OT: Polar Vortex

**MinnesotaRaven** · 01-22-2021, 12:39 PM

Originally Posted by Iamjacks

Laker agates are the best.

I love 'em! I loved looking for fossilized sharks teeth out at Calvert Cliffs/Flag Pond beach too! Can't wait to get back to Maryland to take the kids back out to do that.

**Shas** · 01-22-2021, 01:06 PM

Originally Posted by BustOfPallas

Apparently at the end of December and earlier this week there was a lot of heating in the stratosphere at the north pole and the polar vortex may cleave in 2. When that happens, as it has before, it breaks apart from the normal tight spiral (no pun intended) that keeps the cold air over the pole and waves of frigid air can move down into the Mid Atlantic. Those conditions are favorable for large snow storms and erratic weather.

Yeah, like a spinning top. Stays in place when tight, but if something knocks it, it starts to wobble. And the wobble, or shift, push the the cold air down. I say that Siberia has had a long period where they have not see temps over -40º for a while now because of it, but still uncertain if a storm comes along to be affected. It has righted itself and then split again a couple times now and they think it will continue like that all winter, but needs another catalyst to affect our weather.

**Iamjacks** · 01-22-2021, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by MinnesotaRaven

I love 'em! I loved looking for fossilized sharks teeth out at Calvert Cliffs/Flag Pond beach too! Can't wait to get back to Maryland to take the kids back out to do that.

I always wanted to do that, but never did.

I did hunt fern fossils in St. Clair PA once and that was fun.

Now I have to go up to Canada to hunt agates and amethyst. I suppose I could try panning for gold in NH or dig tormuline in ME.

**MinnesotaRaven** · 01-22-2021, 01:44 PM

Originally Posted by Iamjacks

I always wanted to do that, but never did.

I did hunt fern fossils in St. Clair PA once and that was fun.

Now I have to go up to Canada to hunt agates and amethyst. I suppose I could try panning for gold in NH or dig tormuline in ME.

Start in Duluth and hit the beaches all the way up through Grand Marais (MN not MI) then continue on through Thunder Bay for the amethyst. If you are actually doing this, PM me and I will tell you some specific spots that are good (as well as some other lesser known but good things to see and do like Ouimet Canyon). Not only is the canyon cool, you will most likely see bear and moose along the way. Actually the best place to get good agates is not the beaches. While the beaches produce agates that are polished by the water, they are small and picked over. You need to hike the farm fields in central MN for the good agates... or hike the river banks. I've heard that if you can access some of the backwater islands of the Mississippi in Southern MN there are good spots to find agates. Much like having a jet ski on the bay to get to hard to reach beachfront around Calvert Cliffs after a storm gets you to the Megalodon teeth! If I lived in NE I would just raid lobster traps! lol. J/K.