Prelude to Storms

As the storm system that brought rain and mountain snows to California dips southeastward, a deep atmospheric trough and upper level low are developing across the Western U.S.  Ahead of this system, warm, moist air is moving northward from the Gulf of Mexico, priming the Southern Plains and lower Mississippi Valley for thunderstorms and flooding rains.

Here in Missouri, we expect an afternoon high of 70 degrees F under cloudy skies.  Thunderstorms are forecast to arrive overnight though severe weather will likely remain to our south; indeed, a tornado watch has been posted for much of Texas and States to its north and east.

In addition to the severe weather, copious rainfall is expected in the south-central U.S. over the next few days as the upper level low stalls over Texas, directing a plume of Gulf moisture and imbedded thunderstorms across the region.  Up to a foot of rain is forecast for Louisiana and Arkansas before the system breaks down and moves off to the east.  Flood season is certainly progressing with a vengeance.

Wintering Tundra Swans

Breeding across the Arctic tundra of Alaska and Canada, North American tundra swans are represented by two populations, each currently comprised of about 100,000 birds.  The western population, which breeds in Alaska, winters on estuaries of the Pacific Northwest and on lakes of California's Central Valley and the Great Basin.

The eastern population, which often stops to rest and feed in wetlands along the Great Lakes during migrations, winter primarily on coastal bays of the Mid-Atlantic region.  Nevertheless, small flocks may turn up anywhere between these major wintering areas, including lakes along the Front Range of Colorado and New Mexico, reservoirs of the Great Plains and riverine wetlands along the Missouri, Mississippi, Arkansas and Ohio Valleys.

Resting on open waters, these magnificent birds feed primarily on aquatic vegetation and on waste grain in nearby agricultural fields; they are also known to consume clams and other marine invertebrates.  Like snow geese, their spring migration (which peaks from February to March) is often more gradual and less direct than their autumn flights and the swans generally travel in smaller flocks.  Smaller and slimmer than trumpeter swans, tundra swans are also identified by their high-pitched calls (hence their nickname: "whistling swans") and by a small yellow patch at the base of their bill.

Anatomy of an Eastern Snowstorm

This morning, a massive snowstorm is developing over the Eastern U.S., fueled by several atmospheric and geographic factors.  A potent area of low pressure, currently over western Alabama, is sweeping Gulf of Mexico moisture across the Southeast.  In concert, a high pressure dome over the Great Lakes region is funneling cold air down from Canada, spreading sub-freezing air across all but the southernmost States.

The clash zone between the warm, moist southerly flow and the cold, dry air to the north is currently producing snow across the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys; along the southern edge of this band, an ice storm (including sleet and freezing rain) is expected to develop.  Later today, as the low pressure moves to the Eastern Seaboard, energized by the subtropical jet stream, it will intensify, pulling in copious moisture from the Atlantic Ocean.

Rather than moving rapidly up the coast, the storm is forecast to creep northward, stalled by the high pressure dome to the north.  This "blocking high," combined with the potent low, is expected to produce a long-lasting blizzard in the Mid-Atlantic region, perhaps dropping more than two feet of snow (especially along the eastern flank of the Appalachians).  Major cities and their airports will likely shut down, affecting at least 45 million people in this heavily populated region of the country.

Update:  As of 1-23-16, the storm has spread farther north than initially expected, now affecting at least 85 million people.  Power outages and coastal flooding (especially in New Jersey and southern New York) have become major problems.  Forty inches of snow have fallen in some areas of Virginia.

North into Winter

Leaving Longboat Key before dawn yesterday morning, winter was already knocking on the door; it was 45 degrees F in southwest Florida.  As sunrise commenced near Tampa, flocks of wood storks streamed across the orange sherbet sky while farther north, near Ocala, sandhill cranes foraged in the chilly morning air.

Though sunny skies prevailed all the way to Chattanooga, the temperature remained near freezing for the rest of the day.  High, wispy clouds stretched above the north Georgia mountains and, west of Chattanooga, a gray overcast shrouded the Cumberland Plateau, signaling the change to come.  Indeed, we stopped in Nashville, Tennessee, for the night, where snow was expected by morning; unfortunately, we received sleet and freezing rain, coating our vehicle with ice.

Heading north from Nashville, we encountered the snow near Clarksville, where plows seemed to be out of service; crawling along on the snow-packed Interstate, we eventually reached clear pavement south of Paducah, Kentucky.  From then on, our journey through the snowy landscape was unimpaired and we reached Columbia my mid afternoon.  To be honest, after almost two weeks in Florida, I was glad to be back in the American Heartland, where four honest seasons unfold; I'll take my summer heat with the glorious colors of autumn, the invigorating snowstorms of winter and the slow, uneven recovery of spring.

The Ibis Patrol

Those of us who have homes in the Temperate latitudes of North America are familiar with flocks of robins, starlings or grackles that patrol our lawns, searching for insects, worms and grubs.  Down here in Florida, white ibis also perform that duty.

Roaming about in sizable flocks, these attractive birds feed in a variety of habitats, including fresh and saltwater wetlands, tidal mudflats, sloughs and fields, searching for crustaceans, marine worms, frogs, fish, small snakes and a host of aquatic invertebrates.  White ibis also patrol lawns, often marching side by side while probing the grass for insects and slugs; one such group, composed of four adults and two juveniles, has been feeding along our condo complex in recent days.

Highly social, white ibis nest and roost in large colonies, often in the company of egrets and herons.  They breed along the Atlantic and Gulf Coast, from North Carolina to Mexico and are permanent residents throughout Florida.  Indeed, there are few birds so closely associated with the Deep South than these curve-billed waders.

Red-throated Loons

Having encountered my first red-throated loons along the coast of South Carolina yesterday, I thought it might be a good time to review the nature of this bird.  This smallest member of the loon family breeds across northern Alaska, Canada and Greenland, nesting in tundra ponds and wetlands.  In winter, it is found on coastal marine waters from Alaska to the Baja and from Newfoundland to Georgia.

Red-throated loons are monogamous and both parents take part in nest building and in caring for the young.  Two eggs are generally laid in a mound of vegetation that is placed onshore or directly in shallow water; hatchlings are fed aquatic insects while the adults feed on a wide variety of fish and crustaceans.  Unlike their cousins, these smaller, thinner loons do not transport young on their backs and are able to take off from land or the water surface without a running start.

While the adults lose their distinctive red and gray markings in the non-breeding season, wintering birds are identified by the white and gray pattern on their head and neck, by their slight build and by their habit of holding both their head and bill in an upturned position (in the manner of much larger cormorants).  Indeed, it was this latter behavior that first caught my attention; as veteran birders know, common species are often quickly identified by their silhouette and mannerisms and any unusual appearance or behavior demands closer inspection.

From Mountains to the Sea

Yesterday morning, driving south from Wytheville, Virginia, the splendor of the Ridge and Valley Province spread out before us, backed by the higher terrain of the Blue Ridge.  Upon reaching the crest of the latter, near the Virginia-North Carolina border, we enjoyed a spectacular view of the Carolina Piedmont, stretching away to the south.

After passing Lake Norman, northwest of Charlotte, we continued southward through the Catawba River Valley to Columbia, South Carolina; there we turned east toward the Atlantic Ocean, crossing the Wateree, Black, Great Pee Dee and Little Pee Dee Rivers en route, each flanked by wooded swamplands.

Our destination was the home of relatives along the South Carolina coast; there we were greeted by cloudy and unusually cold weather and decided to delay our beach walk until this morning.  Enticed to the shore by a warmer breeze and partly cloudy skies, our three mile walk offered fresh air, exercise and good birding as well.  Semipalmated plovers, willets and sanderlings foraged on the beach while black scoters, brown pelicans, double-crested cormorants and northern gannets fed offshore; joining these sea birds were a few red-throated loons, a first for my life list (an event that rarely happens after 40 years of birding).

An Inspiring Day in Appalachia

It was during our drive across the horse country of Kentucky, a probable domain of Conservative Republicans, that I listened to President Obama's speech regarding the expansion of gun purchase background checks and the implementation of gun safety measures; his comments and actions were inspiring if only a few years late.

I was also inspired by the clear, cold air, the blue, cloudless sky and the scenery of Appalachia.  Just east of the Licking River, we climbed onto the Appalachian Plateau, a landscape of wooded ridges, deep valleys and secluded hamlets.  Always a bit claustrophobic for me, the province offered few wildlife sightings, the most remarkable of which was a fair number of pileated woodpeckers.  Nearing Charleston, West Virginia, we dropped into the Kanawha River Valley; this river is a remnant of the Teays, a massive river system that drained the west flank of the Appalachians before Pleistocene Glaciers blocked its flow and molded the Ohio River channel (see From Teays to Ohio).

As we approached Bluefield, at the southern border of West Virginia, we reached the crest of the Allegheny Front (3200 feet), descended from the Appalachian Plateau and entered the Ridge and Valley Province of Virginia, which, in my opinion, is one of the most beautiful landscapes in America.  As the setting sun ignited the ridgetops, we pulled into Wytheville for the night, ending the second day of our journey.

December Tornadoes

Over the past week, an atmospheric ridge developed across the eastern U.S., allowing warm, humid air to flow northward from the Gulf of Mexico.  Yesterday, a potent storm system, centered over Iowa, swept its cold front into this unstable air mass, igniting severe thunderstorms, unleashing torrential rain and spawning tornadoes.

While tornadoes are not rare in the Gulf Coast States during the winter months, yesterday's outbreak, which included 24 twisters, was unusual for December.  As of this morning, at least seven deaths have been attributed to the storms, which pummeled communities from Arkansas into Mississippi and Tennessee and northward to the Ohio Valley.

As the cold front continues to push eastward this morning, the risk of severe weather persists through eastern Alabama, northern Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas.  This week's atmospheric imbalance in the U.S., characterized by a strong jet stream that divided cold, dry air in the West from warm, humid air in the East, was bound to break down and, when it did, tragic consequences ensued.

Addendum:  As of December 25, the storm system death toll has reached 14.  In addition, meteorologists suspect that a significant percentage of the twister sightings were related to the same long-lasting tornado, that may have been on the ground over a distance of 145 miles (from Clarksdale, Mississippi, into west-central Tennessee).