Wednesday, June 8, 2022

Early Summer 2022_High Knob Massif


06 June 2022
High Knob Massif
Looking Across High Knob Lake Basin
Wayne Browning Photograph © All Rights Reserved

Building cumulus clouds and increasing haze was a signal that more showers and thunderstorms would be coming to the high country.

08 June 2022
Afternoon Downpour of Early Summer
Crossing High Knob Massif Into Wise
UVA-Wise Computer Science-Mathematics Department

                          Black Lives Matter Statement

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This comes on the heels of chilly nights in recent days with June minumum temperatures dipping into the upper 30s to lower 40s in mid-upper elevation mountain basins of the massif.

06 June 2022
High Knob Massif
Looking Into High Knob Lake Basin
Wayne Browning Photograph © All Rights Reserved

While May had above average rainfall, precipitation for Spring 2022 was well 
below the longer-term average.

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

April
3.28"
(Eagle Knob Snowfall: 9.0")
5 days with 1" or more depth

May
7.98"

Spring 2022
(1 Mar to 31 May)
15.49"

2022 Total: 34.55"
 (January 1 to May 31 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).


Breeding Bird Season 2022

June marks the breeding season for bird species 
in the high country and I have started a survey of existing species.

06 June 2022

I created an identification guide to the sound recording below, with specific species noted for specific times during this short recording.


NOTE: While the species sounds are exact on my original recording, upon uploading to this online media player they are now off by approximately 1-2 seconds.  In other words, add a second or two to the guide times to be more precise.

As noted in the guide, this was a mid-late afternoon survey and a typical down-time for singing birds.

I was pleased to obtain this many birds.  Official early morning Breeding Bird Surveys (BBS) will begin in coming days.