Snoverreaction: does this happen where you live?

[SKL]

As for where are the shovels, I have mine.  I haven't bought a shovel in a long time.

 

But ice scrapers - those dang things break easily.

[LibraryLover]

I've done this! (And usually send my dh. ;))  I try never to, but when we are low on something, and it looks like we may be hunkering down for a couple of days, I do want a few things. But then, I think about other things I might need...just in case...lol     My husband is a saint. 

[TechWife]

It is my pleasure to present to you The National French Toast Alert System

 

If you prefer, you can follow on Twitter @FrenchToastAlrt

 

Like the Facebook page French Toast Alert System (concentrates on Boston MA)

Edited January 22, 2016 by TechWife

[slackermom]

I thought I was safe, but The National French Toast Alert System recommends I go shopping!
I see they are endorsing strawberries at the fruit accompaniment.

[Pen]

I have never had a snow shovel and guess a lot of other people in my area (Pacific Northwest) don't either. If 2 feet of snow were predicted a lot of us might try to get them, and I would think the stores don't stock very many, so then they'd be out. Would that be a snovereaction?

 

 

[Pawz4me]

Over reaction?

 

Our governor declared a state of emergency more than 24 hours before the first snowflakes were expected to fall.  What more could I say?

 

Not an indication of an over-reaction at all, IMO.  They do that because there are all sorts of things covered under SOE regulations.  It may vary from state to state, but here I know it includes things like preventing price gouging on gas and diesel fuel (probably other fuels like heating oil but I'm not positive), lifts weight restrictions for trucks (including power repair vehicles and agricultural related vehicles) and things like that.  It also clears the way for seeking certain federal assistance, I believe.  It's a common sense part of preparation.

 

I actually woke up during the night thinking about this thread.  And it occurred to me that really it's just another case of anyone doing more than you (generic) is over-reacting, and anyone doing less than you (generic) is under-reacting.

Edited January 22, 2016 by Pawz4me

[creekland]

We're in the 14 - 24 inch range - starting this evening after dark.  It should be pretty... that part of winter I really like.  Stay tuned for pics Saturday or Sunday.

 

Hubby remembered to pull our snow shovels out of our workshop and have them here next to the house.  Smart guy.  I'd have had to trudge through the snow to fetch them if it'd been up to my memory.  He tells me I wouldn't have had to - that I'd have had him do it - that's why he remembered.   :lol:

 

He did go out and fill our gas cans last night in case we need them for the generator.  We don't usually lose power though.  I guess it will depend upon where tree limbs fall or car accidents happen.

 

Otherwise... he's planning on staying in and getting a job or two complete (his engineering stuff).  I'm still hoping the neighbors come over to play some games for part of it.  I'll probably catch up on some reading too - and we'll see about cooking that turkey (perhaps Sunday if power might be an issue).

[need2read]

 

I just want to know- what happens to everyone's snow shovel each year? Do they throw it out or can't find it is why they have to buy a new one each year. I understand they break but do that many break.

Well, when you frequently are shoveling a foot (or more!) of heavy snow, it does a number on the snow shovel. Plus the cold makes the plastic more brittle so they are more likely to break for that reason.

 

As to the original question of why people freak out, I totally get it for places that don't normally see large amounts of snow. They aren't used to it and are not set up for it--no snow plows, etc. But here in Maine people still freak out and I totally do not understand. Whenever they are forecasting a storm, the news outlets run these stories about how it's going to be the BIGGEST STORM EVER!!!! and the stores get cleaned out of milk, bread, and batteries. I do make sure I have everything I need for a day or two because I don't want to go out in the storm but for crying out loud, it has been DECADES since the days when it took them a week to get back to normal after a big storm. And we don't get the kind of storms like they used to that would dump two feet or more at a time. Now the plow trucks get the roads cleared out in no time and everyone is on their merry way.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Pam in CT]

re it's all relative

...

I actually woke up during the night thinking about this thread.  And it occurred to me that really it's just another case of anyone doing more than you (generic) is over-reacting, and anyone doing less than you (generic) is under-reacting.

There's probably a good bit of truth to that.

 

 

We actually did lose power for 10 days during Sandy, and the area schools stayed closed even longer than that since a lot of them were being used for emergency shelters and places that affected people could drop in for water/charging gizmos etc.  Most people in my area are on wells, so we lose water too when we lose power.  It's no big deal for 2-3 days -- everyone fills bathtubs for to use to flush the toilets etc -- but it gets pretty hard pretty fast. 

 

Around here it's the ICE, not the snow, that makes things dangerous.  That's what brings the trees down, on top of the transmission lines, and blocks the service trucks from even getting to clear the lines.  That's what Sandy was about here.  When it's just snow things settle down pretty fast. 

[Amira]

Dh and I went to the grocery store last night for a cultural experience. We checked out the bread (empty) and milk (still there) aisles and waited in a relatively long line (for 10 PM on a Thursday) to buy our ice cream (because you should get ice cream if you go to a grocery store, even for a cultural experience). There were no plastic grocery bags left in the store but there were lots of Peanuts movie bags that people were using to carry their stuff out. :)

 

I hope I win the contest for the largest number of parentheses used in one short post.

[momofkhm]

Forgot to mention... last year when dd was in Germany at this time, I watched her weather a few times.  I asked about the grocery stores when snow was forecast.  No one cared!  There was no run on anything.  Bread was plentiful, eggs, milk, snow shovels.  No issues after the snow came either.  No power outages.  

 

Her bigger complaint was once it started to get warm (she was there until June) was there was no air conditioning.

[Carrie12345]

 

 

I actually woke up during the night thinking about this thread.  And it occurred to me that really it's just another case of anyone doing more than you (generic) is over-reacting, and anyone doing less than you (generic) is under-reacting.

 

Yes!

 

And, frankly, I don't get how the word "panic" caught on to the point that hundreds of videos have gone viral. @@

Yup, I got my milk and bread. I calmly walked into my quiet supermarket last night, filled my cart with the "essentials" and all the sale deals before the next sale cycle starts, checked out, drove home, and put the stuff away.  I don't recall freaking out in a panic, lol.

[Junie]

Dh and I went to the grocery store last night for a cultural experience. We checked out the bread (empty) and milk (still there) aisles and waited in a relatively long line (for 10 PM on a Thursday) to buy our ice cream (because you should get ice cream if you go to a grocery store, even for a cultural experience). There were no plastic grocery bags left in the store but there were lots of Peanuts movie bags that people were using to carry their stuff out. :)

 

I hope I win the contest for the largest number of parentheses used in one short post.

 

I bought ice cream because of the impending storm.

 

Several years ago, we were expecting to lose power because of a hurricane coming up the East Coast.  We knew we were going to lose power (because of all the wind) and we knew it would likely be out for several days.

 

So, as soon as the power went off, I told the kids to sit down at the dining room table.  I explained the power situation.  And then I told them that we had to eat all the ice cream in the house.  I told them it was going to melt and I didn't want to throw it away, so we had to eat all of it!

 

Well, my dd7 (who was probably about 3 at the time) stopped crying.  She is my child who usually freaks out about thunderstoms, etc.  And because of the ice cream it was fine.

 

In fact, the next time she found out that a storm was coming, instead of crying, she got a big smile on her face and asked, "Do we have any ice cream?"

 

So, it is now tradition at our house to eat ice cream when the power goes out.

[fairfarmhand]

I do want to add that in the southeast "snow" is often a mix of freezing rain, sleet and snow. So, we may in fact start out with freezing rain (rain that freezes when it hits the pavement), then move on to sleet (frozen rain falling) and then snow as the temperature drops. Then, that cycle reverses itself during a warmer period and can repeat several times over the course of a day or two. At this time of year it is possible for temperatures to dip below freezing, warm up to the point where things start melting, then dip again at night so everything freezes again. This means that the top layer of any precipitation is ice more ice than anything else. 

 

I do realize that in other areas of the country that people drive in snowy weather. However, no one can drive on ice. Well, you might do okay driving, but stopping is going to be a real trick! Having a 4 wheel drive doesn't help (unless you've left the road and trying to get back on). When people move here from other areas of the country, they often get a big surprise because they assume the white stuff is all snow. They get pulled out of ditches a lot. 

 

This exactly.

 

Also, typically snowy weather events are an issue for maybe 14 days of the year. THAT is why towns and counties don't have lots of salt trucks and snowplows and why nobody has snow tires or chains, much less cold weather gear for the whole family.

 

[imagine.more]

This is our first southern winter in 8 years and I am completely baffled by the reaction to 2" of snow here! My kids are all "yay, first snow of the year!"....and trekked outside to have a snowball fight. My husband and I are planning on running errands and I'll be annoyed if the stores are closed. Of course the joke will be on me if I hit a patch of black ice while out but seriously, 2" is not going to keep me housebound.

[SparklyUnicorn]

"snoverreaction" definitely deserves a place in the dictionary!

 

 

[Carrie12345]

This is our first southern winter in 8 years and I am completely baffled by the reaction to 2" of snow here! My kids are all "yay, first snow of the year!"....and trekked outside to have a snowball fight. My husband and I are planning on running errands and I'll be annoyed if the stores are closed. Of course the joke will be on me if I hit a patch of black ice while out but seriously, 2" is not going to keep me housebound.

 

I've been in Atlanta for at least 3 winter weather events that would seem normal at home in PA or NJ.  It's no joke down there.  My NJ-born-and-bred mother was driving in one and I thought I might die. Untreated roads are NOT NOT NOT the same as treated roads!!!

[itsheresomewhere]

Well, when you frequently are shoveling a foot (or more!) of heavy snow, it does a number on the snow shovel. Plus the cold makes the plastic more brittle so they are more likely to break for that reason.

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I guess we are lucky or buy really good shovels. Last year was the first year in a long time one broke. Ours get used all winter and we have only had one break. The metal one stays by the door and the plastic goes back to the garage.

[Alice]

I think it's some people that freak out but mostly I think it's just that everyone is doing their normal shopping at the same time. We go through 3-4 gallons of milk in a week. We almost always buy 2 gallons every shopping trip. Knowing we would be at home for at least 2 days and knowing that the stores would be crowded, we went shopping on Tuesday night and bought our normal 2 gallons of milk and other stuff. If you multiple everyone doing their normal weekly shopping but doing it on the same 1-2 days because they know that they won't be able to do it over the time of the storm, shelves get empty. 

 

There are always mysterious things that seem to be gone though. In Richmond, where I grew up the list was milk, bread, toilet paper and whiskey. I was just at CVS to buy some last minute coffee and all the Valentine's candy was depleted from the shelves. :) 

[TechWife]

This is our first southern winter in 8 years and I am completely baffled by the reaction to 2" of snow here! My kids are all "yay, first snow of the year!"....and trekked outside to have a snowball fight. My husband and I are planning on running errands and I'll be annoyed if the stores are closed. Of course the joke will be on me if I hit a patch of black ice while out but seriously, 2" is not going to keep me housebound.

 

I don't know exactly where you live, but you'd better make sure that it's really all snow, not ice, before you head out. Otherwise, you might become one of the transplants I referred to earlier - the ones who get pulled out of ditches! Worse than that, you could get hurt or hurt someone else. 

 

It baffles me why people don't just relax and enjoy the time off. 

[Pawz4me]

I think it's pretty funny that so many people say "I just stopped in to pick up x, y, z and the shelves were almost bare and the lines to pay were unbelievable.  Why do people do that?"

 

Ummm . . . hello.  If everybody stops to pick up just x, y, z (or a, b, c or whatever) then the shelves are gonna get bare quickly and the lines are going to be long.  It's like we all do it, but only our own excuse is valid.  If other people do it it's because they're over-reacting or panicking.  Shoot, I stop by a grocery store so frequently I could very truthfully claim that any day of the week is my normal shopping day. ;) :lol:

[luuknam]

I want to know where all the snow scrapers for the car windows go.

 

Well, let's say that since last winter the snow didn't disappear until May or so, the thing stayed in the car all summer, lying on the floor in front of the back seats. It was in good condition until December. And then it broke, just before we (finally) got our first snow. On the bright side, since we sold the truck in the fall, we had the one from the truck too, so we didn't buy a new one.

 

I broke one of the kid's snow shovels last winter. Turns out they are not really suitable for trying to lift a sheet of ice (not real surprised).

 

I think maybe people take their snow shovels with them when they move to sunnier places, as a souvenir, so that people who move here from sunnier places have to buy a shovel?

 

But anyway, 2' of snow is unlikely to get you a snow day here (we've had 0 actual SNOW days here since we moved here 3 years ago). 7' of snow 5 miles to the south however will get you a "the teachers can't make it to school so you get the day off" kind of situation (3.5 days of that Snowvember 2014). We've also had some cold days where the district didn't want the kids outside waiting for the bus. But no SNOW days.

[luuknam]

I bought ice cream because of the impending storm.

 

Several years ago, we were expecting to lose power because of a hurricane coming up the East Coast.  We knew we were going to lose power (because of all the wind) and we knew it would likely be out for several days.

 

So, as soon as the power went off, I told the kids to sit down at the dining room table.  I explained the power situation.  And then I told them that we had to eat all the ice cream in the house.  I told them it was going to melt and I didn't want to throw it away, so we had to eat all of it!

 

Well, my dd7 (who was probably about 3 at the time) stopped crying.  She is my child who usually freaks out about thunderstoms, etc.  And because of the ice cream it was fine.

 

In fact, the next time she found out that a storm was coming, instead of crying, she got a big smile on her face and asked, "Do we have any ice cream?"

 

So, it is now tradition at our house to eat ice cream when the power goes out.

 

But when it's SNOW, you can just stick your frozen food in the snow... no power needed. :)

 

I was planning on taking the kids to the grocery store today. Now I'm wondering if it's supposed to snow in the nearby future? I don't have a clue.

[Junie]

But when it's SNOW, you can just stick your frozen food in the snow... no power needed. :)

 

I was planning on taking the kids to the grocery store today. Now I'm wondering if it's supposed to snow in the nearby future? I don't have a clue.

 

True, but it makes the kids happy to let them eat it all.

 

And we rarely lose power in winter.  It's those pesky fall hurricanes...

[73349]

In a reliably cold place, yes, in power outages you could just put the food outside. The problem here in the Southeast is that typically the outside temperature quickly goes back up over 40F (safe temperature for foods), yet power may not be restored for days.

[Carrie12345]

In a reliably cold place, yes, in power outages you could just put the food outside. The problem here in the Southeast is that typically the outside temperature quickly goes back up over 40F (safe temperature for foods), yet power may not be restored for days.

 

Definitely.  Even up here, dh and I have frequent problems with our beer and wine freezing and warming on the balcony.  :p

 

Even with reliably cold temps, we use coolers or our inaccessible (from the outside) balcony because we have curious deer and other critters.

[Bluegoat]

I've noticed that people seem more sensitive in general to weather events now. 

 

I'm sure this is in part because of more extreme weather events, and more coverage of them as well.

 

McLeans, which is a Canadian new magazine, had a big article on attitudes to winter this month - about the fact that winters are milder than ever, but people are also wearing warmer clothes, complaining about the cold, and spending less time outdoors.

 

I think in some cases it has to do with fear of liability - things like schools being closed are generally based on concerns about risk.

[SquirrellyMama]

Yes! I used to work at HyVee when I was in HS. We were getting snow the next day, and some guy comes through my line with a turkey, because, "We could be snowed in for days!" Um... sir, we're only getting 4 inches. 

 

This is Iowa, people! It snows every winter, you don't need a turkey! We lived in a town where most everyone could have found a grocery store to walk to if they didn't want to drive in the 4 inches of snow!

 

Kelly

[ScoutTN]

This (6" and still coming down) is the most snow we have had since 2013 (when we got 8" during the morning drive time) and there is indeed a layer of ice underneath it, so the reaction is perhaps not unwarranted here this time. We will not drive until Sunday (if then) and my mom, who is elderly and not steady on her feet, will likely not go out until Monday or later.

 

So the last minute run to the store yesterday was not really unwarranted this time. No one wants to be out of TP, Rx, dog food etc, nevermind all the yummy comfort foods. I just did my regular weekly shopping two days early. I got raw milk from my farmer, bagels from Brueggers and no bananas because we still have some. TJ's had plenty of all these items.

 

The real danger is far less than last year when we had a major ice storm, though. Ice has no redeeming fun value.

[marbel]

<snip>

 

It baffles me why people don't just relax and enjoy the time off. 

 

I agree with you.   We are expecting our biggest snow impact tomorrow during the day.  I wish every nonessential activity was canceled and people would take it to heart when the public safety agencies say "please stay off the roads."   (Obviously I exclude essential driving such as police, fire, ambulance... healthcare workers who need to staff the hospital... truly necessary work.)

 

But.. this is the first winter I have a working child/teen.  She works at a little cafe 1/2 a mile from home.  Unless it truly is a white-out, she should be able to walk to work. But of course she doesn't know if other employees will get there. 

 

Her employer sent out a mass text just saying that they hope to open but not giving any detail.  Of course she really can't give any detail, as no one knows what will happen tomorrow morning!

 

It's given me a new view of snow days.  This is a small business.  People who don't work don't get paid.  For some like my daughter, it's no big deal.   But there are a few full-time employees. Of course the owners will take a bigger hit if they can't open.  To me, a cafe is a nonessential! But then again, if the power in part of a neighborhood goes out, and the cafe is open... could mean good business and lots of goodwill.  

 

It's got to be a hard call for a business owner to make.  

 

(I think but of course am not sure I'd close so as not to put my employees in danger of driving in white-out conditions.) 

 

 

 

[Dicentra]

I'm curious about something...

 

Snow brushes/scrapers for vehicles. :)

 

I live in Central Canada - snow (and ice/freezing rain, too, sometimes) is just winter so everyone has a snow brush/scraper in every vehicle.  The ones we buy don't often break, though (and that's with lots and lots of use), so I'm curious as to what kind other folks buy.  This is what we have:

http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/mallory-economy-snow-brush-0304424p.html#.VqJ3gVJpGN8

It's dirt cheap. :D  But it doesn't seem to break.  The wooden handle isn't affected by cold so doesn't get brittle and the plastic scraper end must be made of some type of plastic that also isn't affect by cold - it never seems to get brittle or break, either.

 

I'm just curious what other folks have - that's all. :)  I'm also procrastinating from starting to mark all the intro psych assignments I collected today from my Friday class.  Wondering about snow brushes and/or scrapers seems like a good procrastination subject. :D

[Guest]

"snoverreaction" definitely deserves a place in the dictionary!

Thank you. :) I am fond of it.

 

My DD just texted me and said, "people are flipping out because they are closing the Great Room for Saturday and Sunday. They were handing out boxes of food and it was a madhouse!"

 

ETA: she is at colllege.

Edited January 22, 2016 by Quill

[Guest]

I'm curious about something...

 

Snow brushes/scrapers for vehicles. :)

 

I live in Central Canada - snow (and ice/freezing rain, too, sometimes) is just winter so everyone has a snow brush/scraper in every vehicle. The ones we buy don't often break, though (and that's with lots and lots of use), so I'm curious as to what kind other folks buy. This is what we have:

http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/mallory-economy-snow-brush-0304424p.html#.VqJ3gVJpGN8

It's dirt cheap. :D But it doesn't seem to break. The wooden handle isn't affected by cold so doesn't get brittle and the plastic scraper end must be made of some type of plastic that also isn't affect by cold - it never seems to get brittle or break, either.

 

I'm just curious what other folks have - that's all. :) I'm also procrastinating from starting to mark all the intro psych assignments I collected today from my Friday class. Wondering about snow brushes and/or scrapers seems like a good procrastination subject. :D

That looks like a good scraper. Mine is shaped like that but is all plastic. We don't get the kind of cold you do, though, I'm thinking. When I worked/before kids, I used to keep my scraper in my car at all times, but now, it's not that necessary.

[Carrie12345]

I have a metal, telescoping brush/scraper, which was great for my van last year.  Before the moisture rusted things so that it will no longer telescope.  :crying:

[Pawz4me]

I'm curious about something...

 

Snow brushes/scrapers for vehicles. :)

 

I live in Central Canada - snow (and ice/freezing rain, too, sometimes) is just winter so everyone has a snow brush/scraper in every vehicle.  The ones we buy don't often break, though (and that's with lots and lots of use), so I'm curious as to what kind other folks buy.  This is what we have:

http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/mallory-economy-snow-brush-0304424p.html#.VqJ3gVJpGN8

It's dirt cheap. :D  But it doesn't seem to break.  The wooden handle isn't affected by cold so doesn't get brittle and the plastic scraper end must be made of some type of plastic that also isn't affect by cold - it never seems to get brittle or break, either.

 

I'm just curious what other folks have - that's all. :)  I'm also procrastinating from starting to mark all the intro psych assignments I collected today from my Friday class.  Wondering about snow brushes and/or scrapers seems like a good procrastination subject. :D

 

We have scrapers similar to this one in each of our vehicles.  I'm guessing we did buy one last year, when youngest DS got his drivers license and car.  And we would've bought one when DS20 started driving.  But the scrapers DH and I have are many years old.  They stay in the cars, so no danger of getting lost.  And we've never had one break.

[creekland]

But when it's SNOW, you can just stick your frozen food in the snow... no power needed. :)

 

I'm sure the critters outside would love it if we chose this option!  Party at Creekland's!!!

 

I noticed my online weather site moved our 14 - 24 inches up to 24+ inches while I was out this morning... and having just looked at the Weather Channel on TV, they agree.  I think we'll have terrific pics.  ;)  No snow yet though.  Hubby is still out on a job site.  I'm hoping he'll get home before it starts.

 

We have a turkey that we bought (earlier in the week) due to the coming storm, but we bought it because I want the nice aroma in the house and leftovers for a week or so to have for my school lunches and easy dinners, etc.  No apologies!  93 cents per pound seemed like a good buy too.

 

We bought our ice scrapers back home where I live (where winter is real and lasts longer than summer).  We've yet to have one of those break.  When we bought one locally it only lasted a couple of years before it got brittle and broke.

[luuknam]

I agree with you.   We are expecting our biggest snow impact tomorrow during the day.  I wish every nonessential activity was canceled and people would take it to heart when the public safety agencies say "please stay off the roads."   (Obviously I exclude essential driving such as police, fire, ambulance... healthcare workers who need to staff the hospital... truly necessary work.)

 

It's given me a new view of snow days.  This is a small business.  People who don't work don't get paid.  For some like my daughter, it's no big deal.   But there are a few full-time employees. Of course the owners will take a bigger hit if they can't open.  To me, a cafe is a nonessential! But then again, if the power in part of a neighborhood goes out, and the cafe is open... could mean good business and lots of goodwill.  

 

It's got to be a hard call for a business owner to make. 

 

As a side note, if you're ordering pizza because it's snowy/snowing and you don't want to leave the house, actually tip your driver (which you're supposed to tip anyway, but definitely tip (extra) if they're risking their life to get the pizza to you so you can stay nice and cozy). My wife used to deliver pizzas, and driving 15 miles to work in snow to then slip and slide to deliver pizzas in Texas and NOT getting a tip is something that's happened too often.

 

I'm curious about something...

 

Snow brushes/scrapers for vehicles. :)

 

I live in Central Canada - snow (and ice/freezing rain, too, sometimes) is just winter so everyone has a snow brush/scraper in every vehicle.  The ones we buy don't often break, though (and that's with lots and lots of use), so I'm curious as to what kind other folks buy.  This is what we have:

http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/mallory-economy-snow-brush-0304424p.html#.VqJ3gVJpGN8

It's dirt cheap. :D  But it doesn't seem to break.  The wooden handle isn't affected by cold so doesn't get brittle and the plastic scraper end must be made of some type of plastic that also isn't affect by cold - it never seems to get brittle or break, either.

 

I'm just curious what other folks have - that's all. :) 

 

Something like this, but not pink, was what broke. Obviously, leaving it on the floor of the back seat all summer wasn't a good decision. I don't think I've seen wooden scrapers around here, but maybe I haven't paid attention. For the truck we pretty much needed a telescoping one though, or it would've been impossible to reach all the snow/ice. FTR, basically the brush part broke off, so the first few snow days I used the brush and the scraper, before we got the other one (that used to be in the truck, presale) from the basement or wherever.

 

https://www.pepboys.com/product/details/665870/00373

[luuknam]

I'm sure the critters outside would love it if we chose this option!  Party at Creekland's!!!

 

You don't have to stick it *outside* in the snow. You can just cram as much snow in your freezer as possible (yes, it will melt over time, which would get your fridge/floor wet). Or something. There are ways to keep the food cold and the critters hungry if you have enough snow. We pretty much only have bunnies, and haven't had a power outage in winter yet (well, we have, but it lasted <2 hours).

[creekland]

You don't have to stick it *outside* in the snow. You can just cram as much snow in your freezer as possible (yes, it will melt over time, which would get your fridge/floor wet). Or something. There are ways to keep the food cold and the critters hungry if you have enough snow. We pretty much only have bunnies, and haven't had a power outage in winter yet (well, we have, but it lasted <2 hours).

 

We don't get outages often either.  I can't remember the last one that lasted more than a brief period of time (sometimes seconds), but there've been a few in our 19 years here.  When we do get them, we just use our generator for important appliances.  It's very easy and makes me feel good about having it.

[LisaKinVA]

Not missing the snow...of course, I can see plenty on the mountains, and was just up by the Italian Alps last week. We are required by law to have snow chains if driving north of Rome, and they do have check points randomly.

 

Naples shuts down because of Flurries. No ice, freezing rain, just dry snow that wouldn't qualify as a dusting. Shut. Down.

 

I lived in DC. I've been in a ditch because of black ice. I've spent 6+ hours in commuter traffics because no one took the weather seriously. Even more fun, when Alexandria gets an inch, but you live out in western Fairfax county that got 18", and your boss tells you if he can get to work, so should you (non essential, really) After just missing wrapping our car around a telephone poll, and a nasty icy hillside event, I don't sneer at the school closings and delays. I'm grateful for them. I am also glad the federal government got with the teleworking program, and now offers unscheduled teleworking as an option. This recognizes the numerous commuters to DC who can't get to work safely...vs. 20 years ago, when no matter what our local weather was like we were expected to arrive on time if DC was good.

 

No. I do not miss the nasty snow of the southeast!

[Carrie12345]

 

 

I noticed my online weather site moved our 14 - 24 inches up to 24+ inches while I was out this morning... and having just looked at the Weather Channel on TV, they agree.  

 

My minimum is currently 1-2".

My maximum is 19-20".

I am so glad I'm not a meteorologist!

[marbel]

As a side note, if you're ordering pizza because it's snowy/snowing and you don't want to leave the house, actually tip your driver (which you're supposed to tip anyway, but definitely tip (extra) if they're risking their life to get the pizza to you so you can stay nice and cozy). My wife used to deliver pizzas, and driving 15 miles to work in snow to then slip and slide to deliver pizzas in Texas and NOT getting a tip is something that's happened too often.

 

 

<snip>

 

I've never understood the concept of ordering pizza to be delivered in a snowstorm.  That is the kind of vehicle that should not be on the street, imo.  But of course I am not the owner of a pizza delivery service. 

 

[luuknam]

We are required by law to have snow chains if driving north of Rome, and they do have check points randomly.

 

Btw, my wife bicycles 7 miles to work in Buffalo (and they don't clear bicycle paths around here, not that there are many bicycle paths, mostly she rides on the road). You can get studded bicycle tires:

 

http://www.icebike.org/the-ultimate-guide-to-winter-bike-tires-and-studded-tires/

[luuknam]

I've never understood the concept of ordering pizza to be delivered in a snowstorm.  That is the kind of vehicle that should not be on the street, imo.  But of course I am not the owner of a pizza delivery service.

 

Right, but those tend to be busy nights, and if you're working delivering pizzas, you're generally not in a great financial position.

[creekland]

My minimum is currently 1-2".

My maximum is 19-20".

I am so glad I'm not a meteorologist!

 

I dunno.  They can be wrong so often, yet still keep their jobs without any sort of penalty and we the public keep believing in what they say, 'cause after all, they might be right.  Seems like a pretty good job IMO (though not one I'm interested in).

[AmandaVT]

But when it's SNOW, you can just stick your frozen food in the snow... no power needed. :)

 

I was planning on taking the kids to the grocery store today. Now I'm wondering if it's supposed to snow in the nearby future? I don't have a clue.

 

We put a pint of Ben and Jerry's out in the snow one night a few winters ago. We were in the middle of a massive renovation here and did not have a refrigerator at the time. When DH went outside to get dessert, he couldn't find it anywhere. We looked and looked in all of the nearby snow and couldn't find the darn thing. Finally, in the spring when the snow melted, it reappeared. It was a sad night of not having the dessert we had been looking forward to, but it did make for a funny story once the renovations were complete and we had a fridge again. :-) 

[LucyStoner]

Seattle is pretty reactive to small amounts of snow and my family made fun of this for years. Then I started driving as an adult and realized the conditions that bring about snow here are actually fairly problematic and dangerous because of our hills. If it's well below freezing here, it's almost always clear. And if it is cloudy enough for precipitation, it usually stays rain because the temp rises to a bit over freezing. It's rare for it to be freezing and have precipitation. It usually happens when the temperature is hovering right *around freezing*. This means it melts and refreezes into ice over and over again.

 

And since it's not a super common occurrence being that we are on Puget Sound, taxpayers are loathe to spend big money on equipment we might need every 5 years. So we have fewer ways for municipalities (city and surrounding burbs) to clear and de-ice roads than we would if this was an annual need. It's not a lack of desire to save or plan- it's a question of budget priorities. Do we not get something else that is urgently needed so that we will be optimally prepared for the not very often event that it snows more than a light dusting? Same thing on a household level. I have salt and a snow shovel and tire chains but we don't buy snow tires or a truck plow on the off chance it might come in handy. The last major snow year was when my son was born. My son just celebrated his 7th birthday.

Edited January 22, 2016 by LucyStoner

[Carrie12345]

I dunno.  They can be wrong so often, yet still keep their jobs without any sort of penalty and we the public keep believing in what they say, 'cause after all, they might be right.  Seems like a pretty good job IMO (though not one I'm interested in).

 

I don't consider them *wrong.  The science is limited.  "This is what it should do under these conditions" doesn't mean it will. Or that the conditions don't change.  I find it very interesting... in theory.  In practice, I go nuts when I think one thing, and another happens!  I would not last very long, lol.

[LucyStoner]

It does seem an overreaction but Americans aren't big in to preparing and saving, especially in more urban areas.

Why are you ripping on urban areas with an overly broad generalization?

 

If people in rural areas need the best medical care, where do they go? If they want to attend the best universities, where do they go? Where is the technology we all rely on being invented? People in cities are working hard to save lives and change the world for the better.

 

People from your state routinely receive mail order prescriptions and fly in care from my city for both acute and ongoing health care needs. There is apparently not a pharmacy in your state which can meet the needs of kids with certain serious conditions.

 

I hope you never need that level of care, but should you ever, it will be here waiting for you. You know, funded and staffed by those urban slackers.

Edited January 22, 2016 by LucyStoner

[creekland]

If people in rural areas need the best medical care, where do they go? If they want to attend the best universities, where do they go? Where is the technology we all rely on being invented? People in cities are working hard to save lives and change the world for the better.

 

Uh... let's not go overboard in an "us vs them" deal.  Top universities might be in cities or more rural areas.  Technology and new "anything" can also be invented anywhere - esp when with those universities.

 

There are hard workers and slackers in both urban and rural areas.  Without some of the hard workers in more rural areas, city dwellers would have nothing to eat... To me, that too helps make the world better...

 

I'll admit that many of us in rural areas tend to be more prepared for storms or similar - mainly because we're used to being on our own for a while if something happens.  There's no crime in stating that.  It's also not necessarily a universal truth applying to all.