Not a Snowtober

Roundtop Mountain didn’t get another “Snowtober” from the April nor’easter that pummeled the mid-Atlantic states over the weekend and yesterday. The storm produced about two inches of rain here, which was much needed, and I did see some brief snowflakes and a bit of sleet. The temperature stayed at 36 degrees all day, which was close enough to a snow-producing temperature to be a bit worrisome. Just an hour or two drive’s west of me the temperature was colder and those folks got a late-April snowstorm, about a foot’s worth. I’m glad this one missed me!

As it was, the day felt chilly and damp, with a cutting breeze. The rain drops stung like little bees on my face, but after the too-warm winter and few spring rains, even that seemed welcome. Indicative of how dry it has been here, those two inches of rain pretty much all soaked into the ground. Water wasn’t flowing down the gutters or ditches, and I didn’t even see puddles backing up around the storm drains.

A storm the size of this one pretty much put a halt to migration anywhere on the east coast. From what I can make of the migration maps this season, not much of the migration is taking the eastern route this year anyway. The show all seems to be in the central states, which probably explains why I haven’t found a single warbler yet this year at Roundtop. There’s still time for something to show up, but I’ve never had a year that’s waited this late before any arrived. That’s just one more thing to add to the already long list of weird things for 2012. At this rate, that list will be a tome by the end of the year.