It’s starting to taper off a bit, here. A few minutes ago we took the dogs out into the backyard to play in the snow- and it’s taller than they are. We’ve never seen snow this deep which wasn’t on a mountain.
Getting out the back door was very difficult, and was only possible because the dog door is right next to it and they’d dug a channel through the snow. The side porch and the side doors are completely snowed in- they won’t move at all. I’m hoping I can get the front door open (no snow, there, since it’s covered- but I was a bit overzealous with the weatherstripping so it’s kind of stuck).
Our cars are just shapeless blobs at this point, and I’m seriously not looking forward to shoveling tomorrow. It’s going to be an all-day job. Man, I wish I’d bought that snowblower a month or so ago. I just figured, “Hey, what are the odds we’ll have *another *huge snowstorm before next winter?”
Earlier today, we had teensy little flakes. Now, heavy wet ones are falling. We’ve got at least 18" and by my calculations, it’s falling at an inch an hour. The only shoveling I’ve done is to clear the way for the dogs to squat without freezing their butts. Fortunately, we’ve not lost power, so it’s just an annoyance right now.
I thought I heard a plow earlier, but I can’t be certain. Goodness knows, I can’t see anything. Last time I went out to clear for the mutts, I heard a crack and watched a large branch fall from the paulownia. No biggie - I hate that tree anyway!! There are a lot of branches down in the front yard, too. I see lots of yard work after the thaw. I hope someone comes by with a plow to dig us out - I have cash!!!
My mom lives in Harford county and she’s been without power since 1:30 this morning. Which means she has no water, no heat save for some firewood, and no way to get out till someone plows her long drive and access road. Her neighbor in the back usually digs her out, but I’m guessing he’s not going to even try till the snowfall stops.
Seems to have stopped here. I was just out for about 30 minutes and am not even 1/10 of the way done. I will be out off and on all day today and all day tomorrow. I hate snow.
Looking out my window, the snow plows finally got to our parking lot. They are alternating between clearing the lot and digging the plow trucks out when they get stuck. I don’t envy them! One of my neighbors is also out there digging his own pickup truck out (the truck in my pic) with a dustpan. That may very well be me tomorrow (with a dustpan, since there’s been a shortage of shovels in the stores all winter).
Our shovel is dying - it cracked (literally) under the pressure. We borrowed another shovel off the neighbor, and we’re all working in shifts. I’ve been using a dustpan to help out, too. Also a broom to help clear the car.
Anyone here have any experience just using salt? I’m wondering whether I should’ve brought home a bag of the stuff when I found out the shovels were all sold out. I’m from Miami, so this is kind of foreign to me
Very cool. Thanks for all of the pics. I love that quiet you get with a big snowfall like this muffling all of the sound - and keeping most vehicles off of the roads.
there was a strange occurance on my 2 ox street early this afternoon. i heard a rumbly sound and looked out the front windows and saw “volvo” in big huge letters outside. a volvo bulldozer thing was driving down the street and took about 20" of snow with it. (leaving about 3" of snow on the street.)
i think this is the mythical “snow plow” thing i’ve heard about but never saw on my street until today. i never saw so many doors (and mouths drop) open. nearly every doorway had a stunned person in it. it was quite the sight. i may have to write to the mayor!
Heh. Not a flake to be seen in most of NYC. Staten Island and southern Brooklyn got about 2 inches tops, Manhattan from midtown on down got a little glaze, and up here in the northern Bronx and Westchester absolutely nothing. Looking at the pix on TV from other places was pretty surreal, especially since the storms usually DO hit us on the way east.
I gave up. I checked Craigslist and found a guy advertising and called him. He just called to say he won’t be here until tomorrow morning, but I don’t mind. I hope the quote is reasonable - but likely I’ll give the green light either way.
We just cleared about 30’ x 6’ down our drive in about half an hour. There’s about 15" but the bottom 2" are slushy and heavy, so I expect about 18" or so fell here.
Tomorrow, we’re going to try to clear to the road and maybe flag down someone with a plow. I didn’t think to check Craigslist or the local classifieds - maybe I’ll do that.
After two solid hours of shoveling, we got the front walkway cleared, along with a path to one of the cars. We’ve got one car almost completely dug out, except for the part closest to the street, but the plow will probably be coming through later tonight and we don’t want to have to do that bit twice. The car was completely buried, with the drifts coming up to the side windows. Tomorrow I guess we’ll try to find the second car and free it from its snowy prison. If our arms still work. Most of our neighbors gave up after clearing their walkways, and the parking lot is a mess of white lumps with occasional side windows or antennas sticking out.
I wonder how the roads will be by Monday, and whether we’ll have managed to free the cars. As much as I’d love to take a vacation day and prolong my hibernation, I don’t think they’ll let me.
Khadaji - I may follow your lead and try to find someone I can pay to clear off the cars. We’re exhausted, and looking at our parking lot you’d think we barely did anything.
I won’t mock any of you, since March is traditionally our snowiest month here. It is a true pain in the ass - getting some of our worst winter weather towards the end of winter when we’re good and sick of it.
We have about 28" on the ground in my neighborhood (Northern Virginia, about 30 miles due west of DC). To their credit, the county has had snowplows running constantly and my street is virtually clear. I shoveled the driveway and sidewalks three times yesterday, and twice more today, so they’re good, too. My car, which is parked on the street, is still buried, but my wife’s SUV is in the garage, gassed up and ready to go if needed.
We have plenty of food, books, and movies, and we haven’t lost power at any point, so I’ve been enjoying it a lot (despite all the shoveling and the now-aching lower back). Having grown up in the south, snow still fascinates me and this is by far the most snow I’ve ever gotten at once.
My kids, however, are unimpressed and do not care for snow at all. They don’t even want to go out and play a little. I don’t get it.
