What safety precautions should residents take during snowmelt season?

[LightbulbSun]

Visibility is still getting worse. Anything 1/4 mile out cannot be seen with the unaided eye anymore.

 

[Astronuc]

We have a snow emergency. The police have been driving up and down the main road and ordering people to remove their cars or they will be towed.

We are expected to have a foot (30 cm) - give or take.

 

[wildman]

Thanks, Fi! My former boss counter-sued claiming that I severely damaged his company by steering a potential client to a competitor. I did no such thing, nor have they any evidence (message pads, emails, computer records, emails, etc) to support that made-up claim. They dropped that today - the day before trial begins - it would have made them look quite desperate and dishonest to float that claim.

Turbo, open a thread and tell us about it when its all over.

 

[LightbulbSun]

We have a snow emergency. The police have been driving up and down the main road and ordering people to remove their cars or they will be towed.

We are expected to have a foot (30 cm) - give or take.

From NWS Albany

...INTENSE SNOWFALL RATES WILL RESULT IN VERY HAZARDOUS TRAVEL
CONDITIONS INTO THIS EVENING...

WIDESPREAD SNOW...HEAVY AT TIMES...WILL CONTINUE TO FALL ACROSS
ALL OF EAST CENTRAL NEW YORK AND ADJACENT WESTERN NEW ENGLAND
THROUGH THE REST OF THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO THIS EVENING.
SNOWFALL RATES OF 1 TO 3 INCHES PER HOUR WILL OCCUR DURING THIS
TIME...WHICH WILL SEVERELY HAMPER THE EVENING COMMUTE. THE HEAVY
SNOW WILL ALSO REDUCE THE VISIBILITY TO LESS THAN ONE QUARTER MILE
AT TIMES. EXTREME CAUTION SHOULD BE USED WHILE DRIVING ON AREA
ROADS.

The dry slot in Ohio will hamper snowfall totals in BGM.

 

[LightbulbSun]

We already have 2" of snow accumulation. It's coming down at over an inch per hour now.

 

[hypatia]

It finally stopped here, with 10 inches. I've unburied my car 3 times, due to drifting. I must admit, when I have a minute to pause from shoveling, it is just so beautiful.
Now the wind is howling, and I half to go carve out a potty path for the dog

 

[Evo]

It finally stopped here, with 10 inches. I've unburied my car 3 times, due to drifting. I must admit, when I have a minute to pause from shoveling, it is just so beautiful.
Now the wind is howling, and I half to go carve out a potty path for the dog

Heheh, I remember one deep snow and my little dog went out and fell through the snow and I couldn't see him. He managed to surface, but he was freaked out.

 

[LightbulbSun]

As of 3PM here, we have 3.06" of snow accumulation. Still coming down at over an inch per hour.

 

[Astronuc]

We have about 6'' (15 cm) now, and still snowing. Nice powder from small flakes.

 

[cristo]

I wish it was snowing here but, as usual, it's just raining. Pretty depressing, if you ask me!

 

[LightbulbSun]

As of 6PM here, we have 5.75" of snow accumulation. It's starting to slow down in intensity a bit, but it's still coming down pretty good. The roads are treacherous. We've got some nice drifting snow from the winds.

 

[bassplayer142]

We just got more then a foot just north of Detroit. What a pain to do the driveway...

 

[LightbulbSun]

Just did another measurement. We have 6.25" of snow accumulation. The intensity of the snowfall has tapered off dramatically over the past two hours. Snowfall rates are now only 1/2 inch per hour. I'm calling for 7-8" when all set and done.

 

[Astronuc]

Free Snow!

I'm giving away free snow. Come take us much as you want.

We had about 10 inches (25 cm) of snow. I've already shoveled what feels like tons, and I've still got a little more cleanup to do.

 

[turbo]

I'm giving away free snow. Come take us much as you want.

We had about 10 inches (25 cm) of snow. I've already shoveled what feels like tons, and I've still got a little more cleanup to do.

We got a dusting (1-2") overnight. Most of it played out over the Gulf of Maine. I hope more storms track south this year. We got well over 10 feet of the white stuff last winter and I'm hoping for no repeat.

 

[Evo]

We're just FREEZING here. Tomorrow's HIGH will be 15 below zero F with the wind chill.

 

[Andre]

We're just FREEZING here. Tomorrow's HIGH will be 15 below zero F with the wind chill.

Have a bit of our heat wave, about 45-50F here

 

[LightbulbSun]

Well Astro, consider yourself fortunate for tomorrow. My area and southern Saratoga county look to hit the jackpot from tomorrow's storm.

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
113 PM EST SAT DEC 20 2008

NYZ048>050-210215-
/O.UPG.KALY.WS.A.0014.081221T0900Z-081222T1200Z/
/O.NEW.KALY.WS.W.0014.081221T0900Z-081222T0300Z/
WESTERN SCHENECTADY-EASTERN SCHENECTADY-SOUTHERN SARATOGA-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...DELANSON...ESPERANCE...DUANESBURG...
SCHENECTADY...ROTTERDAM...BALLSTON SPA...MECHANICVILLE...
WATERFORD
113 PM EST SAT DEC 20 2008

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM TO 10 PM EST SUNDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ALBANY HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM
WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM TO 10 PM
EST SUNDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

THE NEXT WINTER STORM WILL BRING 5 TO 10 INCHES OF SNOW TO
SARATOGA AND SCHENECTADY COUNTIES. THE HIGHER AMOUNTS ARE LIKELY
OVER WESTERN SCHENECTADY COUNTY. SNOW FALL RATES ON SUNDAY COULD
EXCEED 1 INCH PER HOUR.

WINDS SUNDAY WILL INCREASE TO 15 TO 25 MPH OVER THE HIGHER
ELEVATIONS RESULTING IN BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF SNOW.

More snow and low visibility tomorrow.

 

[Evo]

Heh, that's where I used to live. I got caught in a whiteout once.

 

[SticksandStones]

We got a dusting (1-2") overnight. Most of it played out over the Gulf of Maine. I hope more storms track south this year. We got well over 10 feet of the white stuff last winter and I'm hoping for no repeat.

An area just south of my school is known for getting over 16 feet a year on average. No idea how they put up with it. I'd go crazy after a while.

 

[Redbelly98]

If it's snowing, then it's time to get the Christmas display ready ...

 

[Evo]

If it's snowing, then it's time to get the Christmas display ready ...

Love it! I still think you need antlers, like my friends here.

 

[LightbulbSun]

Heh, that's where I used to live. I got caught in a whiteout once.

Really?

 

[Evo]

Really?

Yeah, Ballston Spa.

 

[Redbelly98]

Love it! I still think you need antlers, like my friends here.

What, you think I can just magically sprout antlers because somebody thinks it would look cool? How silly!

"Dammit Jim. I'm a woodpecker, not a reindeer!"

 

[Evo]

What, you think I can just magically sprout antlers because somebody thinks it would look cool? How silly!

"Dammit Jim. I'm a woodpecker, not a reindeer!"

<snort>

 

[George Jones]

Here's what the national weather service says is in store for me tomorrow night:

WINTER STORM WARNING: Saint John and County. Issued at 3:28 PM AST SATURDAY 20 DECEMBER 2008

HEAVY SNOWFALL UP TO 30 CENTIMETRES WITH STRONG WINDS AND AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF NEAR ZERO VISIBILITIES IN BLOWING SNOW EXPECTED SUNDAY NIGHT. THIS IS A WARNING THAT DANGEROUS WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED IN THESE REGIONS. MONITOR WEATHER CONDITIONS..LISTEN FOR UPDATED STATEMENTS.

30 cm is 12 inches.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Portland [Janus], Oregon, is getting hammered right now; probably 8" today and another 4" tomorrow.

 

[hypatia]

We will get our first Winter storm starting around 6 am tomorrow. Its predicted to add another 4 inches on top our 10 inches left by our fall storm.
I hope everyone has a wonderful Solstice, do something special.

 

[lisab]

Portland [Janus], Oregon, is getting hammered right now; probably 8" today and another 4" tomorrow.

And further north where I am (Seattle area), we're also getting hammered. Lots of snow plus a wind storm coming through about midnight. Wind storms = power outages. YUCK!

 

[Redbelly98]

And further north where I am (Seattle area), we're also getting hammered.

We all got hammered last night too ...

YESH! drunk posting! <hic>

I love you guys! <hic>

 

[Janus]

Portland [Janus], Oregon, is getting hammered right now; probably 8" today and another 4" tomorrow.

And after that we're supposed to get freezing rain, and since we live in the NE part of the city, we will likely get hit hard (cold East winds blowing out the Columbia Gorge.)

We went out earlier, got some groceries, and had the bad luck to find out that the car's battery needs to be replaced. After leaving the store it wouldn't turn the car over.(cold always brings out the worst in a car battery; it hadn't been giving me any trouble until now) Luckily, we were able to get a jump and made it home.

We just got home and got a call from my daughter asking if I could pick her up. She had gone out sledding with friends earlier and had been waiting at a bus stop for bus that didn't seem to be coming. (by this time it was snowing hard and about 19° F) I wentback out to the car and it wouldn't turn over again(yep, definitely time for a new battery). So I defaulted to the back-up car. (The 91' Civic we park in the street) . Unfortunately, the Honda does not have a working heater/defroster. It did have a good battery however, and started. Had an anxious moment as to whether or not I'd be able to plow through the drift that had formed around the car even with chains, but got out and was able to get my daughter home, constantly wiping the inside of the wind shield the whole time to keep it from frosting over.

Now I'm sitting at the computer listening to the wind howl and rattle the windows.

 

[hypatia]

Janus, I'm glad daughter and you are home safe. I so dislike winter driving, and wish we were allowed to wear chains. My son had to come get the metal detector and his spare key, after loosing his keys while using a snow blower. Haven't heard if he found them yet.
Nice, well mannered snow has started to fall again here. Very lovely.

 

[offtheleft]

i HATE the snow :(

the day before yesterday, my mom put all new tires on my car. new tires + snow = BAD. especially when theyre summer tires LOL i was all over the road :( than, this morning when i was getting ready for work, my e-brake was frozen! UGH

 

[Andre]

And further north where I am (Seattle area), we're also getting hammered. Lots of snow plus a wind storm coming through about midnight. Wind storms = power outages. YUCK!

Winds seem to have diminished, Lisa, but now it's freezing rain. Not so good for power lines either.