We are at 1degreeF this morning with perhaps six inches of snow already down; they say we may get a foot more but there is a warmer upper air mass sliding northward which will likely convert our precipitation to sleet (if we are lucky) or to freezing rain (bad, bad, bad). Contrary to the usual routine of a Late January thaw (one year I cooked hamburgers on the grill on the back deck), we have a forecast of zero degrees or teens for three or four more days.
Winter has settled on the neighborhood. The short periods of warm weather after the new-year-start contained several inches of rain. When the cold returned, the half-foot of snowcover converted into rock solid snow and ice. Here is bridge Bravo (above) crossing the beaver bog creek near the house and then a look a hundred yards downstream (left) where still running water is visible.
The last few days have had morning temps at zero F; high temperatures have been in the twenties but with very bright sun. Of course, the sun lasts only until 4pm or so. Deer tracks remain abundant.