December 2008 Storm --consolidation thread (Seattle, Spokane: sales, home, quality of life)

[41Willys]

Originally Posted by ElektroDragon

Ok, so salt harms the environment even though its a natural substance. Well what about SAND then? Or a tax credit to buy a snowmobile? :-P

Are there any cities near the eastside that DO actually plow or sand? If so, I would like to move there because Kirkland does NOTHING.

I lived in Colorado and they used sand. The bad thing with that is there were lots of rocks. I had 3 jeeps out there and needed a new windshield "every" year!
When I moved they actually started using liquid sodium. Salt is really not that bad if only used once in a while. Granted it's not the greatest for automobiles but nothing waxing your car a few X's a year would take care of it.

MAN! You guys are getting
Hammered" this year.

[allforcats]

Originally Posted by ElektroDragon

I am seeing a SNOWMOBILE going back and forth on the street at the apartment where I live in Kirkland. Boggles the mind.

Have you noticed the kids sledding, and the folks skiing, down the hilly streets? They do know how to have a good life, don't they!

[allforcats]

Yes. At 6:30 this evening, Alaska & Horizon were making no statements about tomorrow -- like all the rest of us they said they have to wait to see what the weather is.

[Botev1912]

Originally Posted by jenlion

I was getting an oil change at the Firestone up here one day and overheard a conversation with an old dude training a new dude on tire sales. Old dude said, "Everyone thinks it NEVER snows up here. Well, they don't REMEMBER. It CAN and it WILL. Most of the people up here moved up here in the last five or ten years, and they've only lived here during these mild years. They don't know what it was like before that. It can ICE! It can SNOW! And you need SNOW TIRES for that!"

The month started off with above normal temperatures, but that all changed on December 13 when artic air moved into the Seattle metropolitan area changing the rain over to snow with snowfall amounts ranging from 1 to 5 inches. Since then, there have been record low temperatures and snow at times including another major snowstorm on December 20 with snowfall amounts ranging from 5 to 8 inches.

Seattle Climate Data - Monthly Summary

[vnodak]

Originally Posted by jr75

Because this rarely happens here. Why would the city invest in snow plows etc.. if this happens once every ten years or so. In NY you can expect to have snowy winters every year and thus preparation for them.

Once in 10 years--hummmmmmmm we moved here three years ago in November and some of the worst winter weather has happened twice in three years. So maybe we should take this seriously. Luck would have it we brought our generator and in three years, we have used it every year. So I think we should be proactive but then what do I know. I grew up in North Dakota. Like the boy scouts say be prepared.

[vnodak]

I wish you luck on getting to the airport but most of all please check on your flight as from what I am seeing a lot of flights are canceled. Monday does not look good for travel---hope I am wrong but most of all be safe!!!!!!

[texastrigirl]

Last year (our first winter in Seattle) we only had snow in Seattle a few days and it never stayed for long. My kids were disappointed because when we were moving here from Texas, our promise to them was "but there's snow in Seattle" and they were excited. We were sad to learn that it is typically not the case. However, this year they are in heaven. They have been sledding everyday since Thursday and will continue to do so. The only sadness today was that we couldn't make it to the Pass to ski! Fortunately my husband and I both have jobs where telecommuting works just fine...so we have been working hard AND enjoying loads of family time. And for the person who doesn't want to hear about Texas...sorry...but they don't deal with snow or ice any better than Seattle does. We had school closed for 2 1/2 days in January 2007 in Austin for about 1/2 -1 inch precip...because it was icy. And TX is much flatter than Seattle in most spots. They had 150+ traffic accidents in an hour one day there...I imagine the total is the same or higher here. Contrast that with my childhood in Iowa...shoot, I walked to almost 2 miles to my college finals from my off campus living in two feet of snow in temperatures below zero. We didn't even imagine finals might be canceled...and they weren't! But here, different story...life stops! I don't want to be on the roads and I know how to drive in this stuff. So, yeah more snow plows would be nice but I don't think it's gonna happen with the already huge shortfall in funds. We live in Sammamish and main roads are plowed and that's it. Fortunately we have 4 wheel drive and can get around our immediate area...but we have yet to try to get off the Plateau. It's a long, steep way down no matter which direction you go. Regardless, I will take this over rainy December days!!

[texastrigirl]

seattlenextyear, too funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mayfair]

The roads are really slick tonight. This reminds me of the arctic blast in 1990-- busses were sliding all over the place and even the aisles were packed full. We had another big snow in the late 1990s when the marina collapsed in Edmonds and we couldn't get out of the driveway without chains. It does happen.

[Jennibc]

Just read in the paper that this snow could stick around until Christmas!!!!! I am supposed to be getting a new roof right now! Sheesh!

I remember a bunch of people writing last summer that it never gets as cold here as it does in the DC area. Hm. I know this is unusual but I wonder, with global climate change (I won't write warming because that seems to get all of the crazies yelling at each other), can we expect this to be what Seattle winters look like in the future? What will that do to our economy? What about our quality of life?

Oh wait, I'm moving, and it was 78 degrees in Austin last week while I was down there So I guess my quality of life will be warm. But seriously, can you imagine what it would be like here if suddenly every winter here were like a winter in Spokane. I wonder what would happen.