Snow!!! (Seattle, Milton, Pacific: schools, shopping center, cars)

[Mark S.]

Western Washington finally got some real SNOW last night! A whole 5 inches in places. That's right! 5 whole inches!!! (Although we only got about 3, and some places less than that.) And it has completely crippled the city.

All my friends from the Midwest and my Colorado cousins are laughing their you-know-whats off.

[nwraider]

Awesome, I love it.. We got about an inch or two here in Milton, schools are closed so my daughter gets another snow day... Only work in Fife, so commute was no problem, but the scenery kicks ass.. And this ain't gonna melt off for a couple days, freezing temps abound..

Hey, I'm from California so this is kinda cool.. We had to one batch of snow last year (right after Thanksgiving too), but it's still cool to see whenever it happens.. Feel bad for the folks who got stranded on the freeway, especially after leaving the Seahawk game.. Some just crashed (i.e. slept, not literally "crashed) in their cars and some just bailed altogether, coming back this morning.. Glad I have no real commute, 'cause the roads are a mess..

[Steve-o]

They really close the schools down for a few inches of snow? I thought that was a Southern thing only. How bizarre! I wish they did that out here when I was in school! We had to go when there was 15" in one day!

[KidBlue]

The Seahawks game looked like it was being played in Green Bay instead of WA. Cool!

We just got ice and frost, but they got a few inches just east of Placerville.

[the dufferz]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

They really close the schools down for a few inches of snow? I thought that was a Southern thing only. How bizarre! I wish they did that out here when I was in school! We had to go when there was 15" in one day!

Steve-o

Yes, all it takes is an inch of snow to close the city down. Everybody laughs at us... until they drive in it.

The snow Seattle gets is typically wet and ubber slick. When the overnight temps get below freezing, we are a skating rink. That combined with a hill every 100', combined with the fact that 99% of people here have the idea that the best way to get up a hill is to creep up the hill as slow as possible, then when the car starts sliding, you stomp on the gas. D'oh!

I'm a lifer here and have never once been stuck in the snow. The snow is no problem, the other drivers are!

[Steve-o]

HAHAHA Yeah, we STILL get people here that do that the first snowfall of the year, its like they forget how to drive in it every year. By February they all drive like maniacs in it. Its not uncommon to be on the highway in 12" of snow, and have people fly by you doing 60mph.

[compltlyme]

At least most of you can get out... we have about 5 up here at the highest hill of the eastside plateau. Most had to park down at the shopping center last night because they couldn't make it up here. And we are loving it! Our hill is pretty steep and it is really icy out. Those trying to get in and out with out 4-wheel drive are pulling it over and parking where they land.

[Mark S.]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

They really close the schools down for a few inches of snow?

Oh, yeah. It's because they just aren't prepared for it. As far north as we are, the Pacific Northwest really is a mild climate. Very wet, but true cold is rare. When it does get cold, the communities just shut down. There aren't enough plows and sand trucks to keep the roads clear, and most cities don't want to invest in more, seeing it as un unnecessary expense.

I'm loving it though. It actually feels like a real November for once!!!