March is here, and with it some milder weather can be anticipated. Perhaps not too mild, but at least not the subzero temperatures that were experienced in the region during the latter part of …
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March is here, and with it some milder weather can be anticipated. Perhaps not too mild, but at least not the subzero temperatures that were experienced in the region during the latter part of February. During the last week of February, I experienced -10 F. for a low in Shohola, and Don Hamilton, resource specialist for the National Park Service (NPS), reported a low of -20 F in Milanville, PA for the same time period.
One of the sights observed during very cold weather is ice on the Delaware River, a lot of it. Sheet ice forms on the flat water stretches of the river first; pieces then break off and get caught up on shallower rapids downstream. More ice gets caught in these areas, and pretty soon, craggy formations are formed that reach several feet high. Some of the blocks that are formed can also get caught up on the shallow bottom near shores. The eerie arctic-like features that are formed on the river are fascinating to behold, but they are also a cause for concern.
During January of last year, there was some concern that heavy ice would cause ice jams. The situation was monitored by the National Weather Service (NWS) and the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (the agency responsible for controlling reservoir releases). For 2015, some areas of the river are being watched for potential future problems. River and stream flows in most areas are preventing much of the ice from moving anywhere, but in the coming weeks, temperature and precipitation trends will be watched closely by various agencies and emergency managers. According to Hamilton, NPS rangers conduct routine river ice observations and submit them to the NWS on a weekly basis. A site that has some Upper Delaware ice sightings can be found at www.erh.noaa.gov/ctp/hydro/riverice/index.php.
(Observations can be several days old.)
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