Record Snowfall Delights Locals - 4" Since 4AM!

[Astronuc]

We're just getting high winds. A high wind advisory will be in effect tonight.

A street sign blew down outside my office. Fortunately it fell on the sidewalk away from the car next to it and not falling on anyone. I went downstairs and moved it out of the wind so that it wouldn't become a projectile.

 

[turbo]

We've got 40 degrees and plenty of rain. The forecast is for clear skies tonight with temps in the single digits, so the road-sanding crews will be very busy battling the black ice.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

The snow last night didn't stick. It looks like we're out of it - 40 degrees F and still melting.

 

[lisab]

I am thinking WRX Impreza but the idea of having to burn premium fuel kind of turns me off.

I just traded in my WRX for a Legacy . It just wasn't a good car for commuting - it was a stick shift.

The Legacy is great, but the WRX was a blast!

 

[Integral]

We rarely get this much. And really the biggest problems are that when we get snow, we usually get a lot of ice, and we live in the foothills - black ice can be a huge problem. The 4WD trucks and such do well to a point, but nothing gets traction on a steep, ice covered road.

The other problem is that we have a long steep driveway - about 300 feet long and steepest at the top. One year I tried to climb it in the pu truck with about a foot of snow on the ground, and the truck ended up sitting in Tsu's garden for two weeks.

Pulling off the road onto Ivan's driveway is an act of faith, the driveway drops way so sharply that you cannot see the ground over the front bumper. The effect is amplified by the fact that you are going UP a fairly steep hill and his driveway falls off to the right, there is point where you are looking at the sky while the road falls away in front of you, the first time is the hardest.

 

[Moonbear]

Pulling off the road onto Ivan's driveway is an act of faith, the driveway drops way so sharply that you cannot see the ground over the front bumper. The effect is amplified by the fact that you are going UP a fairly steep hill and his driveway falls off to the right, there is point where you are looking at the sky while the road falls away in front of you, the first time is the hardest.

That's how a LOT of roads are around here. I was looking at houses not long ago, and almost didn't see there WAS a road to get into one development (I thought maybe I missed an entrance somewhere). Started down the steep hill, realized there was only that one road in and out (circle) and decided there was NO WAY I would want to live there (I wouldn't mind if I had a job where I could always call out for snow days, but since I often don't have that luxury, I need to live someplace I can get in and out of in snow and ice), and now know why those houses are so much cheaper than others of similar size in nearby developments. It's bad enough when you can't get your car out, and worse when it's so steep you can't even walk it. But, it's fun to drive visitors around here and zoom over a road they didn't even know was there.

We got really high winds that whipped up about 3 AM, which is about the time everyone I saw today said they woke up and couldn't fall back asleep. It was really loud, and just sporadic enough to completely disturb sleep...didn't help that I had left a stack of styrofoam coolers filled with ice outside at the farm last night so they'd stay cold (still no freezer) and was wondering if they'd still be there. A bit of luck was on my side, and the wind was blowing across from the other side of the building, so they were sheltered on the loading dock where I left them. I had to hang onto my car door pretty tightly when I got out though, and needed to time carrying other boxes into get them out between wind gusts so they weren't ripped from my hands! My face is even a bit wind burnt today from that.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Major snow events are rare enough around here so that it's really not a problem, but when it does snow heavily it is absolutely treacherous. This was about as bad as we've seen it in twenty years - only one year that was worse I think. But I have heard of five-foot snow drifts on Main St in the local town, many years ago, so it will likely happen again.

My mother-in-law really doesn't like our drive.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Mt Hood has gotten 40 feet of snow.

 

[rewebster]

we're supposed to get between 2 and 10 inches of snow from now until tomorrow--the track is not definite

 

[Danger]

Well, it's up to -16 today, so I'm back to my spring jacket.
What's it like in 'Chuck today, Scorpa? W & I are heading up there in a couple of hours.

edit: Hmm... I see that you logged out before I got this posted. If you're back on tonight, check your PM's. I'm sending you my cell #. Give me a call tonight; we're going to hit Bourbon St. at the mall for a couple of hours. Should be in town before 10:00 (I can't remember how long a drive it is).

 

[Danger]

Thanks for the PM back, Scorpa. I have to acknowledge it here because my box is 99% full again.
Yeah, I figured that you'd probably gone home for the weekend when you didn't call. Hope it was a good time. We did have a nice wee vacation, except for the hotel we chose. It was the most horrible bed I've ever been in, and the room wouldn't get below almost 30 degrees even with the air conditioning turned on. I never dreamed that I'd run into that problem in the middle of an Alberta winter.
We spent all of today at the mall as well, mostly just strolling and shopping. I found a 'What If: Spider-Man vs. Wolverine' at Comic King, and a micro remote control helicopter to tease Lucy with. W bought a GPS unit, some shoes, and a new purse, so we're both happier than pigs in ****.
I love mini-golf, but that mall course was just humiliating. Par is 46; I shot 72 and W, who claims to be an avid golfer although she's never played since I met her, got 82.
Anyhow, hang onto that cell # and feel free to call if you ever want to.

Okay, mods... I know that this isn't a personal communications forum; I just didn't want to overload my mailbox again. I'm done.

 

[scorpa]

Offtopic: I'm glad you had a good time Danger. I also have experience with being embarrassed at that mall minigolf, it is amazing how many times you can miss haha.

ONtopic: It is supposed to be -20 today! That is awesome! I won't be numb by the time I get to school today! I think they said tomorrow is going to be even better.

 

[DaveC426913]

I'm having a hard time figuring out where the rest of you Canadians live. Can you point it out on my http://pics.livejournal.com/davesbrain/pic/0000zce9" ? Last time it was a little out-of-date, so it's been fully updated and labelled.

 

[Danger]

I'm about half-way between the left part of the 'T' crossbar and the 'c' in Vancouver. Scorpa is at the same longitude, but about level with the top of the 'V'.

 

[Contrapositive]

It got down to the high 30s here in Tallahassee the other day. Think they'll cancel school?

 

[Evo]

Today was the first day in over two months that I didn't have to chip the ice off my car. But it's going to get cold again.

 

[DaveC426913]

I'm about half-way between the left part of the 'T' crossbar and the 'c' in Vancouver. Scorpa is at the same longitude, but about level with the top of the 'V'.

So would that be Western Toronto or would that be far-eastern Vancouver?

 

[Danger]

So would that be Western Toronto or would that be far-eastern Vancouver?

 

[Andre]

Today was the first day in over two months that I didn't have to chip the ice off my car. But it's going to get cold again.

would this help? Personally, I'm very happy after a night shift just removing the thing and drive away.

 

[Danger]

It wouldn't help here, because you'd still have to tunnel your way to the car and then get a couple of guys to help you drag that tarp with 200kg of snow on it.

 

[hypatia]

Snow fog is here! Everybody run!
I can't see my garage from my back door, and its only 20 ft away!

 

[binzing]

Snow day to day! Second full closure of the winter. Tomorrow will prolly be a delay.

 

[scorpa]

No more of this snow snow snow business lately! Today it was about +2! It was glorious...I had some errands to run around the city so I drove all over with my windows down, and was wearing a tank top with just a light spring jacket! If only it would stay this way, but the way things are up here it could be back to 40 below in a day or to haha. The only crappy part of this nice weather is how gross the roads get...all slushy and dirty...my nice clean jeep didn't remain that way long.

 

[lisab]

Today it was about +2! It was glorious...I had some errands to run around the city so I drove all over with my windows down, and was wearing a tank top with just a light spring jacket!

Gotta love you crazy Canucks...I talked to my dad today in Anchorage. A Chinook blew in last night, melted half their snow. Spring's just around the corner!

 

[wildman]

On Saturday, we almost got snow. It was beautiful and white on the mountains only a couple of thousand feet above us. Lovely. It warmed up today though (mid 70s) and all the snow is gone except on the very tip top of the mountains 6000 feet above our house.

 

[Danger]

On Saturday, we almost got snow.

Almost getting snow is one hell of a lot better than actually getting it.

 

[GeorginaS]

No more of this snow snow snow business lately! Today it was about +2! It was glorious...I had some errands to run around the city so I drove all over with my windows down, and was wearing a tank top with just a light spring jacket! If only it would stay this way, but the way things are up here it could be back to 40 below in a day or to haha. The only crappy part of this nice weather is how gross the roads get...all slushy and dirty...my nice clean jeep didn't remain that way long.

Hee! I had all of the windows open in my place to let some fresh air in. They've mostly been frozen shut for a few months now. But, yeah. We were laughing about that at work on Friday. Make it a couple of degrees above zero C, and Canadians are out in their t-shirts. We're depraved.

 

[turbo]

We had rain and fog and temps in the 40's (F) yesterday, and it's sunny and in the low 40s already today, although the incoming front has kicked up winds that gust to at least 50 mph. Not much of a respite, likely. Our snowiest part of the year is usually late Feb - early March, and we're just heading into it.

 

[scorpa]

Hee! I had all of the windows open in my place to let some fresh air in. They've mostly been frozen shut for a few months now. But, yeah. We were laughing about that at work on Friday. Make it a couple of degrees above zero C, and Canadians are out in their t-shirts. We're depraved.

I opened up all my windows to...it is so nice to finally get some fresh air into the apartment! Makes it smell so clean and fresh, I love it! I am so excited about this weather, all I want to do is be outside!

 

[Danger]

Make it a couple of degrees above zero C, and Canadians are out in their t-shirts. We're depraved.

It was +10 here yesterday, and +8 today! That's downright balmy. I just had to go outside and play (well, stroll around) a few minutes ago. I couldn't stay, though, because I can't hear the phone from out there.

My boss and I were jawing about it today. She said that a few years ago she and her husband and some friends spent a short vacation in Florida. They figured that they had the beach all to themselves because of it being the middle of the work week, and were just having the time of their lives swimming and sunbathing. Then some middle aged couple strolled up wearing toques, scarves and winter coats and said "You're Canadians, aren't you?" They asked what gave them away... turned out to be the area's coldest day on record and nobody wanted to brave the outdoors.

 

[turbo]

Oh, yeah! I'd fly into Florida to do some consulting work and I'd be getting my rental car loading luggage, etc in a short-sleeved shirt and sweating at that, and people would be coming to pick up their friends and relatives wearing sweatshirts with down vests over them. My niece is moving back to Maine from Florida next summer to continue her studies, and her husband has never had to contend with real winter weather. It ought to be interesting to see if I can get him over here to help me split and stack wood when the temp is in the 30's (I usually wear a t-shirt for that). I figure if he gets cold, he'll have to work harder to keep from freezing and I'll be able to get some real work out of him.

One day I had some time to kill in Mobile AL, so I grabbed a sandwich and a couple of beers and went to Mobile Beach. It was a warm sunny day (70's) and the Gulf water was WAY warmer than any ocean water around Maine. I had a great afternoon, and never saw another person all the time I was there.

 

[Evo]

We're having another major snow storm. This is freaking unbelieveable, this has been the coldest, snowiest, iciest winter I can remember. Everywhere you go it's all you hear. Usually you have a cold snap, then it warms up, then another cold snap. Instead it's day after day after day of freezing weather.

 

[Andre]

Well, we had a major La Niña the last few months and the sun is very quiet. It may or may not mean something.

 

[Astronuc]

We're having another major snow storm. This is freaking unbelieveable, this has been the coldest, snowiest, iciest winter I can remember. Everywhere you go it's all you hear. Usually you have a cold snap, then it warms up, then another cold snap. Instead it's day after day after day of freezing weather.

We're supposed to have another winter storm as well, and I have to have to do a round trip of about 300 mi this afternoon/evening.

I'll send some warm thoughts your way, Evo.


Incidentally, Tajikistan (Dushanbe) is having its coldest winter in 25 years. Energy costs are up, and demand for power apparently exceeds supply.

 

[hypatia]

Michigan has been hit hard this past week too. News now says 5 to 12 Inches of the white stuff by tomorrow. I am so ready for spring...sighs