

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

November 13, 2016
High Knob Massif Along Upper Left Horizon
Looking SW-W on Birch Knob of Pine Mountain

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

November 13, 2016
Lingering Autumn Color From Birch Knob

November 13, 2016

Looking To Old Adam Childress Homestead

View From Birch Knob of Pine Mountain

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

November 13, 2016
High Knob Massif Framing Horizon
View From Birch Knob of Pine Mountain

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

November 13, 2016
Approaching Sunset With Haze-Smoke
View From Birch Knob of Pine Mountain

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

November 13, 2016
Looking NE From Birch Knob of Pine Mountain

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

One of many forest fires that have burned in
eastern Kentucky was visible from Birch Knob
as sunset approached.

November 13, 2016
Smoke Spreading Outward Along Inversion Top
Forest Fire Burning In Southeastern Kentucky

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

This fire was minor in comparison to huge fires burning across the Carolina's into southeastern Tennessee and northern Georgia.

Modis Image From November 12, 2016
Smoke Plumes Blanket Southern Appalachians

November 13, 2016
Sun Sinking Into Smoky Inversion Layer
Sunset From Birch Knob of Pine Mountain

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

November 13, 2016
Sun Sinking Into Smoky Inversion Layer
Sunset From Birch Knob of Pine Mountain

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

November 13, 2016

Sun Sinking Into Smoky Inversion Layer

Sunset From Birch Knob of Pine Mountain

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

November 13, 2016
Sun Below Inversion Layer Top
Sunset From Birch Knob of Pine Mountain

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

November 13, 2016
Summit Elevation of 3149 Feet
The Sunset From Birch Knob of Pine Mountain

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

November 13, 2016
Super Moon Rises Above Horizon
Looking Northeast Along Pine Mountain

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

November 13, 2016
Super Moon After Sunset
Looking Northeast Along Pine Mountain

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

November 14, 2016
Super Moon Above Cumberland Mountains

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

Wetland Valleys Turn Icy
In The High Knob High Country

Several days with mostly sub-freezing temperatures turned wetlands and lakes icy amid upper elevations in the High Knob Massif.

November 22, 2016
High Knob Lake Recreation Area
Ice On High Knob Lake - Elevation 3500 Feet

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

November 22, 2016
High Knob Lake Recreation Area
Head of Mountain Fork of Big Stony Creek

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

High valleys within the sprawling High Knob Massif contain many wetlands and lakes, making them unique and adding to the biological diversity of this great mountain landform.

November 22, 2016
High Knob Lake Recreation Area
Reflections Of Sky & Trees In Icy Water

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

November 22, 2016
Water Elevation 3500 Feet
Icy Water In High Knob Lake Basin

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

Around 72 below freezing hours were recorded on the High Knob Massif MesoNET during the November 19-22 period to produce this icy covering.

November 22, 2016
High Knob Lake Recreation Area
Ice Covered Water In The Wetland

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

November 22, 2016
Icy Wetland In High Knob Lake Basin

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

November 22, 2016
High Knob Lake Recreation Area
Majestic Skies Above High Knob Lake

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

After one of the driest autumns on record, and with partially frozen ground, it was still easy to sink up into the muck of this awesome bog. The open nature of this area being a result of its boggy, wet habitat with interior trees ( such as the apple tree-like Yellow Birch seen on far right below ) actually growing upon old, decaying stumps of former trees.

The ground ( mucky bog ) being too wet to support
upright trees without the aid of these old stumps.

November 22, 2016
Large Bog In Big Cherry Lake Basin
Majestic Skies Above Wetland Valleys

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

White Pine ( Pinus strobus ), not typically seen in the Cumberlands, Canadian Hemlock ( Tsuga canadensis ) and Rhododendrons line sides of this large bog, along with a mixture of northern and southern species.

November 22, 2016
Large Bog In Big Cherry Lake Basin
Majestic Skies Above Wetland Valleys

November 22, 2016

Big Cherry Lake Basin

Long Shadows In Wetland Valley

November 22, 2016

High Wetland Valley of Big Cherry Lake Basin

Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

It should be noted that valley floors here are higher in elevation than the peak of Birch Knob of Pine Mountain ( from which the previous photograph set was taken ), adding to the unique nature of this wettest terrain in Virginia and the Cumberland Mountains.

November 22, 2016

High Valley In Big Cherry Lake Basin