Eastern USA snow storm.

**jpzk** · 12-21-2009, 03:13 PM

By the looks of it, this storm caught the US Eastern seashore in a panic!
I wonder why all of the states bordering the Atlantic ocean at that latitude are not equipped with at least "some" snow removal equipment?
But, hey! New York had to call the army a few years ago, right?

JP

Parallax · 12-21-2009, 03:17 PM

You have to give the "news" media points for creativity though. It has to be tough turning the fact that it snows in New England in the winter (who knew?!) into news headlines.

bymy141 · 12-21-2009, 03:20 PM

Originally posted by jpzk

By the looks of it, this storm caught the US Eastern seashore in a panic!
I wonder why all of the states bordering the Atlantic ocean at that latitude are not equipped with at least "some" snow removal equipment?
But, hey! New York had to call the army a few years ago, right?

JP

It is all relative... I live in the Netherlands (Holland for some), we've had 8 inches of snow here on Sunday for the first time since 20 years.
Now we still live in total chaos, the roads are blocked, the railway system stopped working etc.... and they expect the situation to continue for some days.
I guess eastern USA would have experienced a day with this snowfall as an average / normal winter day.

gokenin · 12-21-2009, 03:38 PM

well part of the reason for the chaos may be that the places that got the snow from this storm historically do not get snow. Most of the major cities have a habit of getting rain out of most storms and rarely get heavy snow. Here in Massachusettes the Cape and the south shore got most of the snow and they almost never get snow so its like a horror show for them and where i am we only got 8 inches with is an average storm for us. So its all about what you normally get and how prepared you are for the snow at this time of year

Phil1 · 12-21-2009, 05:42 PM

We can only hope all the Global Warming wonks were able to private jet home and arrived safely. Maybe ice cube credits will be on Al Gore's new agenda.

mel · 12-21-2009, 05:49 PM

The news here in the Washington D.C. area wasn't that it was snowing, it was the quantity of snow all at once. Where I am in Northern Virginia, it snowed for over 24 hours straight and we got probably over 20 inches at my place. For here, that is a HUGE amount all at once. The schools were closed because they couldn't get everything cleared quickly enough. In my area especially there are a lot of places where kids just cannot walk to school (like where I live: Too far, no sidewalks, rural winding two-lane roads through woods). In D.C. the issue was the sidewalks were piled with snow from the snowplows overnight and the kids would have had to walk in the streets.

We're so close to the winter holiday break, they just called the break a bit early. I'm not complaining. This means I get to sleep in too

edit: Also, several years ago, they didn't close the schools after a snow, the plows went through, the roads were slick, a bus crashed and a couple kids died. The area is still a bit paranoid even though that was about 15 years or so ago

MRRiley · 12-21-2009, 06:07 PM

Originally posted by jpzk

By the looks of it, this storm caught the US Eastern seashore in a panic!
I wonder why all of the states bordering the Atlantic ocean at that latitude are not equipped with at least "some" snow removal equipment?
But, hey! New York had to call the army a few years ago, right?

JP

"Panic" ??? No, but you have to realize that we cannot afford to have millions and millions of dollars worth of snow fighting equipment sitting around for a storm like this that comes thru every 20 years or so. Thus when it does happen, things shut down a bit. You have all the equipment and experience you need because this kind of snow event is the norm for your area.

Mike

MRRiley · 12-21-2009, 06:10 PM

Originally posted by ChrisPlatt

Long Island got a record 26 inches of snow, yet classes at my daughter's school weren't cancelled.
We are New Yorkers - we cope.

Chris

NYC also has an extensive and widespread UNDERGROUND transportation system. The DC Metro area does not have that for the most part as only the parts of the Metro inside of DC proper are underground, and DC is tiny compared to NYC.

Mike

Ratmagiclady · 12-21-2009, 06:25 PM

Back inNew England, we'd eat winter storms for breakfast when I was a kid. If there's a lack of ploughs, it's cause no one wanted to pay their taxes. South of DC, though, it's another matter. A couple of inches of snow will shut this town down for days, and the equipment doesn't even exist.

mel · 12-21-2009, 06:38 PM

I also think as far as schools and their transportation go, they're a lot more cautious as people will jump to sue for any reason. So they err on the side of caution and shut down.

Most of the plows around here belong to private business, like construction and paving companies, and even private citizens. They're contracted by the county to clear roads when the need exists. I'm sure it's cheaper that way.

We're lucky in that we have a neighbor with a bobcat thingy (larger though). He made short work of our cul-de-sac.

That being said, this is what my street looked like still, two days later:

We have hills too.

graphicgr8s · 12-21-2009, 06:40 PM

Gotta love Global Warming!!!!

B Grace · 12-21-2009, 06:48 PM

Originally posted by mel

I also think as far as schools and their transportation go, they're a lot more cautious as people will jump to sue for any reason. So they err on the side of caution and shut down.

Most of the plows around here belong to private business, like construction and paving companies, and even private citizens. They're contracted by the county to clear roads when the need exists. I'm sure it's cheaper that way.

We're lucky in that we have a neighbor with a bobcat thingy (larger though). He made short work of our cul-de-sac.

That being said, this is what my street looked like still, two days later:

We have hills too.

I'd probably take it a little easy and not drive much over 45mph on that street. The secret to driving in deep snow...momentum. It's driving in our February ice storms that raises the heart rate a bit.

Seriously, if you can take a day off from work or school, relax, and enjoy the weather why on Earth wouldn't you?

mel · 12-21-2009, 06:54 PM

This is residential. It's only 25mph anyway. Most people drive that. Except the resident police officer. He drives 45

And yeah, no complaining here! I got some priceless shots of my kids sledding down the "luge track" they packed into the snow (my lot is practically a ski-hill).

B Grace · 12-21-2009, 07:32 PM

Yeah, I was joking a bit. The one drawback for those of us living in areas with routine snows is the road salt used turns everything brown. After a couple of months of salt applications to our roads, our rush hour traffic in the morning and evening stirs up what can best be described as salt clouds. You breathe, taste and wear the nasty stuff. Even the cabin filters in our cars can't block all of the salt dust. So I spend sunny weekend afternoons washing road salt off our cars, driveway and out of the garage. By late January my wife and I are usually considering moving to southern Arizona.

Ratmagiclady · 12-21-2009, 07:48 PM

Originally posted by graphicgr8s

Gotta love Global Warming!!!!

Heat powers the engine that drives the arctic air down here. I've said it before.

12-21-2009, 03:13 PM	#1
jpzk Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Québec Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 8,251	Eastern USA snow storm. By the looks of it, this storm caught the US Eastern seashore in a panic! I wonder why all of the states bordering the Atlantic ocean at that latitude are not equipped with at least "some" snow removal equipment? But, hey! New York had to call the army a few years ago, right? JP

12-21-2009, 05:49 PM	#6
mel Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Virginia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,531	The news here in the Washington D.C. area wasn't that it was snowing, it was the quantity of snow all at once. Where I am in Northern Virginia, it snowed for over 24 hours straight and we got probably over 20 inches at my place. For here, that is a HUGE amount all at once. The schools were closed because they couldn't get everything cleared quickly enough. In my area especially there are a lot of places where kids just cannot walk to school (like where I live: Too far, no sidewalks, rural winding two-lane roads through woods). In D.C. the issue was the sidewalks were piled with snow from the snowplows overnight and the kids would have had to walk in the streets. We're so close to the winter holiday break, they just called the break a bit early. I'm not complaining. This means I get to sleep in too edit: Also, several years ago, they didn't close the schools after a snow, the plows went through, the roads were slick, a bus crashed and a couple kids died. The area is still a bit paranoid even though that was about 15 years or so ago Last edited by mel; 12-21-2009 at 05:57 PM.

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12-21-2009, 03:17 PM	#2
Parallax Senior Moderator Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: South Dakota Photos: Gallery Posts: 19,332	You have to give the "news" media points for creativity though. It has to be tough turning the fact that it snows in New England in the winter (who knew?!) into news headlines.

12-21-2009, 03:20 PM	#3
bymy141 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,563	Originally posted by jpzk By the looks of it, this storm caught the US Eastern seashore in a panic! I wonder why all of the states bordering the Atlantic ocean at that latitude are not equipped with at least "some" snow removal equipment? But, hey! New York had to call the army a few years ago, right? JP It is all relative... I live in the Netherlands (Holland for some), we've had 8 inches of snow here on Sunday for the first time since 20 years. Now we still live in total chaos, the roads are blocked, the railway system stopped working etc.... and they expect the situation to continue for some days. I guess eastern USA would have experienced a day with this snowfall as an average / normal winter day.

12-21-2009, 03:38 PM	#4
gokenin Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: lowell,ma Posts: 1,899	well part of the reason for the chaos may be that the places that got the snow from this storm historically do not get snow. Most of the major cities have a habit of getting rain out of most storms and rarely get heavy snow. Here in Massachusettes the Cape and the south shore got most of the snow and they almost never get snow so its like a horror show for them and where i am we only got 8 inches with is an average storm for us. So its all about what you normally get and how prepared you are for the snow at this time of year

12-21-2009, 05:42 PM	#5
Phil1 Inactive Account Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: SoCal Posts: 1,292	We can only hope all the Global Warming wonks were able to private jet home and arrived safely. Maybe ice cube credits will be on Al Gore's new agenda.

12-21-2009, 06:07 PM	#7
MRRiley Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sterling, VA, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,275	Originally posted by jpzk By the looks of it, this storm caught the US Eastern seashore in a panic! I wonder why all of the states bordering the Atlantic ocean at that latitude are not equipped with at least "some" snow removal equipment? But, hey! New York had to call the army a few years ago, right? JP "Panic" ??? No, but you have to realize that we cannot afford to have millions and millions of dollars worth of snow fighting equipment sitting around for a storm like this that comes thru every 20 years or so. Thus when it does happen, things shut down a bit. You have all the equipment and experience you need because this kind of snow event is the norm for your area. Mike

12-21-2009, 06:10 PM	#8
MRRiley Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sterling, VA, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,275	Originally posted by ChrisPlatt Long Island got a record 26 inches of snow, yet classes at my daughter's school weren't cancelled. We are New Yorkers - we cope. Chris NYC also has an extensive and widespread UNDERGROUND transportation system. The DC Metro area does not have that for the most part as only the parts of the Metro inside of DC proper are underground, and DC is tiny compared to NYC. Mike

12-21-2009, 06:25 PM	#9
Ratmagiclady Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: GA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,563	Back inNew England, we'd eat winter storms for breakfast when I was a kid. If there's a lack of ploughs, it's cause no one wanted to pay their taxes. South of DC, though, it's another matter. A couple of inches of snow will shut this town down for days, and the equipment doesn't even exist.

12-21-2009, 06:38 PM	#10
mel Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Virginia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,531	I also think as far as schools and their transportation go, they're a lot more cautious as people will jump to sue for any reason. So they err on the side of caution and shut down. Most of the plows around here belong to private business, like construction and paving companies, and even private citizens. They're contracted by the county to clear roads when the need exists. I'm sure it's cheaper that way. We're lucky in that we have a neighbor with a bobcat thingy (larger though). He made short work of our cul-de-sac. That being said, this is what my street looked like still, two days later: We have hills too.

12-21-2009, 06:40 PM	#11
graphicgr8s Guest	Gotta love Global Warming!!!!

12-21-2009, 06:48 PM	#12
B Grace Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Western Missouri Posts: 429	Originally posted by mel I also think as far as schools and their transportation go, they're a lot more cautious as people will jump to sue for any reason. So they err on the side of caution and shut down. Most of the plows around here belong to private business, like construction and paving companies, and even private citizens. They're contracted by the county to clear roads when the need exists. I'm sure it's cheaper that way. We're lucky in that we have a neighbor with a bobcat thingy (larger though). He made short work of our cul-de-sac. That being said, this is what my street looked like still, two days later: We have hills too. I'd probably take it a little easy and not drive much over 45mph on that street. The secret to driving in deep snow...momentum. It's driving in our February ice storms that raises the heart rate a bit. Seriously, if you can take a day off from work or school, relax, and enjoy the weather why on Earth wouldn't you?

12-21-2009, 06:54 PM	#13
mel Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Virginia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,531	This is residential. It's only 25mph anyway. Most people drive that. Except the resident police officer. He drives 45 And yeah, no complaining here! I got some priceless shots of my kids sledding down the "luge track" they packed into the snow (my lot is practically a ski-hill).

12-21-2009, 07:32 PM	#14
B Grace Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Western Missouri Posts: 429	Yeah, I was joking a bit. The one drawback for those of us living in areas with routine snows is the road salt used turns everything brown. After a couple of months of salt applications to our roads, our rush hour traffic in the morning and evening stirs up what can best be described as salt clouds. You breathe, taste and wear the nasty stuff. Even the cabin filters in our cars can't block all of the salt dust. So I spend sunny weekend afternoons washing road salt off our cars, driveway and out of the garage. By late January my wife and I are usually considering moving to southern Arizona.

12-21-2009, 07:48 PM	#15
Ratmagiclady Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: GA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,563	Originally posted by graphicgr8s Gotta love Global Warming!!!! Heat powers the engine that drives the arctic air down here. I've said it before.