Its snowing in VA!!

[ben_ullman]

Never thought I would have seen this much snow! they said 6-9 and they usually tripple the % expected. Well, I taped a yard stick to the deck! We are up to 9"!!

Snowing through sunday with rain off and on. Expected 16-20"!!

Ben

 

[The EGE]

We're supposed to get some in CT starting tomorrow night. I hope it delays a day or two, so maybe we can get a snow day out of it :snowflake:

 

[ben_ullman]

We're supposed to get some in CT starting tomorrow night. I hope it delays a day or two, so maybe we can get a snow day out of it :snowflake:

Got out for Xmas break today so perfect timing!!

Played all night in it! Rolled the 4 wheeler and might have bruised a rib though. I did a complete roll and landed it in the yard!

Ben

 

[Kaycee]

When I see the seldom snow here I can only think of one thing.....

SPRING

Enjoy the snow, Ben...


Merry Christmas to all! :tree:

 

[MarkII]

This has happened before, right? Like, every winter?

What you need is a good -28°F night, like we had last night. Makes you strong. Makes you grow hair all over your body like bear. Makes you store fat every autumn, no matter what you do to keep it off. (I'm not making that up!)

Makes ears fall off when you walk out in the morning to start car. (OK, that's made up...but it feels like it!) Makes driver's seat hard as wooden park bench. (That's not made up.)

The rain may make things sloppy, though. And then if it freezes...

MarkII

 

[DAllen]

pffft...9"? With 20" total in 3 days? Amateurs.

You folks don't get to know the joy that is called, "Lake Effect" like we do in Michigan. Usually, we can count on a string of 3 or 4 weeks where we get on average 3 to 4 inches per day totaling out to 2 to 4 feet. In February '03 a nifty little lake effect band setup right over us and caused a 72 car pile up because people "couldn't see." They couldn't see because it was snowing at a rate of 4" every 15 minutes for an hour straight. Of course, 16" is nothing compared to the nightmarish snowfalls they get in places like Houghton, Michigan.

Be REAL careful riding that 4-wheeler around in the fresh stuff. You'd be surprised (as you might already know) at the nasty surprises snow can hide. Have fun with it!

:snowflake:

-Dave

 

[MarkII]

Yeah, but the thing about lake effect is that it can be snowing like mad right where you are, but call up your buddy who lives 5 miles north of you, or your other friend who lives 10 miles inland, and both will say, "Snow? What snow?" :confused2:

MarkII, former Kent Co. resident, and former Buffalonian.
(Me and LE go way back.)

 

[Fred22]

This has happened before, right? Like, every winter?

What you need is a good -28°F night, like we had last night. Makes you strong. Makes you grow hair all over your body like bear. Makes you store fat every autumn, no matter what you do to keep it off. (I'm not making that up!)

Makes ears fall off when you walk out in the morning to start car. (OK, that's made up...but it feels like it!) Makes driver's seat hard as wooden park bench. (That's not made up.)

The rain may make things sloppy, though. And then if it freezes...

MarkII

I can relate -28 does sound a little tropical for up here
Cheers
Fred

 

[MarkII]

I can relate -28 does sound a little tropical for up here
Cheers
Fred

It puts hair on, and inside, your chest. But -28°F (-33°C) is tolerable for up to, say, a half hour or so at a time, if you are wearing normal street clothes, good boots and a heavy coat.

At -40° your breath starts to freeze while it is still deep in your throat. Your tonsils grow icicles. You can stand to be out in it for maybe 5 minutes at a time, unless you invest in heavy duty arctic gear. Including one of those Russian fur hats, which are mandatory.

When I moved to the Adirondacks 25 years ago, I used to wear thermal underwear all the time, all winter long. I would have even worn it in the shower if I could have! I just couldn't get warm enough. Now I hardly ever do. My body has adapted to the climate. I start to store extra fat in the autumn, just like a bear, whether I want to or not. If it was -5°, I would dress like I was making an assault on Everest when I went out to get the mail. Now I often don't even bother to put on a coat. I have been seen shoveling off my steps and ramp on January mornings while dressed in gym shorts and a t-shirt. I have, on many occasions, run out in deep snow in my bare feet to start my car. (And I still have all of my toes.)

MarkII

 

[Fred22]

It puts hair on, and inside, your chest. But -28°F (-33°C) is tolerable for up to, say, a half hour or so at a time, if you are wearing normal street clothes, good boots and a heavy coat.

At -40° your breath starts to freeze while it is still deep in your throat. Your tonsils grow icicles. You can stand to be out in it for maybe 5 minutes at a time, unless you invest in heavy duty arctic gear. Including one of those Russian fur hats, which are mandatory.

When I moved to the Adirondacks 25 years ago, I used to wear thermal underwear all the time, all winter long. I would have even worn it in the shower if I could have! I just couldn't get warm enough. Now I hardly ever do. My body has adapted to the climate. I start to store extra fat in the autumn, just like a bear, whether I want to or not. If it was -5°, I would dress like I was making an assault on Everest when I went out to get the mail. Now I often don't even bother to put on a coat. I have been seen shoveling off my steps and ramp on January mornings while dressed in gym shorts and a t-shirt. I have, on many occasions, run out in deep snow in my bare feet to start my car. (And I still have all of my toes.)

MarkII

Ya you get used to it I notice as i get older the top of my head is starting to feel colder when i dont wear a hat though
Cheers
fred

 

[MarkII]

Ya you get used to it I notice as i get older the top of my head is starting to feel colder when i dont wear a hat though
Cheers
fred

Why does a lecture that I once heard, entitled "Conservation of alpine vegetation on mountain summits" spring to mind right now?

MarkII

 

[MysticalRockets]

We haven't had much here in CT yet. I think about 2 inches total this season. We did get a dusting in early October though.

We're due for 4-10 inches here on the coast. We get less here than upstate does. Supposed to have a launch tomorrow, but I'm going to skip it. Don't want to drive back into the teeth of the storm. Not with my car.

 

[ben_ullman]

I agree that the 12" we have now isn't much. But its the most in a while. I used to live in Omaha NE and I have pictures of me up to my armpits in snow (about 4 y.o)

Getting ready to suit up and start snowblowing. Then have some fun!!

Ben

 

[Bravo52]

pffft...9"? With 20" total in 3 days? Amateurs.

You folks don't get to know the joy that is called, "Lake Effect" like we do in Michigan. Usually, we can count on a string of 3 or 4 weeks where we get on average 3 to 4 inches per day totaling out to 2 to 4 feet. In February '03 a nifty little lake effect band setup right over us and caused a 72 car pile up because people "couldn't see." They couldn't see because it was snowing at a rate of 4" every 15 minutes for an hour straight. Of course, 16" is nothing compared to the nightmarish snowfalls they get in places like Houghton, Michigan.

Be REAL careful riding that 4-wheeler around in the fresh stuff. You'd be surprised (as you might already know) at the nasty surprises snow can hide. Have fun with it!

:snowflake:

-Dave

No doubt...... I was stationed up at K.I. Sawyer in the early 90`s. Being from the south I figured we'd be stuck indoors all winter. Not the case. I found out those Uppers had been living up there for like 400 years and knew how to plow roads and such..... Not one time did I get "snowed in".
In 1993 we "launched the fleet" on an ORI and it had already been snowing for about 4-5 hrs. Buy the time we go the 12 B-52's and 8 KC-135s back after 8 or 10 hour missions, the base had gotten about 12 or so inches. That is not an "even one foot of snow on the ground", it's more like 4 or 5 feet! It was snowing so hard they couldn't clear the runway. We got called out of the stack and told to land because we had a solid rep as a good crew (we were the best but don't want to sound pretentious ) and the leadership knew we could handle the snow. Once the wheels touched down it got real ugly real fast. We were on a two mile long sheet of ice. The plane was all over the place. The maintenance Chief said he thought we were in the infield so he rousted his crews to scramble out to the runway, but we got it stopped between the little saplings they used to mark the edges of the runway. It got real surreal when we stopped. We parked the plane straight ahead on the runway and downloaded to a bus that was following a huge snowplow. The E-Dub busted his a$$ when he jumped down from the jet and we had to carry him off. When we got on the bus, I looked back and could see the B-52 slowly sliding to the side of the runway in the wind......... The one positive thing that happened was the Ops Officer got fired for asking us to land anyway. The rest of the jets diverted.

I just moved from VA (Maryland really) and it hasn't snowed much up there for the last few years. If this is a good one, they will go nuts up there..

 

[MarkH]

We're supposed to get 20-30" in central MD. I just took a measurement:

 

[rokitflite]

I just got finished delivering some meds to a friend of mine who is a few miles down 95... The snow is bad but the driving only really sucks because of people in cars that have no business being out in this kind of weather. My Jeep trotted along just fine... The 2WD vehicles with chicken poop drivers behind the wheel were a pain in the butt! The snow on the roof of my Civic is 12" now and its still snowing like crazy.

 

[rokitflite]

I want one.

 

[Bazookadale]

I just got finished delivering some meds to a friend of mine who is a few miles down 95... The snow is bad but the driving only really sucks because of people in cars that have no business being out in this kind of weather. My Jeep trotted along just fine... The 2WD vehicles with chicken poop drivers behind the wheel were a pain in the butt! The snow on the roof of my Civic is 12" now and its still snowing like crazy.

The first snow of the year always brings out the "Wienies Behind the Wheel" People who have lived all their lives in snow country seem to forget how to drive in snow over the summer:snowflake:

I have to go to the market and stock up on milk and bread - I don't need any, it's just what we do when it snows!

 

[stantonjtroy]

Got out for Xmas break today so perfect timing!!

Played all night in it! Rolled the 4 wheeler and might have bruised a rib though. I did a complete roll and landed it in the yard!

Ben

JEEEZ Ben, You OK? Snowing like crazy here (Baltimore). Went to see my Brothers new baby, 5 miles away and it took 30 min. No flying this weekend. Hope you're ok. Feel beter.

 

[ben_ullman]

JEEEZ Ben, You OK? Snowing like crazy here (Baltimore). Went to see my Brothers new baby, 5 miles away and it took 30 min. No flying this weekend. Hope you're ok. Feel beter.

Oh im fine now. Made some jumps today! Got about 4 feet of air!! By accident though. I landed and waited for my guts to catch up!!

Ben

 

[MaxQ]

I just got finished delivering some meds to a friend of mine who is a few miles down 95... The snow is bad but the driving only really sucks because of people in cars that have no business being out in this kind of weather. My Jeep trotted along just fine... The 2WD vehicles with chicken poop drivers behind the wheel were a pain in the butt! The snow on the roof of my Civic is 12" now and its still snowing like crazy.

My brother is up your way...and it hasn't stopped yet, he just called (2:45PM ) and told me it might go 18 - 20".

 

[Initiator001]

We're supposed to get 20-30" in central MD. I just took a measurement:

I 'approve' of your method of snow measurement. :clap:

 

[Initiator001]

It's nice and 75F here in San Diego.

I'm going to a rocket launch in Los Angeles on Sunday. Temp may get up to 80F.

I need to go check my car air conditioner.

 

[Handeman]

pffft...9"? With 20" total in 3 days? Amateurs.

You folks don't get to know the joy that is called, "Lake Effect" like we do in Michigan. Usually, we can count on a string of 3 or 4 weeks where we get on average 3 to 4 inches per day totaling out to 2 to 4 feet. In February '03 a nifty little lake effect band setup right over us and caused a 72 car pile up because people "couldn't see." They couldn't see because it was snowing at a rate of 4" every 15 minutes for an hour straight. Of course, 16" is nothing compared to the nightmarish snowfalls they get in places like Houghton, Michigan.

Be REAL careful riding that 4-wheeler around in the fresh stuff. You'd be surprised (as you might already know) at the nasty surprises snow can hide. Have fun with it!

:snowflake:

-Dave

Dave, don't downplay the effect of snow around VA. I grew up in Wisconsin so I know how to handle snow and how it should be handled. I'm sure the 3-4 inches a day lake effects didn't slow anyone down around your area. I'm also sure they ran the plows over every road at least once or twice a day.

Here in VA, that's enough snow to close down the whole area. They don't have the snow removal equipment here so it takes days to clear roads. I'm looking at 18" outside right now with 4" - 6" still expected. I don't expect to see a snow plow on my street for 3 or 4 days at best.

In their defense, we only get snow like this every 6 or 7 years. There's a lot of more important things to spend government money on then snow removal equipment that only gets used once or twice a decade, and then only to get a couple extra days of clear roads, just not worth it. I'm sure if we had "lake effect" snows every year we would have the snow removal equipment and everyone would know how to drive in it.

Anyway, here's a couple of shots from a few hours ago. The heavy snow should stop in 2 or 3 more hours and another 2 - 4 inches after that during the over night.

:snowflake::snowflake::merry-christmas::snowflake::snowflake:

 

[MarkII]

Ooop, let me revise my take on this - you folks down the East Coast are getting pretty hammered by that storm. Do not go out unless you absolutely have to (but you probably know that already). No doubt you also all probably know the following drill already, but for the sake of review:

• Drive 10 mph slower on the expressway and surface highways than you normally do (and be ready to back off even more), and slow down on local streets, too. If it is snowing, slow down by another 15-20 mph. In snowy weather, you can often get to your destination faster if you go slow and steady than if you try to hurry.
• Increase your stopping distance (when you start to brake for a stop) at least 3x further back than you do in dry weather. Add another 1x for each 15,000 miles that you have on your tires. (These precautions are not exaggerated.)
• Be careful when you go out to shovel the white stuff - there is often a big spike in heart attacks and back injuries in an area that has just been hit with a blizzard, especially if snow is uncommon there. I'm serious about this.

Use common sense and stay safe. I'm thinking of you.

MarkII

 

[Handeman]

Weatherman just came on and the official snowfall for Stafford county is 24". We're still expecting 2"-4"+ overnight.

The county has already closed all schools for Monday and Tuesday. Christmas break has started early.

 

[JDcluster]

You have to love "Global Warming".

Here in Northern NJ we have about 2" maybe less.





JD

Weatherman just came on and the official snowfall for Stafford county is 24". We're still expecting 2"-4"+ overnight.

The county has already closed all schools for Monday and Tuesday. Christmas break has started early.

 

[Handeman]

You have to love "Global Warming".

Here in Northern NJ we have about 2" maybe less.





JD

Don't worry, it's a Nor'easter. You'll get yours tonight and tomorrow.

 

[rokitflite]

I still wanna bear.

 

[Bazookadale]

It's nice and 75F here in San Diego.

I'm going to a rocket launch in Los Angeles on Sunday. Temp may get up to 80F.

I need to go check my car air conditioner.

Gee Bob you really know how to make friends:grinch: