Tuesday, February 14, 2006, 9:45 am: The last few days have been typically northern Maine winter weather. On the drive this morning to our town’s recycling point I saw a Sun Dog. A very interesting atmospheric phenomenon which has to do with the way sunlight is refracted of off ice crystals in the atmosphere. In lieu of any associated mystical experience, it was pretty cool.

On the drive home from the recycling point I drove through a snow flurry. Not enough to be hazardous, but unique in that the sun was shining brightly through the broken clouds in the eastern sky.

At the moment the temperature is 23 degrees Fahrenheit. The NOAA weather radio said to expect a maximum temperature in the high 20s today. That’s fine with me. I won’t need to bring in so much firewood. I think my middle-age bones are starting to creak like my old chair. And my wife has tasked me with sweeping and vacuuming the house today. I am not exactly Martha Stewart, but I can get the job done. I have to run now and fire up my engine with some French roast coffee.

Current values from our
Vantage-Pro weather station:

Temperature: 23 degrees (F.)

Barometer: 29.71 and rising rapidly

Humidity: 76%

Wind: SW at 3 mph and variable

Visibility: > 2 miles - scattered clouds

Precipitation: Occasional snow and snow flurries

Since midnight:

Low temp: 9 degrees (F.) at 1:32 am

High wind: 16 mph at 6:39 am