The DC Blizzard

[Aegis]

I live in Northern VA, and when I was shoveling my driveway & sidewalk out on Saturday night I decided to wade out towards a tree in our yard in order to shake the snow off of it so it would not break. The snow in this untouched area came halfway up my chest (I'm 5'10" w/ boots on) The snow was so deep that I could not lift my legs out of it in order to walk forward. I literally had to swim towards the tree & back again.

I'd say my neighborhood got a little over 24" on the weekend, but the wind created snow drifts, which made it a lot deeper in certain places. The weather report called for another 12-20" on Tuesday/Wednesday, but I doubt we got even another 4". The side roads have been FUBAR'd all week and even the main roads & highways have had lanes blocked with excessive snow.

 

[illram]

Have to agree with the pointing and laughing at DC babies about the snow.

Growing up in Massachusetts we dealt with this annually. I would call the waahmbulance but apparently around DC they don't run in bad weather.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

Have to agree with the pointing and laughing at DC babies about the snow.

Growing up in Massachusetts we dealt with this annually. I would call the waahmbulance but apparently around DC they don't run in bad weather.

That is true of most snowfalls but this is enough that it would inconvenience most people.

Besides, I (and many others) have no problem with the snow but plenty of problem with the area's inability to handle it.

 

[Zelig]

That is true of most snowfalls but this is enough that it would inconvenience most people.

The thing is, in areas where a lot of snow is common, it's also common for everything to shut down for several days at a time. It simply isn't cost efficient to run a snow-removal services all winter which has the capability of quickly clearing out a once-per-winter storm.

 

[Ayatollah So]

Up here in the frozen wasteland, we almost never get snows like that in February. We get them in March/April. It's too COLD in February for the air to hold much moisture.

 

[dirtyparrot]

^ That's not really true, although it would depend on the the amount of snow. Snow-removal services do run all winter, it's just a cost of living where I live.

 

[JerichoHill]

Have to agree with the pointing and laughing at DC babies about the snow.

Growing up in Massachusetts we dealt with this annually. I would call the waahmbulance but apparently around DC they don't run in bad weather.

Really? Babies?

What has happened is the largest snowstorm in DC recorded history. I'm very sorry that DC based its winter preparedness on a long run averages. With streets only beginning to be passable today, no mass transit system, airports shut down, what would you have us do? Attempt to drive into work in unsafe conditions. 5 deaths and some liability lawsuits and we'd be looking at monetary losses in the hundreds of millions.

But really, thanks for your opinion. Today's the first day I can safely drive to the grocery store, and it's a half a mile away. DC was unprepared for a once in a century storm. Shocking.

 

[illram]

...Today's the first day I can safely drive to the grocery store, and it's a half a mile away.

Make sure to pick up some whine and cheese while you're there!

 

[MagisterCultuum]

Really? Babies?

What has happened is the largest snowstorm in DC recorded history. I'm very sorry that DC based its winter preparedness on a long run averages. With streets only beginning to be passable today, no mass transit system, airports shut down, what would you have us do? Attempt to drive into work in unsafe conditions. 5 deaths and some liability lawsuits and we'd be looking at monetary losses in the hundreds of millions.

But really, thanks for your opinion. Today's the first day I can safely drive to the grocery store, and it's a half a mile away. DC was unprepared for a once in a century storm. Shocking.

Are you sure about the bolded part? I thought I heard that there was a worse one back in the early 19th century.


Obviously I understand why 5 ft of snow is a big deal in an unprepared city. I live in a city that does not own a single snow plow, and gets largely shut down with just a few inches of the white stuff.

 

[yesboii]

More or less. The only things that weren't canceled were the Caps and Wiz games AFAIK. Lots of people without power in both Maryland and VA, dunno about the District.

Eh its not like the Wizards are worth watching without Arenas anyways.

So Cal #1!

 

[Dachs]

Eh its not like the Wizards are worth watching without Arenas anyways.

So Cal #1!

And the Lakers are worth watching without Bynum and Kobe?

 

[amadeus]

It was 67 here yesterday.

 

[Aegis]

Have to agree with the pointing and laughing at DC babies about the snow.

Growing up in Massachusetts we dealt with this annually. I would call the waahmbulance but apparently around DC they don't run in bad weather.

Yeah, those people who lost power for 48 hours in 20 degree weather are nothing but a bunch of babies.

Oh, btw:

All of Massachusetts experiences substantial snowfall in a typical winter. Total annual snowfalls average 43.3 in (110.0 cm) in Boston and 69.1 in (175.5 cm) in Worcester. The ground is often covered with snow for weeks at a time in January and February.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Massachusetts

The DC area just received more snowfall in five weeks than most of your little Massachusetts gets all year so you can stfu with your snide pointing & laughing.

Seasonal snowfall thus far for the DC area:

DC - 54.9"
Baltimore - 72.3"
No. VA (Dulles) - 72"

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/capitalweathergang/2010/02/winter_2009-2010_likely_snowie.html

And there is more on the way this coming Monday.

 

[emzie]

Yeah, those people who lost power for 48 hours in 20 degree weather are nothing but a bunch of babies.

2 days? Try 3 weeks.

It's not that what you're going through isn't bad -- it's an awful series of storms by any standard -- but your reaction is humorous to anyone who has seen that type of snow fall before. It's not the end of the world. Suck it up, grab your shovel and just get it over with.

 

[JerichoHill]

Are you sure about the bolded part? I thought I heard that there was a worse one back in the early 19th century.

Absolutely
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/capitalweathergang/2010/02/winter_2009-2010_likely_snowie.html

 

[bestrfcplayer]

Wait what? We got a little taste of Ike and nobody was talking of canceling school...

Well, the wind gusts in Columbus were estmatied to be around 70 miles an hour, and a LOT of power lines were knocked down. We got power around 10PM on the first day. And in northern Ohio, Clevland, got around 11" of rain in about 3 hours or something like that. And my grandparants, and cousins in southern Ohio, called us and said that the schools were OPEN. I found out later that they didn't get ONE INCH OF RAIN, OR WIND GUSTS ABOVE 25 MILLES AN HOUR!!!

 

[Aegis]

2 days? Try 3 weeks.

By all means please list these frequent three-week power outages of yours.

It's okay, I'll wait. As you said, other people suffering more does not negate the suffering of these people.

It's not the end of the world. Suck it up, grab your shovel and just get it over with.

I never said it was the end of the world and I'm not the one complaining. I did pick up my shovel & took care of business, because that's just the kind of person I am. Pointing & laughing at people who are in danger of dying is pretty tasteless and causes you look like an insensitive ass hat, especially when your so-called "heavy winter state" has less annual snowfall than what has hit this region within the past month.

 

[Joecoolyo]

Well, the wind gusts in Columbus were estmatied to be around 70 miles an hour, and a LOT of power lines were knocked down. We got power around 10PM on the first day. And in northern Ohio, Clevland, got around 11" of rain in about 3 hours or something like that. And my grandparants, and cousins in southern Ohio, called us and said that the schools were OPEN. I found out later that they didn't get ONE INCH OF RAIN, OR WIND GUSTS ABOVE 25 MILLES AN HOUR!!!

But still, why are they canceling on 70 mph winds? Here in Chicago, over the Spring and Summer, we at least get two or three derechos with winds higher than that.

Edit: Oh, and on the snow topic. I just can't help but laugh at the fact that you guys are getting more snow on Monday!

I mean, this is now just getting hilarious.

 

[illram]

Yeah, those people who lost power for 48 hours in 20 degree weather are nothing but a bunch of babies.

Are the phone lines still working? If so you guys should call whine-one-one!

 

[emzie]

By all means please list these frequent three-week power outages of yours.

It's okay, I'll wait. As you said, other people suffering more does not negate the suffering of these people.

Never claimed it was frequent. Only that when a once-in-a-century storm hits here, it's a bit... different. My point wasn't that their suffering is non-existent, but that you'll survive just fine and go back to shutting down schools and forgetting how to drive with a 4 inch snow fall.

I never said it was the end of the world and I'm not the one complaining. I did pick up my shovel & took care of business, because that's just the kind of person I am. Pointing & laughing at people who are in danger of dying is pretty tasteless and causes you look like an insensitive ass hat, especially when your so-called "heavy winter state" has less annual snowfall than what has hit this region within the past month.

For starters, I don't live in a state. Secondly, we average more snow over the course of a winter than you've gotten. About 4 feet more.

As to pointing and laughing... I'm not laughing at the prospect of a 90-year-old losing her heat. I'm laughing at the reaction I see on news out of the mid-Atlantic. Haemophiliacs can bleed to death from seemingly-minor cuts, but I would still find it amusing if you sliced your hand and acted like nothing as bad as that had ever happened before.