Aug 2008: Lake level and rain

gravy boat · 08-10-2008, 06:10 PM

Some interesting weather out there earlier today. We were over near Meredith Neck a bit before noon and noticed a dark cloud forming rapidly over the Glendale area. We were anchored, but kept our eyes open. Within 20 minutes we thought it best to head toward shore. Within 10 minutes we arrived at Glendale and the rain was already coming down heavily. Once we saw the cloud to lake/ground lightning ahead, we knew we had better just tie up at the Glendale docks (space permitting) and wait until it passed...thank goodness there were several spots open. The dive boat was next to us and they started out a few times only to stop due to continually developing storms overhead and much lightning.

I can honestly say that I have never seen a quicker developing storm than today's.

After 45 years on the lake I'm still learning about the rapid weather changes.

Newcomers · 08-10-2008, 08:37 PM

This is my first summer on the Lake! Like the rest of you, I have been watching the Lake level rise this past week to the point where the boats will soon be above the docks planks. The slightest wave is washing over them now - how long does it take for the Lake to go down? Can they release water from the Lake without endangering people/property downstream?

With the Lake as high as it is, Boaters should be cautioned about watching their speed and consequential wakes as it could cause damage to boats tied up. I see a number of boats moving pretty fast within 150' of shore in Moultonborough Bay area.

Resident 2B · 08-10-2008, 09:20 PM

Newcomers,

They are releasing about 1,000 cubic feet per second at the Lakeport Dam today. They can and likely will increase that, but it does raise the water levels downstream.

Here is a clickable map that you can use to see what is going on at the dam and how high the lake is. http://www2.des.state.nh.us/RTi_Home/winni.asp

In my opinion, the lake will continue to rise, perhaps another 4" to 6". In the past, there have been boating restrictions when the lake is high. This ofter moves the No Wkae Zone out 500' from shore. We will come close to the level that this restriction is employed, in my opinion.

R2B

Squam Friend · 08-11-2008, 09:14 AM

Squam went up over a foot this week (six inches yesterday alone) to bring it past the State's Summer Level to above Spring High Water. And with the saturated ground, continued rain, and raging streams that feed the lake, it will likely keep going up to near record levels (not just August record levels). It looks like the dam has been opened up, but I imagine there is concern for the downstream levels especially in light of recent events in Ashland. I think at this level the water is going over the top of the dam... how's that ark coming?

NHKathy · 08-10-2008, 08:52 PM

We go up on some weekends throughout the year; but our full week up is always end of July/beginning of Aug. We are usually very lucky with the weather for our week there - woah, not this year!
We arrived Friday, 8/1 and the remainder of Friday and Saturday were both fairly good (but chilly for August!), but then...
Sunday (8/3) -rainy and then stormy - lost power for over 5 hours!
Monday, saw some sun for about 1 1/2 hrs, but was very breezy, so therefore cool again...
Tues-Fri --I don't even remember seeing much of the sun at all! Funny part is that on Monday night, WMUR was forcasting Tuesday as being the "pick of the week" with some sun and dry; but we were socked in fog all day and it was drizzly! Wed - rainy all day, Thurs & Fri -storms in the afternoon!
Saturday, of course the day we were leaving - Sunny and beautiful! (glad i mostly packed up on Friday night while it was rainy) I enjoyed the sun until I left!

What a week!

Grant · 08-12-2008, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NHKathy

We go up on some weekends throughout the year; but our full week up is always end of July/beginning of Aug. We are usually very lucky with the weather for our week there - woah, not this year!
We arrived Friday, 8/1 and the remainder of Friday and Saturday were both fairly good (but chilly for August!), but then...
Sunday (8/3) -rainy and then stormy - lost power for over 5 hours!
Monday, saw some sun for about 1 1/2 hrs, but was very breezy, so therefore cool again...
Tues-Fri --I don't even remember seeing much of the sun at all! Funny part is that on Monday night, WMUR was forcasting Tuesday as being the "pick of the week" with some sun and dry; but we were socked in fog all day and it was drizzly! Wed - rainy all day, Thurs & Fri -storms in the afternoon!
Saturday, of course the day we were leaving - Sunny and beautiful! (glad i mostly packed up on Friday night while it was rainy) I enjoyed the sun until I left!

What a week!

I had that same exact week...and it was rather disheartening to be loading the car on Saturday morning, realizing that it would be a glorious day. On the bright side, I'm headed back up on Friday (although with the current trend, I ain't counting on any sunny days!).

Lots of interesting mushrooms!

Orion · 08-13-2008, 01:16 AM

The lake seems to have held steady over the last 24 hrs. Hope it starts to go down now. Weather outlook is actually glorious compared to what we've just gone through.

CanisLupusArctos · 08-13-2008, 01:39 PM

As of today, Black Cat Wx has received 6.38 inches of rain for the month -- in less than two weeks. This amount makes August 2008 the wettest month since October 2006, when we got 7.65 inches of rain.

I spent the last few days at a friends' house on Wells Beach, Maine. The flow there was onshore most of the time, and that killed all the thunderstorms that tried to approach from the inland side. We got very little rain there, except when a thunderstorm backed in off the ocean at us. I have returned home find new canyons in the yard. It's time to get the weights on the end of the dock.

Mr Port Jefferson · 08-16-2008, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grant

I had that same exact week...and it was rather disheartening to be loading the car on Saturday morning, realizing that it would be a glorious day. On the bright side, I'm headed back up on Friday (although with the current trend, I ain't counting on any sunny days!).

Lots of interesting mushrooms!

Same here I left Gilford in great sun light after 10 days of rain, but as my granny Jennie used to say "bad day at the lake beats a good day at work"!

CanisLupusArctos · 08-19-2008, 10:48 PM

After all we've been though for the last month or so, it sure is good to look up at the sky and see crystal-clear stars, and is good to look at the national radar loop and see that all the northeastern radar sites are now operating in "clear air mode" (a ring of echoes from ground-based obstacles visible due to the radar being set on super-sensitive.) When was the last time any radar site around here operated in clear-air mode? Or when we saw the stars?

Dewpoint now in the mid-40s, feels like fall. The evaporative effect on the lake surface will draw down the temperature, but will also help the level drop more quickly.

08-10-2008, 06:10 PM	#1
gravy boat Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Gilford year round, West Alton summers Posts: 596 Thanks: 601 Thanked 203 Times in 102 Posts	Whoa Some interesting weather out there earlier today. We were over near Meredith Neck a bit before noon and noticed a dark cloud forming rapidly over the Glendale area. We were anchored, but kept our eyes open. Within 20 minutes we thought it best to head toward shore. Within 10 minutes we arrived at Glendale and the rain was already coming down heavily. Once we saw the cloud to lake/ground lightning ahead, we knew we had better just tie up at the Glendale docks (space permitting) and wait until it passed...thank goodness there were several spots open. The dive boat was next to us and they started out a few times only to stop due to continually developing storms overhead and much lightning. I can honestly say that I have never seen a quicker developing storm than today's. After 45 years on the lake I'm still learning about the rapid weather changes.

08-10-2008, 08:37 PM	#2
Newcomers Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 74 Thanks: 83 Thanked 16 Times in 9 Posts	Docks & Lake Level question This is my first summer on the Lake! Like the rest of you, I have been watching the Lake level rise this past week to the point where the boats will soon be above the docks planks. The slightest wave is washing over them now - how long does it take for the Lake to go down? Can they release water from the Lake without endangering people/property downstream? With the Lake as high as it is, Boaters should be cautioned about watching their speed and consequential wakes as it could cause damage to boats tied up. I see a number of boats moving pretty fast within 150' of shore in Moultonborough Bay area.

08-10-2008, 08:52 PM	#5
NHKathy Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Moultonborough when I can / RI Posts: 699 Thanks: 180 Thanked 38 Times in 22 Posts	What a Week! We go up on some weekends throughout the year; but our full week up is always end of July/beginning of Aug. We are usually very lucky with the weather for our week there - woah, not this year! We arrived Friday, 8/1 and the remainder of Friday and Saturday were both fairly good (but chilly for August!), but then... Sunday (8/3) -rainy and then stormy - lost power for over 5 hours! Monday, saw some sun for about 1 1/2 hrs, but was very breezy, so therefore cool again... Tues-Fri --I don't even remember seeing much of the sun at all! Funny part is that on Monday night, WMUR was forcasting Tuesday as being the "pick of the week" with some sun and dry; but we were socked in fog all day and it was drizzly! Wed - rainy all day, Thurs & Fri -storms in the afternoon! Saturday, of course the day we were leaving - Sunny and beautiful! (glad i mostly packed up on Friday night while it was rainy) I enjoyed the sun until I left! What a week!

08-13-2008, 01:16 AM	#7
Orion Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: MA Posts: 914 Thanks: 602 Thanked 193 Times in 91 Posts	leveled out The lake seems to have held steady over the last 24 hrs. Hope it starts to go down now. Weather outlook is actually glorious compared to what we've just gone through.

08-19-2008, 10:48 PM	#10
CanisLupusArctos Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Center Harbor Posts: 1,049 Thanks: 15 Thanked 472 Times in 107 Posts	Clear Air Mode After all we've been though for the last month or so, it sure is good to look up at the sky and see crystal-clear stars, and is good to look at the national radar loop and see that all the northeastern radar sites are now operating in "clear air mode" (a ring of echoes from ground-based obstacles visible due to the radar being set on super-sensitive.) When was the last time any radar site around here operated in clear-air mode? Or when we saw the stars? Dewpoint now in the mid-40s, feels like fall. The evaporative effect on the lake surface will draw down the temperature, but will also help the level drop more quickly.

08-10-2008, 09:20 PM	#3
Resident 2B Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: North Shore, MA Posts: 1,358 Thanks: 996 Thanked 314 Times in 164 Posts	Newcomers, They are releasing about 1,000 cubic feet per second at the Lakeport Dam today. They can and likely will increase that, but it does raise the water levels downstream. Here is a clickable map that you can use to see what is going on at the dam and how high the lake is. http://www2.des.state.nh.us/RTi_Home/winni.asp In my opinion, the lake will continue to rise, perhaps another 4" to 6". In the past, there have been boating restrictions when the lake is high. This ofter moves the No Wkae Zone out 500' from shore. We will come close to the level that this restriction is employed, in my opinion. R2B

08-11-2008, 09:14 AM	#4
Squam Friend Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 19 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Squam went up over a foot this week (six inches yesterday alone) to bring it past the State's Summer Level to above Spring High Water. And with the saturated ground, continued rain, and raging streams that feed the lake, it will likely keep going up to near record levels (not just August record levels). It looks like the dam has been opened up, but I imagine there is concern for the downstream levels especially in light of recent events in Ashland. I think at this level the water is going over the top of the dam... how's that ark coming?

08-13-2008, 01:39 PM	#8
CanisLupusArctos Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Center Harbor Posts: 1,049 Thanks: 15 Thanked 472 Times in 107 Posts	As of today, Black Cat Wx has received 6.38 inches of rain for the month -- in less than two weeks. This amount makes August 2008 the wettest month since October 2006, when we got 7.65 inches of rain. I spent the last few days at a friends' house on Wells Beach, Maine. The flow there was onshore most of the time, and that killed all the thunderstorms that tried to approach from the inland side. We got very little rain there, except when a thunderstorm backed in off the ocean at us. I have returned home find new canyons in the yard. It's time to get the weights on the end of the dock.