Winter Storm Extraordinaire

On this Sunday morning the sun is out. This is definitely the calm after the storm. The winter blast over the past couple of days is the biggest we have had in a few years. Because of the wind, it is hard to tell how much snow we received. In total over the last two weeks at least two feet has fallen. I had to wipe the snow off my satellite dish yesterday and to gain access I post-holed through snow up to my hips. Most of the snow fell on Friday night, but it snowed lightly most of Saturday. But the wind did not stop, so the snow we received continued to drift.

First, while at the post office I took a picture of the bay showing that it at this point is ice covered. I think it is the first time all winter that the bay seems to be frozen. Hopefully the snowmobiles don't try to drive on the ice, however, because it cannot be too solid.

Next I decided to go out into the midst of the storm to document the fury of Lake Superior.   I prepared and not only had goggles on, but I had every inch covered.   The wind was blowing from the northeast, so I figured I could get some great pictures from the perspective of the beach. The road commission had plowed the access road to Agate Beach, so that is where I started off. The wind chill was well below zero.  I could only take a few pictures at a time because even with my glove liners on, after about 30 seconds I could not feel my fingers.  Throughout my snowshoe walking west down the beach, the waves were just crashing into the shore ice.  Spray, snow, and chunks of ice were blasted over the mounds of ice.  The noise was deafening.

I couldn't decide which picture of the blow hole I liked, so I picked my favorite three. 

I think this photograph looks more like a painting.

Here is a picture looking west.  Is it a beach?  A glacier?  The Moon?

Crash, boom, bang....

Some of the shore ice has amazing patterns.

Here is a sequence of a wave heading straight at me and crashing into the ice.

Another wave...

Another ice formation...

Notice the floating ice as well as this tipped iceberg.

Some of the waves were 12 to 15 high.

I was going to keep walking west, but decided instead to walk up the path at First Creek.  Notice how the snow has coated all the trees.

Then I walked the bluff in Woodland Park all the way back to my car.