Wisconsin Winter Weather Thread 08-09 Version

[owbc]

I'm fine with all warming trends that do not involve tornadoes.

[hawing]

I'm fine with all warming trends that do not involve tornadoes.

Don't forget that the wacky, nutty winter of 2007-2008 also featured tornadoes on one day.

This was personally remarkable for me because the S.O.'s family all lives in Kenosha, and our gift for each name we drew was a weather radio.

On December 24, I was glibly saying to them, "let's hope you don't have to use the weather alert part anytime soon." Exactly two weeks later...tornado warnings. Perhaps this was a lesson to me to not be glib.

[TooLiveBrew]

Not WI winter, but just wanted to say that it's 25 degrees here in Portland and we have an all-out WI winter day, complete with around an inch of snow so far. Yeah, yeah... not much snow, but for Portland it's kind of a big deal. Expected to get another 2-3" through the night. This is the first time it's snowed here anything more than just a dusting (that always would melt off quickly) since we moved here summer of '07.

[craigharmann]

Not WI winter, but just wanted to say that it's 25 degrees here in Portland and we have an all-out WI winter day, complete with around an inch of snow so far. Yeah, yeah... not much snow, but for Portland it's kind of a big deal. Expected to get another 2-3" through the night. This is the first time it's snowed here anything more than just a dusting (that always would melt off quickly) since we moved here summer of '07.

That's huge! In January of '04, Portland had a major snow/ice event. I remember this because I flew back from Texas visiting my folks and wife (fiancee at the time) and we were mini golfing outside of Austin and it's 70's and I'm flying back to Portland and it's going to snow. The city was pretty much shut down for a few days, because God forbid they'd use salt out there! That would ruin the delicate balance of nature out there. Anyway...it's a big deal. Enjoy!

[TooLiveBrew]

http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

Of course all the schools are shut down tomorrow. And... I kid you not, ODOT released an official notice stating that if you want to drive on the highways, you HAVE to have your snow chains equipped.

 

That's right -- still less than 2 inches of snow. All the city buses are driving around with snow chains. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/eyes.gif

[owbc]

I would laugh, but I happened to be watching a highway bridge cam of Houston, TX the other night when it was snowing...there was one lane of cars that were just pulled over, another of them going about 5 mph, and then a third group that was going along at about 40-50 mph like nothing was happening (looked like moderate snow at the time). Better just to keep people off the roads in situations like that--even many people in WI have bad driving instincts--turning the wheel the wrong way when fishtailing, slamming on the breaks when they start sliding, etc.

 

Still, I can only imagine what it looks like to a Wisconsinite to see a city panic over an inch of snow.

 

As for this cold front, Madison has now going from 43 F to 15 F in 6 hours...quite impressive. However, Kansas City wins--60 F to 31 F in ONE hour and now 60 F to 8 F in 12 hours.

[logan82]

I don't think those states like Texas salt their roads when it snows which would make it that much worse.

[craigharmann]

I don't think those states like Texas salt their roads when it snows which would make it that much worse.

Texas typically doesn't salt the roads, because usually a few hours after snow falls, it melts. No one slows down when it snows, so there's usually lots of accidents.

[Fatter than Joey]

Of course all the schools are shut down tomorrow. And... I kid you not, ODOT released an official notice stating that if you want to drive on the highways, you HAVE to have your snow chains equipped.

 

About 10 years ago, there was a huge ice storm in Oregon -- I had to catch a plane out of Portland, and took a shuttle from Corvallis up I-5.

 

There were dozens of cars off the road, almost every minute you would see a car. No crashes, or fatalities, but cars littered everywhere. It looked like a bad M. Night Shamylan movie had happened.

 

In Oregon when people start to skid, I swear they are taught to floor it.

[JumpinMacFlash]

Geez, that wind is horrible! It's 1 degree with a wind chill of -30 right now. There's a nice sheet of ice over just about everything.

[davego]

Winter is seriously stupid...but at least it keeps the mosquitoes down.

[Chio151]

I found this morning's air brisk and refreshing. Like a slap to the face from Winter saying "wake up man, enjoy your home.... spend time with loved ones... be awesome to each other." And I said, "thank you Winter, you are wise."

[Fatter than Joey]

Like a slap to the face from Winter saying "wake up man, enjoy your home.... spend time with loved ones... be awesome to each other." And I said, "thank you Winter, you are wise."

 

I got the impression that Winter was saying to me "I hate you, your knees suck, your house is poorly insulated."

[Patrick425]

Yeah, funny, must be some sort of translation mix up, because I could have sworn that I heard Winter say something like "Why, in the name of all that's holy, do you continue to live in this climate?", but I can see how that could be easily confused with "enjoy your home and be awesome to each other".

[TSack27]

My interpretation was, "remember when you thought it was warm enough to take off your hat & coat while working outside on this weekend...... gotcha sucker!"

[owbc]

Just wait, it's not done yet. After subzero temperatures tonight and snow on Tuesday, it looks like the Thursday storm might be almost all rain for southern Wisconsin--and then right back to cold after that.

[TooLiveBrew]

Of course all the schools are shut down tomorrow. And... I kid you not, ODOT released an official notice stating that if you want to drive on the highways, you HAVE to have your snow chains equipped.

 

About 10 years ago, there was a huge ice storm in Oregon -- I had to catch a plane out of Portland, and took a shuttle from Corvallis up I-5.

 

There were dozens of cars off the road, almost every minute you would see a car. No crashes, or fatalities, but cars littered everywhere. It looked like a bad M. Night Shamylan movie had happened.

 

In Oregon when people start to skid, I swear they are taught to floor it.

The Crappening...

 

After being out & about today, I see that most of the city streets are completely covered with a sheet of ice. The plows here seem to only be dropping sand. Am I wrong in remembering that WI has a salt-alternative (as in, more eco-friendly)? Or do they just use a sand-ice mixture?

[Fatter than Joey]

The plows here seem to only be dropping sand.

 

They grind up lava rock actually.

 

Am I wrong in remembering that WI has a salt-alternative (as in, more eco-friendly)?

 

When my family moved to OR back in 1987 -- the one thing I noticed was the amount of older cars on the road -- apparently the salt was so

hard on cars in WI.

[ttsather]

The Crappening...

 

After being out & about today, I see that most of the city streets are completely covered with a sheet of ice. The plows here seem to only be dropping sand. Am I wrong in remembering that WI has a salt-alternative (as in, more eco-friendly)? Or do they just use a sand-ice mixture?

 

I don't recall this precisely (at all), but I do remember at least the City of Madison experimenting a few years ago with a liquid de-icer that was a salt alternative and was meant to work at lower temperatures. I believe the cost was higher. Was it . . . calcium-based?

 

In any case, salt won't do much good today, other than provide you some traction on the ice, of which sand does a better job IMO.

[TooLiveBrew]

I found out Portland uses a de-icer too, but not one that's effective at colder temperatures. Seems to kind of defeat the purpose...

[Hammer]

Weather.com is saying this for tomorrow (Fox Valley):

 

Snow in the evening will taper off as a few snow showers overnight. Low 11F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 90%. Significant snow accumulation possible.

[SeriesFinale]

Uff da I'm flying out to Chicago Friday night for 10 days...lots of driving between there and Milwaukee and Madison, and Ontario, WI (switchback roads on hills, joy) and Guttenberg, IA, along the Mississippi.

 

I can deal with the cold (although I don't want to)...it's the slick roads I'm really dreading. I'm a pretty crummy bad weather driver.

[owbc]

Winter weather advisory for tomorrow...3-5" of very fluffy snow starting in the afternoon.

 

Thursday's system is going to be more significant--someone is going to get nailed again--but precip type is still a question.

[hawing]

I can deal with the cold (although I don't want to)...it's the slick roads I'm really dreading. I'm a pretty crummy bad weather driver.

Well, go slowly. Better to arrive late and in one piece.

[princeginterhallhelms04]

Well all i want is a white xmas so if we can get that i'd be happy. The way my luck is though it's going to be snow this round then all rain and a brown xmas.