Snowy neighborhood
Cold arctic air collided with moist Pacific air over the Pacific Northwest, making late December one of the most memorable snowfalls in many years.
This unusual and hazardous weather event tests the character of everyone affected by it. Fortunately, I see people helping others freely and without reservation.
Where I live, we have more than 18 inches of snow in the backyard. Although the air temperature today is just above freezing and the snow is starting to melt, the thermal mass of a foot-and-a-half of snow is such that it isn’t going to go away overnight.
Under the snow is ground frozen from several days of below-freezing temperatures, helping to keep the snowpack cool.
For a region that sees maybe an inch or two of snow in a snowy winter, the magnitude of this event is crippling. Icy roads and impassable side streets make travel hazardous if you can reach a main road.
Western Washington snow is typically wet and heavy, and shoveling it can be physically demanding. The first foot or so of our snow was light and dry – easy shoveling. The last round of snow was much wetter, and was made heavier by some periods of freezing rain that began to saturate the snow pack.
One of the interesting challenges we faced was how to remove snow from the backyard trampoline. We couldn’t lift the trampoline because the accumulated snow was too heavy. We couldn’t sweep it off because it was too wet and icy. We did not dare using metal shovels because of the risk of damaging the trampoline fabric. So we improvised: we used paddles from an inflatable raft, because the blades are thick and have no sharp edges or corners! Here’s a video in Quicktime format of that work: Snowy trampoline
This is a period that tests our character as individuals and communities. While dropping a daughter at work a few days ago, my small pickup truck got stuck on an icy patch approaching an intersection. I could not move forward, and traffic was backing up behind me, so I also couldn’t move backward. A car full of young men and women discharged several bodies, and after asking my permission to push on the truck, they got me off the icy patch.
I see neighbors helping neighbors with snowy driveways, and friends and relatives checking in with each other by phone and email.
What a wonderful feeling to know you can help others, and they will help you.
Yesterday was not too bad on the main roads around here. I got Chris up to the office so he could exchange old files for new. Daughter was at a friend’s since Sunday night (she was tired of us, apparently). I picked her up later yesterday and we attempted the mall. Not too bad getting there, but by 4 PM the parking lot was a solid sheet of ice. Undrivable. So we went to Ross. Found nothing to interest her. Went to Fred Meyer, where she found a top that made her happy. All stores seem to be out of windshield washing fluid right now, which is what I needed. (I have some, but Chris put it on a very high shelf I cannot reach and piled junk in front of it.) My work parking lot is a mess. As long as I can skid in the right direction and miss the post box, I’m good. It will be fun times getting home tonight, though. Let’s hope for rain!
Posted by Sandy | December 23, 2008, 9:25 amI like how people rise to the occasion, something they should do more often, when weather unites. We were snowbound for two weeks, unable to get even out of the driveway, which is a test of relationships with everyone in the same house 24 hours a day.
My family’s history is filled with multiple generations living under one small roof, cramped together during long winters and storms. They survived without cars and electricity. A couple days or weeks is nothing compared to what they used to endure.
Posted by Lorelle | December 29, 2008, 12:11 pm