I realize some of you live in places where below freezing weather and snow and ice are common things.
This is PORTLAND, people.
We don't understand winter. We have very limited practice at it. We are experts at driving in the rain, but when it snows, bad things happen. Now, you must also understand we live in hill country; there is NO flat land in Portland. Hills + Ice = Mess.
You may recall I posted this video as evidence of what happens in Portland when we have a "snow event". This was January 2007, it is only 2:19, I recommend watching it all:
In January 2004 we had a similar problem...but worse. My car was snowed in for almost a week.
I am hoping they are wrong. The kids are supposed to be in school through Wednesday, but their vacation may have begun today, because whatever falls from the sky over the weekend will not be going anywhere.
If I disappear from the 'net next week, assume I have no electricity. But for now I'm hoping for the best.
Have a wonderful weekend.
*In the top photo, the word 'Floor' indicates that we will have snow falling to the lowest elevations here in the Portland area (the valley floor). In other words, it means "everyone". Where it says 1000, it indicates there will only be snow to 1000 feet elevation.
39 comments:
hahaha ... that's a beautiful video encapsulation of Newton's First Law of Motion!!!
Physics still apply in the snow people ... even more. And your brakes work differently.
that video- i have no words.
but honestly, i know it makes sense to you that you don't usually have snow, but from my perspective you practically live at the north pole. i still can't wrap my head around you not having regular snows.
Wow. Why would you bother? The stupidity of humans. Seriously.
So someone who owns a snow chain business in Portland is gonna be rubbing their hands together :)
Dear Erin, I hope your electricity doesn't go out on you. Wow. That's kinda freaky.
So what sort of temperatures do you guys normally get there? 'Cause I got my trusty "fahrenheit to celsius page" up and gulped - 5 degrees celsius, MINUS 5 degrees celsius. Yikes!!!!
Just be safe. Its going to rain here -HOPEFULLY!
Wow, what a video! Portland reminds me of the UK. It's cold and rainy here, but we don't expect snow, so when it happens everything comes to a standstill!
I'm praying that you don't have a bad storm and that your electricity doesn't go down. Keep safe.
There's a mighty wind and rain storm going on outside here today - me thinks I'll be staying at home today!
oh my.
STAY SAFE.
Yup. Halfway across the country we're supposed to get the same type of weather - ice first on Sunday night, then snow on top of it. A perfect frictionless environment.
We've had a couple of ice storms in the past few years here in Missouri that have put down up to an inch or more of ice. Treacherous stuff. Made worse by me (or once my dad because I was out of town) then having to get up on the ice covered roof to chip it off the flat sun room roof or else it leaks all over the kids play room (not good for the carpet nor the computers, obviously). Even with crampons on I slipped and fell just walking up the back yard to get the ladder!
So I hope you don't get any of that, and I hope we don't either!
That is one crazy video!!!!
Hey guys, our 'net was out all morning so I'm late to the comments.
Sonja - Yes it is. And it's pretty common around here when we have snow. It's important to note, and you can't really tell in the video, that it's shot on a pretty good incline. But see, that's the problem...idiots...ahem...people who think they can drive in the stuff because they have SUV's.
Cindy - I live at the North Pole? Really? That's so weird to me that you think that. I guess technically we're at the same latitude as Montreal. However, we actually have really mild winters, I mean they're chilly and wet, but not miserable nor usually snowy/icy save for a few days per year. But about once every 5 years or so we have a major "snow event" (yes that's really what they call it) that causes insanity on the roads and such
Sue - People are strange creatures. Because we have so little practice in snow here, you'd THINK people would just stay home when the roads are like this. But NO, they have to get where they are going.
Our winters are usually highs in the 40's (F)and lows in the 30's or so. And rainy. We might see a 50 day or a 25 night, but not often. Below freezing really isn't that common.
So anyhow, now you know why I laugh when you complain about the "cold" winters there that are like 60F? But then, likewise, someone who has single digits will laugh at me for complaining about 30. It's all relative.
However, yes, you might want to plan your visit here for July or August, were you ever to be so inclined.
Barbara - I do hope you all get some rain out of this system. I guess there is loads of moisture in it.
Lyn - Yes, I imagine it's much like similar weather in the UK, it's just not that common, so it makes people nuts. We had some wind last night, but it wasn't too bad. It did take out our net and cable, but we got it fixed in a few hours.
Thanks Rhonda, we'll try. Do the roads there get nuts when you have snow, or is it common enough that people are smart? They are more likely to know how to drive in the stuff?
Yep, the SUV mentality is surely one of the suckier things about humanity.
And yeah, I know, I know, you laugh at me when I complain but it's not so much the cold I am complaining about but the lack of light! Let there be light! Light! For hours and hours every day!
Jim - Yeah, that's the real trouble: ICE. Some places they only get snow and it's nice and cold and dry. We get the really wet slushy stuff that melts during the day and refreezes at night...or we get a layer of freezing rain under or on top of the snow. It's treacherous, for sure.
Maybe if you put some of that de-icer or something on the roof of the sun room when you're expecting this kind of weather?
Aphra - I know, isn't it? It's actually like that all around here when the weather is icy.
So how do you get around when it's icy like that? Or do you just ... not? Do you walk around with a portable blowtorch in front of you? With giant spikes on your shoes, like the shoes footballers wear in the wet, with the 'stops' in the bottom, except made out of steel? :) Yikes!
Well if you're smart you DON'T. However out population of idiots seems to skyrocket this time of year. In fact, I believe the proportion to big huge 4 wheel drive vehicles is directly proportional to the number of idiots in an ice storm.
Oh snarkines aside. I get if someone works at a utility, a hospital or emergency services and HAVE to go to work.
Me, we are walking distance to the grocery store, fast food, coffee, and the video store. What more do I need? I really try to avoid driving in it.
Here's the real rub, though. My kids were supposed to be in school through Friday, before Christmas vacation began. But due to recent and sudden budget cuts they are now off after Wednesday. Well, if we get much wet stuff at all, with the deep freeze coming, well, their vacation likely started yesterday (Friday). What the HECK am I going to do with them for 3 weeks?
Hey, I drive an SUV! But when it snows or ices up, my husband, who grew up in Indiana takes over. He takes me and picks up anyone else that needs a ride to get to work. Four wheel drive and chains make all the difference in the world!
Hi Frances! I don't mean to dig on SUV owners...SUV's can be a great benefit when used properly. I just can't get over the people who think they are just fine driving in snow and ice simply because they drive an SUV. It also takes skill and good common sense.
It sounds like you're like me; I know I'm not very good driving in slippery conditions, so I let my husband do it, or avoid it altogether.
Hey Erin ~ Be safe this week. We got our first big snow of the year last night and got 15 inches here in the valleys. I was on duty and had to do 10 crashes within a four hour period on Friday Night.
It's supposed to be below zero here for the next few days so I'm thinking that maybe the Department of Homeland Security could put up a big 40,000 foot wall at the north and west borders to keep the Canadian weather in Canada. Whadya think?
Mike - I'm sure it's worse there, but we are expecting 6 inches and then freezing until NEXT Sunday.
You be safe too, and I hope you keep power and heat on.
I LOVE your idea. If I wanted arctic weather, I'd live there.
Okay Erin - now color me strange cause I know it's going to sound as such, but I actually miss the snow events lol! Here I have it 7 months out of the year so now it's like, eh. But I miss that excitement of a possible or probable snow event that paralyzes and shuts everything down lol!
Yep - I think the extreme cold has frozen a few brain cells since I've been here ;)
Cindy - I get ya. It makes sense to me that anything that is out of the ordinary is worth noting. Now, if you suddenly had a stretch of 60 degree weather this time of year, things would probably come to a halt, too...from the sudden thaw!
Hi Erin,
It's starting to snow here tonight. Same problems as down there in Portland, except you folks get a lot more freezing rain and ice.
We just picked up my son from the airport. He's lived in Chicago for four years so he sneered a little bit about snow in the northwest, calling us babies. We quickly reminded him that we do not have the snow removal and treatment equipment that they do in areas where it snows a lot. Plus we have hills unlike Chicago.
I was gratified when I was in Anchorage one year when the first snow hit. Accidents everywhere. I was told by longtime residents that even in Anchorage, it takes a day or two for people to remember how to drive in snow.
So when we only get it for a couple days a year in the northwest, no wonder so many of us are not great at driving in the snow. Of course, there are the idiots who abandon their cars in the middle of intersections at the bottom of hills, or the SUVers that you mentioned. I do experience a secret bit of glee when I see an SUV off the road as I slowly drive by, waving and smiling. Wouldn't a good samaritan stop? Heck no, not when it takes five hours to go five miles, and to stop is to screw up traffic or to slide off the road myself.
Gary - We're expecting it to start any time. Are they saying you'll be below freezing all week up there, too? So far they haven't said there will be any freezing rain, hopefully we'll get away with just snow.
I think the problem is that people who have 4 wheel drive still only have 4 wheel brakes. In other words, they might be able to accelerate easier, but they can only stop just the same as everyone else. And they are heavier and have more momentum.
"I LOVE your idea. If I wanted arctic weather, I'd live there."
Are you implying that those of us in Canada actually like our weather? lol.
No Aphra, I don't believe most Canadians loves the weather, but if I was going to seek out frigid-ness, that's where I'd go! :-)
Although, one of my best friends' husband is in the Air Force and they are stationed in Fairbanks Alaska, and that is actually a place where it's miserable 6 months of the year.
Thought you might appreciate this post (hope the link works!)
LOL Aphra. I think I'll pass!
I drive an SUV...but I also understand physics. Wheels require FRICTION in order to have traction. Put any number of wheels on a frictionless surface, and there is no traction.
We got 5 inches at our place (20 miles NE of Seattle), and if I didn't have my Honda CRV, I wouldn't have gone ANYWHERE this morning.
But I thought you spent the morning playing video games, Brad. ;-)
We only got about 2 inches but they say more snow is on the way Wednesday.
hey girl
i almost pinged a couple of cars myself even though i was going super slow. crazy!
my mom flies in next monday from vegas. hopefully her flight won't have any issues.
i'm guessin' you and i will have to resched our art project we wanted to do this wed. talk to ya soon...stay warm and safe!
Erin, Congratulations! You are up next on Apples 2 Apples! :)
Pam - Yeah, we'll have to do it another time. Stay safe!
Delirious - Thanks!
i am from NYC area, my wife from buffalo area. We now live in florida. I would hate to see the mess snow would create with all these folks that have never even seen snow..
Thanks for reminding me what i used to put up with three months out of the year.
Hi Spankie! I've seen you around the blogs and am glad to meet you.
Yes, those of us who don't have lots of snow practice tend to freak out in this kind of weather. We're even getting a bonafide blizzard today, they are predicting a foot of snow and 50 mph winds.
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