Those in the Puget Sound area know what I am talking about. Yesterday we got dumped on by a bunch of snow. Then it started to rain with the temps in the 30 degree range. This morning everything is coated in ice. I spent 20 minutes clearing the ice off my truck in an attempt to leave for work only to get stuck in my driveway. And I have studded tires on my truck. And my driveway slopes down hill. What a way to burn up benefits. My trip to California in a few months is now in jeopardy. I called into work and only 3 out of about 40 folks made it in for third shift. Plus Dottie the wonder dog can’t find a place to poop. In some places the ice on top of the snow was thick enough to support her weight (30 lbs).
I was awakened at 3am to the sound of alder trees snapping then the power went out. I stood on the front porch and listened to them for about an hour before deciding to try to get to work. there was a tree down in the road in front of my house so I had to take long way to highway 9, I had to dodge 6 downed trees power lines across the road, actually I waited for the fire dept to remove the lines. Thank the gods that the espresso stand had power! 
Once I got to the highway it was smooth sailing, slow but light traffic with most of the area without electricity. Oh and I took lots of pictures of the ice on the trees, but I don’t if they came out or not.
Roomie was flying home from his Christmas holiday last night. His flight from Seattle was cancelled, so he took a shuttle bus to Bellingham. Took about three hours. Good thing he took the bus; all Horizon flights are still cancelled. I drove down to BLI to pick him up.
I had shovelled the walkway and part of the driveway after the first snow. I used a broom to sweep them clear three times during lulls in the latest storm. Futile. Now the snow is deep enough that I’ll need the shovel again, and there will be ice under our footprints.
It snowed more here in Birch Bay than it did in Bellingham, and it was coming down heavily about 23:30 last night. I used 4WD until the roads appeared clear, then disengaged it. A few minutes later I was sliding around the freeway. I let off the gas and countersteered to regain control after about one second, then re-engaged 4WD. No further problems.
The tide was out in Birch Bay last night, and the mudflats were covered in white.
Heh. I was in Seattle in, hmm, was it Decenber 1991? When just a couple days before Christmas they got like six inches of snow that came down all at once during evening rush hour.
Seattleites had no frickin’ idea what to do. There were thousands of abandoned cars everywhere. Major thoroughfares and freeways were completely blocked by abandoned commuter cars. People just got out of their cars and walked off. The city was paralyzed for days while the tow trucks hauled aside the stranded cars. It was pathetic.
Meanwhile, freezing rain glazed everything with a quarter- to a half-inch of ice. They were curling with police cars and buses on the streets of Seattle. And on the waterfront, there’s all these steep hills, all ending right at the shore.
Har! It was comic!
I had just come from Denver where on Christmas Eve 1983, Santa brought SIX FEET of snow overnight. And the only reason the city had trouble is because the mayor had pissed off all the city workers, including the ones who drove the plows.
So the mayor got the bright idea to order all the trash truck drivers, who were under private contract, to drive their trash trucks up and down the side streets and residential areas to “compact the snow.” Problem was, the tires on trash trucks were about two feet further apart from those on passenger vehicles, and the ruts they made in the snow made the side streets impassable once the slushy snow froze solid overnight. It was a frickin mess for TWO WEEKS.
That mayor, who was the first candidate I ever voted for btw, went on to land a job on the cabinet of President William Jefferson Clinton.
Which post? Why, Secretary of Transportation, of course.
His name? Frederico Pena.
Warming up now. I shovelled ans swept the walks, but there were “iceprints” where anyone (including cats) had trodden on the snow. They’re melting now.
I thought it would be a good idea to put a prime lens on the Arri (instead of the zoom, which could be damaged) to get some action shots taken from a plastic toboggan as I slid down the street. But the toboggan wasn’t fast enough, so I abandoned the idea. Would’ve been cool, tough.
I drive a cabulance for a living.
I do it in metro Seattle.
I also grew up in West (by Gawd) Virginia, where if you didn’t learn how to drive on snow/ice, you were stuck for at least one solid week every winter.
Unless I’m sick, I always work in bad winter weather.
Remember, downshifting, not braking, is your friend in icy weather. Don’t worry about driving like a granny in icy weather: You’re supposed to. It keeps you on the road..
…and other little tidbits that are best learned from experience.
The gist of my posting is this: Remember, cold winter transplants to Puget Sound, once every ten years is about how often serious winter weather happens here. Usually it just gets in the upper 30’s and pisses rain. Normal. Snow and ice? Not normal. Seattle Metro is not equipped to handle serious winter weather, and most drivers don’t bother to get their vehicles ready (tires, chains, etc.) because of the rarity of snow. Along with that, most Seattle drivers have no idea how to handle driving on snow. No fault of theirs, just lack of exposure.
I’ve got to add, though, I always laugh myself to tears over the local news stations’ “Winter Storm” coverage over 6 inches or less of snow.
I’ve been working at home for two days. Thank you, CheckPoint Software ! It’s sweet not having to commute but still being productive.
The Times had to say about my neighborhood:
“People in the Eastlake neighborhood created a festive, apres-ski gathering near the Porta Greek Taverna. Inside, tables were full while on a hill outside, people sledded down, pausing occasionally to warm their hands at a portable fireplace.”
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/2001831257.jpg
What a swell snow day ! I made it on foot (nobody drove up Hamlin Street) down to my marina to sweep off the deck and check the boat… the bilge water doesn’t freeze because it’s at lake temperature, and it was pleasantly condensation free inside the hull.
But I won’t be driving for a while; my only vehicle is a motorcycle.
Portland and Vancouver have it worse… fewer hills, but lots more ice and not enough plows. My buddy in Orchards on the north shore says his dogs are sliding around the ice in the yard.
Hey, *Denis,
It’s now called “Winter Blast” on Channel 4.
Poor Jim Foreman, the journeyman crash, fire, flood, and fricking-cold reporter, “Live on the Scene”.
I’m in Portland and we got dumped on. Right now it’s raining which is turning to ice.
I managed to snap some pictures in the last few days.
From Jan 1st - http://www.tictokmen.com/home/snow04.html
From Today and yesterday - http://www.tictokmen.com/home/snow010704.html
Heh. There’s a reason I still live in the Seattle area, and it ain’t the abundance of loony lefties here, either. I’ve lived in Colorado, and snow on the ground from Halloween to March ain’t fun. Not to mention the temps below zero all winter. For this Washingtonian, youse guys are just nuts!
Still, snow means I stay home. I don’t make enough to cover a $500 car deductible, so the wallet rules. Great to watch in those odd years the white stuff falls, though.
Kakkerlak, every time I see “Danger Jim” Foreman on the news, I have to wonder who he pissed off.
I’m glad I only have to walk two blocks to campus.
We Seattleites really aren’t used to snow. I think it’s kind of funny how people from places that get a lot of snow sneer at how unprepared people in Seattle are for snow. It’s true, people around here aren’t prepared for it and they do stupid things driving, but frankly can you blame them? You just don’t see a lot of snow around here and if you rarely drive outside of the region you are unlikely to get very much experience driving under icy conditions.
I guess it’s like sneering at the people who bother to use umbrellas here.