[brassplayersrock²]

i really wanted to see the fire truck slip and slide am i the only one?

[nonhuman]

Ugh. Stupid winter. And stupid 'snow emergencies'. Who ever heard of that?

Thanks to the storm last night it took Jessi about 4 hours to get home from work even though she left at 2pm. It's usually a 30-45 minute commute (Chelmsford to Somerville). Since it took so long, and since it was a snow emergency meaning that you could only park on one side of the street, there was no parking by our condo and I had to take the car out to one of the emergency lots that they made available. It hadn't been plowed, so I had to power our little Mazda 3 through about 2 feet of drifted snow. I was actually really impressed with how well it handled in the snow, although that probably has a lot to do with the fact that I've only ever driven rwd cars before. Then this morning I had to walk back to the lot with a snow shovel, dig my car out (at least they had plowed the lot so I didn't have to dig all the way out to the street) and drive it back to one of the spots that had opened up. Then, because I didn't really want to test out my parallel parking skills in snow and slush I had to dig out the parking space before I could park the car.

We're not moving that car again until it's absolutely necessary.

[brassplayersrock²]

you know who made a real wallet full last night right?? the tow companies. i saw at least 10 cars, give or take a couple, on my street that were still parked get towed away since it was a snow emergency and there are signs everywhere that say "no parking during snow emergencies"

[sek929]

First snowfall report for sek929...

Cracked windshield: Check

Broken wiper blade: Check

Popped rear tire: Check

@#$!

[brassplayersrock²]

sorry to hear that sek. i had a teacher who's car got side swiped by a snow plow

[nonhuman]

Originally Posted by brassplayersrock² 

you know who made a real wallet full last night right?? the tow companies. i saw at least 10 cars, give or take a couple, on my street that were still parked get towed away since it was a snow emergency and there are signs everywhere that say "no parking during snow emergencies"

The problem with the snow emergency thing is that it's up to everyone to find out for themselves whether it's a snow emergency or not. The only reason I knew was because one of Jessi's coworkers had apparently subscribed to some email alert thing. I'm now subscribed to it myself, but for those of us who don't come from places where such things ever happen, it's not exactly obvious that we need to be aware of it. Even when I lived in New Jersey and Minnesota I don't recall there ever being such a thing as a snow emergency when you all of a sudden couldn't park in 50% of the otherwise perfectly good parking spaces.

[nonhuman]

Originally Posted by sek929 

First snowfall report for sek929...

Cracked windshield: Check

Broken wiper blade: Check

Popped rear tire: Check

@#$!

Ouch, that blows. I feel kinda lucky now to have gotten out of it with nothing more than some sore muscles and wet pant legs (from wading around in the snow, you jerks).

[brassplayersrock²]

did you get the white rings around your pants/boots after they dried?

(does anyone know what causes that?)

[medicman55]

Originally Posted by brassplayersrock² 

did you get the white rings around your pants/boots after they dried?

(does anyone know what causes that?)

Do you mean dried salt?

Why must it be so cold in Detroit? I mean, living here sucks already, why must it be cold also!

[brassplayersrock²]

there's salt in freshly fallen snow during a storm? not being dumb

[medicman55]

I don't know about when the snow is freshly fallen, but when the salt trucks come around, enough salt dissolves in puddles, and creates the white rings on my pants.

[brassplayersrock²]

you're right. i was thinking about it, and the rings showed up after they re-dried the day after the storm and after i walked around in the puddles ect.

[Dork.]

The media here says that before it's all said and done, we're going to get close to two feet of snow between now and Monday. But normally when they hype up a storm like this, it turns out to be a dud. (Of course, 8 inches would not be a dud in most other places!) We're getting some good snow now, but not the inch-an-hour kind.

[brassplayersrock²]

Originally Posted by Dork. 

The media here says that before it's all said and done, we're going to get close to two feet of snow between now and Monday. But normally when they hype up a storm like this, it turns out to be a dud. (Of course, 8 inches would not be a dud in most other places!) We're getting some good snow now, but not the inch-an-hour kind.

no snow in Boston at the moment. we're supposed to get clobbered again though

[medicman55]

Isn't Rochester in an area which gets pounded by "Lake-effect" snow? Yeah, eight inches of snow anywhere else would be a big deal, but I guess when you live in an area where thats pretty small, it isn't that big of a deal.

[nonhuman]

Originally Posted by brassplayersrock² 

you're right. i was thinking about it, and the rings showed up after they re-dried the day after the storm and after i walked around in the puddles ect.

Yeah, no white rings thankfully. I hate that. Fortunately the two new pairs of jeans I ordered finally arrived, so I actually own multiple pairs again (my other two developed large tears pretty much simultaneously).

[abe]

Seeing how the storm that battered the Northwest has now moved across the country and is battering the Eastern US, leaving misery in it's wake, I have bad news for you.

weather.com - Map Room - Satellite Map, Weather Map, Doppler Radar US Current Weather

The Northwest received heavy and steady rains and drizzle today. Though not as heavy or as violent as the storms that produced the ice, snowfall and blackouts over the Midwest-Southeast-Great Lakes region.

I hope y'all are spared.

[brassplayersrock²]

thanks abe! i really wanted to hear that! it so made my day. /sarcasm

i just hope that i can go out sometime tomorrow. i don't want to be stuck inside all day again doing work.

[Laminar]

Originally Posted by nonhuman 

(my other two developed large tears pretty much simultaneously).

You know you shouldn't ever insult something as sensative as a pair of jeans.

[brassplayersrock²]

around the corner from me:



down the block on the mass ave bridge:

[residentEvil]

i got just around 8" this morning to go shovel...another 4" throughout the late morning/early afternoon is expected. have A LOT of drifting right now too...30mph winds. guy next door is snow blowing and just making one hell of a mess on him, the house, etc. hahaha. me? lift and toss and no mess. course, i will be tired and soar (first time this season) and he will be done soon but well...life of a shoveler.

[andi*pandi]

sleeting now, on top of 6" of fresh powder. We're invited to a brunch today, I think we'll be staying in!

[brassplayersrock²]

! <~~ me after i wake up and open my window shade

[MacosNerd]

Yeah its miserable here in the boston area. Not sure how much snow has fallen, but it changing over to sleet as I type.

The family and I are basically trapped in the house, but being hardy New Englanders I made sure I purchased 100 gallons of milk and 50 loaves of bread

I was seeing how people were clearing the shelves off the super market. Its like they never saw a snow storm before.

[brassplayersrock²]

i've no food here, so i need to walk the 10 minutes to the berklee cafe, and THEN on the way back buy supplies. either that or pick up some hobocicles and catch up on my bbq skills (fyi, i have a weird sense of humor)

edit:
i just checked on a pint glass that i left outside last night. it's just about full with snow, if that helps

edit 2: *looks down the street* oh.... lovely. can't see the side walk except where it has been cleared in front of house

edit 3: 4 inches piled on my window sill

[MacosNerd]

You think the cafe will be open at this hour and with these conditions.

Nothing is moving where I live, but that doesn't mean all of Boston is paralyzed.

[brassplayersrock²]

it's supposed to be open at 10:30 on weekends no matter what. the staff that are on duty here (security, cleaning people etc) need to eat as well. (i'm a student btw)

at least the snow plows are out in force this time around. they were a wee bit lazy last time

[andi*pandi]

I cannot find my newspaper. It's under all that snow somewhere...

[brassplayersrock²]

it'll be there when the snow melts. don't worry

[brassplayersrock²]

wish me luck, i'll be venturing outside in 15 minutes

[residentEvil]

i've been out 2x now to shovel. doesn't sleep to be letting up much. will wait a little longer this time before going out again. hopefully that will be it.

[medicman55]

Well, Detroit got pounded by the snow today. I had to get a 6-pin firewire cable from Staples, and I was the first one in there!

[Eug]

More than 190 flights to/from Toronto have been cancelled today. 70 km/hr winds, with 25 cm of snow (more outside Toronto). 100000 left without power in Ontario. It's supposed to continue snowing most of the day today.



Video

Luckily I bought a snowthrower yesterday. Tried it yesterday and it worked well with the little snow we had. Today's amount though should prove to be an interesting test.



It's a 12 amp electric version. The gas ones are more powerful, but also cost a heluvalot more if you want a half-decent one, and the good ones are humungous.

[sek929]

It's raining like crazy right now...luckily it's going to get to 23º tonight so everything will be a solid block of ice by tomorrow.

[brassplayersrock²]

i walk to the OPENED cafe, and it's snowing. i emerge from the cafe and it's sleeting HARD. my face feels like raw meat right now. about 5 minutes from the dorm it starts to rain.
i've never experienced an actual saying come true "if you don't like the weather in new england, wait 10 minutes"

that looks like a great snow blower eug

[nonhuman]

Hopefully the forecast holds in that it breaks 40° today. Then most of the snow will clear itself, and I'll go out and take care of the rest with the shovel.

[brassplayersrock²]

looks as if the rain will do most of that for you. we've lost a good amount of snow cover due to it

[nonhuman]

Yeah, that's my plan. Just gotta keep an eye on the temperature and make sure I get out there before it drops below freezing again.

[brassplayersrock²]

Logan International Airport in Boston reported few problems on Saturday, but Sunday morning more than 100 flights were canceled or delayed because of heavy snow, freezing fog and wind gusts as high as 37 miles per hour.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/16/us...rm.html?ref=us

[brassplayersrock²]

Originally Posted by nonhuman 

Yeah, that's my plan. Just gotta keep an eye on the temperature and make sure I get out there before it drops below freezing again.

well, it's 35º right now, so i say you're in the clear for now

[nonhuman]

Yeah, I'll probably go out in an hour or two.

[brassplayersrock²]

need a hand

[nonhuman]

You wanna dig my car out? Be my guest.

I may even buy you a drink.

[Eug]

[iranfromthezoo]

its 47 here...freezing cold to me...haven't seen snow in 7 years.

[nonhuman]

Well, I just finished digging out the car (no thanks to brassplayersrock ). Boy did that suck. The snow around the car was up to my knees, so I had to actually do a whole lot of extra shoveling just to clear a path to the snow that needed shoveling.

Our front yard looks pretty cool though, with all the drifted and shoveled snow it's over waste-deep piled up against the fence.

[brassplayersrock²]

sorry sire, i fell asleep. please forgive

[Eug]

My GF's car:



Me, using the electric slow blower. It is not self-propelled so it's still a fair bit of work.



It works well for snow under about 6", but not so well when the snow is higher than the machine itself.

[brassplayersrock²]

there was a bw bug, the old kind, on fairfield that was covered up, and all you could see was just a smidgen of the rounded top on the street side. the sidewalk side you could tell it was a car, but it was covered very well

[Eriamjh]

7 to 8 inches. Took two hours to shovel. If it was a workday, I wouldn't have tried to go to work.