winter_rules

What happened to those “bad” people? Did they just move to a different area nearby? Move to a different city? I have always wondered how society could deal with these areas where generations of people have lived lives of crime, drugs, etc. It seems like a very difficult cycle to break.

That’s funny. What struck me in the video was how the gun shots sounded like “pops” from little toy guns. I’m used to hearing big rifles that “boom” and sometimes echo across the valley. I probably hear at least a few big guns at some point every single weekend. Now I wonder if sound from their pistols just doesn’t carry far enough for me to hear it. My big gun doesn’t get used much, but my .22 gets fired probably an average of once per day….for bird feeder “maintenance.”

My daily driver is a 2010 Civic with 139,000 miles. I like the car, love the gas mileage, but have been disappointed with maintenance/repair needs. I have had it for 3.5yrs since 60k miles. I previously had 2 beater Ford Focuses, a beater Chevy Impala, a beater Chevy Malibu and then FINALLY splurged for a Civic….and then have been disappointed with it.

Could be a great opportunity for Chevy to offer him a replacement truck, or cover repairs, or something like that. That video really was a legitimate advertisement for them. He said the right things to make you want to route for him (job interview, taking care of it). As an upstate NY vehicle owner, I can’t help but be jealous of the condition of his +/-20yr old truck. Trucks of that era are now badly rusted out up here. My 2015 pickup already has the blisters on the box side. I had it undercoated (oil style, not paint style) when I bought it in 2020, but it was too late for those notorious areas. Photo of the truck in the article below: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/north-texas-chevy-dealer-gifts-teen-caught-in-tornado-new-truck/2923922/?amp

You can’t beat that kind of advertising! “I was driving down the road when my truck and I got tossed around by a tornado. Almost made me late to dinner!”

That sounds like it’s a few miles south of where we used to live. Relatively nice area, affordable real estate. Near sled and ATV trails. Be ready for mosquitos. In terms of snow, it seems like each mile east of 81 gains you some snowfall but significant snow retention.

I worked outside on a shed into the darkness last night in pants and a long sleeve shirt. Somewhere around 60 with setting sun when I started, mid-40s when I came inside. I could get used to “no jacket” temps!

Imagine if we hated snow like many (most?) people. I can’t understand why so many people live in upstate NY but hate snow. Thankfully I get excited about snowstorms. For me, it is exciting to track, exciting to watch it snow, and then it leads to long-term outdoor enjoyment following the actual snow event. Now imagine dreading each snowfall and then being confined indoors until it melts. I suppose that is a significant contributing factor to why so much of our upstate NY population is overweight.

I have been noticing this too. It’s hard to blame essentially all of my friends who no longer live in the area. Less job opportunities and more miserable weather here. There are so many overcast days where it’s not really raining or snowing, but just gloomy. That does take a toll on most people over time.

I really enjoy your posts about big hikes like this. Something I know I would love, but never had any friends into it, and current situation of wife/kids prevent me from bailing on them for a weekend anyway. Maybe when my son gets just a little older we can start doing stuff like this. What do you eat while you are out on a hike like that? Clif Bars? Kind? Just water or do you bring Gatorade or something for electrolytes?

I can only look at those maps and laugh…the theme of the year continues. Those of us near the I-88 corridor fall JUST on the southern boundary of snow. Granted, the snow line will end up 50 miles north of there, but it’s amusing to see us shown on the fringe yet again.

I’m a few years younger and working toward getting back into shape after a few down years with young kids. So you’re telling me there’s a chance to return to the glory days…. We got a surprise 2.5-3” last night! A nice refresher to an aging “sleetpack” for a few days.

Can I ask what you drive? A silver Toyota RAV4 (I think) passed us on I88 yesterday evening with PA tags and a weather station on its roof and “storm chaser” license plate holder. It was heading toward Albany.

My wife and her co-teachers found a self-proclaimed weather guy who is a teacher in Binghamton on Facebook so now I have to explain to her all of the realities about what he is showing and/or talking about. A recent comment like “cold air tends to hang on more than is forecast” proved his foolishness right before the rain/snow line for a storm went a solid 50 miles NW of the forecast. I’m sure it applies in some places, but not here. He also showed a nice snowy map for late next week, but I told her that there are plenty of comparable maps showing us on the warm side so he is playing the Weather Channel (i.e. media) game of baiting people to pay attention.

Not to be a Debbie Downer, but the actually snow boundary usually ends up 25-50mi farther NW than the models and forecasts show it. I have been burned by that a few times this winter. Even though I “know” what’s going to happen, I still get my hopes up enough to be disappointed. Not trying to be negative, just trying to spare you the same disappointment!

Washed the cars last night (as it was dropping below freezing which made it fun). The thought was that we would have Sunday through Wednesday to stay nice and clean with cold temps and dry conditions. Instead, it has been snowing all morning and the wife has to drive into town to bring our daughter to a bday party. The one time I don’t want it to snow….

Yeah, we lost a week of snowmobiling because of the ice we got last Friday. Trees/branches are either bent to the ground or broken and laying on the ground. We actually needed this warmer weather to melt that ice, as crazy as that sounds for a winter enthusiast to say in February…..

I’m feeling fortunate that we don’t have significant ice damage. Could have been pretty bad, but the temp held at 32° most of the night and it was a pretty steady rain (vs. light mist) so it didn’t build up too much. Still dealing with all sleet at 8:15am and 23°. Half inch total frozen stuff on top of whatever is left of our original snowpack. Happy for the NW folks! Seems like it’s been a good stretch of winter for y’all!

You guys inspired me to go outside and listen to….the sound of rain drops and water running down the gutters. Also noticed a huge puddle on our main front sidewalk, because it is dammed up by snow/ice banks and frost heaved soil on the sides, that will probably turn into a 1” thick sheet of glare ice by morning, so I’ve got that going for me….

I’m thinking the same here. TWC hourly shows rain/mix until 5am when it flips to snow at 25°. That will make +/-11 hours of freezing rain starting at 32° and dropping to 25°. I’m doing things right now to get ahead in case we lose power tonight….which could last a while. Thermostat is being bumped up a few degrees to “bank heat” right meow.

Well I’m impressed with the models. For days now, most models showed a brutal cutoff right along the I-88 corridor and that seems to be verifying. It has been in the 30s all day and is currently 32° and raining. Just brutal to have lost a lot of the snowpack today AND not have much hope of even getting back to where we started by the end of the storm. I hope everyone N and W of me is enjoying it!

Do you know what the location is near Sidney where many maps show a number? Sidney airport?

I’m just SE of the 4.8 near Sidney. Squarely in the 1” minus. Super excited about that….

A thought on winter car washes…your geography makes a big difference. I occasionally wash my cars (at home) if we have several cold dry days upcoming where they won’t be filthy again immediately. However, if you live in Syracuse or south of Buffalo those consecutive days with no snow are few and far between. If you live in Elmira, downstate, or even NE of the lakes, you are MUCH more likely to enjoy a clean car more often because you rely on synoptic storms and don’t get (seemingly) daily snow showers off the lakes.

Despite the warmer temps today, everything (ground, trees, etc) are about as frigid as they get around here. Thankfully, there has to be a pretty unique set of parameters holding steady for many hours to create a dangerous ice storm (I.e. freezing rain vs. sleet) and that doesn't seem very common around here. Maybe all the hills and valleys help mix the air unlike the broad sloping but generally “flat” St. Lawrence Valley? I’m not really concerned about slippery ground - more about weight building up on trees and structures. I recall steady light rain at 18° during my senior year up in Potsdam. Instant ice rink everywhere. Thankfully it didn’t last long.