Tuesday, April 17, 2018

Explosive Spring Rebirth Period Delayed


April 16, 2018
Robinette Branch of Powell River
Mid-April Snowfall In High Knob Massif
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

The famed 30-day period of most explosive spring renewal has now arrived, with a blanket of snow! 

*The April 15 to May 15 period is climatologically the interval which generates the most dramatic landscape changes as winter gives way
to spring rebirth.  Only upper elevations, above 3000 feet, within the High Knob Massif require longer ( often to early June ) to complete
the transition to full summer conditions.


A huge temperature plunge during April 16 brought snow, strong winds and bitterly cold wind chills to the high country, with several inches accumulating at highest elevations in the High Knob Massif.

April 16, 2018
Northern Base of High Knob Massif
Legion Park - City of Norton Parks & Recreation
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

Snow was heavy enough to make roads slick down to below the 3000 foot level by the early evening hours of April 16.

April 16, 2018 at 6:18 PM
Pouring Snow At 3200 Feet Elevation
Flag Rock Recreation Area-State Route 619
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

Although State Route 619 was already snow covered at highest elevations prior to 5:00 PM on April 16, the sticking snow level really dropped with heavy snow showers and squalls that developed prior to sunset ( with low visibility at times ).

April 16, 2018
Water Elevation 3318 Feet
Falling & Blowing At Upper Norton Reservoir
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

April 16 at 5:21 PM
Snow Showers & Snow Squalls
Upper Norton Reservoir of High Knob Massif
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

April 16 at 5:36 PM
Pouring Snow At Upper Norton Reservoir
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

April 16, 2018
Heavy Snow Changes Perspective In Forest
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

April 16, 2018
Northern Base of High Knob Massif
Whitewater & Snow Decorate Legion Park
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

April 16, 2018
Northern Base of High Knob Massif
Whitewater & Snow Decorate Legion Park
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

April 16, 2018
Northern Base of High Knob Massif
Whitewater & Snow Decorate Legion Park
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

A short video from the Computer Science-Mathematics building at UVA-Wise highlights these late afternoon-early evening snow showers and squalls; although, most of the daylight hours featured these conditions ( especially at upper elevations in the High Knob Massif which is 
rarely visible from Wise ).

High Knob Massif Webcam
University Of Virginia's College At Wise

April 16, 2018
Snow Showers & Snow Squalls

Courtesy Of Computer Science-Mathematics Department

April 16, 2018
Legion Park of City of Norton
Northern Base of High Knob Massif
Great Rhododendron ( Rhododendron maximum )
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

April 16, 2018
Northern Base of High Knob Massif
Majestic Cove At Legion Park In Norton
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved


Spring Slowly Arriving

April 21, 2018
Looking Across High Knob Lake Basin
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

Maple trees are beginning to bud in the high country as a few spring ephemeral wildflowers emerge upon the open forest floor during what 
has been a chilly April in 2018.

Chilly April In High Country

The first 21 days of April featured numerous spells with temperatures dropping into the 10s to lower 20s within the high country of the High Knob Massif.  This included up to 9.0 inches of total snowfall at highest elevations.

March 1 to April 21, 2018
500 MB Geopotential Height Anomalies

This has been part of an anomalously 
cold meteorological spring season.

March 1 to April 21, 2018
925 MB Air Temperature Anomalies

March 2018 Temperatures
Eagle Knob of High Knob Massif

Average Daily MAX: 40.8 degrees
Average Daily MIN: 25.3 degrees
MEAN: 33.0 degrees
MAX Temperature; 67 degrees
MIN Temperature: 11 degrees
Total Snowfall: 28.0"

*March was nearly as cold on Eagle Knob as
January 2018 was in the Tri-Cities, Tennessee,
with 4 times as much snow as observed during
the entire winter season at TRI.

April 14, 2018
Big Cherry Wetland Valley
Dwarf Mountain Anemone
( Anemone quinquefolia var. minima )
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

Canada Mayflowers ( Maianthemum canadense ) were emerging across many acres on April 21; however, not a single flower was yet found to be blooming.  Dwarf Anemone and Halberd-leaved Violets are the most numerous species blooming above 3000 feet ( as of April 21 ).

*It is still early for Canada Mayflower to be blooming, 
with May typically being the month to feature blooms 
on this northern species.

April 21, 2018
Northern Hardwood Forest
Star Chickweed ( Stellaria pubera ) and
Halberd-leaved Yellow Violet ( Viola hastata )
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

April 21, 2018
Northern Hardwood Forest
Ramp ( Allium tricoccum )
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

April 21, 2018
Northern Hardwood Forest
Mayapple ( Podophyllum peltatum ) Emerging
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

The coolness of Spring 2018 has species running later than in recent years, with this Pink Lady's-slipper Orchid ( below ) being in peak bloom on April 19 in 2016 and at this stage around 
April 21 during 2017.

April 26, 2018
Still Developing - Not Yet Mature
Lower Elevations of Cumberland Mountains
Pink Lady's-slipper Orchid ( Cypripedium acaule )
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

April 27, 2018
Lower Elevations of Cumberland Mountains
Large-flowered Trillium ( Trillium grandiflorum )
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

April 27, 2018
Wild Geranium ( Geranium spp. )
Photograph by Wayne Browning - © All Rights Reserved

April ended as an unseasonably cold month.

April 2018 Temperatures
Eagle Knob of High Knob Massif

Average Daily MAX: 51.1 degrees
Average Daily MIN: 32.2 degrees
MEAN: 41.6 degrees
MAX Temperature; 73 degrees
MIN Temperature: 16 degrees
Total Snowfall: 9.0"

Average temperatures became colder at night on high valley floors to mark a trend that would increase through the first half of May. 

April 2018 Temperatures
Big Cherry Wetland Valley 4

Average Daily MAX: 55.3 degrees
Average Daily MIN: 30.8 degrees
MEAN: 43.0 degrees
MAX Temperature; 76 degrees
MIN Temperature: 19 degrees