Category Archives: Weather and Climate

Things I always want to know before taking a trip:

Posted on February 11, 2017 by Jeremy Sell

1) Sunrise/sunset times I like to get up before dawn to hike because some of my best wildlife encounters have been just before or just after the sun comes up.  Sunset provides similar opportunities. 2) Moonrise/moonset times When I’m in … Continue reading →

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The Great Salt Lake, Utah

Posted on May 28, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

Beyond the Great Lakes that surround my native Michigan, the next largest lake in the United States is the Great Salt Lake in northern Utah. Although the lakes of both states share similarly impressive surface areas they are incredibly different in … Continue reading →

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Redwood National Park Revisited

Posted on March 15, 2016 by Jeremy Sell

Back in 2013 a friend and I made a quick trip through Redwood National Park in northwest California. Our visit here was too short, so last summer when my wife and I were in the area we made a point to spend … Continue reading →

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It Will Be a White Christmas Somewhere…

Posted on December 23, 2015 by Jeremy Sell

With just over one more day until Christmas, it looks like the chance of snow here in southeast Michigan is zero. So far this winter has been really mild in the eastern United States. Just today it was 60 F … Continue reading →

Posted in Environment, General, Weather and Climate | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Crater Lake National Park

Posted on August 3, 2015 by Jeremy Sell

Around 7700 years ago the Oregon volcano known as Mount Mazama exploded in one of the most devastating eruptions known to man. Blasting about 3000 feet (914 m) of material from its summit, the ash fell as far as western Wyoming … Continue reading →

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Olympic National Park

Posted on May 5, 2015 by Jeremy Sell

It seems impossible to summarize the diversity of Olympic National Park in one photo. Spanning over 1441 square miles (3732 square km) in northwestern Washington, this park encompasses some of the most varied terrain in the entire US National Park … Continue reading →

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Sometimes I don’t know why I still live in Michigan…

Posted on February 25, 2015 by Jeremy Sell

The other day we got down to -24 F (-31 C) here in southeast Michigan. The actual temperature.  Not the wind chill, which probably exceeded -40 F (-40 C). I believe this is the coldest temperature I have experienced in my … Continue reading →

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North Cascades National Park

Posted on November 15, 2014 by Jeremy Sell

North Cascades National Park is only three hours northeast of Seattle, but its remote location makes one of America’s least-visited national parks. Established in 1968, this federally-protected area encompasses 789 square miles (2044 square km) of mountain wilderness in the Cascade Range of … Continue reading →

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A slow start to spring

Posted on April 8, 2014 by Jeremy Sell

After experiencing the snowiest and fifth-coldest winter on record in southeast Michigan, it’s no surprise that many plants have been slow to emerge this spring. Today I compared the current development of my garden perennials to photos I took in March of … Continue reading →

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The Worst Winter Ever is Finally Over

Posted on April 6, 2014 by Jeremy Sell

Here in southeast Michigan older people still talk about “The Winter of ’78.” The 1977-1978 winter season saw record-setting snowfall and at least one significant blizzard, making it one for the record books. Until now. The winter of 2013-2014 shattered many … Continue reading →

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Big Bend National Park: Day 3, Epilogue

Posted on March 4, 2014 by Jeremy Sell

After the first two days at Big Bend National Park had us baking under abundant sunshine and highs around 86 degrees F (30 C), day three found my wife and I under very different conditions. We set out north from … Continue reading →

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Big Bend National Park: Day 2, Part 2

Posted on March 2, 2014 by Jeremy Sell

After poking around the Chisos Basin in the morning, my wife and I headed out to trek across the western reaches of Big Bend National Park. We started down the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive and our first stop was Sotol … Continue reading →

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Big Bend National Park: Day 2, Part 1

Posted on March 1, 2014 by Jeremy Sell

After our first day exploring the eastern reaches of Big Bend National Park, my wife and I awoke on day two within the Chisos Basin near the center of the park. Here the morning sun illuminated the distant Chihuahuan Desert … Continue reading →

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Rocky Mountain National Park

Posted on August 24, 2013 by Jeremy Sell

Hidden among the high peaks of north-central Colorado’s Front Range is a breathtaking sanctuary for wildlife. Moose, elk, bighorn sheep, mule deer, black bears, and mountain lions roam this primeval haven in such large numbers that most are almost impossible … Continue reading →

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Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

Posted on August 11, 2013 by Jeremy Sell

Nestled against the western slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of south-central Colorado are the tallest sand dunes in North America. Covering 30 square miles and rising to 750 feet in height, the dunes are the centerpiece in a … Continue reading →

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Redwood National Park

Posted on April 28, 2013 by Jeremy Sell

Redwood National Park is best known for its namesake coast redwood trees (Sequoia sempervirens, Cupressaceae). These trees are the tallest on earth, regularly exceeding 300 feet in height and sometimes approaching 400 feet. Capable of living for over 2000 years, coast … Continue reading →

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Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument

Posted on February 12, 2013 by Jeremy Sell

Located in northwestern New Mexico, Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument preserves an amazing landscape of volcanic rock formations. Nestled among the Jemez Mountains, this region has experienced intermittent volcanic activity for the last 15 million years. The rocks present at … Continue reading →

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Death Valley National Park Revisited

Posted on December 27, 2012 by Jeremy Sell

I first visited Death Valley National Park in California a couple of years ago on an undergraduate geology field trip. Since then it’s been one of my favorite national parks for a number of reasons. First, it’s a vast, remote expanse … Continue reading →

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Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park, Michigan

Posted on August 10, 2012 by Jeremy Sell

At nearly 60,000 acres, the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness is Michigan’s largest and perhaps most impressive state park. Located near the west end of the Upper Peninsula, it was created in 1945 to protect one of the largest remaining old-growth northern … Continue reading →

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What happens when you leave a game trail camera in a floodplain?

Posted on April 6, 2012 by Jeremy Sell

Back in the summer of 2007 my parents and I saw a cougar (Puma concolor, Felidae) on their farm in southeast Michigan.  Over the course of two weeks we saw it three times but we never had a camera handy. … Continue reading →

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