December 18, 2016:
Temperature: 34º-42ºF (average 34º-43ºF)
Snowing earlier, but the frozen snow and ice surface shows slushy areas.
December 19, 2016:
Temperature: 39º-46ºF (average 34º-43ºF)
Raining
December 22, 2016:
Temperature 37º-46ºF (average 34º-43ºF)
Rained earlier, overcast in the afternoon.
For the next two weeks I was away from the marsh. Weather records said there were a few days with lows in the 20s but then above freezing even at night for a week. We returned just as another cold snap began.
January 4, 2017:
Temperature 25º-39ºF (average 35º-43ºF)
Sunny and windy, a Northeasterly wind was blowing Arctic air through the Fraser River canyon gap, into the maritime NW
Yesterday it warmed up and I was hopeful the ice would melt, but the marsh was covered with persistent ice, and today it’s getting cold again. There were no swans on the wetland yesterday. I assume they’ve departed for a better feeding site — and I really hope they find adequate food somewhere. If it ever warms up again this winter, they may return to Otto’s Marsh.
Any unusual weather in your part of the world? Seeing wildlife stressed by cold?
Time for you to share what you’re seeing in your natural neighborhood . . .