OT: General OT Thread #42: The Answer to the Ultimate Question

[gphr513]

What a miserable "spring" it's been. And it looks like we won't even hit 50 until late next week......

 

[W75]

Sounds like our spring here too. Although today we have this thing called sun. After few days of constant snow. Was more like light gray tones though, like in the final scene of Blade Runner 2049.

 

[Uberdachen]

The snow might improve my viewings of The Terror, but I wouldn't complain about it being proper-ass spring instead.

 

[SupremeNachos]

I don't want to get to political here, but I find it hard to believe some people find think this weather is perfectly normal.

 

[BigT2002]

I don't want to get to political here, but I find it hard to believe some people find think this weather is perfectly normal.

While I can understand where folks would take it political, I like to look at it from Historical perspective. I assure you I'm not a climate denier either lol. But is it "OMG!1!"

List of Top 10 snowfalls in inches in April for Minnesota:

2012-13: 10"
1927-28: 7"
1982-83: 6"
1949-50: 6"
1922-23: 6"
1908-09: 6"
1907-08: 6"
2001-02: 5"
1981-82: 5"


2017-18: 2" (edit: they haven't updated this to the 9" that MSP has officially received)

Source: 1Retrieve Climate Data from National Weather Service Reporting Stations - station data as monthly tables | Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

I don't think this is THAT big of an anomaly. Of top 10 snowfalls, only 2 (edit: 3) have occurred in the last 2 decades. In fact, going back to 1883-84, only 31 years saw absolutely no snowfall in the month of April. That is basically an entire century where at least 1" fell in the month of April. NOW, if we start seeing 2" or more in May-August....ya then we are starting to see a major shift in weather.

EDIT: So ya, there is definitely some cause of concern that something has shifted if we look at the 2 largest snowfall drops are within 5 years of one another. But is it enough to make a Scientific Hypothesis as to climate change is dumping more snow in April? Is that because it is just too damn cold in Mid Dec - Late Jan that we don't see the snowfall we could be seeing then? Is this just more moisture buildup?

I should cull the data to see if basically if winter is "moving" forward or just extending its lifecycle? But I'm not a weather guy lol.

 

[HollaHaula]

Weather guy, here. lol April in Minnesota can get like this so I wouldn't say it's abnormal. I remember the winter of 2012-2013 where there was seemingly a big snowfall every other week. The last one of the year during the first week of May...

The main issue is that there is a large pool of cold air over the Hudson Bay in Canada and the flow of the upper atmosphere traverses around this pool of air. Whenever a low pressure system moves into the Minnesota region it takes some of the cold air with it and makes the atmosphere cold enough to create snow. It's unfortunate (or awesome, depending how you look at it) that there have been so many storm systems as of late but, April usually has very active weather patterns.

If you're tired of snow, the good news is that this pool of cold air near the Hudson Bay is forecast to move east at the start of next week. A pattern change towards milder temperatures should begin to take place afterwards.

 

[TaLoN]

Multiple fatalities after truck collides with Canadian junior hockey team bus – Twin Cities

A crash between a transport truck and a bus carrying a junior hockey team in Western Canada left multiple people dead and others seriously injured, Canadian police said late Friday.
The bus was carrying the Humboldt Broncos of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League to the town of Nipawin for a playoff game. It collided with a transport truck.
“There have been multiple fatalities — our whole community is in shock,” said Kevin Garinger, president of the Humboldt Broncos of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police have not released how many people died or were injured in the crash. Garinger said parents from across Western Canada are rushing to the scene as they struggle to cope with the tragedy.
“It’s a horrible accident, my God,” said Darren Opp, president of the Nipawin Hawks hockey team. “It’s very, very bad.”
Opp said a semi T-boned the players’ bus, adding that the coaching staff and players from the Hawks are waiting to help.
“They are sitting in the church just waiting to hear any good news,” he said. “There’s uncles and moms and dads waiting to hear whether their sons and nephews are OK.”
Pastor Jordan Gadsby at the Apostolic Church in Nipawin said more than a hundred people gathered at the church. “Some of them are waiting to hear if their kids are alive.”
Gadsby said they know there are multiple fatalities, but they haven’t heard how many.
Garinger, who has one of the players living in his home, said they still don’t know his fate

Such a tragic situation...

 

[TaLoN]

Count is now 15 fatalities.

 

[gphr513]

Just got a Google Home Max and set it up last night. That thing pumps out A LOT of sound. Pretty dang impressive speaker.

I got a sound bar recently for the TV, and now have the Google Home Max to play music. I'm far from an audiophile, but having high quality sound for music/movies is really nice.

 

[tomgilbertfan]

Just got a Google Home Max and set it up last night. That thing pumps out A LOT of sound. Pretty dang impressive speaker.

I got a sound bar recently for the TV, and now have the Google Home Max to play music. I'm far from an audiophile, but having high quality sound for music/movies is really nice.

RE: soundbar, it's just so nice to be able to hear both the dialogue and the other sounds without too much effort.

 

[ColdSteel2]

RE: soundbar, it's just so nice to be able to hear both the dialogue and the other sounds without too much effort.

Love my soundbar, one of my favorite purchases ever. I love how easy it is for not only myself but guests to be able to sync their phone up to play music.