Pretty Day, Cold Night

We're in for a very cold night.  I'm hearing the deck snap as the nails and wood respond to the dropping temperature.  This morning when Fred went out to clear the driveway, it was about 22 degrees and there was bright sunshine, but there was a sharp north wind.  About an hour later, when we were heading off to St. Johnsbury, the temperature had dropped about 4 degrees and there were a few clouds; by the time we got home around noon, it had dropped another 5 or 6 degrees, but we still had sunshine. Now it's just zero.  I don't know if there's a wind out there or not - my anemometer is frozen solid.
 
This is a picture taken as we were heading home from St. Johnsbury.  It is a hillside north of the interstate, and shows how pretty everything was with the snow on the trees.  When we got to West Danville, we noticed a cloud bank lurking ominously  along the ridge west of the pond.  I don't know if they had anything to do with the rapidly falling temperature, but it was strange to see - the whole length of the skyline in that direction.

Roads were pretty good - there was a lot of salt on the main roads, and they were mostly bare, but there were some wet spots, and those may turn into black ice as the temperature drops.  Tomorrow is going to be very cold, too, and by night will be well below zero.  Not great weather for the First Night celebrations, but this often happens on New Year's Eve.  We will be at home - we may stay up to see the New Year in and lower our white ball of light on our flag pole, but I'm rethinking that - it will be bitterly cold and I have no idea if the rope and pulleys are frozen in place.  I may not be able to get that bunch of lights down until spring . . . !  We'll see.  

If you plan to be out and about tomorrow evening, please drive carefully and have a designated driver if you plan to drink.  Keep warm and safe, and have a wonderful time as you welcome the New Year.