What safety precautions should residents take during snowmelt season?

[cristo]

The streets are ok - the problem is normally the railways, especially the tube.

The streets weren't ok; that's why every London bus was taken out of service. The problem was that so many different people are responsible for gritting the roads, and they don't talk to each other. Then, if the bus system doesn't work, tube drivers and people who work in tube stations don't get to work, so couple that with the fact that the ends of most of the lines are outside and you have a huge problem. Quite laughable really, but then what do you expect from a city without a snow plough.

I did have a wry laugh at the Scottish yesterday, though. On Monday, they were calling/emailing news programmes in an outrage when they heard most of the schools in the southeast area were closed due to "a little bit of snow." Come yesterday, though when the snow reached Scotland, they then proceeded to shut their schools!

 

[George Jones]

Snow day!

For the first time in my three years here in Saint John, my workplace has shutdown all day and the city buses have been pulled off the streets. By the time the snow finishes, the total accumulation from the storm could be as much as 40 centimetres (16 inches).

 

[Evo]

Snow day!

For the first time in my three years here in Saint John, my workplace has shutdown all day and the city buses have been pulled off the streets. By the time the snow finishes, the total accumulation from the storm could be as much as 40 centimetres (16 inches).

Good grief, I hope you and your wife do not need to go out in this!

 

[turbo]

We got about a foot and a half overnight and it's still coming down lightly. Here is the current view through the living room window.

And here is what you see through the kitchen window. If you get close to the window and look up, you can see the pine trees across the road.

As the snow and ice slide off the roof, a pretty large pile accumulates in front of the house. It's pretty dark in here because of that.

 

[Evo]

Ahahaha.

Uhm, I mean, that's dreadful!

 

[turbo]

I underestimated. We got 2 feet, more in places where the snow could sift in. I just got done digging everything out. Here is the view under the front eaves where the bird feeders are. We won't see anything out the front windows for at least a month or two. I snapped a shear-pin while snow-blowing and had to replace that, then my wife (who had parked her car at a neighbor's whose place was already plowed out went to pick it up and found that she had left her parking lights on all day - battery was dead and needed to be boosted, and I've got it on a charger right now. What a day! BTW, it has been snowing really hard for about an hour now. I surrender!

 

[George Jones]

Good grief, I hope you and your wife do not need to go out in this!

No one had to go out today.

The last couple of months, work has been hectic. I went in for a few hours yesterday to prepare for today, which, because of the storm, meant that I was really preparing somewhat for tomorrow and Wednesday, so I've had a nice break today.

I spent the day playing with my two-and-a-half-year-old daughter, reading a novel, eating freshly made pakoras, and drinking Earl Grey tea.

 

[Borek]

This not a thread for me, I need thread "It's melting". Earlier today I had two feet icicles near my front door, but they are gone now - Sun was operating too strong. I am putting wood for fireplace on the outside, close to garden balcony window - yesterday every piece was covered with a centimeter of ice, as wood lies in the place where water drops from the roof. Rain gutter is either frozen somewhere, or it is at a wrong angle. Two years ago it was fixed, and I don't remember problems last year.

 

[heldervelez]

Someone said: Global Warming evidence !

 

[turbo]

Someone said: Global Warming evidence !

It is evidence (at least circumstantial) of warming. We never get these huge snowfalls unless warm air-masses move in and collide with cold air over the interior. Over the last couple of years, this pattern has established, and it is happening with regularity. Our summers have not gotten warmer (thank God!) but our winters for the last couple of years have been punctuated regularly by incursions of warm, moist air, resulting in blizzards and record snowfall. During our winters, snowfall is negatively correlated to coldness. If we could stay very cold, dominated by Arctic air-masses, our snowfall would be nominal. Climate-change newbies do not know this, nor do they have an appreciation for the context in which this weather might be construed (long-term) as climate.

 

[OmCheeto]

It is evidence (at least circumstantial) of warming. We never get these huge snowfalls unless warm air-masses move in and collide with cold air over the interior. Over the last couple of years, this pattern has established, and it is happening with regularity. Our summers have not gotten warmer (thank God!) but our winters for the last couple of years have been punctuated regularly by incursions of warm, moist air, resulting in blizzards and record snowfall. During our winters, snowfall is negatively correlated to coldness. If we could stay very cold, dominated by Arctic air-masses, our snowfall would be nominal. Climate-change newbies do not know this, nor do they have an appreciation for the context in which this weather might be construed (long-term) as climate.

Over here on the other side of the country, we had http://www.kgw.com/news-local/stories/kgw_120908_weather_portland_snow.481e1ec4.html" this last December. We've not had that much snow in over 50 years. And from the sounds of it, many tweeners had lots as well. Perhaps next season we should have a "It's not snowing!" thread.

 

[heldervelez]

long-term climate ?
a lot of references on long-term climate say : we are living on a interglacial period.
a warming phase signifies Summers like usual and warmer Winters.
Global Temps this winter have been colder or warmer than usual?
This winter and along Europe we had a lot of unsual cold. But this is only details.
The general trend is not into be seen on isolated details. We have to average etc...
But the last NASA satelite to 'measure GW' did not reach his position and went down.
It's a pitty.
Along these 11 pages of talking on wheter in this thread no one mentioned the GW, but me (I'm against GW(*)). If, instead, we have been talking on warmer winter I bet that GW will have been mentioned.

(*) this is not on why people (or myself) are pro or against. Simply to bold that GW was absent of the conversation.

 

[turbo]

Interesting weather today! Woke up to freezing fog, and now the temperature is rising rapidly. Rain is in the forecast, and I sure hope it is not torrential. The snow-pack is very heavy and rapid melting could cause some real trouble in the river-valleys. I'm simmering a big batch of my home-made pizza sauce right now, and looking at our blooming forsythia-branches from time to time for a hint of Spring.

Of course, that's just wishful thinking. I know Winter is baring its fangs, looking for innocent victims.

 

[Evo]

The temperature here started plummeting yesterday afternoon. Snow tonight and tomorrow, high of 29F, low 18F.

We're freezing.

 

[Art]

In Ireland we're averaging ~1.5 C colder so far this year than last year which itself was a record cold Jan/Feb.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

looking at our blooming forsythia-branches from time to time for a hint of Spring.

Thanks for the hint. I have a forsythia bush growing in my back yard. It is one of my wife's favorites. What do I need to do to get some branches to blossom inside like that?

 

[turbo]

Thanks for the hint. I have a forsythia bush growing in my back yard. It is one of my wife's favorites. What do I need to do to get some branches to blossom inside like that?

Trim some branches and arrange them in a vase and add warm water. That's all. The flower buds will swell and start to open in a few days, and after about a week, you'll have leaves emerging at the tips of the branches. It's a nice way to get a touch of spring during a long, hard winter.

 

[Redbelly98]

In Ireland we're averaging ~1.5 C colder so far this year than last year which itself was a record cold Jan/Feb.

For the Americans reading, note that 1.5C is about 35F. Incredible that it would change by that much in 1 year!

 

[turbo]

For the Americans reading, note that 1.5C is about 35F. Incredible that it would change by that much in 1 year!

Well, I guess we can kiss all the Irish glaciers good-bye, then.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Trim some branches and arrange them in a vase and add warm water. That's all. The flower buds will swell and start to open in a few days, and after about a week, you'll have leaves emerging at the tips of the branches. It's a nice way to get a touch of spring during a long, hard winter.

Thanks. I'm bound to get a couple of kisses out of this. I'll give you one when we meet. Don't worry, I don't wear perfume.

 

[turbo]

Thanks. I'm bound to get a couple of kisses out of this. I'll give you one when we meet. Don't worry, I don't wear perfume.

Eek! No more gardening tips for you!

 

[heldervelez]

I'm a lucky guy at Lisbon, Portugal, South Europe.
This week was fabulous 20ºC (almost beach time). A dream to a lot of people.
Tomorrow will be raining again and more freeze (15ºC).
I hope you have better weather in near future.
It makes more smiles in the people.

 

[Art]

For the Americans reading, note that 1.5C is about 35F. Incredible that it would change by that much in 1 year!

It feels freezing when you're not used to it

The south of France is beginning to look very attractive.

 

[Art]

Well, I guess we can kiss all the Irish glaciers good-bye, then.

We used to have mountains too once but all the rain washed them away. We only have a few molehills left now.

 

[Evo]

We are having quite a snow storm. I hear the guy shoveling my sidewalk out front.

 

[turbo]

Luckily, the rain that was forecast for last night never developed - just a little freezing drizzle. The birds had emptied my 2-qt seed feeder by 10:30, so I went out and refilled it. They must have had look-outs watching for me to do that because there is a huge mixed flock of goldfinches, siskins, and redpolls chowing down. The chickadees and nuthatches have to fight for a place at the feeder when those little flying pigs mob it.

 

[Astronuc]

It's not snowing yet, but we're supposed to get about 8-12 inches (20-30 cm) of snow in the next 24 hrs.

 

[turbo]

It's not snowing yet, but we're supposed to get about 8-12 inches (20-30 cm) of snow in the next 24 hrs.

We're in line for the higher end, Astro. I really don't want it, but there is at least a month of this stuff in the conga-line.

 

[jtbell]

Down here in the Southeast, people are in a tizzy over it. It's not too bad here so far, but one of my "local" TV stations had its transmitter tower (up in the mountains) collapse in the wind this afternoon, and another station has gone off the air.

 

[OmCheeto]

Down here in the Southeast, people are in a tizzy over it. It's not too bad here so far, but one of my "local" TV stations had its transmitter tower (up in the mountains) collapse in the wind this afternoon, and another station has gone off the air.

Stop it! You're freakin me out. I just checked google earth, and there's a freakin hurricane lookin' thing 200 miles away from here! (Lisab! Batten the hatches!)

We don't get hurricanes here! EVER!

hmmmm... um. wait a minute...

Isn't that just the signature photo of a low pressure area?

errrrum... yup. ummm... never mind...

It's just going to rain.

sorry for the snafu.

 

[~christina~]

Oh wow, I haven't went out this weekend or watched the news and I turn on the news right now and guess what? 8 inches by tommorow. faints*

 

[lisab]

Stop it! You're freakin me out. I just checked google earth, and there's a freakin hurricane lookin' thing 200 miles away from here! (Lisab! Batten the hatches!)

We don't get hurricanes here! EVER!

hmmmm... um. wait a minute...

Isn't that just the signature photo of a low pressure area?

errrrum... yup. ummm... never mind...

It's just going to rain.

sorry for the snafu.

Thanks for the warning, Om...I'll dig out my rain jacket. Oh what am I saying, there it is right there...the only jacket I ever wear! Year round!

Even so, just to be on the safe side, I will batten down my hatches, Om...whatever that means. Where would I find my hatches? And how exactly do I batten them...?

Oh and that hiker guy on your map...hope he's wearing his Gore-Tex.

 

[Andre]

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/56700.html

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

It's just one snowflake piling up on top of another in the worst white on white violence I've seen since last year. Except when Ma Hogue took after Pa during the Miss Fortune swimsuit contest. It's six inches deep and still growing. Can you believe that turbo-1, Huh? Can you?

 

[Astronuc]

I was shoveling the end of my driveway before the town's plow truck plowed the snow from the street into my driveway, and as I was standing about to start the last part that was about 6 feet wide of really dense stuff from the previous plow run, a lady in a pickup truck with a plow drove on to the shoulder, dropped the plow, and cleared away the end of my driveway, then raised the plow and drove off. I just smiled and waved. That was very sweet of her.

I thought she was going to plow the neighbors driveway since the regular plow person sometimes comes from that direction and drops the plow in front of my driveway and clears out both.

 

[turbo]

It's just one snowflake piling up on top of another in the worst white on white violence I've seen since last year. Except when Ma Hogue took after Pa during the Miss Fortune swimsuit contest. It's six inches deep and still growing. Can you believe that turbo-1, Huh? Can you?

I can believe it. We have 6" on the ground already, and the snow is not supposed to stop until sometime tomorrow. Winds are light now, but are expected to increase greatly, producing blizzard/whiteout conditions. Fun.

 

[BobG]

Time to take the top off the Jeep. Beautiful weather. 70's for the first half of the week.

Of course, I'm pretty sure Colorado will get its own Spring snow storm somewhere along the way. For now, I just laugh.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

I can believe it. We have 6" on the ground already, and the snow is not supposed to stop until sometime tomorrow. Winds are light now, but are expected to increase greatly, producing blizzard/whiteout conditions. Fun.

Oh. I thought 6" of snow in your neck of the woods was reported as 'high humidity'.

 

[turbo]

Oh. I thought 6" of snow in your neck of the woods was reported as 'high humidity'.

My standard joke about the accuracy of winter forecasts is "I just shoveled 10" of partially-cloudy out of my driveway." 6" is really nothing here - it's the other multiple 6"s that might come before this is over. We got 4 of those last Monday.

 

[Astronuc]

We seem to be getting a second wave - with wind.

We had 10-20 mph winds this morning with 20F ambient temp.

 

[hypatia]

I hope all the nor-easter folks keep their power, and stay safe and warm.

 

[~christina~]

It was a strange strange day. There was a transformer box that went up in flames, which in turn actually was from the electric wires underground catching fire. Then the fire department felt that they weren't going to put out the fire until the electric company came over...and then there was this explosion. And finally we lost power. Oh, did I mention that this was after we got 10.5 inches of snow, and that I had to shovel it all? (this was after I had to go to school, which was canceled for everyone else, of course)
I took pictures of this pipe that was on fire but didn't get pictures of the large flames coming out of the manhole cover. might post it.

 

[turbo]

It was a strange strange day. There was a transformer box that went up in flames, which in turn actually was from the electric wires underground catching fire. Then the fire department felt that they weren't going to put out the fire until the electric company came over...and then there was this explosion. And finally we lost power. Oh, did I mention that this was after we got 10.5 inches of snow, and that I had to shovel it all? (this was after I had to go to school, which was canceled for everyone else, of course)
I took pictures of this pipe that was on fire but didn't get pictures of the large flames coming out of the manhole cover. might post it.

Yuck! WE got less than the foot of snow that was expected because the storm raced to the SE of us in it's path to whack the maritimes. The tell-tale was when the heaviest snows came on rather neutral or westerly winds. Normally, blizzards feature heavy easterly winds as the low parks over the gulf of Maine and sweeps warm, wet air up and over the interior.

 

[Evo]

It was a strange strange day. There was a transformer box that went up in flames, which in turn actually was from the electric wires underground catching fire. Then the fire department felt that they weren't going to put out the fire until the electric company came over...and then there was this explosion. And finally we lost power. Oh, did I mention that this was after we got 10.5 inches of snow, and that I had to shovel it all? (this was after I had to go to school, which was canceled for everyone else, of course)
I took pictures of this pipe that was on fire but didn't get pictures of the large flames coming out of the manhole cover. might post it.

Gives Cristina a {{{{HUG}}}}.

I hope things are better by now.

 

[turbo]

I hope things have straightened out ~christina~. If I lost power before having to clean up snow, I would have to start my generator, and use the generator to electrically start my snow-blower. The blower has a big motor, and when it is cold out and the oil is thick, I can't seem to pull it over by hand fast enough to get it started.

Note: after the storm, a windy cold air mass moved in, and my mixed flock of goldfinches, siskins, and redpolls has dwindled to just a few individuals. I read recently that songbirds can travel several hundred miles in a day, and I've got to think that those little rascals have headed for the coast where it's warmer and will only wander back to my "bird buffet" when the temperatures moderate.

 

[Redbelly98]

Note: after the storm, a windy cold air mass moved in, and my mixed flock of goldfinches, siskins, and redpolls has dwindled to just a few individuals.

turbo, have you noticed any woodpeckers? I hope they are okay.

 

[turbo]

turbo, have you noticed any woodpeckers? I hope they are okay.

Woodpeckers over-winter every year. They love my suet-feeder. Hairy, downy, three-toed... pretty tough birds.

 

[Redbelly98]

Thanks! Glad to hear it. Yes, damn tough birds we--er, they are!

 

[turbo]

Thanks! Glad to hear it. Yes, damn tough birds we--er, they are!

We have the big pileated woodpeckers, too, but they don't visit the suet feeder. I can hear them hooting like maniacs in the woods, though.

 

[lisab]

http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/7665/snowinmarcho.jpg


A bit unusual in the Seattle area to still be getting snow in March, but this was the view out of my family room this morning. C'mon Spring...hurry up!