Help me understand your winters (opinion, childhood, child, places)
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Living in the south for 18 years, it's not the black ice the Southerners fear, it's the fact they have an overwhelming desire to speed up, thinking the faster they spin the wheels on the 3-4 inch snow cover the faster they will go....I saw it every winter. Yes the black ice can be bad, but that's anywhere , bridges freeze faster than the roadway up north too. They don't have plows, they us road graders. What they do have is spreaders , broadcasting " chat" on the roadway. It's a mix of salt and coal slag, tailings, spent smelter crud, which works quite well on black ice.
Here in Texas they spread sand on the bridges but that's about it.
There is no real "winter equipment" that the cities keep.
In the 19 years I've been in central Texas we've never had a snowstorm that shut down traffic but we've had at least one ice storm every winter..some years worse then others.
Here in Texas they spread sand on the bridges but that's about it.
There is no real "winter equipment" that the cities keep.
In the 19 years I've been in central Texas we've never had a snowstorm that shut down traffic but we've had at least one ice storm every winter..some years worse then others.
I recall West Texas having some very bad winter storms: NM,. Too however I do know of El Paso getting snow this year, while we were in Las Cruces for two months,
Sorry but I don't have a fear of driving on Ice or snow. 40 years of winter driving in NJ with zero crashes.
I don't have a need to drive on ice or snow
What you call fear I call common sense you don't go driving in the ice and snow unless you absolutely have to. Like your job. Just going for a drive in the snow is absolutely stupid.
BTW I have been a performance driving instructor (since retired) for 15 years. So I am a better driver than the majority.
High dollar exocits, you mean like Mustangs, Camaros that come with summer tires.
Sorry , I did not mean you were that way, just all the crazys around you. I know you have seen the way they drive. Being into performance tires and sports cars I am sure you know the tire drill. You won't find MS tires on a Lamborghini or a 911. Where I come from we use " real Winter tires" soft rubber and they wear fast.i would' leave home without them,
1 - how much snow, and how frequently, and as of today (March 1) is it still on the ground and how high One light dusting, gone by noon. Maybe 2-3 of those per year. Never on the ground more then 24 hours. Can go all winter without a snow event.
2 - how much ice, and how did that ice impact on your driving and home maintenance None. No such things as ice dams.
3 - how much cold, how many days in a row under say 25–30 degrees Never below freezing during the day and if so, it would set a record. Some nights it can get below freezing. Had a day or two where school opening were delayed in order to get cold school busses started and did not want the kids standing outside at 30*.
4 - are your winters getting worse, getting somewhat better, or always pretty much the same Little to no variation.
5 - how many months do you consider it "winter" where you are February only
Please say your state and what part: northern, southern, eastern, western, middle (for this to make any sense for me and anyone else interested). Thanks.
1 - how much snow, and how frequently, and as of today (March 1) is it still on the ground and how high One light dusting, gone by noon. Maybe 2-3 of those per year. Never on the ground more then 24 hours.
2 - how much ice, and how did that ice impact on your driving and home maintenance None. No such things as ice dams.
3 - how much cold, how many days in a row under say 25–30 degrees Never below freezing during the day and if so, it would set a recird. Some nights it can get below freezing.
4 - are your winters getting worse, getting somewhat better, or always pretty much the same Little to no variation.
5 - how many months do you consider it "winter" where you are February only
Please say your state and what part: northern, southern, eastern, western, middle (for this to make any sense for me and anyone else interested). Thanks.
This sounds like the most ideal winter so far, on the eastern side of the country. Thanks for posting.
Columbia SC. Has hot and humid summers. It is not a place to get away from anything. Too cold in winter, which runs from Dec. Jan. Feb. and at times March. I have friends that live in Columbia, they like it there, however they have a summer cabin in the NC, Mtns. Ice storms are common. Lots of winters I recall the power being out all over SC. I was 10 miles across the border for 18 years in NC. It is a less expensive place to live and there some very nice spots, Charleston being maybe the best one. In fact, SC. Beaches are very popular with people all over the south....but not Columbia.
Those in the mid-Atlantic and South, exactly how was your winter in terms of all these questions:
1 - how much snow, and how frequently, and as of today (March 1) is it still on the ground and how high
2 - how much ice, and how did that ice impact on your driving and home maintenance
3 - how much cold, how many days in a row under say 25–30 degrees
4 - are your winters getting worse, getting somewhat better, or always pretty much the same
5 - how many months do you consider it "winter" where you are
Please say your state and what part: northern, southern, eastern, western, middle (for this to make any sense for me and anyone else interested). Thanks.
Location = College Park, Maryland (Mid-Atlantic)
1. Snow about as often as rain during the winter, I'd say once/week we get some (if you count flurries), although "big" snowstorms with 8+ inches are much, much less common (but we do get them, once every year or two). A few inches are on the ground now, with freezing rain on top. I'd say if you pick a random day during the winter months in my area, you've got about a 20% chance of SOME snow on the ground. Usually it is bare, and most Christmases are not white.
2. Two bouts of freezing rain within the last month. Usually rare in this area. Campus closed (I'm a student) although it's debatable whether it was poor driving conditions or people not knowing how to drive in the snow. Northerners poke fun of everyone in my area when anything closes over these conditions. Severe ice of the kind that legitimately grinds things to a halt has not happened in more than 7 years, but snow has. In 2010 we had two huge back to back snowstorms that paralyzed everything in the area for almost a week. You'd be unable to do your home maintenance unless you already had everything you needed. No trips to Home Depot - it would have been closed.
Car maintenance? If you have a garage you can always do it.
3. For "daytime high" temperatures, below 30 degrees is not that common. Certainly not several days in a row. But for "morning low" temps, upper 20s is the norm during the winter months, and can happen for a week or two straight quite easily.
4. Fluctuates from year to year. 2008-2009 was mild, 2009-2010 had LOTS of snow, 2010-2011 was near normal, 2011-2012 we barely had any winter at all, 2012-2013 started off mild and then had serious cold snaps, this winter was mostly normal until the second week of February and then we've been having very brutal cold and snow and some ice.
5. 3 months - basically DJF. Outside this time frame, you can usually get by with a light jacket or sweatshirt.
Columbia SC. Has hot and humid summers. It is not a place to get away from anything. Too cold in winter, which runs from Dec. Jan. Feb. and at times March. I have friends that live in Columbia, they like it there, however they have a summer cabin in the NC, Mtns. Ice storms are common. Lots of winters I recall the power being out all over SC. I was 10 miles across the border for 18 years in NC. It is a less expensive place to live and there some very nice spots, Charleston being maybe the best one. In fact, SC. Beaches are very popular with people all over the south....but not Columbia.
March 1st, 72 deg F in Columbia, SC. Daffodils up, Camellias in bloom. The walk over the dam, Lake Murray, full of walkers. Sailing boats on the lake. Buds on the trees, with dogwoods soon to be blooming. Not a bad climate.
March 1st, 72 deg F in Columbia, SC. Daffodils up, Camellias in bloom. The walk over the dam, Lake Murray, full of walkers. Sailing boats on the lake. Buds on the trees, with dogwoods soon to be blooming. Not a bad climate.
Springtime in the South is their best time of year. As a rule the SE is not effected by the "can't decide Lyon or lamb" springs that hit the northern climes. However, one year I was up on the Blue Ridge Parkway April 1st week end beautiful weather .....The next day, they had 3 feet of snow and it did stay a while....Overall, the south ,just about anywhere, will be getting hotter in the summer than ever before, while the Northern Tier will be getting colder winters, heavy snows on a regular basics. Yes , it's called climate Change, coming to a town near you very soon if not already.
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