The Calm Before the Storm
With overcast skies foreboding the incoming Nor’easter that is forecast to hit our area a few hours from now, there is a sense of calm beauty over nearby Cragston Lakes. Only an occasional zephyr generates the lightest ripple upon the water’s surface. It’s all so peaceful. With winds in the pending storm predicted to reach 50 mph gusts, it seems so improbable that this scene could be altered so drastically. And yet we’ve seen this movie before and know that it is all too true.
And so what will the storm bring our way? While certain areas of the valley are undergoing the change of foliage colors as is seen in this morning’s photograph of the woodlands surrounding Cragston Lakes, most of the area has not yet quite had the chance to reach peak….still a lot of green around. I fear that the heavy winds may well defoliate our trees to the extent that what could be a spectacular show of yellows, reds, and browns, may be end up being many bare branches with only a few green stragglers left behind.
Woodland road - Morgan Farm - 10/12/25 Nikon Zfc with Nikon Z26mm “Pancake” lens @ f/11, 1/125 sec, ISO 3200
With storms like this which are approaching from the south, one also has to be concerned as to the fate of the millions of birds attempting to migrate south.
Winds across the Tri-state area at 1:00 PM Sunday.
With the birds attempting to fly southward, these heavy winds are blowing from the east and will likely disrupt the progress of these migratory species. What are the birds’ options? Some will likely continue to fly and get relocated to points west. Other birds may well choose to “hunker down” and wait out the storm. Fortunately, this storm is relatively short-lived and by Tuesday should be out of here allowing the birds to resume their trek south. During storms of long duration, the delay can be devastating for migrating birds as it disrupts the “ETA” of the birds and often prevents them from arriving at the desired location in rime for the maximum available food supply for “refilling the tank”. Worst case scenario is that some of these birds may well suffer injuries from high winds. Let’s hope for the best and that these avian travelers will “weather the storm” and be fine for the remainder of their journey south.
In any regards, we will continue to monitor the storm and see what transpires regarding our fall foliage and the flight of our feathered friends to their wintering grounds. We can only with them well.
