An interesting article about a sudden storm and the aftermath. Thank goodness that forecasting and communications are so much better now. But it's a good reminder to be prepared for anything.

https://www.nrafamily.org/articles/2018/4/12/throwback-thursday-the-day-the-duck-hunters-died/

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The Upper Midwest is known for its sudden and severe weather changes, especially during spring and fall. But no one, not even veteran outdoorsmen, had ever experienced what happened on November 11, 1940. Officially, it was named the Armistice Day Storm (Blizzard). Unofficially, it became known as "The day the duck hunters died."

Across half a dozen states 159 people perished, possibly more. In Minnesota alone, half of those who died were waterfowl hunters. This is their story....


About mid-morning it started to rain, then the precipitation abruptly turned to sleet, then snow. The balmy temperatures dropped like a head-shot mallard, plunging to just 10 degrees in a matter of hours. The wind built to 20, 30, then 40 miles per hour, sustaining at 50 miles per hour or even stronger. Some gusts were recorded in excess of 80 miles per hour.

Barometric pressure in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, dropped to an all-time low, as it did in Duluth, Minnesota971 millibars. Up to 26 inches of snow fell; driven sideways by the incessant winds off the prairies, it piled up in huge drifts....

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Much more in article

Bad Filson ad. Waxed canvas is miserable without good layers under it.

In the mid To late 90's a guy from Amarillo went duck hunting with his 5 sons on lake Meredith. Storm blew in a flipped their boat and all 6 died.

That was a horrible day.

"Hang on, help is coming!" He'd then toss down a waterproof container filled with sandwiches, matches, whiskey and cigarettes.

Nice supplies minus the cigarettes.

I was deer hunting at Meredith a few years ago when a Blue Norther blew in. Went from 65 and calm with bluebird skies to 20 and 30-40 mph winds in the span of 20 minutes. The gust front in front of it was insane. Felt like I was being sandblasted. And downriver toward the damn looked like something out of Mordor in LOTR. I've read descriptions of them by early explorers and settlers in plenty of books, but to experience it was something else.

Log said:

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I was deer hunting at Meredith a few years ago when a Blue Norther blew in. Went from 65 and calm with bluebird skies to 20 and 30-40 mph winds in the span of 20 minutes. The gust front in front of it was insane. Felt like I was being sandblasted. And downriver toward the damn looked like something out of Mordor in LOTR. I've read descriptions of them by early explorers and settlers in plenty of books, but to experience it was something else.

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april 1996 we were down at the coast fishing. We were down in the land cut. 80ish degrees glass like conditions. Cold front arrived earlier than expected. Wind out of the north. Two adults and two 10 year olds in swim trunks. Took water over the bow of my dad's 18' Kenner every other wave. Temps dropped into the upper 40s. We stayed the night in a cabin outside of Baffin Bay with 3 random dudes. We then caravans it the next morning. Rode in behind a bigger boat to help break the waves. It was completely miserable the entire time.

The Britten family. I was in 4th grade and played soccer with Patrick. It was the dad, and 3 sons. I think it happened a few weeks before Christmas. I remember the service was at first baptist church in Amarillo and the sanctuary was decorated for Christmas. That was a terrible tragedy.

Good reminder to throw the backup warm clothing dry bag in the boat. It's that time of year.

Thanks for sharing. I'm a third generation waterfowler...always fascinating to think about the "gear" my grandpa started out hunting with.

I always keep a fleece vest in a waterproof bag in my backpack every hunt period. So at a minimum, I'll have the option of a dry warm layer around my core.

I was practically fully submerged on a hunt back when I was in college. The temp was only in the 40s, but it was nothing short of miserable standing on a clump of bullrush in my underpants wringing out my inner layers. Then putting it all back on. Then waiting a couple of hours for the sun to rise.

Same situation about 15-16 years ago on Matagorda. We were fishing when a norther blew in. Went from relatively calm to 4' white caps in the bay (or it felt that way anyway) in nearly the blink of an eye. All we could do was ride it out.

I rode bulls back in my youth, and 8 seconds felt like an eternity on the back of one. 20 minutes of hanging on to the console on an 18' Transport was brutal, and cold. When it passed, we both could barely walk we were so worn out. Sat there for probably another hour before we were able to get moving enough to pull anchor and get back to camp. Cold AF.

My cousin and uncle were stranded in Galveston bay many years ago when a big norther blew down. Uncle had a 35' Catalina and they had gone out day sailing - norther blew in faster than they thought and they couldnt' sail back due to the winds and their little 20hp marina motor didn't have the stones to push the boat against the wind and water. They spend I think 2 full days and part of another out there until things died down enough for them to get back to the marina.

Not so crazy or tragic. It was 1990 right before we killed BYU in the Holiday Bowl. We went to Dallas to visit friends for the new year. We were golfing at River Chase (I think). Teed off on number nine when one of my buds said look at the flag on the green. The wind just changed. By the time we got to the green the temp had dropped forty degrees and it was sleeting. By the time we got home it was snowing. I had never quit in the middle of a round of golf before that day.

76Ag said:

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Not so crazy or tragic. It was 1990 right before we killed BYU in the Holiday Bowl. We went to Dallas to visit friends for the new year. We were golfing at River Chase (I think). Teed off on number nine when one of my buds said look at the flag on the green. The wind just changed. By the time we got to the green the temp had dropped forty degrees and it was sleeting. By the time we got home it was snowing. I had never quit in the middle of a round of golf before that day.

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I remember that game.
Ty Detmer was the over-rated BYU QB on an over-rated BYU team. The Aggies put such a beatdown on Detmer (had BOTH of his shoulders separated) that he never had much of an NFL career.

Detmer whined about how the Ags were a second-rate team and how they wished they had a real opponent in the bowl game.

Moral: Don't talk trash if you can't back it up.

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-12-30-sp-10229-story.html

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Diplomatic, the Aggies ain't. But if BYU was upset about their manners, Toledo explained, the the Cougars should have kept their own mouths shut.

"We read in the newspapers how they said they wanted to play a more formidable opponent than us," Toledo said. "They said they wish they were playing one that was ranked.

"That was a mistake. That was a big mistake.

"R.C. reminded them about that every chance he could. You might say we were motivated."

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CanyonAg77 said:

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Detmer whined about how the Ags were a second-rate team and how they wished they had a real opponent in the bowl game.

Moral: Don't talk trash if you can't back it up.

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-12-30-sp-10229-story.html

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Diplomatic, the Aggies ain't. But if BYU was upset about their manners, Toledo explained, the the Cougars should have kept their own mouths shut.

"We read in the newspapers how they said they wanted to play a more formidable opponent than us," Toledo said. "They said they wish they were playing one that was ranked.

"That was a mistake. That was a big mistake.

"R.C. reminded them about that every chance he could. You might say we were motivated."

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Only time RC really let the dogs off the leash and played no mercy football. Was a great game as an Aggie fan.