#MEwx, Storm warning, blowing snow most of today and Chocolate Streusel Poundcake

Good Morning Augusta

If you don't absolutely HAVE to go out today, don't. The snow is horizontal and it's deep, fluffy and blowing. Go back to bed and take some coffee with you.

We're under a Winter Storm Warning, I've posted it in the post immediately below this one.

This morning we have patchy freezing drizzle, snow and sleet during morning hours then more snow this afternoon. We have, and will continue to have blowing snow. Total snow accumulation of 6 to 10 inches with ice accumulation around a trace. Highs will rise to the upper 20s with East northeast winds 15 to 20 mph, gusting to 35 mph.

Tonight we'll have clouds with a chance for snow showers and patchy freezing drizzle. Near steady temperatures in the upper 20s. North winds 10 to 15 mph with gusts to 30 mph in the evening.

The readings from my weather instruments are:

Our outdoor temperature is 24.4°F, the humidity is 90%, the Dew point is 21.9°F with a wind chill of 14.4°F.

The wind direction is East between 10.3 MPH and 20.1 MPH.

The Relative pressure is 29.66, the Absolute pressure is 29.46 and falling with a weather graphic indicating clouds and lots 'n lots of snow.

If you want to see real-time instrument readings from my personal weather station click Here. That will take you directly to my weather station.

Visibility is pretty poor owing to all of this horizontal snow.

The UV rating is 0 out of 16, The moon is  74.3% illuminated, the moon phase is a Waning Gibbous, Sunrise is 6:55 am↑ 113° Southeast, sunset is 4:50 pm↑ 247° West, Moonrise is 10:40 pm↑ 98° East, Moonset is 9:44 am↑ 267° West and we'll have 9 hours 55 minutes of daylight today.

We've received 3 to 5 inches of snow here "so far." And it's still coming down at a pretty good clip.

Here's another good idea for Valentine's Day. Way back when I was a kid I called chocolate pound cake "Chocolate bread" because of its shape, which reminded me of a small loaf of bread.

Chocolate Streusel Poundcake

  MELISSA CLARK

YIELD8 to 10 servings

TIME2 hours, plus cooling

Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

In this stunning dessert, a moist and soft chocolate poundcake is topped on two sides — bottom and top — with crunchy, slightly salty streusel flecked with chocolate chips. The combination of cocoa powder and melted dark chocolate gives this cake a particularly rich flavor. You can make it up to 3 days ahead. Store it at room temperature, well wrapped in foil. Then serve it topped with ice cream or whipped cream and fresh berries, or toasted and buttered, or plain as it is. It also freezes well for up to 3 months.

Ingredients:

·         ½ cup/60 grams all-purpose flour

·         3 tablespoons/45 grams granulated sugar

·         1 ½ tablespoons/11 grams cocoa powder

·         ½ teaspoon/4 grams kosher salt

·         4 ½ tablespoons/64 grams cold unsalted butter, cubed

• ⅓ ½ cup/60 grams all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons/45 grams granulated sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoons/11 grams cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon/4 grams kosher salt
• 4 ½ tablespoons/64 grams cold unsalted butter, cubed
• ⅓ ½ cup/60 grams all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons/45 grams granulated sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoons/11 grams cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon/4 grams kosher salt
• 4 ½ tablespoons/64 grams cold unsalted butter, cubed
• ⅓ Cup chocolate chips

For the Poundcake

3 ounces/85 grams extra-bittersweet chocolate (70 percent), chopped

1 ⅓ cups/185 grams all-purpose flour

¾ cup/89 grams Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder

½ teaspoon/2 grams baking powder

¼ teaspoon/2 grams baking soda

½ cup/113 grams unsalted butter, melted

1 cup/200 grams granulated sugar

½ cup/100 grams dark brown sugar

½ teaspoon/4 grams kosher salt

1 large egg, at room temperature

2 teaspoons/10 milliliters vanilla extract

½ cup/120 milliliters plain Greek yogurt

½ cup/120 milliliters whole milk

PREPARATION

1.         Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan, then line with parchment paper, leaving enough to hang over the edges of the pan. Grease the parchment on the bottom of the loaf pan.

2.         In a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, or in the microwave, melt the chocolate for the cake, stirring until smooth. Set aside to cool while you prepare the streusel.

3.         Prepare the streusel: In a bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Using fingers or a fork, cut in the butter until it is evenly distributed and forms large, moist crumbs. Stir in the chocolate chips.

4.         Scatter half the streusel evenly into the bottom of the loaf pan. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until baked through.

5.         Prepare the cake: In a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda.

6.         In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat melted butter, both sugars and salt together until combined. Beat in egg, vanilla extract, yogurt, milk and melted chocolate. Fold in dry ingredients until just combined.

7.         Scrape batter into prepared pan and top with remaining streusel. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of cake emerges clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and cool completely before turning out and slicing.