Bruce Mason

Meteorologist at Teton Valley News

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Articles

Gone With The Wind

1 week ago | tetonvalleynews.net | Bruce Mason

I often mention that hot air rising is what drives the weather, on a global scale and a local scale right here in our beautiful valley. On an even smaller scale, seeing a small parcel of hot air trapped in an envelope of brilliantly colored nylon rise into the air is not only fascinating, but it’s confirming. As long as hot air rises, all is right with nature, and the laws of physics are still in effect.
How Dry I Am

2 weeks ago | tetonvalleynews.net | Bruce Mason

It’s time for another of our frequent looks at the water situation facing Teton Valley and surrounding areas. At the time of this writing, we are finishing up a wet third weekend of May and looking forward to more rain early next week. By the time you read this, we’ll know how that worked out. What we know now is that, according to the US Drought Monitor, Teton County, Idaho, is split diagonally, with about half of us in moderate drought and the other half abnormally dry.
Time To Plant?

3 weeks ago | tetonvalleynews.net | Bruce Mason

Gardening is a favorite pastime for some of us in Teton Valley and a significant source of sustenance for others. But maintaining a viable garden in our tricky Teton Valley weather can be a real challenge. Wind can ruin tall crops like corn, hail can take out just about anything that grows, and this year looks like heat and water availability are going to be big concerns pretty soon. But right now, the question is when to plant.
Time To Plant?

3 weeks ago | tncontentexchange.com | Bruce Mason

Gardening is a favorite pastime for some of us in Teton Valley and a significant source of sustenance for others. But maintaining a viable garden in our tricky Teton Valley weather can be a real challenge. Wind can ruin tall crops like corn, hail can take out just about anything that grows, and this year looks like heat and water availability are going to be big concerns pretty soon. But right now, the question is when to plant.
April Showers, Where Were You?

1 month ago | tetonvalleynews.net | Bruce Mason

There was one feature of April that made it notable, and it wasn’t the temperature or the wind. The average temperature was within a degree of normal for the month, with the usual wide swings on either side of average. The wind gusted over 40 MPH at times last month, but that wasn’t unusual. The end of March through the beginning of April is historically the windiest time in the valley. Remember that it was on April 4, 2022, that the Spud Drive-in screen blew down.
Is That All You've Got, Winter?

1 month ago | tetonvalleynews.net | Bruce Mason

At the time of this writing, Sunday, April 27th, the last measurable snow we had at my measuring spot north of the airport in Driggs was on April 18th. Measurable snow means it was no less than one tenth of an inch deep on the white wooden measuring boards when I stuck my ruler in it. There is a good chance that more snow will fall between now and the time you read this, but how much and whether or not it is measurable remains to be seen.
Earth And Atmosphere Day

1 month ago | tetonvalleynews.net | Bruce Mason

There was much to celebrate this week. Among them was Earth Day. It was my pleasure to meet many weather fans and future scientists at the Earth Day celebration on Saturday at the Fair Ground. As your genial Teton Valley weatherman, I may be slightly biased, but I think Earth Day might need to be renamed Earth and Atmosphere Day. After all, without the air surrounding it, what would Earth be? Nothing more than a dusty rock covered with craters, like the Moon.
Got Hairspray?

1 month ago | tetonvalleynews.net | Bruce Mason

We spend a lot of time looking at precipitation amounts and temperatures, which are important things to be aware of. But let’s not forget about the wind. Strong, gusty wind is a given any time of year in Teton Valley, mostly, but not always from the southwest. Now we are in spring, the windiest part of the year on average. This is the month that, in 2022, the screen at the Spud Drive-in blew down.
The Voles Of Spring

2 months ago | tetonvalleynews.net | Bruce Mason

Sprrrring is here. Many of us have been looking forward to it with visions of sunny, warm days, melting snow, greening grass, sprouting flowers, and… what’s that other thing? Vole trails showing up. So far this spring, my yard looks about normal for vole trails, probably fewer than the last couple of years. They go in cycles; as the vole population increases, there is less food to go around, and their predators thrive, so the vole population decreases accordingly.
Looking Back At Winter

2 months ago | tetonvalleynews.net | Bruce Mason

The winter of 2024-25 is now officially behind us. So, how will it go down in the history books? Here are the numbers, using data from my measuring spot a couple of miles north of Driggs-Reed Memorial Airport. Winter began on December 21st, which means December contributed 11 days to last winter. The overall average temperature, day and night, during those 11 days was 29 F. Only one of those 11 days had a low below zero. That day was New Year’s Eve, as you may recall.