A PORTENT OF THE WINTER TO COME

ICE AND SNOW COVERED CHEQUAMEGON BAY

SIGN OF THE TIMES 

Tuesday, 9:30 AM.  32 degrees F, wind trending E, strong and pretty constant.  The sky is overcast and it is still snowing and misting lightly, adding to the 6" of wet snow that fell last night. The humidity is 94% and the barometer stands at 29.89".  It took the better part of an hour to clear the drive, walks and decks.
   Driving into Ashland yesterday on Hwy. 2 we did a double-take; Chequamegon Bay is frozen over!  Of course it is just a skim coat of ice with a covering of snow, but it was startling to see, none-the-less.
I would attribute the ice more to lack lack of wind rather than to really cold temperatures, although as soon as the surface water temperature is below 32 degrees F the water will freeze, if the wind and currents  don't agitate it. I don't expect to see the bay covered with ice the next time we go to Ashland, as some sunshine and a little wind and it will all be gone in a veritable instant, but  I think the present phenomena is a portent of the winter to come.