February Update

February 13, 2011

2:12 PM

Detailed Weather: 

Wind - 

• I could feel wind blowing constantly in my face, and even the trees were moving.  However, it was a very light breeze, not a harsh wind. 
• Beaufort Scale: 3
• South: I confirmed this by bringing a compass and recording the correct direction

Clouds - 

• The  entire sky was covered in wispy clouds.
• They were pure white
• cirrus clouds.  

Temperature -

• Air: 48° Fahrenheit
• Fahrenheit to Celsius: 

     

C = (48 - 32) x 5/9

C = 16 x 5/9

C = 16/1 x 5/9

C = -90/9

C = 9

• 9° Celsius
• Water:  The water was completely frozen over even though it has not snowed in a while.  I could not break this ice, and it was thick enough to support my younger brother, who was walking all over it.

General Observations: 

Measurements - 

• Bur oak tree branch - 48
• inches to centimeters conversion - 

2.54n = c

2.54(48) = c

c = 121.92

• bur oak tree branch = 121.92 cm
• water depth: NA
• water temperature: NA

Biota - 

• 2 bur oak trees
• American geese

Differences from previous months - 

• Seasonal changes: 
• The pond was more frozen than before, which was surprising.  February has been bringing some warmer temperatures, so I suspect that it will be melted by my next visit. 
• It was much warmer this time, though there was still snow and ice. 

• my bur oak tree "measuring branch" is coming back from before when it broke.  It is continuing growth slightly faster. 
• I noticed a large flock of geese flying above me, and heard them for a while.  This is showing me that animals are starting to come back. 

Another Check

January 26, 2011

4:23 PM

Detailed Weather: 

Wind - 

• It was slightly windy, enough for the blades of grass to sway, but not significant. 
• Beaufort Scale: 2
• Direction: South

Clouds - 

• a few cirrus clouds high in the sky, but the sky was pretty close to empty.  
• type: cirrus
• color: bright white

Temperature -

• Air: 29° Fahrenheit
• C = (29 - 32) x 5/9
• C = -3 x 5/9
• C = -3/1 x 5/9
• C = -15/9
• Temperature = -1.33333333333° Celsius

• Water:  The water was STILL frozen (after the snow)!  Because of my last experience I was safe and did not record a water depth or temperature.  

• Water temperature: NA
  Water Depth: NA

General Observations: 

Measurements - 

• Bur oak tree branch - I measured my branch and was interested to find it was only 116.5 centimeters.  I couldn't figure out why this was and then figured out that it must have been broken off.  Possibly by a human, or maybe because of harsh winds.  

• bur oak tree branch = 116.5 cm
• water depth: 32 centimeters (underneath the ice) 

Biota - 

• 2 bur oak trees...no other biota was visible because of the snow.  There were also no animals out for the winter. 

Differences from previous months - 

• Seasonal changes: 
• The pond has frozen again. It is completely frozen over because of a temperature drop.  It snowed again

• my bur oak tree "measuring branch" is longer--117.6 cm.  It grows more slowly in the wintertime. 
• My ecosystem did not undergo any major changes, because it was snowy and silent last time I visited.