14 April 2022
Nocturnal Cold Air Pooling Area
Big Cherry Basin of High Knob Massif
Spring emergence remained very limited in high valleys of the High Knob Massif as of mid-April 2022, with mean nocturnal temperatures that continued to run below freezing.
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14 April 2022
Nocturnal Cold Air Pooling Area
Big Cherry Basin of High Knob Massif
Meteorological Spring has to date produced a 76 degree temperature spread on the basin floor of
Big Cherry Lake, varying from a maximum of 72 degrees to a minimum of -4 degrees below zero.
This 75 to 80 degree spread is within the range of the northern frost pocket in Canaan Valley Basin and is among the greatest spring temp differences across the entire region (the site of observed spread in Big Cherry Basin typically being slightly less than an adjacent site that is not currently recording in Big Cherry).
By comparison, Spring 2022 temperature spreads to date have included 64 degrees in Burkes Garden Basin and 66 degrees on Mount LeConte, Tn.
01 March to 14 April 2022
Big Cherry Lake Wetland Valley
A bitter -4 degree (F) below zero reading on the morning of 13 March was the coldest temperature reported across Virginia as well as the coldest valley air temperature observed across the southern-central Appalachians (*).
*This minimum tied Mount LeConte (at 6400 feet)
for the lowest temperature reported across the region
during March-April and Meteorological Spring 2022.
Minimum temperatures dropped to 19 degrees on
2 April and 10 April, and fell to around 20 degrees again on the morning of 15 April, to help hold back spring emergence with little to no maple budding visible along the wetland valleys of Big Cherry.
14 April 2022
Basin Floor of Big Cherry
Gorgeous Skies Prior To Hard Freeze
Wayne Browning Photograph © All Rights Reserved
A mean night-time temperature of 26.9 degrees during the 1 March to 14 April period has been a primary hindrance to new growth (**).
Mean Nocturnal Minimums
Big Cherry Basin Floor Temperature
March 2022:
25.4 degrees
1-14 April 2022:
30.1 degrees
**For comparison, a mean night-time minimum of 37.4 degrees was reported on the floor of the Great Valley in the Tri-Cities, Tennessee at TRI with 38.2 degrees in the City of Kingsport during this same 45 day period.
During this same period (1 March to 14 April), the mean night-time minimum was 30.7 degrees in Burkes Garden.
The 26.9 degree mean nocturnal min is analogous to
what is typically observed in the TRI-Kingsport area
during the month of January when vegetation is bare.
9 April 2022 at 3:29 PM
Looking Into Big Cherry Lake Basin
Cody Blankenbecler Image © All Rights Reserved
Cold into morning hours of 10 April was over fresh snow cover, with a general 3" to 6"+ accumulating above 3000 feet across the High Knob Massif.
9 April 2022 at 1:58 PM
Eagle Knob of High Knob Massif
Cody Blankenbecler Image © All Rights Reserved
9 April 2022 at 3:25 PM
High Knob Lookout on High Knob Peak
Cody Blankenbecler Image © All Rights Reserved
Despite significant April snow, conditions during Spring 2022 have turned much drier than average across the mountain region.
Precipitation Update
High Knob Massif
(Upper Elevations)
(Totals Listed By AM Measurement Format)
Monthly Total Precipitation
Big Cherry Lake Dam
(Elevation 3139 feet)
2019
January
6.14"
February
12.50"
Winter 2018-19
(1 Dec-29 Feb)
26.56"
March
5.93"
April
6.64"
May
6.75"
Spring 2019
(1 Mar-31 May)
19.32"
June
10.68"
July
10.77"
August
4.15"
Summer 2019
(1 Jun-31 Aug)
25.60"
September
0.63"
October
5.01"
( 5.89" to Midnight 31st )
November
5.20"
( 7.04" to Midnight 30th )
Autumn 2019
(1 Sep-31 Oct)
10.84"
December
8.52"
2019 Total: 82.92" (M)
(January 1 to December 31 Period)
2020
*January
7.15"
**February
13.01"
Winter 2019-20
(1 Dec-29 Feb)
28.68"
March
9.55"
( 10.77" to Midnight 31st )
April
11.59"
May
8.73"
(6.90" on Eagle Knob of High Knob Massif)
Spring 2020
(1 Mar-31 May)
29.87"
June
7.48"
July
9.72"
(10.48" to Midnight 31st)
August
8.12"
Summer 2020
(1 Jun-31 Aug)
25.32"
September
6.21"
October
7.06"
November
1.96"
(Eagle Knob Snowfall: 0.5")
Autumn 2020
(1 Sep-31 Oct)
15.23"
December
6.22"
(Eagle Knob Snowfall: 34.0")
2020 Total: 96.80" (M)
(January 1 to December 31 Period)
2021
January
6.35"
***(Eagle Knob Snowfall: 34.0")
February
7.42"
(Eagle Knob Snowfall: 19.5")
Winter 2020-21
(1 Dec to 28 Feb)
19.99"
(21.70" on Eagle Knob)
March
10.82"
(11.14" to Midnight 31st)
April
2.53"
(Eagle Knob Snowfall: 2.5")
May
4.54"
(Eagle Knob Snowfall: Trace)
Spring 2021
(1 Mar-31 May)
17.89"
June
4.79"
July
5.55"
August
10.39"
Summer 2021
(1 June-31 August)
20.73"
September
5.82"
October
3.80"
November
2.23"
(Eagle Knob Snowfall: 1.5")
3 days with 1" or more depth
Autumn 2021
(1 Sep-30 Nov)
11.85"
December
4.63"
(Eagle Knob Snowfall: 1.0")
Several days with Trace depths
2021 Total: 68.87"
(January 1 to December 31 Period)
2022
January
8.74"
(Eagle Knob Snowfall: 40.0")
29 days with 1" or more depth
February
10.32"
(Eagle Knob Snowfall: 3.5")
14 days with 1" or more depth
Winter 2021-22
(1 Dec to 28 Feb)
23.69"
March
4.23"
(Eagle Knob Snowfall: 13.5")
8 days with 1" or more depth
1-19 April
2.95"
(Eagle Knob Snowfall: 9.0")
5 days with 1" or more depth
2022 Total: 26.24"
(January 1 to April 19 Period)
November 2019-October 2020: 102.34"
Autumn 2018 to Summer 2019: 91.21"
Autumn 2019 to Summer 2020: 94.44"
Autumn 2020 to Summer 2021: 73.84"
(M): Some missing moisture in undercatch and frozen precipitation, with partial corrections applied for the 24.4 meter (80 feet) tall dam structure where rain gauges are located. Corrections are based upon 86-months of direct comparisons between NWS and IFLOWS at Big Cherry Dam (including occasional snow core-water content data).
14 April 2022 at 5:48 PM
Looking Across High Knob Lake Basin
The first budding maples were visible across the basin surrounding High Knob Lake during late afternoon hours of 14 April.
A hike to the basin floor was just prior to sunset.
14 April 2022 at 6:43 PM
High Knob Lake Recreation Area
14 April 2022 at 7:06 PM
Nice Light At High Knob Lake
Wayne Browning Photograph © All Rights Reserved
14 April 2022
High Knob Lake Recreation Area
Approaching Sunset At High Knob Lake
Wayne Browning Photograph © All Rights Reserved
14 April 2022
High Knob Lake Recreation Area
Approaching Sunset At High Knob Lake
Spring Emergence 2022
(Lower-Middle Elevations)
Lower Elevations
Easter Flowers In Time For Easter
17 April 2022
Fiddlehead (Polystichum acrostichoides)
_Wayne%20Browning%20Photograph_PNGs.png)
Wayne Browning Photograph © All Rights Reserved
17 April 2022
Ramps (Allium tricoccum)
_Cumberland%20Mountains_Wayne%20Browning%20Photograph_PNGs.png)
Wayne Browning Photograph © All Rights Reserved
17 April 2022
Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia)
_Cumberland%20Mountains_Wayne%20Browning%20Photograph_PNGs.png)
Wayne Browning Photograph © All Rights Reserved
17 April 2022
Large-flowered Trillium
(Trillium grandiflorum)
_Wayne%20Browning%20Photograph_PNGs.png)
Wayne Browning Photograph © All Rights Reserved
April 2022
Apple Blossoms
Long Ridge of Sandy Ridge
April 2022
Long Ridge of Sandy Ridge
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
Wayne Riner Photograph © All Rights Reserved
April 2022
Apple Blossoms
Long Ridge of Sandy Ridge
Mid-Spring Snow
Summit Level of High Knob Massif
Wind Blown Snow on Eagle Knob
Wet snow mixed with rain, then changed to all snow, at the summit-level of the High Knob Massif during afternoon hours of 18 April on gusty north winds and falling temperatures.
Snow showers, with bursts of heavy, wind driven snow, developed during the overnight hours of 19 April and created slick road conditions above
3000 to 3500 feet.
Cody Blankenbecler Image © All Rights Reserved
Computer Science-Mathematics Department
Wayne Browning Photograph © All Rights Reserved
Summit Level of High Knob Massif
Wind Blown Snow Covering Roads
Half an inch of snow depth accumulated down to City of Norton WP, with 1-2" at highest elevations in the High Knob Massif (locally more in drifts).
Looking Toward High Knob Massif
View From UVA-Wise Webcam
Snow was short-lived, with melting and
sublimation occurring rapidly into mid-day.
Spring Along Pine Mountain
An Appalachian spring is hard to beat.
Just Prior to Sunset on 25 April 2022
Along Pine Mountain in Dickenson County
Pine Mountain is a great place to experience spring.
25 April 2022
Increasing Clouds For Sunset
Wayne Browning Photograph © All Rights Reserved
25 April 2022
Lower-Middle Slopes of Pine Mountain
Wayne Browning Photograph © All Rights Reserved
While sunset was not what I hoped for, no dramatic rays of light bursting through the clouds to color the landscape, it was a lovely evening. Warm and gusty with a fine smell of spring. Birds, many newly arrived, were singing up a storm.
25 April 2022
Sunset Obscured By Clouds
Wayne Browning Photograph © All Rights Reserved
Lower-middle slopes are really coming alive, while upper slopes remain much more barren and more like upper elevations in the High Knob Massif (*)
*Although, high elevations along Pine Mountain always green well before high elevations in the massif where the mountain top terrain collects and generates cold air.
25 April 2022
Looking Toward Birch Knob
This section is under construction. Please check back.
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