What is your weather like right now?

[rodentraiser]

I just watched two. What kind of tires do you people use? I can't imagine having that kind of difficulty getting my car to move with "all season tires" (we call them three season tires). At least people weren't going too fast for the conditions.

Well, here's the deal with the drivers in Seattle. To begin with, the hills are pretty steep. In Bremerton, there's a couple of hills I go up in 2nd gear. The one I like the best is one that is so steep going down, you can't see the road under the car hood as you start to go over the top. Scares the crap out of flatlanders. The other thing is, those people weren't really driving in snow.

What happens here is the snow falls at night, melts the next day when the temp rises, and then freezes to a solid sheet of ice at night when the temps drop again. Then more snow falls at night and covers the ice.

Believe me, nothing is going to help those people drive on ice, not all season tires, chains, cables, 4WD, nothing. The ice takes you where the ice wants to take you.

Anyhoo, we didn't get any snow downtown where I live this time, but over across the bridge there was about an inch of it. Just enough to frost all the trees and bushes and make everything look gorgeous. Of course, it all melted by noon. But now I'm seeing where we're supposed to get between 3" and 5" on Thursday.

The amount of snow will depend on where you live, though. Right after I moved up to my house (500ft above sea level), we got two storms that piled about 15" on us. But Seattle, less than 15 miles away as the crow flies, got no snow at all. I worked in Seattle at the time. Try explaining to your boss, who is looking at sunshine and clear roads, that you can't get to work because you're snowed in.

 

[taxlady]

Well, here's the deal with the drivers in Seattle. To begin with, the hills are pretty steep. In Bremerton, there's a couple of hills I go up in 2nd gear. The one I like the best is one that is so steep going down, you can't see the road under the car hood as you start to go over the top. Scares the crap out of flatlanders. The other thing is, those people weren't really driving in snow.

What happens here is the snow falls at night, melts the next day when the temp rises, and then freezes to a solid sheet of ice at night when the temps drop again. Then more snow falls at night and covers the ice.

Believe me, nothing is going to help those people drive on ice, not all season tires, chains, cables, 4WD, nothing. The ice takes you where the ice wants to take you.

Anyhoo, we didn't get any snow downtown where I live this time, but over across the bridge there was about an inch of it. Just enough to frost all the trees and bushes and make everything look gorgeous. Of course, it all melted by noon. But now I'm seeing where we're supposed to get between 3" and 5" on Thursday.

The amount of snow will depend on where you live, though. Right after I moved up to my house (500ft above sea level), we got two storms that piled about 15" on us. But Seattle, less than 15 miles away as the crow flies, got no snow at all. I worked in Seattle at the time. Try explaining to your boss, who is looking at sunshine and clear roads, that you can't get to work because you're snowed in.

I take it back. Ice under snow is really slippery. The only thing that helps with that is studded winter tires. Did you see the video I linked to earlier today, in this thread? That's Montrealers sliding like that on a hill that's steeper than it looks in the video. Seems the city has come up with some stupid money saving formula about salting/gritting the roads, so they were slipping on snow on ice too.

 

[Addie]

The video came through for me TL.

Andy, you got a lot more than we did. When I left the house at 7:30, it was snowing. By the time I left the store at 10:30 it was raining. No complaints from these here parts.

 

[Mad Cook]

Cold but not actually freezing here. Definitely bedsocks and 2 hotwater bottles needed at bedtime though (I have the radiator turned off in my bedroom as I don't like a warm room at night). We had a thin skittering of snow about a fortnight ago which thawed within the day so that's probably done it for this winter.

If it does snow seriously (that's 2-3 inches here!), I won't be able to get the car out of the house drive and up the lane (its a steep hill and the council don't clear it) but it's only 15 minutes walk into the village if necessary and I can ring up and get someone to look after the Wonder Horse who's tucked up snuggly in his loose box in the American Barn 6 miles away.

 

[buckytom]

We're supposed to get another 3 inches of snow by the morning, but what I'm finding is that means more like 5 or 6 inches at my house. We're at around 1300' elevation, and that makes all the difference.

Thankfully the hardware store called and said my snow blower is ready to be picked up.

 

[rodentraiser]

Oh my word. It looks like they just upped the amount of snow we're supposed to get on Thursday. Remember, this is for an area that only gets a couple inches maybe once every 5 or 6 years.

 

[Cheryl J]

Holy cow, RR! Be safe. That's almost unheard of for western WA. I lived up there back in (trying to remember....the late 90's I think) when Seattle had a few inches of snowfall and it paralyzed the city.

 

[rodentraiser]

Thanks! I did the major grocery shopping and got gas today. Tomorrow all I have to is get the rest of my groceries and pick up my prescriptions and I'm good.

 

[GotGarlic]

Looks like it should be mostly gone Friday, with the temperature up to 40.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

Oh my word. It looks like they just upped the amount of snow we're supposed to get on Thursday...[/IMG]

I hope you picked up fixin's for soups. Looks like it's a good day to stay tucked safely at home cooking up a storm! ~ Stay safe.

************************************

Looks like winter has arrived, kinda. A dusting of snow on Monday that is still hanging around in patches, with a bit more coming down right now. Won't get much, though. However, overnight lows this weekend will be in the mid-teens! Finally gave in and put the down comforter on the bed today...

 

[rodentraiser]

Yeah, I don't have to go anywhere until next Monday.

CG, it might disappear on Friday, but look at what's in store for us next week:

At this point, personally, I think someone has their wires crossed. If we really get this much snow, I vow to eat a vegetable.

I take it back. Ice under snow is really slippery. The only thing that helps with that is studded winter tires. Did you see the video I linked to earlier today, in this thread? That's Montrealers sliding like that on a hill that's steeper than it looks in the video. Seems the city has come up with some stupid money saving formula about salting/gritting the roads, so they were slipping on snow on ice too.

I forgot to say, yes, I did watch it. And all I can say is, I really, really want some lights on top of my car. Because in case I slide down a hill,I would want them flashing all the way down, too!

 

[GotGarlic]

Yeah, I don't have to go anywhere until next Monday.

CG, it might disappear on Friday, but look at what's in store for us next week:

At this point, personally, I think someone has their wires crossed. If we really get this much snow, I vow to eat a vegetable.

Ah, the joys of global climate change.

A green vegetable, right?

Wonder why 3-5 inches this week is "snow" but 3-5 inches next week is "snow showers"?

 

[CharlieD]

Coming home from Florida was a rude awakening. From 80 to 25, and today is even colder, around 16. Wind makes it worse.


Sent from my iPhone using Discuss Cooking

 

[rodentraiser]

Ah, the joys of global climate change.

A green vegetable, right?

Wonder why 3-5 inches this week is "snow" but 3-5 inches next week is "snow showers"?

Yeah, but I get to pick which one!

 

[Addie]

I just got a weather alert warning. Black tonight. Makes not only walking very difficult, but places drivers in precarious danger.

 

[rodentraiser]

I guess the whole northern part of the US is getting a storm of some kind. I heard the upper MIdwest is getting hit with a lot of wind and snow as well.

Stay safe, Addie.

 

[Dawgluver]

We have a balmy 20°F. Thankfully, our 8+ inches of snow is almost gone, but we're supposed get more this weekend.

 

[Addie]

I guess the whole northern part of the US is getting a storm of some kind. I heard the upper MIdwest is getting hit with a lot of wind and snow as well.

Stay safe, Addie.

Thank you. I do have to get up early and make a quick trip to the corner store. I want to make Julia Child's recipe for English Muffins. I need a special ingredient for them. Then back inside to stay. We are not expecting any snow until next Wednesday, but not much.

 

[Cheryl J]

40F here now, supposed to be a low of 28F tonight. I'm freezing half to death. Just put on another sweatshirt and turned the heater on.

 

[rodentraiser]

Well, we got our snow. All 1/4" of it. But I have no way of knowing what it's like further out of the city. There could be considerably more snow there.