Big Snow and Mountain Lions and Wolves
Starting yesterday we had record snowfall, a foot of snow here in Helena.
"Helena received a record amount of snow Wednesday with 10 inches of new powder. The precipitation continued Thursday and added up to about a foot, according to the National Weather Service....At noon Thursday, the snow level at the Helena Regional Airport measured 12 inches. The area received 10 inches within a 24-hour time span...The new moisture puts Helena above nor-mal for water levels [we REALLY needed it!]...After midnight things will come to an end." (Independent Record 1/19/2012)
I dug the truck out using an old broom (no snowshovel) and then went to my Dad's to help him dig out. A little more snow is due tonight. But the thing I worry about is the forecast for RAIN tomorrow/tomorrow night. If so, this will be a mess, with either ice-crusted snow to make driving a hazard or incredible slush and flooding. It remains to be seen. I have to drive in to school to teach painting Saturday morning, so I guess whatever will be will be.
And a mountain lion is hunting within a mile of the house, at the head of the street where I live. Last year we had one captured in town when it fell asleep on someone's porch in the middle of town. I never heard of this happening while growing up here!
"... the city's received three calls about mountain lions up on Rodney Ridge near the Waterline trail, which crosses land owned by the Forest Service... an apparent mountain lion kill spotted in a tree. ...When encountering a mountain lion [keep an] "upright posture, eye contact, and banging something to make some noise to convince the animal that you're not the prey it's looking for."
...mountain lions are most active at dusk and dawn. ...it's important to keep pets leashed and kids nearby, as both can attract the attention of a mountain lion...[and] pepper spray just in case. ... several mountain lion sightings were reported on the Mount Helena ridge last year ...there haven't been many reported attacks over the past 100 years. The big cats have been known to prey on pets and rely on deer as a food source. ...Nobody knows how long the mountain lion will stay in the Rodney Ridge area. Male mountain lions cover a larger area, and female lions are more likely to stick around in an area for a period of time.." (IR 01/19/2012)
In other news, the city is still planning on culling the abundant deer here in town (no wonder the mountain lions are hanging around!) and the state wolf hunt may be extended. Some folks have heard wolves south of the city, and a pack is know to frequent up near Red Mountain which I can see from town. Welcome to wild Montana.
"Helena received a record amount of snow Wednesday with 10 inches of new powder. The precipitation continued Thursday and added up to about a foot, according to the National Weather Service....At noon Thursday, the snow level at the Helena Regional Airport measured 12 inches. The area received 10 inches within a 24-hour time span...The new moisture puts Helena above nor-mal for water levels [we REALLY needed it!]...After midnight things will come to an end." (Independent Record 1/19/2012)
I dug the truck out using an old broom (no snowshovel) and then went to my Dad's to help him dig out. A little more snow is due tonight. But the thing I worry about is the forecast for RAIN tomorrow/tomorrow night. If so, this will be a mess, with either ice-crusted snow to make driving a hazard or incredible slush and flooding. It remains to be seen. I have to drive in to school to teach painting Saturday morning, so I guess whatever will be will be.
And a mountain lion is hunting within a mile of the house, at the head of the street where I live. Last year we had one captured in town when it fell asleep on someone's porch in the middle of town. I never heard of this happening while growing up here!
"... the city's received three calls about mountain lions up on Rodney Ridge near the Waterline trail, which crosses land owned by the Forest Service... an apparent mountain lion kill spotted in a tree. ...When encountering a mountain lion [keep an] "upright posture, eye contact, and banging something to make some noise to convince the animal that you're not the prey it's looking for."
...mountain lions are most active at dusk and dawn. ...it's important to keep pets leashed and kids nearby, as both can attract the attention of a mountain lion...[and] pepper spray just in case. ... several mountain lion sightings were reported on the Mount Helena ridge last year ...there haven't been many reported attacks over the past 100 years. The big cats have been known to prey on pets and rely on deer as a food source. ...Nobody knows how long the mountain lion will stay in the Rodney Ridge area. Male mountain lions cover a larger area, and female lions are more likely to stick around in an area for a period of time.." (IR 01/19/2012)
In other news, the city is still planning on culling the abundant deer here in town (no wonder the mountain lions are hanging around!) and the state wolf hunt may be extended. Some folks have heard wolves south of the city, and a pack is know to frequent up near Red Mountain which I can see from town. Welcome to wild Montana.