Winter

[Space Cadet B^3]

It's winter, we have more snow on the ground and for a longer time than has been seen in Kansas in many years.

So why is everyone bitching about it? I mean, it's friggin' winter!

Another storm coming through tomorrow, wind chills tomorrow night to be as low as -25.

My only complaint is that locally they don't clear the side streets!

[Dacke]

Because winter is a bad thing. I have always been in favor of enclosing all areas where more than about a thousand people live in domes, where the inside is kept at a comfortable 20-25 degrees C at all times.

[Lady Fury]

Because winter is a bad thing. I have always been in favor of enclosing all areas where more than about a thousand people live in domes, where the inside is kept at a comfortable 20-25 degrees C at all times.

I like this idea.



Currently my area is having a mild winter compared to what we've had the last few years. I'm very grateful for that.

[Redallia]

Bah! It's not cold until your breath starts freezing to your eyelashes! And any amount of snow under a foot is just a dusting!

[Name Lips]

I want some good snow. :(

[bunny]

Been super mild here. It's 6 degrees Celsius. There was no snow in either november or december. We probably won't have any snow for the rest of the season. The rest of January looks like its just gonna be rainy and cool to slightly cold. I can't wait for May when the rain will start to slow down.

[Dawnstar]

We had the first real little snow the other day and we are suppose to get more this evening. I think it is funny because I am sure today people will be running to the store and getting gallons of milk and many loafs of bread. I hate having to run to the store on days like this.

[Limper]

No shit man... winter is cold and when its cold you might get snow.

[Kastil]

It's fricking freezing, Mr. Bigglesworth.

We got a light dusting last night with more to come. I don't kmind the snow. It's when it melts and forms ice that I mind. If you can't skate or ski on it, it shouldn't exist!

[Dayknight]

Snow in December = awesome
Snow any other time = sucks!

Iowa has been pounded this year. I have a 100 foot driveway and no snowblower. No holiday weight gain for me this year. My arms are buff, even though they are still attached to the shovel outside. :lol:

Some of my fav memories as a kid are in the winter. I lived in a small town on the Mississippi. When the backwaters froze over, my dad would hook up a sled to a thick rope on the back of his truck and take off over the ice at 30 mph. Needless to say, I worry about leaving my kids with my parents in the winter.

We also had some of the craziest sledding hills in Iowa. During holiday break in college, my buddies and I would go back to Guttenberg and go sledding. We would leave a bottle of peppermint schnapps at the top of the hill to give us reason to go back up. :D

[The Theocrat of Poon-Tang]

When you live on the shores of Lake Erie, you get used to the snow. I only hate the snow when it goes into late March and April. Other than that, it's just a part of life where I live.

We get pretty much the same weather as Buffalo.

[The Winslow]

Because winter is a bad thing. I have always been in favor of enclosing all areas where more than about a thousand people live in domes, where the inside is kept at a comfortable 20-25 degrees C at all times.

Heating and cooling that would be a hassle. Better to move everybody underground, in vast caves of steel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Caves_of_Steel) that naturally remain at a constant temperature. As an added bonus, you could have only one timezone worldwide.

[lindaw]

anyone want some snow....free to a good home...with plenty of ice on top....

[nerfherder]

Britain has pretty much ground to a halt. Over 9,000 schools closed today. It's the longest period of snow for nearly 30 years. I worked from home today - our team meeting comprised a conference call with 1 guy in the office, and a dozen or so of us in our homes.

[Dacke]

Heating and cooling that would be a hassle. Better to move everybody underground, in vast caves of steel (http://www.kaytastrophe.com/vb/redirector.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2 Fwiki%2FThe_Caves_of_Steel) that naturally remain at a constant temperature. As an added bonus, you could have only one timezone worldwide.
I'd be up for that too. Especially if we include the robots and hawt Solarian chicks yearning to be touched by us dirty Earthlings.

[Pigs in Space]

And on our side of the world:

http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/sa-braces-for-expected-extreme-heatwave/story-e6frfku0-1225816434332

woo.

[Kastil]

We had a water main break in the town I work in. Yep. A dumpy truck started sinking into it and then flipped on its side. Glad it was in the complete opoosite direction I go home in.

http://media.pennlive.com/midstate_impact/photo/main-break-010610-webcjpg-080538a2994096c1_large.jpg

WINTER'S AWESOME!!!

[Black Angel]

anyone want some snow....free to a good home...with plenty of ice on top....

And on our side of the world:

http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/sa-braces-for-expected-extreme-heatwave/story-e6frfku0-1225816434332

woo.

Yes. We'll take some.

[nerfherder]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MPRmOUxRMY

[bunny]

Is it really all that smart to abandon car in those situations?

[nerfherder]

Is it really all that smart to abandon car in those situations?

Unless it was heading off a cliff (unlikely in town), then no, it was the dumbest thing to do!

[The Winslow]

Oh man. It's like they're trying to be run over by their own car.

[Dawnstar]

I would have freaked out had I been in that car.

[nerfherder]

Oh man. It's like they're trying to be run over by their own car.

I would love to see that insurance claim form! :lol:

[SpikeyFreak]

This winter has been really cold for us. We've had a few hard freezes and lots of dips below freezing.

Got some snow too, and of course I was out of town. Enough to make snow men. I've never actually seen that must snowfall.

Everyone's freaking out about tonight. Supposed to get down to the 20s, possibly the teens. The problem is that a lot of us live in newer homes that haven't really been insulated against colder weather like this, so we're worried about the pipes.

Of course, I like cold weather, so I'm pretty excited about it. If we have any precipitation I may get to work from home tomorrow.

--Praying Spikey

[Cat of Ulthar]

Britain has pretty much ground to a halt. Over 9,000 schools closed today. It's the longest period of snow for nearly 30 years.
... two days.:grey:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MPRmOUxRMY

When I watched that, an ad for buying used cars came up.:lol:

Edit: And I resent the tag for this thread. I'll have you know my tits are very hot.

[The Winslow]

Edit: And I resent the tag for this thread. I'll have you know my tits are very hot.

Well then it is accurate to say it's colder than them, isn't it?

[nerfherder]

... two days.:grey:

In the South, maybe - where the London-based news and weather programmes concentrate on. It has barely let up since 18th December here and in Scotland.

[Dayknight]

I would love to see that insurance claim form! :lol:

I know this is off topic, but I have seen some of the best insurance claims ever. I seriously think we insurance the three stooges.

[Hatter]

This winter has been really cold for us. We've had a few hard freezes and lots of dips below freezing.

Got some snow too, and of course I was out of town. Enough to make snow men. I've never actually seen that must snowfall.

Everyone's freaking out about tonight. Supposed to get down to the 20s, possibly the teens. The problem is that a lot of us live in newer homes that haven't really been insulated against colder weather like this, so we're worried about the pipes.

Of course, I like cold weather, so I'm pretty excited about it. If we have any precipitation I may get to work from home tomorrow.

--Praying Spikey

My bf says this: "This hasn't happened since the 70's, so there are lots of article floating around about how to drive on frozen streets and how to prepare for a "deep, hard" freeze... and by 'freeze', of course, I mean 'anal intrusion'. "

I find it pretty funny, that a typical winter week in CO is a disaster here, possibly because people don't rotate their tires, I dunno.

[Cat of Ulthar]

In the South, maybe - where the London-based news and weather programmes concentrate on. It has barely let up since 18th December here and in Scotland.

:tongue: I base my snow evaluation on my back yard. But surely you must have been able to make some nice pictures? Care to share?

It never ceases to amaze me though how the whole of London grinds to a halt when there is the merest dusting of snow. Starting with the underground - which, aptly named, is underground, a location usually not associated with heavy snowfall. It's like every winter they are shocked and amazed: "Oh my god! There's white stuff falling down and everything is getting slippery! It's armageddon!"

I love this bit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40RfeOOOKAA

[Kastil]

Cat- The joke around where I live is as soon as you see the first flake come from the sky, it's time to clear the local grocery store out of every loaf of bread and milk they have. :grey:

Oil tank got filled this week. I only needed a ½ tank and it cost me $548. Conceivably, a full tank should last us to the end of winter.

[nerfherder]

:tongue: I base my snow evaluation on my back yard. But surely you must have been able to make some nice pictures? Care to share?
Just for you, I've put my snow pictures into a set on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lpmcc/sets/72157623160434972/

December 18th - view out my girlfriend's bedroom window:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4061/4252616176_1801236eff.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lpmcc/4252616176/in/set-72157623160434972/)

Keeping the ducks & swans fed
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4034/4252621228_11aec02de2.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lpmcc/4252621228/in/set-72157623160434972/)

The same pond frozen over on New Year's eve
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2678/4252642786_ac35976c09.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lpmcc/4252642786/in/set-72157623160434972/)

Out for a walk on New Year's day:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4042/4252649292_61e755988e.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lpmcc/4252649292/in/set-72157623160434972/)

Rubbish for driving in snow!
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4072/4251892797_8264c80dca.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lpmcc/4251892797/in/set-72157623160434972/)

It never ceases to amaze me though how the whole of London grinds to a halt when there is the merest dusting of snow. Starting with the underground - which, aptly named, is underground, a location usually not associated with heavy snowfall. It's like every winter they are shocked and amazed: "Oh my god! There's white stuff falling down and everything is getting slippery! It's armageddon!"

I love this bit:

Oh yes, we Brits are constantly taken by surprise by the white flakes that fall every year :D

[Name Lips]

M
I find it pretty funny, that a typical winter week in CO is a disaster here, possibly because people don't rotate their tires, I dunno.

There's a danger in places where the temperature tends to dip above and below freezing in the winter, and where snow is relatively rare.

You have a huge population of people who don't know how to drive in snowy weather and figure they'll just drive like normal. You have tons of people without snow chains on their cars and who only own tiny little 4-cylinder 2-wheel-drive cars.

Then introduce a few inches (yes, just a few inches) of snow one fine evening. It starts to melt, and everything gets wet. It continues snowing and melting until night, when it finally starts freezing. Typically the snowfall ends around that point, since it never seems to snow for very long at a time.

Now you have streets that are coated in a transparent sheet of ice.

Combine this with unskilled drivers, light cars with no traction, and morning rushhour. It's not the snow that gets us, is the sheets of ice.

(we also have one of the highest - or perhaps even THE highest - number of drunk drivers. Who tend to hit the roads at night right around freezing time).

Sometimes, only the bridges freeze over - because they're surrounded by air on the top and bottom. The roads will be fine, except for bridges which are solid sheets of ice.

Sometimes the ice will be melted everywhere except in the shadows of buildings.

Sometimes the ice is so transparent it looks just like the regular road.

In a way it would be easier if the cold just settled in and stayed, and the snow built up into its own layer that wasn't going to go anywhere for a while. We could all get practice driving on it, and maybe we could use snow chains. As it is, we get the icy conditions maybe 3 or 4 times a year -- just enough time to catch us off-guard and result in major accidents, but too little time to get practice driving on it.

[Hatter]

You have a huge population of people who don't know how to drive in snowy weather and figure they'll just drive like normal. You have tons of people without snow chains on their cars and who only own tiny little 4-cylinder 2-wheel-drive cars.

I've never used chains. People need to learn to not hit the brakes on ice. Use the engine to slow you down, don't panic when you lose traction and keep the speed low. If the road is clear don't make a hazard of yourself by doing 20mph in the left lane. Also 4-wheel drive does not help you stop.

[Cat of Ulthar]

Just for you, I've put my snow pictures into a set on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lpmcc/sets/72157623160434972/
Thank you. I feel all warm and fuzzy now. Well, fuzzy at least.:)

Oh yes, we Brits are constantly taken by surprise by the white flakes that fall every year :D
:befuddled:Did I miss something there?

[Name Lips]

I've never used chains. People need to learn to not hit the brakes on ice. Use the engine to slow you down, don't panic when you lose traction and keep the speed low. If the road is clear don't make a hazard of yourself by doing 20mph in the left lane. Also 4-wheel drive does not help you stop.

The main problem is the lightness of the cars. They have no traction. There's a trick to load bricks or cinderblocks in your trunk which seems to help. But it's a bit scary coming up to a green light and seeing people coming from the other directions sliding/spinning slowly out into the intersection because they can't stop their cars. There are some places where the intersection is at the bottom of a hill. Usually there's just a big pile of cars there during icy weather. Of course, the ice will all be melted by noon, and the cars are going so slowly there are usually few actual injuries in the city, but it really makes traffic hellish.

The biggest problem though is simply the lack of practice. It's all well and good to hear techniques for driving on ice, but when you only get to try them out a couple times a year it's hard to build up real experience.

Personally I know it's a really disturbing feeling when you think you're doing it right - going slow, not making sudden turns or anything, and your car just slowly starts spinning around, bumping into the curb, and so on. I was going straight dammit, at 10 mph. No weird braking or anything. The tires straight the whole time, the car getting the same amount of gas the whole time, but now for some reason I'm sliding backwards. Towards another car that just bumped into the car in front of it, which is slowly and peacefully drifting into the intersection.

It's disorienting, and you don't have time to figure out the "right" way to handle it. In fact, that was over 5 years ago and I don't think I've driven in the ice since then. So whatever I learned from that experience, if anything, is long forgotten.

[Hatter]

Sandbags in the trunk are good but only if you have rear wheel drive, in which case please stay off the road if its snowing. If you are sliding into the intersection at a stop light, you are not slowing down early enough.

I remember once being stopped at a light on an icy off ramp and having a gust of wind blow my car horizontally into the ditch. Good times.

[nerfherder]

There's a danger in places where the temperature tends to dip above and below freezing in the winter, and where snow is relatively rare.

That's the UK in a nutshell. We tend to get snow, then a bit thaw, then a freezing cold night, then more snow the next day.

You have a huge population of people who don't know how to drive in snowy weather and figure they'll just drive like normal. You have tons of people without snow chains on their cars and who only own tiny little 4-cylinder 2-wheel-drive cars.
One of the best cars I saw on snow was the pizza delivery van in a ski resort in the French Alps. No chains or 4-wheel drive, just proper snow tyres on a little fwd van. It went flying up the roads and round corners as if there wasn't a bit of snow on the ground.


:befuddled:Did I miss something there?

No - I was agreeing with you!

Sandbags in the trunk are good but only if you have rear wheel drive, in which case please stay off the road if its snowing.

That's me! RWD and 10.5 inch wide rear tyres mean that my baby's staying off the road till this clears.

[Name Lips]

Sandbags in the trunk are good but only if you have rear wheel drive, in which case please stay off the road if its snowing.

But then the northerners tell us we're wusses for canceling school for just a couple inches of snow! :(

They should come down here and try to drive when their cars are 150 degrees inside and the steering wheels are hot enough to cause actual burns. That'll teach 'em.

[Redallia]

Yeah, when driving in more than a dusting of snow, low speed and keeping your car moving forward are key. On ice...well, avoid driving on ice if you can help it, but it's generally the same advice as for snow. Low speed and keep moving forward. On sheer, wet ice, I suggest praying.

[The Winslow]

Starting with the underground - which, aptly named, is underground, a location usually not associated with heavy snowfall.

Heh. There was a Eurostar blocked in the Channel Tunnel because of the snow. :D
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6061KM20100107

[DarwinOfMind]

you know what it was 15 degrees outside when i went to work this morning, so you know what, FUCK winter!

[nerfherder]

Heh. There was a Eurostar blocked in the Channel Tunnel because of the snow. :D
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6061KM20100107

One? There was more than one stuck in there before Xmas!

[Space Cadet B^3]

People also need to learn to shift to neutral if they aren't stopping...

[Hatter]

People also need to learn to shift to neutral if they aren't stopping...

You can do this on dry roads too, a cop buddy of my uncle recommended this and it does work, disengaging the engine allows you to stop a few feet shorter.

[Kastil]

They should come down here and try to drive when their cars are 150 degrees inside and the steering wheels are hot enough to cause actual burns. That'll teach 'em.That's summer in PA for me. My husbnad flips the seats of his convertible down so he doesn't charr off the back of his legs sitting down.

[The Theocrat of Poon-Tang]

No snow so far today, which is good because the roads needed to be cleared and mostly have been. But more coming tonight.

I just checked and according to Wikipedia, Erie is the 13th snowiest place in the US. We're on pace, I believe, to challenge our snowfall record.

[Dawnstar]

So we finally got the snow. I am going to guess that we probably have about 3 or 4 inches in total. But thankfully it is not really heavy snow. I already shoveled once, Enk will be doing it again in the morning once all the snow has fallen.

[The Theocrat of Poon-Tang]

So we finally got the snow. I am going to guess that we probably have about 3 or 4 inches in total. But thankfully it is not really heavy snow. I already shoveled once, Enk will be doing it again in the morning once all the snow has fallen.

Just don't do it at 4:00am like my batshit crazy neighbor, who has full blown OCD and hasn't held a job ever since we moved in (1995). She's driven away several nice couples that made the mistake of moving in next door (we're directly across the street) with her antics. She looks like a scraggly methhead, weighs all of 90lbs. and is almost as ugly on the outside as she is on the inside. If you saw her, you'd realize the magnitude of that statement.

When she woke me up last night I am ashamed to say that I was very much hoping she would have a heart attack or get run over by a plow.

[Dawnstar]

Yeah, Nope no 4am shoveling. And your neighbor sounds Crazy. sorry you have to deal with her.

[nerfherder]

Just don't do it at 4:00am like my batshit crazy neighbor, who has full blown OCD and hasn't held a job ever since we moved in (1995). She's driven away several nice couples that made the mistake of moving in next door (we're directly across the street) with her antics. She looks like a scraggly methhead, weighs all of 90lbs. and is almost as ugly on the outside as she is on the inside. If you saw her, you'd realize the magnitude of that statement.

When she woke me up last night I am ashamed to say that I was very much hoping she would have a heart attack or get run over by a plow.

I thought that the major advantage of living in the USA is that you had guns for this kind of situation...

[Droid101]

I thought that the major advantage of living in the USA is that you had guns for this kind of situation...

Please, that's stupid. You can get the job done much more quietly with a knife, of which I know you have plenty over there!

[Lady_Acoma]

I have shoveled in the middle of the night before, but I do take precautions to not scrape the shovel along the ground and basically just clear the top layers so the next morning I wouldn't have as much to clear away.

I checked with my neighbors and no one has heard me yet so I am pretty sure I am doing okay.

[alternate identity]

Just don't do it at 4:00am like my batshit crazy neighbor, who has full blown OCD and hasn't held a job ever since we moved in (1995). She's driven away several nice couples that made the mistake of moving in next door (we're directly across the street) with her antics. She looks like a scraggly methhead, weighs all of 90lbs. and is almost as ugly on the outside as she is on the inside. If you saw her, you'd realize the magnitude of that statement.

When she woke me up last night I am ashamed to say that I was very much hoping she would have a heart attack or get run over by a plow.

I have too held a job since 1995.

AI

[Dayknight]

The whole state of Iowa is advised not to drive on roads tonight. I have a half and hour commute which took 1 1/2 hours tonight. The wind was, I dunno 30 mph and drifts were creeping across the interstate.

My advise for winter driving: drive slow, keep a large distance between you and the next vehicle, and don't use brakes to slow the car.

[Edena_of_Neith]

(looks at the current temperature map)

We are now the Frozen States of America.

They are predicting snow in Orlando, Florida.

[nerfherder]

Last night we had temperatures of -22C (-8F) in Scotland, -16C (3F) in Northumberland and -11C (12F) in my town.

This is an image by NASA taken yesterday lunchtime

[Kastil]

About an inch of light powdery snow on the ground this morning. Two hour delay for my kid because most of the kids around here have to walk to school.

[SpikeyFreak]

22F when I got in my car this morning. No precipitation though, so no craziness on the roads.

Didn't stop people I work with asking if they could work from home today. :rolleyes:

--Happy Spikey

[Dacke]

http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/pp234/BalooSJ/epic-fail-snow-sculpture-fail.jpg

[The Theocrat of Poon-Tang]

2-3 more inches last night...but enough about what my wife got. :rimshot:

Hay-OHHHHH! :o


It's really no big thing around here, we're pretty used to it. Late December through mid March we get dumped on. You soldier on and, in my opinion, it makes us northerners a hardier breed.

Oh, and I realized that my crazy neighbor goes to bed at 10:00pm or so. Judging by the lights in all of my other neighbors houses, they don't go quite so early. So guess when I shoveled last night? You got it, 10:15. I made sure to scrape nice and loud. And yeah, I saw her upstairs curtain roll up and watch me the whole time. After every long, drawn out scrape I'd look up and, though I doubt she could see it, smile nice and wide.

[alternate identity]

Funny - I didn't recognize the crazy man shovelling snow in the buff.

Dearie, you really should see a doctor.

As for weather around here, try this...

http://text.weatheroffice.gc.ca/forecast/city_e.html?sk-32&unit=m

AI

[Name Lips]

So where you are it's -45 degrees celcius. That's pretty cold.

In fact, for comparison, the temperature of Mars varies from -20 in the summer to -80 in the winter.

So temperature-wise, it looks like it would be wise to colonize Mars with Canadians.

[nerfherder]

Me one New Year's Day:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4020/4256414622_19cb9cb770.jpg (http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/amandabt/4256414622/)

[The Winslow]

(looks at the current temperature map)

We are now the Frozen States of America.

They are predicting snow in Orlando, Florida.

I saw some footage of Florida. Citrus trees covered in icicles. That's not going to be good for these trees... A crisis in the making, for the producers?

[Harry]

It's a bit nipply out today.

[Cat of Ulthar]

Last night we had temperatures of -22C (-8F) in Scotland, -16C (3F) in Northumberland and -11C (12F) in my town.

This is an image by NASA taken yesterday lunchtime

Oooh, pretty! :)

[nerfherder]

Oooh, pretty! :)

Come on then - who's going to be the first to say "Ooh, you can see my house from here!"? :D

[Cat of Ulthar]

Come on then - who's going to be the first to say "Ooh, you can see my house from here!"? :D

I can't, there's clouds over London.

[Droid101]

Brr, it was 65 when I was driving to work this morning. But I think it's up to about 72 now.

[Dawnstar]

Brr, it was 65 when I was driving to work this morning. But I think it's up to about 72 now.



I hate you droid.

I just finished shoveling the driveway again. We have about 5 or 6 inches would be my guess.

[Snatch]

We've been having a pretty cold winter in Edmonton so far. We've been well below average for this time of year. We don't get a ton of snow, but we've been making up for it with wind chill. A couple weeks before Christmas the ambient air temps were around -40 with wind chills into the -50's! And that that temp - who cares if it's C or F!

[Name Lips]

Brr, it was 65 when I was driving to work this morning. But I think it's up to about 72 now.

Dear gods! The local hotties aren't covering up are they? That would be horrible!

:tongue:

[Hatter]

Dear gods! The local hotties aren't covering up are they? That would be horrible!

:tongue:

Sweaters, dude. Christ event I know that.

[nerfherder]

A picture of one of my favourite roads:

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/47064000/jpg/_47064027_sign.jpg

[bunny]

A picture of one of my favourite roads:

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/47064000/jpg/_47064027_sign.jpg

Snow drift or snow plow?