I would wait until this past winters wood gathering statistics are in from the Major North American Tribes before doing anything too drastic. Wouldn't want to jump the gun... Quoting Canopus56 <canopus56@yahoo.com>:

Major construction of the SPOC buildings occurred during 2000-2004, a period of relative drought in Utah:

Utah rainfall during March, April, May and June 1948-2006

Mo/Yrs 48-05 00-04 05 06 March 1.8 1.3 2.4 2.7 April 2.1 1.9 3.2 May 1.7 1.0 2.9 June 1.0 0.8 1.7 4mos 1.6 1.3 2.5

Source: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/research/cag3/z4.html

The last building, the refractor house was constructed in 2005.

The Great Salt Lake level reflects these precipitation cycles: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/img/climate/research/2003/feb/gsl.jpg

Precipitation can be used as an estimator of cloudy days per month.

Average clear and cloudy days in Utah Mar Apr May Jun Mean Clear Days 7 7 9 14 Mean Partly Cldy Days 8 9 10 10 Mean Cldy Days 16 14 12 6

In 2005 - and now in the spring of 2006 - it looks like the weather cycle has changed. The first few months of the the observing season are wetter.

Should the club adjust its activities during the early part of the observing season in response to this weather change?

- Canopus56

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