After an average fall, precipitation-wise, we recorded double the average December precipitation in Lee Vining. Between October 1st and the end of December, we have measured more snow (34.5″) and precipitation (6.5″) than during all of last winter! This represents about 50% of the average annual total.

Snow blankets the Mono Lake Committee's storefront on December 26, 2012. Photo by Bartshe Miller.

For years with similar wet Decembers (1992, 1996, 2002, 2005, 2010), the following runoff year had close-to-average or (more…)

If you haven’t experienced poconip, or ice fog, at Mono Lake, I recommend it. It usually happens when it’s sunny in most other parts of the Eastern Sierra, and the ground is frozen or snow-covered.

Rime ice in the Lee Vining Creek riparian area.

The fog can be quite thick, and it is very chilly inside the fog layer—keeping temperatures below freezing all day. The poconip creates rime ice on (more…)