Question for Folks int he Northeast/Midwest

[JerseyGirl415]

Originally Posted by FutureCPA

Hi all,

I was just wondering about the climate in the Northeast and Midwest. Basically, I've come to realize that I don't hate cold weather, but I hate ice storms, etc. that they can bring. When it snows up in these areas, is it typically powdery snow, or does it still get icy? I worry about having to drive in the ice and hate sliding around on black ice on walkways, so that's why I'm asking.

Thanks!

In my area, we see both wet snow and powdery, light, fluffy snow. It depends on the storm. Different storms bring different consistencies, snow totals, conditions, etc. Some storms bring rain, then snow, then freezing rain, so ice is the problem. Some storms are all snow. Sometimes we get just freezing rain but it's usually accompanied at some point with snow, it's usually never just freezing rain (freezing rain alone seems to me to be more consistent in the southern East Coast areas, like NC or GA). I don't know about ice storms, freezing rain is probably the closest thing I've seen to an ice storm because it instantly turns everything into ice - tree branches, power lines, cars, railings, steps, everything is ice and it's pretty dangerous. For these situations, you'd want to have rock salt or sand on hand to put down at your house so you don't risk falling. Your car will defrost if it's left on and running for a little bit before you need to drive you can also use a scraper.

Most towns/cities deal with streets and sidewalks, clearing them and salting them, but residential sidewalks may not always be salted. Downtown sidewalks or sidewalks close to the town center are more likely to be treated than random residential sidewalks. You may have to throw some salt on the sidewalk directly in front of your house. I don't have sidewalks on my street, so this isn't a problem for me. All roads are likely to be treated, some areas just may take longer than others during a storm depending on how traveled your road is. I live across from a county park, so no houses across the street just a field, a river, and woods, so my street isn't a priority in snow storms. They plow at random times and sometimes, in small amounts of snow, may not plow at all. But main roads are treated. If it's bad enough around here, the governor will issue a state of emergency and sometimes order people off the roads. The rule of thumb is if you don't feel safe driving in weather conditions in the winter, just stay home.

[bradjl2009]

Freezing rain that lasts more than an hour or two is very rare in Pittsburgh and when it does happen it's usually light. Nearly every time there is freezing rain here it's because of a warm front that still hasn't warmed the surface temps. Almost always, surface temps here will warm above freezing and the ice usually melts rather quickly.

[CowsAndBeer]

Like everyone is saying, ice storms generally come during the trasition period from winter to spring. Snow throughout the winter here is more often powdery but can also be wet and heavy. Out West at elevation is where you get the highest % of light powder.

[nei]

We can get an ice storm mid-winter.