An Average Problem

Polar Vortex beauty: Icy branches reach to a bright blue sky

January was just an average month here at Bean Hill. We matched the historic monthly high and low average temperature exactly!

Except that January was anything but average temperature-wise. Instead, January was a month of extremes SO extreme, that it all evened out. Nine days had highs 10 or more degrees above average; January 8 was 30 degrees above the historic average for the date. Three days had highs that were 23, 27, and 35 degrees below average. Thirteen nights had lows that were above average by 10-26 degrees; five nights had temperatures that were 17-25 degrees below average. We had high winds that brought down more trees in the woods; we had heavy rain and even a thunderstorm. We had snow. Schools closed for two days because of the extreme cold when the polar vortex roared into town.

Blue Jay...

Numbers DO lie, especially if they're average numbers. If I shared only the monthly average high and low for Bean Hill, you'd begin to wonder what all the climate change hysteria is about. But when you look at January's daily records, the extremes that characterize climate change (or as Ann has dubbed it, climate confusion) are there in all their scariness. When January 2019 came out exactly average, after we experienced anything but average, I got to thinking about how many times over the last two years of record-keeping I all too often fell into the "kinda average" trap. I'd record the daily stats, fret over too much rain, or too much heat, or too much..weather...and then I'd work out the monthly average and compare it to the historic record. I'd see there were only a couple of degrees difference between the Bean Hill averages and the historic average, and I'd find that slight difference almost comforting. Even though I might have spent the month complaining about the crazy weather, even though day-by-day I noted the aberrations, the monthly average smoothed things over. I'd think: Maybe I'm wrong; maybe it's not as bad as I fear; maybe I am a tad hysterical. January 2019 made me realize those monthly averages often lulled me into a false sense of security.

...And a Downy pose with a peanut trophy

At the end of December, 2018, I thought I might not continue this blog. Then I read David Leonhardt's op ed, "The Polar Vortex and the Climate" (New York Times, February 1), and was reminded why I am doing this:

I've argued before for using weather patterns as evidence of climate change, and I continue to think it's the right thing to do. Nothing else--not dark vision of the future, not appeals to future generations, not promises of green jobs--has yet inspired the necessary action on the climate. The growing frequency of extreme weather has the potential to change people's minds.


I write this to share weather-related observations from this little piece of earth called Bean Hill. I write this to provide local evidence of "the growing frequency of extreme weather". I write this hoping to change minds. I know among my small readership, I preach to the choir, but maybe a choir member will pass this blog along to someone whose mind might be changed.

Thank you.

Primary color and glassy branches

     

A Wet Not White Christmas

A cardinal and a downy share a feeder and
pretend the other isn't there

December is the month of the Winter Solstice--the shortest day of the year, the official start of winter. As we've done every year since we've lived here, we got out the candles and the bells and the smudge stick and called on all and whatever Powers That Be to bless Bean Hill and all its living things in the coming year. So far, so good.

As with last Winter Solstice, we had to don, not our gay apparel, but our wellies and rain gear to go outside at sundown for the smudging of the gardens, pond, etc. It's not easy to keep a smudge stick going in the rain, but after several years of practice, we're beginning to get the hang of it. The ritual culminates in lighting the Yule Log (thank goodness it was at least a chilly day!), and quaffing a glass of mead, that stuff Beowulf drank before killing Grendel.

Winter Solstice tools--
smudge stick, bell, and mead

Although no precipitation was recorded for 16 days during December, this ended up being the second wettest December on record in Central Ohio. The near record rainfall cinched 2018's claim as the wettest year since record-keeping began (55.18”). December 2018 joined eight other 2018 months in recording above-average precipitation. 

Aberrant weather patterns and events are signs of a changing climate, so it shouldn’t be surprising that 4 of Central Ohio’s 10 wettest years have happened since 2000. Here at Bean Hill over the last 3-4 years, I’ve observed that not only is it raining more often, it’s raining harder. More times than I can remember, I've described a rain event as "torrential".  Ben Gelber, NBC-4 meteorologist, made the same observation: “Average annual precipitation and the number of days with very heavy rainfall have increased significantly in the Ohio Valley in the past half-century.” (“Columbus’ rainfall record washed away”, Dec. 31, 2018)

Come set a spell

We saw only .06" of snow in a month where we should see 5.1". In what used be a "normal" year, Central Ohio would see just under 3" of rain along with that snow. This near-record December we had 4.45" of rain. The lack of snow wasn't surprising, since 20 days of the month had above average temperature, with 14 of those being significantly above average (6-25 degrees). The month's average high temperature was 4 degrees above the historic monthly average. The month's average night-time temperature was two degrees above the historic average of 27.

As the New Year begins, we continue to see temperatures well above normal and, of course, there's rain. Welcome to the New Year and to the new "normal". 

For a little nostalgia, I've chosen photos from winters past when all our Christmases were white.

A house finch and a gold finch wait for a feeder to be filled

A Cold and Grey November

Rain drops. Always rain drops.

The blog title sums up the month here at Bean Hill. It was not just cold and grey, it was colder and greyer way beyond normal, if such a thing still exists. The month's average high temperature was just 43 degrees; historically the average is 52. The nine degrees difference was the result of having 19 days with temperatures 6 or more degrees below normal. Thirteen of those days had highs significantly below normal (10-21 degrees!). The month's average low was 32, a mere three degrees below the historic average low. 

Kaytee hates her booties. You can see why.

    The low daytime highs were aided and abetted by the heavy clouds that blotted out any sun for 16 days this month. On six other days, the clouds weren't quite as thick and heavy, so every now and again, we'd get a brief glimpse of something that passed for sunlight. The clouds held a lot of moisture which pelted us with depressing regularity. Once again we exceeded the month's average rainfall amount: 4.35" instead of 3.19". We also had 1.57" of snow, almost spot on for the historic average. Out of November's 30 days, only two days were sunny with clear blue skies. Nobody, not even the dogs, went outside without boots on. There were NO walks in the woods, and not a lot in the meadows. Actually, there wasn't a lot of going outside, period. I don't know how the English do it.

Crabapples. Bird food!

There are two good things about this and every November. First it's Thanksgiving time. What's not to love about a holiday devoted to eating anything and everything in sight? And whoever invented pumpkin pie deserves a special place in the history books, if not in heaven. The best thing about Thanksgiving, however, is that it makes me a little more mindful of all the good things that grace my life: Loved ones both near and far, cherished friends, good health, a warm and comfortable home, this beautiful property we call Bean Hill, and the creatures great and small we share it with. I have much to be thankful for beyond pumpkin pie. And I am.

Female Downy woodpecker enjoys
a special treat

The other good thing in November is that Project FeederWatch begins. This is a citizen-science project sponsored by Cornell Lab of Ornithology that we've participated in for years. We set up the spotting scope and several pairs of binoculars and bird watch from the comfort of our nice, warm, dry home. We keep track of the type and number and birds seen over a 48-hour period. The data is uploaded to Cornell, and is used to study things like migration patterns, the effects of climate change on bird movements and populations, the health of bird species. Birds are fascinating, beautiful creatures, and Project FeederWatch provides the ideal excuse to sit and watch them. I hope you'll consider signing on https://feederwatch.org/

Female Red Belly woodpecker knows she's being watched.