How do I love snow? Let me count the ways

[mbossman2]

1 foot

2 feet

3 feet

4 feet

5 feet

Thats how my Christmas holiday is going...I am currently stuck here in the wonderful snow machine dumping ground known as Buffalo, NY...Thank God I brought my work laptop and can access the outside world, because I have not seen it since Christmas Night when all of this started.

I may be able to return to my (much) warmer climates of the North Carolina by monday...I had my car dug out last night (so i thought) and then mother nature comes along and dumps another 2 feet (i know because I measured it, yes it is that boring here) of snow on & around my car....

It would be a good thing to invent time travel and go back and KILL the idiot who wrote the the song "Let it Snow, let it snow, let it snow".

Matt

[archie]

There's different versions of this old diary ...
http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark...374/n3097.html
Warning: Contains some language that may be offensive to some.

[Mr N8]

You can send some of that snow this way! Today we got our season high of 1/2" of snow. I figured that living in Wisconsin it would be a safe bet to finally break down and buy a new set of skis. This was in Septemer. Its now the end of Dec and the ski hills can't make the snow fast enough to open up. That's it, I'm moving to Buffalo!

Nate

[Toaster]

Howdy,
Arn't the snows in Buffalo more a "lake effect" snow?
It's odd, here in the wasteland known as Maine, we have been clipped by a few smallish 4-6" snows. (3 so far) I am surprised that Buffalo gets so much snow.
Iv'e looked back through history and found Buffalo seems to get 1 foot snows as typical. Is this correct?

[HAL9000]

And we hardly have anything here yet. If I were to go out and measure how deep, maybe 2".

[mbossman2]

yup...Buffalo snows are generally lake effect snow (LES)...brought on by the cold dry air blowing over the warm moist air over the lake..

in this case the wind is blowing the entire length of lake erie and then hitting land at the east end of the lake (Buffalo) and setting up a narrow band of snow that has been rolling back and forth across the metro area...once the band sets up it drops approx 2-3 inches per hour and will last up to 10 hours...hence the 2 feet that hit where I am and awaiting me in the morning...

this is not a normal event...snow falls here just like it falls everywhere else...2-6 inches is normal...but when the wind blows just right Buffalo can get hammered....it happens every other year or so, with the big hammer (like this) about every 3 years....

the issue (as far as my father in law is concerned) is that the snow is not falling where he can ski...it is all falling in the metro (urban) area of the city and all the skiing is down about 20 miles south of Buffalo.

Trust me, sitting here and digging out the satellite dish so I can watch the tube is about as exciting as....watching the snow fall....Also do not have the high speed access that I am used to at home....

Nanook signing off...

[reboot]

LES actually has a REAL name. It's called "flauvage". Although I couldn't find it at www.dictionary.com (I may have misspelled it), we get it here too.

[mc2phat]

I just read Buffalo has a new monthly snow record.

[Jenni]

Snow??? What's that?

Seriously, I think it has snowed where I live about 4 times---in the 28 years I've been alive!





That's the Gulf of Mexico to the south. It's kinda hard to get snow here. They get it a little more often 100 miles or so to the north, but not much. A couple of inches and everyone freaks out. Nobody here knows how to drive in the stuff, and you're lucky if your car will run at all, being adjusted for the 100F summers.

[mbossman2]

i was raised here in Buffalo and have lived thru the 3 worst snow events here:

Blizzard of 77 - tied up the city for over 2 weeks, less than half the current amount of snow but the wind was blowing consistently over 40 mph (70kph)

The pre Christmas blast in 95 - 38 inches of snow 1 week before my wedding, fiance (now wife) going absolutely bananas...but that worked out and we did get married

and now this...

I left buffalo 3 years ago to avoid this exact kind of weather crap....

you know, I question the intelligence of my ancestors. They must have come here in the spring/summer when the weather is quite nice, that could have kept me here. But along comes the winter here: snow, cold, more snow, wind, grey skies, even more snow, and all of this starts in November and can extend into late April...who, in their right mind, would want to live here?

well, it looks like I might be able to escape and head back to Raleigh (my current home) tomorrow, as long as we don't get another 2 feet of snow...

My mother-in-law just said that there is blue skies...until I check it out, I'll just write that off as cabin fever delusions.

Matt

[Demosthenes]

Yeah, Buffalo had ~65" of snow as its old monthly record and it has completely brokent that record in just less than a week. I think the first flakes started on Christmas Eve. The new record is 81" and still counting. My information could be wrong, I caught a glimpse of the charts off the news.

'Tis the season.

Respectfully,

Demosthenes

[archie]

Nobody here knows how to drive in the stuff

Come to think of it, it's kind of like that here too.

[Cricket]

Maybe I should stay out of this discussion...I've never even seen the stuff in person .

Cricket

[archie]

The more reason to be here ... to see what you're missing out on.

[Toaster]

Howdy folks,
Actually, I like the cold and the snow. I lived nearly 20 years in the central plains states and the summertime heat finally chased me away.
I soon found that I enjoyed driving in snow and ice. Throw into this mix the fact that my primary transportation is a Geo. This three cylinder boheameth lumber mightily along in most anything I'm stupid enough to drive in/through.
So far, the only time i was "marooned" was when an overnight 18" snow obscured the little devil. There are a number of times when I drove into weather that had GREAT "PV" (Pukker value) and wished I had not done so. Alas I escaped unscathed and a lesson learned. (don't do that again stupid!)
I always wanted to see/try/live in Alaska. Most folks think my climate is more arctic rather then tropical.

[hackercarlos]

I wish it would snow here in St. Thomas (very impossible). Why ? I have never seen snow in person

[archie]

Hi Hackercarlos, long time no see. With the snow comes the cold weather. That is not any worse than when the weather is too hot ... depending on the individual I suppose. It's kind of nice when it has freshly fallen. Later, it becomes brown along the roads ... not too pretty a sight.
As a youngster, I remember toboganning and playing road hockey. It was great. Even now I still like to see a clean blanket of snow but have to admit that I look forward to spring by March.

[mbossman2]

to quote judy collins (i know, I am dating myself), I have looked at life from both sides now and I much prefer the warm weather and the lack of snow..i no longer miss the slush in my shoes, the frozen cuffs to my pants, the salt encrusted everything and the general wear and tear on my body that the cold weather brings...

that and I like to golf in mid february....and not have to worry about the lateral snow hazards that winter golf brings to the game.

I do believe, however, that everyone should see snow live and in person at least once in your life if for no other reason to make a snowman and snow angels.

matt

[Scotty]

I thought it might be of interest to see each others battle with the snow so here is my little snowed in home
PS I hope this worked, if not just imagine!! Actually I think that the lower 48 is getting all the snow... It was warmer here than in Florida the other day
pps! Didn't work Anyway from the Scott's,"Have a safe and prosperous New Year all!!"

[HAL9000]

I don't so much hate the snow that hits Saskatchewan for six months of the year, it's the extremes of temperatures that gets to me. With summers going to 35'C and winters going to -40'C, not to mention how the wind makes it even worse. For example, right now it's only -15'C which I really don't mind, but we have a good wind behind it right now and it feels like -35'C.

[Jenni]

I'm not sure we have had a night below freezing yet this winter. We had a freeze warning a couple of nights ago, but it didn't get as cold as they said it would.

I found this on Mississippi State University's website:

"Normal mean annual temperatures range from 62F in the north to 68F along the coast. Low temperatures have dropped to 16F below zero while high temperatures exceed 90F over 100 days each year. Temperatures routinely exceed 100F at many places in the state each year and drop to zero or lower an average of once in five years in the state. Freezing temperatures reach the Gulf coast almost every winter. Normal precipitation ranges from about 50 to 65 inches across the state from north to south. Measureable snow or sleet falls on some part of the state in 95% of the years.

In essence, Mississippi has a climate characterized by absence of severe cold in winter but by the presence of extreme heat in summer. The ground rarely freezes and outdoor activities are generally planned year-round. Cold spells are usually of short duration and the growing season is long. Rainfall is plentiful, but so are dry spells and sunshine."

[Mr N8]

When I was living in Regina this past summer it went (pardon my Americanese) from 70f to almost 100f in the same week. Also had a Tornado and some flooding that week. I will take snow over that anytime!!!

Nate

[Kassia]

I like snow, great for snowmobiling. Though, I could do without the -40 temps.

[Xayd]

Well, I've done both. As a kid we lived here in Northern Arkansas, get about one or two 4-6 inch snows per year usually. Lived as a teenager in East Texas, snow was rare there, then on through post-college in New Orleans, where it's snowed once in 20 years I think.

After having been on both sides of the fence, I take the heat any day. We're looking to have our first snow this year tomorrow hear, and the damnable cold is inescapable. Don't wanna drive, don't wanna get outta bed, don't wanna get the mail, nothing. Just makes ya lazy .

[Toaster]

Howdy,
I the local paper here was a story of Buffalo and their snow woes.
The paper claimed 7 feet of snow (for the year?) and only emergency vehicles are permitted on the roads. Is this accurate?

[archie]

183 cm of snow since Christmas Eve ... more than we get here in my part of the country during the whole year.

Here's the article off the front page ... see the guy with snow up to his armpits .... http://www.fyitoronto.com/torsun.shtml ... it'll only show til tomorrow morning.

[Paul Victorey]

I love snow, and the cold -- unfortunately, Madison, to my knowledge, had no snow at all this season (at least none before Dec 23). I'm in MN for a bit, and we, luckily, have some snow here, which I appreciate.

Cold weather is never a bother for me. I walk ~ 3 miles a day on most days, and I'll take my walk even if it's 40 below. Granted, I wear many layers of clothing, but fully garbed, cold is never an issue.

I hate heat, though. Give me -40 over +90 anyday -- even in the northernmost parts of the country, summers are just too hot. I dunno HOW people can live in the southern parts of the country, especially the damp parts -- hot, muggy weather is like my nightmarish vision of hell.

I generally like the midwest -- we have 4 very different seasons, and by the time you get sick of one, another takes its place.

[Carl Price]

Originally posted by Paul Victorey I hate heat, though. Give me -40 over +90 anyday -- even in the northernmost parts of the country, summers are just too hot. I dunno HOW people can live in the southern parts of the country, especially the damp parts -- hot, muggy weather is like my nightmarish vision of hell.

WE make sure the air conditioner is in top shape and that it dehumidifies well. My vision of hell is to be an air conditioner repairman in 100-110 degree heat since most commercial airconditioning is now on roofs. They also have to crawl around in hot attics too! Sure do make good money tho!

[Jenni]

Heat/humidity definitely takes some getting used to. We usually have dew points well into the mid 70's most of the summer. Heat index will run 110-115 when the temp is in the high 90's, and sometimes more when it hits 100+.

I've burned my knee while kneeling down to tie my shoe on a tennis court, and you can literally fry an egg on the sidewalk sometimes. Me and my brother used to leave crayons on the sidewalk and melt them. And car interiors can reach blast furnace temps. Better not leave video/audio tapes in them at any time in the summer, or lay your arm on the chrome door trim. And you get that lovely "instant fog" on your glasses when you leave an air conditioned car/building.

And the beach, since it isn't really "real" (man-made, not natural), the sand isn't pure white, so it will burn your feet if you walk bare-footed on it in the summer. Same with the piers. My brother made blisters on his feet walking on a pier in June one year.

But all in all, I love it here. At least the heat doesn't force you to stay locked in your house, IE, I can still drive outside when it's 100+, unlike you guys buried under 6 feet of snow. And the malls are always nice and air conditioned. And you can always go for a swim to cool off.

If I had broadband, I'd shoot some video and upload it to show you all the things I love about this place. Maybe I will anyway, and upload it at my brother's house. Or just capture some stills from it and upload them.

[Charliey]

Well when its cold here, you get the fog on your glasses when you come inside from the cold, or when you breathe on them.