Right now it feels like we've taken the Wayback Machine to mid March and its cold, wet weather. Since Wednesday there's been a bizarre, slowly-rotating system parked over the Mid South and Midwest, visiting light but persistent rain, chilly temperatures, and occasionally fierce winds upon us.
Yesterday I paddled in a steady drizzle, a Fahrenheit temperature of 51 degrees or so, and a gusty wind from the west. I stayed out for 60 minutes, using the first fifteen to warm up and do three 8-stroke sprints, and then paddling at anaerobic threshold from 0:15 to 0:45.
The Mississippi River stage forecast has been revised upward to 36.5 feet on the Memphis gauge. That won't hurt the city proper, but surrounding bottomland will be underwater. These high water levels are actually a fun time to get out and paddle because of all the new real estate one can explore. If I can just find some time, maybe I'll do that.
For those following the news of all the flooding that has hit Arkansas and southern Missouri, I'll just mention that that region drains into the Mississippi downstream of Memphis by way of rivers like the Saint Francis, the White, and the Arkansas. That's why flooding along the Mississippi here at Memphis will not be as bad as one might expect. I'll be curious to see how river towns below the mouth of the Arkansas and White Rivers fare--the surrounding areas of places like Greenville, Vicksburg, and Natchez.
No comments:
Post a Comment