Winter Weather Thread (2016-19)

[BradWI]

Looks like snow this weekend, bitter cold next week and possibly a lot more snow the following weekend. Welcome to winter.

[adamb100]

I have my CDL (Commercial Drivers License) test in 1 1/2 weeks. Can't this snow wait a few weeks?

[fondybrewfan]

Ugh. I am supposed to have a Christmas party on Sunday; hopefully the roads aren't too bad.

 

Looks like the Packer game this week will be snowier than last week.

[fondybrewfan]

Only got about 4 inches in FDL and it was really light snow so all in all not too bad.

 

Now we get to look forward to really cold temps all week followed by another snow storm on Friday that looks to be the strongest one yet. Weather.com has it at 7-13 inches in FDL between Friday and Saturday. Yesterday the estimate was even higher.

[MrTPlush]

Not only is another big one coming this weekend, but if you extend out the forecast they already have a big storm system producing snow starting Christmas Day.

 

Man what a month if that happens.

[owbc]

It does look like the parade of snow and arctic blasts is going to continue for at least a week. I've been paying more attention because I'm visiting for the holidays--first time in Wisconsin during winter in about 5 or 6 years (I've made a habit of only returning in summer). The Friday storm looks like it will have a pretty nice warm front, the model average looks like 6-10" for Milwaukee, 4-8" for central WI but of course those numbers will have to be adjusted as the week progresses.

 

Too soon to say anything about the Christmas forecast but there doesn't appear to be an extended thaw on the horizon.

[NeedMoreFans]

This could be a "what's bugging you" post, but it involves winter, so I'll put it here. I think it was around 2002, we got a surprise 5 inch snowfall in Madison (on a night where the Badgers were playing MSU at home, if any of you can recall that game). My wife was in her car near the UW hospital getting onto Campus Dr. from the onramp at Highland. As she was merging, she spun out and ended up facing oncoming traffic. That was in a 1989 Toyota Camry that was absolutely terrible in the snow. Since that incident, she won't drive if it's even flurrying outside, and she has a car that has fancy safety features (except no AWD). At this point, I'm tempted to tell her we need to move somewhere where there is no snow.

 

Unrelated, I think I decided that I may finally get a snowblower. I threw out my back last weekend and my doctor told me I can't shovel. We've had two snowfalls since I hurt my back and I don't like relying on the neighbor.

[owbc]

Back in ~2007 I totaled a 1991 Honda Accord in Madison on black ice at the spot where Mineral Pt Rd bends into Speedway. Wasn't even going that fast, the car just went straight into the guard rail. That was definitely one of the events that precipitated me leaving for a warmer place.

[brwrsfan]

Wow. I understand events can be traumatic and I don't know exactly what she went through of course, but I can't imagine living in a place like Wisconsin and being completely unable to drive in any snow at all. I mean, flurries and things like that can come on a moments notice - that's gotta just make things very, very difficult.

 

I don't think I could handle that - I'd have to throw down the ultimatum I think - if that means moving somewhere without snow, then I guess that's what I'd have to do.

[NeedMoreFans]

I'm about to that point. Either that or we get rid of her car for something that has AWD and buy snow tires.

[adamb100]

Looks like the snow totals got upgraded for this next storm this weekend.

 

8-12 inches for most of the milwaukee area, 6-8 the farther south and north west you go.

[fondybrewfan]

Wisconsin can just suck it at this point. I can't remember the last time it was this cold and snowy even before Christmas. I guess the Farmers Almanac was right.

[1992casey]

When the temperature gets cold, it's logical to make sure that your tires have enough air. However, the two places I checked yesterday didn't have air available because it was too cold for the air pumps to function.

[GAME05]

Looking like 8-10" so far in the Southeast and it's still snowing at a pretty good rate. Less snow but freezing rain about an hour south of me. The problem in the South isn't as much the bad drivers but lack of removal trucks to handle it all.

 

Fortunately we closed the whole park down because of it because it's a major safety and liability issue if it were open. I'm on duty right now and would have to respond to something, but at the same time I don't know if I could even make it out of my driveway. Hopefully it doesn't come to that and my radio stays quiet.

 

Boss suggested I walk to the office and start shoveling, but that's not gonna happen. Probably won't be until Monday that we get the plows out and start working on clearing things off.

[hawing]

It's all ice, ice, baby in Madison and environs today. We live on the intersection of two side streets (an understandably low priority for the city to treat) and it's just visibly slick. I am thankful we have no reason to go outdoors today.

[GAME05]

Left late as opposed to pushing no sleep on a drive back to WI. Hit a deer an hour in and now am stuck in the storm. Forecast only said 0.75-1" of snow, but people here saying 9". The storm is shaped exactly the route I wanna drive. Don't wanna push it because the possibility of waiting three hours in 20 degree cold doesn't sound good. Risks outweigh the rewards of getting home earlier. Motel probably full and I'm in the middle of nowhere, anyway. Safe place here so why move, with warm big gas station if car gets too cold. Wait it out.

[GAME05]

14 hour drive turned into 24.5. Low beans terrible. Windshield wiper fluid froze so had the salt obscuring view. Had a bottle in car, which froze when I poured it on the window.

[Baldkin]

14 hour drive turned into 24.5. Low beans terrible. Windshield wiper fluid froze so had the salt obscuring view. Had a bottle in car, which froze when I poured it on the window.

 

Gotta get the stuff that doesn't freeze until -25 or so. Definitely worth the extra $1 a gallon.

[RobDeer 45]

Can't believe this string of cold in WI right now!

[BrewersSuperCollector]

As someone who works outside I’ll take this cold weather over snow any day.

[GAME05]

Hit another small snowstorm on the way back, but this time I was in the middle of the West Virginia mountains. Only two hours left to drive, but that sorta scenario is too dangerous so I pulled over and waited it out.

 

Had co-workers taking care of my cats when I was gone. They pulled in my driveway this morning, saw my vehicle there, and honked the horn to say hello. So I guess I didn't need sleep.

[BradWI]

Decent storm coming tonight/tomorrow, especially for those of us near the lake.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Most of janesville that sits in the rock river valley is completely flooded today. Lots and lots of rain and no place for it to go.

[GAME05]

Only predicting 3-4" and 40mph winds by me, but I live a good six hours from the coast. Wilmington is hearing predictions of 40" of rain. Gonna pack some go-bags tomorrow as I'm expecting to get deployed out there. Typically they'll send us to a part to cut trees for a week, or direct traffic, or we'll stand on a road corner somewhere and be told "If a riot happens, let us know." They'll usually send most all of the Highway Patrol guys out there and they get the brunt of it, but they're very highly trained in all that. I'm still expecting to go, but I heard they've already deployed 400 National Guardsmen to help out, so it's always possible the last thing they'll need down there is more people.

[owbc]

Only predicting 3-4" and 40mph winds by me, but I live a good six hours from the coast. Wilmington is hearing predictions of 40" of rain. Gonna pack some go-bags tomorrow as I'm expecting to get deployed out there. Typically they'll send us to a part to cut trees for a week, or direct traffic, or we'll stand on a road corner somewhere and be told "If a riot happens, let us know." They'll usually send most all of the Highway Patrol guys out there and they get the brunt of it, but they're very highly trained in all that. I'm still expecting to go, but I heard they've already deployed 400 National Guardsmen to help out, so it's always possible the last thing they'll need down there is more people.

 

Wow, good luck. Hopefully the storm slows down and weakens before it comes ashore. It's a really tough forecast with the storm stalling and meandering somewhere around the coast...been looking better for NC but worse for SC. The slower it goes the more it will weaken before landfall.