May begins in a wintry fashion!

I woke to a wintry landscape yesterday morning, May 1, as around 4" of snow fell overnight. Adding in this morning's 0.3", the seasons' snow total is at 74.3". This is 65% of the average 115" of snow that the park has received each snow sesaon over the past decade or so, so we are going into the spring/summer seasons pretty dry. That being said, the park has received exactly an inch of moisture spread over the past nine days, so the wildflowers are receiving some water as spring kicks in. I hope to get out on the trails to take a look, but I expect the recent moisture may have the flowers looking a bit better that I originally thought they'd be this spring, considering the stingy snowfall. Kinnikinnick, larkspur, toadflax, spring beauty, bladderpod, dwarf daisy, chiming bells, mahonia (holly grape), wild onion, sugarbowl, low penstemon...these are a few of what may be adding color to the landscape as May takes hold. I took these photos last evening from my deck across from the park as a snow squall was moving in...as we say, spring snows bring spring flowers in Pueblo Mountain Park.

It's not 36", but it's a good start to April!

I just measured 9.6" of new snow, with a moisture content of 0.89". This already surpasses March's snowfall amount, and is just a bit less than March's 1.00" of moisture. It's a lovely spring snow morning in the park, with bright sunshine already bringing avalanches of snow sliding off the ponderosa branches.

An April snow is just beginning this evening!

The hopes for a wet March never materialized; wind seemed to be the best word to describe what statistically is the park's snowiest month. But it just started snowing a little while ago...if it would snow all night, this one storm could better the pitiful 7.8" of snow that March brought. The season's total so far is around 60" (115" is an average winter), so I'm dreaming of a white April. I recall spring storms that brought feet of snow...when my kids were little, I remember 12" on my daughter's birthday (April 30), 12" the next day on May 1, and another 12" on May 2 (May 3, my son's birthday, began a rather muddy stretch). So I am hoping for 36" out of this storm. Dreaming? Well, I said I was dreaming of a white April, and April is statistically our second snowiest month, so why not! Oh the weather outside is frightful (not really), and the fire is so delightful, and since we've no place to go, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW...

Dreaming and singing of snow, Ranger Dave

Winter is sliding by...

...after February brought over 25"" of snow, and even some "unusual for February" rain that helped an otherwise very dry winter. Hopefully, March will bring some decent snows. Snowfall for the season so far is 52", and an average full winter's snow is 115". So, we have a ways to go, but a few Albuquerque lows that can upslope copious amounts of wet snow on our area could make a huge difference. Time will tell!

"Cold, and it's getting colder...

...grey and white, and winter all around." John Denver's lyrics speak well to this late afternoon at Pueblo Mountain Park. About 9" of snow was a very welcome sight to wake to this morning. I just stepped out and took this photo of the winter wonderland I'll be walking through since my day's work is about done and I'll soon be walking home. The thermometer reads 8F, so it'll be a brisk walk.

The last day of 2010 in Pueblo Mountain Park!

The last day of 2010 ends with a couple of inches of new snow and an Arctic blast of cold air with temps in the single digits -- perfect conditions for a wintry walk in the park. A weak sun was trying to work its way through a thin and persistent cloud cover, but by mid-day it didn't look or feel like it would be very successful. The park looked lovely in white. Here are a few photos of the morning walk Helene and I took...tracks are from a fox, probably a red fox, in a pattern that indicates it was trotting.