Nordic Snowman
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Posts posted by Nordic Snowman
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Evening all. Yes, some whiteout conditions at the moment and the heaviest is due later tonight I think.[
]The stream is off again now; I wanted to upload a few snaps and to ease the load of my CPU etc.
I will put it on again later tonight after I have surfed the models etc.
I will report the snow amounts later after I take my next observation. My path is blocked and I can't get to my poles etc atm.
From this afternoon:-
I had my boy today and so I spent time with him skiing etc. But I will take more tomorrow and the best will be later through the week after skies and visibility clear. But more snow is also likely...
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The snow is now underway...
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Okay John - will post photos in due course.
The snow has started within the last hour...
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Enjoy Mike!
I certainly intend to Paul.
It should be a great couple of days.... unless it all goes Pete Tong :lol:
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The winter snowfall varies from year to year depending if it is high pressure dominated or if it is unsettled with a W'ly type pattern. Generally, the winter snowfall amount (October to late April) is between 800cm and 1500cm.
Anyway, some very severe weather is heading my way with blizzards and substantial accumulations likely in the next 2 days with further but lighter snowfalls expected later through the coming week.
Temperatures varying between -10c and -3c by day.
Updates can be viewed from my site and photos will be posted there in the slideshow 'Winter So far'.
Had over 130cm of snowfall this month and another 100+cm is possible in the next 48hrs.
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Substantial snowfalls over my way in the last 2 days.
A thread on TWO:
http://theweatheroutlook.com/twocommunity/...ms/t/13550.aspx
Hope it's okay to post the link. I have been very busy (mostly digging!) and haven't the time to duplicate threads.
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Hi Nordic Snowman,
Very interesting report there. I skied for 2 weeks at Geilo once, and loved it.
A question: what would be the daylength for you at Christmas time? Presumably pretty short?
yours,
Richard
It depends to a degree on whether it was cloudy or clear.
If cloudy: dusky - on the verge of nightfall at 2.30pm. Dark until nearly 10am.
If clear: half an hour later/earlier respectively.
But the sun is not actually seen in the sky in Lesjaskog owing to the sun being too low and not being able to rise above the mountains surrounding the village. So even in clear skies, the sky may be blue but there isn't any sunshine shinning on the village. Lovely!!
You can however see about half an hour of sunlight on the tops. So when skiing at Bjorli for example and it is really cold, you can at least get into the sunshine once you are about 3/4 up on the slopes. But you won't feel it; most of my xmas skiing is done is -30c ... in the afternoon. But.... it can be variable. Some years will see mild weather and it may be a tropical 0c for example (but seldom).
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Speaking on behalf of Norway (having lived here since 1999), is taht many people have misconceptions about certain 'well known' spots. Hemsedal is quite snowy but it can be variable. Voss is another. Voss has in fact had a lack of snow in recent years and the climate is almost changing for them I feel.
West in basically best for the snow. Milder in the W? Only on low ground. I live in Lesjaskog/Bjorli which is 620m asl. We get over 1000-1500cm of winter snowfall and it lies on the ground from Octover to May. My persoanl highest depth (level) is 300cm. Powder. Magic. And... at village level.
Lapland is of course very cold but is often dry. The snow depth is far less up there than it is where I am. And little known Bjorli gets more snow than Geilo, Hemsedal and Lillehammer - by far. We are virtually always the 1st ski centre to open in Norway each year. And the beauty is that because we are small (a blessing in my book :lol: ) we have little queues. The downside is we lack things to do other than skiing but this issue is being resolved with a ice hotel planned from this year onwards as well as summer tennis courts, curling and ice skating. In summary... if you want atmosphere, go to the well known areas. If you want reliable snow (and soemtimes temperatures down to -40c; Lesjaskog's lowest on record is -45c but unofficial records state -52c) with fewer slopes and a generally smaller centre in what is essentially a very small village, then up way way is best.
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Snowing here this morning after some light snow yesterday too.
However, it will turn to light rain later as some milder air briefly invades from the SW. But colder tomorrow with some scattered snow showers and temperatures close to freexing during Tuesday.
Current scene:-
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I love the Snow tour around the outside of your house, Are you married to a Norwegian woman then Nordic?
No, my wife is English as well.
We have to remember that Lesjaskog as is much of Norway, especially the interior and the mountain areas, are prepared for the snow. Everything is designed and planned around it e.g trenches/ditches alongside the roads, cats-eyes on 'snow-poles' by the edge of the road.
Constructions/building work can't start during the winter for example (frozen ground/foundations).
Winter tyres.
Engine warmers.
And so on. The UK (with respect) would grind to a complete halt with the snowfalls that much of Norway gets. But with good reason in that the UK doesn't need to plan or prepare
8P Only kidding.... Milder here again now but that is good news tbh. It was too early for 'winter' and in my experience, the winter is always better when things start as average. I can get some of my remaining outdoor chores done before it all kicks off...
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If i get that this winter i'll be happy
I can't help it - I get excited with the 1st snow
Very wet snow (splodges falling from the trees onto my van)
for anyone wanting to see snow, skiing, click on the web site videos which Mike has, superb.global warming - pah !!
just one of them, and then watch the skiing sequence
A driving tour after some heavy snow. Southern Norway, winter 2006/2007
Cheers John
May the snow be with you this winter
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nice to see your observing set up Mike.
What happens when the snow covers the screen?
Morning John,
It isn't a problem as I continually clear the area by maintaining a pathway.
Similar to below:-
The garden will otherwise be out of bounds as it builds up:-
And then the 'pathways' become like tunnels:-
And the house becomes swamped with snow:-
Love it John. The joys of winter
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Had our 1st snow cover this season with 1 cm
Been snowing but already melting. Obviously wet snow but it's still nice to see a wintry scene just 3 days out from August.
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Paul - Work will be difficult - no getting around that one and esepcially so out here in the sticks. The weather observing alone will not be enough to live on and that will mean 3 other options:-
1. Handy with woodwork? Easy to get into furniture making here. 2 factories offering lots of work.
2. Hotel work - all fields but can be quiet in both autumn and spring.
3. Own business. This area needs some PC experts (for problems/repairs especially). Also web design. And you can never have enough plumbers and electricians... and general builders. Lots of new cabins going up which feeds the trades just mentioned.
Barry - glad you like the time lapse video. Not great quality but it should be better to see when the snowfall starts
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Low clouds may obscure the view and so you will need to keep checking, but you can just about see a sprinkling of wet snow on the Bjorli slopes.
http://www.nordgudbrandsdalweather.com/wdl/webcams.html
I think the morning will be better to see a dusting of snow... possibly even at village level and more especially through Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
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I see your point when you compare prices John! Norway is also very expensive just to be in - let alone just getting here. It's okay for me because I am working/living here but this is why Norway doesn't really attract masses of tourism - the cost is simply too high.
I wanted to quit the observing due to being tied down too much and especially the 1am/2am report because my energy levels are dropping as I get closer to 37!!
With a 4 year old, I just always feel tired due to lack of sleep. But sadly, I just can't quit that job when I move because I still need the money. It's 99% certain that I will be allowed to move the station and so it looks as though I will have to continue with the lack of sleep for at least another year or two until my business grows further. And the hardest part is fitting everything in as the business grows because trying to do both means lots of running around, stress and clock-watching ... until I reach that cut-off point where I can jack the weather observations in.But I will manage to get all my skiing in
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its a superb site you have Mike and all of us I would imagine are green with envy.
The problem is getting to the area, cost that is.
Thanks John. But your site has much more weather stats and graphs etc and is full of info - great!
The cost is an issue and getting here is difficult; ask my folks!
Arriving at Oslo, Gardermoen, you have to wait about 3 or 4 hrs before catching a 4.5 hr train ride to Dombås. You then have to catch another train from there to Bjorli which is just another 45 minutes further on. Prices can vary but the trains are not very expensive really; sometimes you can get a special price of £25 return! But sometimes (peak season) it can cost £100.
I arrived here by boat (bringing the car initially) which meant driving 13hrs across the central mountains. A great journey and with snow during the summer. But you can't do that during the winter of course
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Well Nordic it's quite overcast here and it looks threatening outside for some showers of Rain....We will have to wait many months for snow possibly.
What is this hotel you talk of?
The Bjorli Apartment Hotel.
Best way is to go to my site and read the 'About' page. You can then check out other places to stay.
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Just been sleeting here in Lesjaskog and my first ever wet snowflakes seen in August.
http://www.yr.no/sted/Norge/Oppland/Lesja/Lesjaskog/
The above link shows 'sludd' which means sleet and was my official observation just sent to the Norwegian met.
Currently 3.6c at 11am local time. Snowing a little higher up, though showery in nature - as forecast on my site of course
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Still got up to 12.8c today but things are cooling down nicely.
Anyone interested in a visit over here should let me know and I could possibly sort out a discount at one of the hotels.
P.S This year will see our first ice hotel at Bjorli. Should be up and ready from November and will be a yearly thing. Mind you, it will cost you £240 a night!!
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It's getting to the time of the year that I begin to switch into winter mode and start my weather watching once more
16-20c has been reported in the last few days but a big change is about to take place as temperatures substantially fall as winds pull into the NW. Lesjaskog will see highs of around 5c early next week with rain showers, though I'd say there is a 70% risk of sleet showers. Snow will fall just 100 or 200m above Lesjaskog and so the surrounding mountains will be turning white. And all this happening in August...
Snow is very normal in September. 8 from my 9 Septembers have seen snowfall/settling snow. It never lasts at village level though - we have to wait until October for that. But September 15th 2 years ago for example saw 2 inches lying but I haven't seen snowfall in August. Next week is unlikely to see snow at village level (620m) but it will be a close run thing.
Many snow reports lie ahead this coming winter with some added features on my site as well. A time-lapse video and later, live streaming of the snow events. Snow videos around Norway can be seen (courtesy of YouTube) but I will be adding home-made snow videos myself at around xmas time.
This will also be my last winter in lesjaskog as I move to nearby Bjorli next spring. Bjorli is just 10km further W and this is where the actual ski slopes are. My house is being built now and will be just 100m from the ski lift
Bjorli gets even more snow than Lesjaskog and so my webcam will capture some intensely heavy snowfall once I move.Here is to a scandi trough dominated winter
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Thanks for them photos , Prue class. Are there many jobs in that area. Is it seasonal?
Most jobs are winter jobs, yes. Difficult to live here... hence why starting your own business is the only real way for an outsider to really make it as 99% of the work is farming related outside of the hotel trade.
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With a 4 year old, I just always feel tired due to lack of sleep. But sadly, I just can't quit that job when I move because I still need the money. It's 99% certain that I will be allowed to move the station and so it looks as though I will have to continue with the lack of sleep for at least another year or two until my business grows further. And the hardest part is fitting everything in as the business grows because trying to do both means lots of running around, stress and clock-watching ... until I reach that cut-off point where I can jack the weather observations in.
Lesjaskog: Summer to winter
in Hurricanes, Cyclones and Extreme weather worldwide
Posted · Edited by Nordic Snowman
Hi all. No... I never get fed up. It can snow heavily day after day and month after month and it will be just fine by me :o
Snow was 99% of the reason why I uprooted and came here. Now that shows how obsessive I am with snow and cold 
