Tuesday, January 31, 2006, 12:45 pm: It’s snowing and I’ve had my cup of espresso. The NWS in Caribou is expecting about an inch for the Saint John Valley. This seems like a fairly typical northern Maine day for January. I have to admit, I think it should be a bit colder for this time of year.

This morning my wife is in Madawaska doing volunteer income-tax preparation. I hope her drive home is safe. It’s snowing just enough to make the roads a little slick in places. Let’s see if our all-wheel drive vehicle lives up to its advertising.

We haven’t seen any large wildlife in the last few months. As the snowbanks along the roads get higher, our chances seem to get smaller, until spring, to see many moose.

This is a good day to loaf and relax, but chores await me. My wife would probably wince, but I am patting myself on the back for all my energy – must be all the caffeine.

Current values form our Vantage-Pro weather station:

Temperature: 23.3 degrees (F.)

Barometer: 29.95 and falling rapidly

Humidity: 77%

Wind: NE at 2 mph and variable

Visibility: < .5 mile

Precipitation: Snowing

Since midnight:

Low temp: 19.4 degrees (F.) at 5:05 am

High wind: 10 mph at 12:37 pm