Springtime

Still lovely!
At nine am, it is 56.8 degrees and rising.
The humidity is 55% and falling.
The barometer is at 29.47 inches of mercury and steady.
The brook is at 1.64 inches.
The fore danger is now HIGH.
We had a great series of clean-ups this weekend--you're going to notice a difference in Cascades East!--and our thanks go out to all who helped!

Earth Day clean-up day!

It's Earth Day clean-up day here in the city of Worcester, and we hope you'll either come down to Cascades East (that's Olean Street, on the Holden line) or find a clean-up near you on the REC's map to pitch in on!

At nine am, it is 50.5 degrees and rising.
We have 53% humidity and falling.
The barometer is 29.62 is inches of mercury and steady.
We have clear blue skies here today.
The fire danger remains MODERATE.

Happy clean-ups!

Happy Arbor Day!

Happy Arbor Day!
It's lovely out today, and the trees are just getting their leaves out.
At 8:30, it is 47.3 degrees and rising.
We're seeing 48% humidity and falling.
The barometer is at 29.53 inches of mercury and steady under clear blue skies.
The brook is running at 1.92 inches.

Tomorrow brings the citywide Earth Day clean-ups. If you head over to the Regional Environmental Council's website, they have handy map posted of where you'll find a place you can pitch in. The Greater Worcester Land Trust is running clean-ups at three properties: two we could particularly use a hand on are Broadmeadow Brook (off of Kirkland Street) and Cascades East (off Olean Street). Clean-ups start at 8:30 and go until the DPW truck comes or 1 pm, whichever comes first.And if you're working on a GWLT property, please join us here at the Lodge for a cookout afterward!

Sunny and Warm

9:30 a.m. conditions at the Lodge:

~ temperature is 52.7°F and rising;
~ humidity is 74% and falling;
~ barometric pressure is 29.21" and steady;
~ full sun and high altitude clouds;
~ some wind movement but no reading;
~ Cascades have low flow over them;
~ Cascades Brook is at 1.8" and both channels are flowing;
~ no real precipitation amounts overnight;
~ USFS Fire Danger is MODERATE;
~ Bloodwort still in bloom but beginning to fade a little.

An absolutely beautiful day out there!

Cloudy, Threatening Rain

9:00 a.m. conditions at the Lodge:

~ Temperature is 37.6°F and steady;
~ Humidity is 80% and steady;
~ Barometric pressure is 29.65"Hg and steady;
~ Wind is constantly stirring and pops up to 11.5 mph occasionally;
~ Cascades Brook is running at 1.67";
~ There is light flow over the Cascades;
~ Overcast and misting in spots off and on;
~ USFS Fire Danger is HIGH.

It has been dry for a while and there is constant wind and that is enough to keep the fire danger up despite the cold and humidity.

The real showers are supposed to come this afternoon, so hiking this morning should be the best time.

The Bloodwort is still in bloom!

BTW: Saturday is Earth Day Cleanups in Worcester and GWLT will have three locations.

High Fire Danger, but real nice outside

7:00 a.m. conditions at the Lodge:

~ Temperature is 34.9°F and steady;
~ Humidity is 67% and steady;
~ Barometric pressure is 29.88"Hg and steady;
~ Light breeze is stirring and is supposed to increase;
~ Cascades are flowing;
~ Sun is out;
~ Cascades Brook is running at 2.16";
~ USFS Fire Danger is HIGH.

The native Bloodwort is still in bloom.

Be thoughtful out there.

Blue Sky Sunday

Blue skies and sunshine fill this Sunday morning!

Lodge conditions at 7:25 a.m.:

~ temperature is 34.5°F and rising;
~ humidity is 49% and steady;
~ barometric pressure is 29.65"Hg and rising;
~ Cascades are running;
~ Cascades Brook has 2.64" of flow with both channels open;
~ wind is stirring and is supposed to increase;
~ USFS Fire Danger is MODERATE;
~ Cloudless blue skies;
~ Native Bloodwort in full bloom.

Fantastic day for a hike!

Overnight rains

Last night the 30mph wind gusts eventually gave way to heavy rains, but not a thunderstorm. Enough fell to replenish the Cascades a little and bring the rushing sound up several levels. The grass is greener, the buds swell on the trees, and the Bloodwort that bloomed midway through this week are more distinct with their white flowers contrasted against the wet forest floor.

Conditions at the Lodge at 7:20 a.m.:

~ temperature is 46.4° and falling;
~ humidity is 80% and steady;
~ barometric pressure is 29.00" of Hg and steady;
~ sky is overcast but lightening;
~ over 0.5" of rain fell last night;
~ Cascades are flowing;
~ Cascades Brook is flowing at 2.64";
~ the wind is alternating between a steady 2.5 mph and still;
~ USFS Fire Danger is LOW as of the moment, BUT, if the clearing and winds predicted for this afternoon pan out it may rise quickly.

Storm front

Repeated 30mph wind gusts sustained for a bit as the strong storm system moves in.

All over the peepers have been chirping tonight.

Summer weather is perhaps making a comeback.

Overcast yet Warm

Conditions at the Lodge at 8:40 a.m. :

~ Temperature is 60.3° F and rising;
~ Humidity is 89% and steady;
~ Barometric pressure is 29.21" Hg and steady;
~ Sky is overcast;
~ Overnight humidity and temperature shift left wet surfaces on rocks this morning;
~ Wind peaking at 16.5 mph,
~ Cascades Brook is running at 1.34" of flow;
~ USFS Fire Danger is MODERATE.

Chance of Thunderstorms!!! Tonight!

Babbling Cascades Brook

When things get crazy there is nothing quite like listening to the sound of a babbling brook, and this evening really seems to call for that.

5:45 p.m. conditions at the Lodge:

~ temperature is 58.3° F and falling;
~ humidity is 36% and steady;
~ barometric pressure is 29.5" Hg and steady;
~Steady breeze from 4.5 - 6.0 mph;
~Blue skies;
~Modest flow over the Cascades;
~Both Cascade Brook channels are running;
~Cascades Brook is running at 2.64";
~USFS Fire Danger is LOW.

Great Day!

Lodge conditions at 6:46pm;

Temperature is 49.8 and falling;
Humidity is 47% and steady;
Pressure is 29.09" Hg and steady;
No wind;
Overcast;
Cascades are flowing even more with the rain;
Cascades Brook is flowing in both channels and at a depth of 3.6";
USFS Fire Danger is LOW;
The last couple of days gave us over 0.7" of rain!

I hope you had a chance to get out and enjoy the day!

Overnight Rains really get spring in motion

Another night with rain showers and the bonus of getting the day mostly dry and warm. Overnight the bulbs burst; the grass darkened into green; the buds swelled; and even the coniferous pines, cedars, and spruces shifted to a brighter green. And all of that is with cloudy skies. Wait till the sun breaks through!

Conditions at 7:50 a.m. the Lodge:

~ temperature is 46.6°F and steady;
~ humidity is 81% and steady;
~ barometric pressure is 29.15" Hg and steady;
~ the air is stirring, but not registering a speed;
~ the Cascades are running with moderate flow, but the rushing noise is strong;
~ Skies are overcast, but not dark;
~ USFS Fire Danger is LOW.

And then the rains came!

Around 4:30 a.m. the sky flashed with silent lightning, about ten minutes later the sky burst forth with rains, sorely needed spring rains. Enough fell in the bands of rain to soak the soil.

7:00 a.m. conditions at the Lodge:

~ temperature is 46.8°F and steady;
~ humidity is 81% and steady;
~ the barometric pressure is 29.15" Hg and falling;
~ The Cascades continue to have moderate flow;
~ The air is perfectly still;
~ Skies are cloudy;
~ USFS Fire Danger is MODERATE.

The sunny and dry was nice for a bit but was getting out of hand. Spring rains are what we needed.

More humid, thankfully!

Lodge conditions 7:50 a.m.:

~ temperature is 44.1°F and rising;
~ humidity is 83% (!!!) and falling;
~ barometric pressure is 29.21" of Hg and steady;
~ the Cascades Brook is flowing at 2.64";
~ the air is generally still, with light movement;
~ the sky is hazy but clear, and the sun is out;
~ the USFS Fire Danger is MODERATE.

The snows of winter are very nearly gone. There are small pockets left on north slopes and in the shelter of shaded depressions. And this lays bare some 4-5 months of litter/trash/dumping/yard waste.
This annual ritual is almost as disheartening as the crocuses, buds, blades of grass, and Cascades are exhilarating, but thankfully not quite.
As Americans, we have a deeply dysfunctional relationship with the trash we own and the waste that we produce. There is an arrogant ignorance to our disregard for our neighbors and our wilds.
Beyond the smokers using our world as their butt can, and the simple "letting go" of wrappers and cups there is a more puzzling relationship neighbors have with one another.
Neighbors, who know each other by name, who see each other regularly, will take their leaves, grass clippings, and branches and either stockpile them against their neighbor's property in an ugly wall, or even place it on their neighbor's land. Pizza boxes, plywood, dead plants and their tiny Styrofoam beads, and plastic bags are regularly tossed over the line. And these are people who know each other and live with one another. Polite conversations moderate but do not mitigate the practice. If you must be so vigilant with your neighbor, imagine the situation where only the chipmunk and the finch can speak for the conservation land?
Such is spring.
New life and new chances spring forth, and we get another chance to try again to re-right our world, and hope that just as the crocus is undeterred by the injustice and bursts forth in beauty, so we too might approach this season in the same hope and expectation for newness of heart.

Continued Elevated Fire Danger

Our dry spell remains. The wind will pickup during the day with gusts to 30-35 mph. This will continue our fire danger, though it is and will be slightly more humid today.

8:00 a.m. conditions at the Lodge:

~ temperature is 34.7°F and rising;
~ humidity is 52% and steady;
~ barometric pressure is 29.47" Hug and steady;
~ light variable breeze up to 4.0 mph;
~ slightly overcast skies with haze;
~ USFS Fire Danger is HIGH.

All in all a warm weekend day well suited to being out and about.

RED FLAG WARNING: Sun and Wind

The state has issued a RED FLAG Critical Fire Danger for today.

8:10 a.m. conditions at the Lodge:

~ temperature of 31.1°F and steady;
~ humidity of 42% and steady;
~ barometric pressure of 29.35" Hg and rising;
~ steady wind peaking at 19.0 mph;
~ blue skies and sun;
~ Cascades brook is flowing in both channels;
~ the brook is flowing at 3.36";
~ Fire Danger is VERY HIGH.

Crow Hill had a brush fire yesterday afternoon as well.

Apparently no rain?

For much of the week the prediction for today involved rain, and then, suddenly, it didn't.

Conditions at the Lodge at 7:10 a.m.:

~ the temperature is 36°F and steady (yesterday was 26!);
~ the humidity is 58% and steady;
~ the barometric pressure is 29.12" Hg and falling;
~ the air is stirring with  breezes peaking at 11.5 mph;
~ Cascades Brook, both stream channels are running and the depth is at 4.6";
~ the sky is overcast;
~ USFS Fire Danger is MODERATE.

Today promises to be warmer than yesterday, but without direct sun we will have to see.

Warmth, Activity, & HIGH Fire Danger

Exciting times this morning!
Crocuses are up and the sun is out!
There is a crew routing and hewing, and drilling, and painting, and....
But yesterday's winds carried off what moisture there was so the fire danger remains HIGH.

9:40 a.m. conditions at the Lodge:

~ temperature is 36.7°F and rising;
~ humidity is 42% and steady (thank you falls for the moisture!);
~ barometric pressure is 29.47" Hg and steady;
~ sun is OUT!;
~ light breezes up to 3.5 mph;
~ fire danger is HIGH.

Get out there! It is beautiful!

HIGH Fire Danger!

7am conditions:

27.3° temperature steady;
46% humidity steady;
29.18" Hg steady;
12mph peak;
Cloudless, sun, blue skies;
USFS Fire Danger HIGH!

Brrrr...

Back to the cold weather for a bit!
At nine am, it is 32.2 degrees and rising.
We have 51% humidity
The barometer is 29.09 Hg and steady under clear skies.
We have about 5 mph of wind.
The Cascades are running, and the secondary channel of the brook is flowing.

Happy April!

The Cascades are running, the bulbs are coming up, the birds are singing in the morning now: we may have spring here!
The brook is leaping to as high as 6 inches this morning, and the Cascades are pouring down the hill (if you haven't seen them in action, this is a good chance!). The rain really made a difference overnight!
At 8 am, it is 41.9 degrees and rising.
Humidity is 88% and steady.
The barometer is at 28.85 Hg and steady under clearing skies.
We are currently not measuring any wind.