There’s something special about the first real warm day in spring. Its like that first 50° day in the fall after a long summer. Change is welcome. I’ll never live somewhere that doesn’t have seasons.. sick of the climate? Just wait another month or two.
I’m just seeing bare ground for the first time in 2 months. Except it’s not bare, it’s a thick layer of rabbit pellets
The 41” or so that fell in Fall River is all gone. 2.5-3’ of snowpack just west of Boston has shrunk to 8-10”, with patches of bare grass. Even if southern New England gets hit hard, the higher elevations of northern New England will always beat them in snow depth and retention
Now the real test begins. How long will the remaining snowpack last before it finally melts? The grass may be showing in spots, but still a foot of snow remains in the backyard. #MAwx
First full day above freezing since 1/10 during our “January thaw”. Winter’s back has been broken. #MAwx
Cold rain last night with my station picking up 0.63” at 33 degrees. Around 4am the temp dropped and we got a crusty layer of sleet, snow and freezing drizzle. Season total is 70.4”. Snow depth is about 10-16”. Waltham, MA @wx1box.bsky.social
A pair of mourning doves grooming each other
A backyard covered in a deep layer of snow
More snow on the way tonight. Winter does not want to give in just yet.
My cat watches birds from the window
A pair of mourning doves
I caught Holly watching these two doves.. make more doves. Time will tell where they ultimately choose their silly nesting spot.
Freezing rain encased trees in the morning sunlight
The sun rises on a frozen landscape
2.4” of snow fell and has now changed to freezing rain. Ice is accumulating on all surfaces with a temp of 30°. Waltham, MA @wx1box.bsky.social
Fat snowflakes
It’s no surprise to me now why some of these shrubs are so hard to find in the wild. Too much herbivore pressure. However, there are fresh footprints from what I believe was a fox roaming the yard last night..
A red chokeberry shrub with a cage around it. However, deep snow has allowed the rabbits to eat most of the stems
I don’t care how cute they are, rabbits are the biggest pain in the ass when it comes to establishing native trees and shrubs and I might just have to put up an owl box
Not very often does Vermont have the same snow depth as the Boston area. About 30” here, and probably more further south since we “only” got 19 inches here.
More signs of spring. Snowmelt and birds singing. The sun feels warm
A White Breasted Nuthatch singing in the distance. Despite all the snow, spring is on its way.
A quick burst of snow this morning left 0.8” on the ground. Season total is now 66.9”. Waltham, MA @wx1box.bsky.social
They must be on their way to Prestige Car Wash.
I saw one driver last week stop and a sheet of frozen crud from their roof slid onto the windshield. They tried using the wipers to clear it.
I laughed, but it’s not funny when someone else inevitably gets hurt by these lazy, entitled drivers.
Almost out of room. #blizzardof26
Strong wind and powdery snow did not make measuring easy. Snowpack was around 10-12” before the storm with an average of 30” now. My best estimate is that 19” fell here in Waltham, MA @wx1box.bsky.social
IT IS FRENCH TOAST TIME
The worst part of the blizzard has begun. Heavy snow, strong winds, and the temperature is 26° and dropping. #MAwx
A yardstick on a snow board for measuring snow
The calm before the storm. #MAwx
A fresh snowfall in a backyard
2.2” new snow brings the season total to 47.1”, which is just about average for a season around these parts. #MAwx
Storage containers of bird seed
All stocked up on food for the #birds. Whole and shelled peanuts, nyjer (thistle) seed, dried corn on the cob, and striped sunflower seeds. This should last a while, given we only have about a month of cold weather left.
A squirrel on my nursery gate. It’s snowing again here, and it will snow almost every day this week. Winter is taking its time to move on. #MAwx
Small things can have more of an impact than you think. Back in 2024, I started leaving the Holiday Lights on our pine tree the entire winter. Not only is it less work (taking them down in March vs January), but it makes others happy, as seen on this local Facebook post.
Rabbit footprints in the snow
Got rabbits?
If accessibility disappears after a snowstorm then there was never really accessibility to begin with. Winter reveals so much about who our cities prioritize.
