Winter is back

[honuswagner21]

obsessedwithbrewcrew wrote:

 

However, it is important to note that the forecast track has been terribly inconsistent with this system. The track could come in farther northwest, so Madison would see the big numbers and Milwaukee would get rain/snow. Or, it could shift back to the southeast and nail Chicago instead. This one is still 3 days off, so we'll wait and see, but someone is going to get a big snowstorm (again).

Hasn't the predicted snow from this storm continually worked its way north. First it was Indianapolis that was supposed to get hit? Then Chicago, now Milwaukee? Sorry to those of you up to the north but I wouldn't mind seeing the trend continue to go northward.

 

[RyDogg66]

I am in Oshkosh and we have had big fluffy snow all day and it is building up fast. Id say 5-6 inches so far...more falling. It isnt cool.

[jlau20]

I'm driving from Whitewater to Madison today...I take it I should leave sooner than later?

[BrewCrewForever]

jlau, where is that picture in your avatar from? Curious, I think I know but I may be wrong.

[jlau20]

It's Puddy from Seinfeld

[TheBwaz]

If there is any more snow, I will be taking my life into my hands everytime I back out of the driveway. As it is now, I can BARELY see the street as I head out, anymore snow and I will just be making an educated guess. The way morons come bombing down my street to avoid the 6 way intersection at Lisbon/60th/Center is dangerous enough when you can see.

 

It has reached the point where I have nowhere to put snow. Not to mention, many counties are running out of salt. I guess the only good news is that the sun is high enough in the sky now to effect some snow melt even when it is cold outside. The sun yesterday wiped the dusting of snow left on my walks after shoveling Tuesday night.

 

I'll be 33 tomorrow, and I have lived in Milwaukee since I was 6. Take that into account when I say this: This really has been a ridiculous winter. The combination of snow AND cold just seems worse than it has been in awhile.

[jazzytrav]

I am in Oshkosh and we have had big fluffy snow all day and it is building up fast. Id say 5-6 inches so far...more falling. It isnt cool.

I'm in Oshkosh, too. I keep walking out of my office to look outside thinking that the snow has calmed down...but it has been coming down steadily since last night. This is pretty incredible.

 

Unfortunately I work for a financial, and we don't close unless other financials close, and those financials won't close unless we close...so yeah, not going anywhere.

[craigharmann]

So what does happen when the counties run out of salt? Let everything sit until it melts? Keep everyone snowed in?

[Mike2k33]

According to this link Waukesha county only has enough salt for two, 6 inch snowfalls. Also, some smaller communities(including Sussex, where I am) will not be receiving any more salt or salt/sand mix. The cost of salt has tripled therefore making it "cost-prohibitive" to purchase any more.

 

Things could get very interesting and very frustrating around here if we get a couple of more big storms.

[RyDogg66]

Hooray for the citizens of Oshkosh's East Side. I am working from home today and I have gone out to shovel my driveway twice already (and I will have a third trip later tonight) but I have been putting off my sidewalk. Sitting here working from near my front window I have seen two people go by with snow blowers, one guy I didnt even know. Thanks!!!

[craigharmann]

The cost of salt has tripled therefore making it "cost-prohibitive" to purchase any more.

Isn't it cost-prohibitive to NOT have salt? When I lived in Vancouver, Washington, right before I moved to Sheboygan, they had a "major" snow/ice storm (a good amount of ice, followed by about 4 inches of snow) and they don't salt out there, and it shut EVERYTHING down for a good 3+ days. Can these communities afford that? Or the lawsuits that they would face (and you know they would) if they didn't salt the roads and because of it people were in accidents?

[hawing]

So what does happen when the counties run out of salt? Let everything sit until it melts? Keep everyone snowed in?

Some communities are trying to make their remaining salt last longer by mixing with sand or limestone chips. I wouldn't begin to guess whether municipalities would help each other out in case one runs out of salt entirely. Many street budgets are already far out of whack, so spending on triple-priced salt is as risky as running out of the stuff. As is often the case in public works, you're damned if you do and damned if you don't.

 

I've never dreaded or hated winter (nothing against those of you who do), but I'll agree with The Bwaz: the pace of snow and cold this go-round has been just wearying. And I'll be 42 later this month. I'm trying to look at this winter as extraordinary and something of an adventure, but that approach does not work for me every day.

 

Meanwhile, I've got to remind the S.O. to take a picture of me next to the driveway snowbank, while it's still taller than I am.

[Hammer]

I live in a subdivision in between Omro and Oshkosh and all I have to say is "Screw you Mr. Plowguy!!". My Mustang got stuck in my driveway on my way in (big surprise there...) and after I had it nearly all shoveled out the plow driver (dude in a regular truck w/ a plow, not the big orange kind) pushed a major snow bank over the rear of my car. I AM BENT RIGHT NOW!!! I hope he has to plow over night without extra pay!!

 

This is to you Mr. Plowguy!!

 

http://www.kyle-brady.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/you_suck.jpg

[owbc]

The Sunday/Monday storm originally looked like it would completely miss the area but has gradually progressed north and west as time goes on.

 

However, it now paints a bullseye on SE Wisconsin...and by SE Wisconsin, I now mean everyone South or East of a Wisconsin Dells to Green Bay line. Some freezing rain/sleet could mix in (that would make things even more nasty without any salt). This storm is almost as big as the last big one, so I'd say at least 6" in most areas with some totals over 12".

 

The track has changed almost every model run, so things could still go either way--that is we could see less snow, or more rain/snow/ice mix, especially in the Milwaukee/Racine/Kenosha areas. I don't know which scenario is more likely, but the chances of the path changing are getting less and less as we get closer.

 

The bottom line is that I'd be surprised if a Winter Storm Watch isn't out by tomorrow morning for Milwaukee and Madison.

 

It's ridiculous, I know, but I couldn't make this stuff up if I wanted to.

[fondybrewfan]

Beloit is supposedly using some concoction including beet juice. SUpposedly it works very well and lowers the temperature at which the salt is effective.

[jazzytrav]

I live in a subdivision in between Omro and Oshkosh and all I have to say is "Screw you Mr. Plowguy!!".

I have to ask...where is there a subdivision between Omro and Oshkosh?

[TooLiveBrew]

Mr. Plow - that's my name

That name, again, is Mr. Plow!

 

http://www.lardlad.com/assets/episodes/season4/9f07-big.jpg

 

Damn, that's some nerve to just plow up on your car! What the heck?!

 

[PlayerHader]

Any chance it moves further north to Central WI Obsessedwithweatherman? I was a bit disappointed that we didn't get any snow today in Stevens Point. Maybe 3" overnight tops.

[owbc]

Yeah, I could see Stevens Point getting clipped with some snow from this. That's really on the borderline right now though.

[Hammer]

I live in a subdivision in between Omro and Oshkosh and all I have to say is "Screw you Mr. Plowguy!!".

I have to ask...where is there a subdivision between Omro and Oshkosh?

I live in Harbor Village. It's just off of Leonards Point, next to the Lake Butte des Morts boat launch.

 

http://gws.maps.yahoo.com/MapImage?appid=ymapsaura&clat=44.042939&clon=-88.656383&radius=2000&mlat=44.038535&mlon=-88.750110&locale=en_US&imf=png&imw=600&imh=380&ims=24500&imi=blk_sq_a

[BrewCrewForever]

It's Puddy from Seinfeld

Yup that is what I thought, love that episode.

 

[TheBwaz]

It is interesting to watch the salt wars in the press here. Milwaukee county PROBABLY has enough salt to get by, but they don't salt everybody. Tosa has enough salt, but West Allis is low. City of Milwaukee is kinda okay from what I hear, but many Waukesha communities are in trouble.

 

We haven't had this much snow in at least 14 years, so municipalities have been buying less. Hard to store salt in the summer, what with its allergy to rain, so its not like you can stock up. Yes, I realize they keep some underground.

 

I lived in Indy one winter. The year before they didn't have any snow and folks got all up in arms about all the leftover salt. So the next year, they bought hardly ANY salt. Well, it turned out to be a doozy of a winter. 4 inches of snow would shut the city down for days. By saving 400k in salt they lost millions in productivity.

 

I have pity on local governments; nobody wants to pay taxes but everybody wants their street clear every minute of the storm...

[jazzytrav]

I live in Harbor Village. It's just off of Leonards Point, next to the Lake Butte des Morts boat launch.

Small world. I used to date a girl that lived on Reighmour Rd. And yet I still forgot about all those houses by the lake. I was just trying to think if there was anything else on 21 between Oshkosh and Omro...which there obviously is not.

[RyDogg66]

Small world. I used to date a girl that lived on Reighmour Rd. And yet I still forgot about all those houses by the lake. I was just trying to think if there was anything else on 21 between Oshkosh and Omro...which there obviously is not.

Even smaller world. My wife grew up at the end of Sunkist Road, where there used to be a dead end up until 10-12 years ago. In high school it was a great place for parties.

 

[1992casey]

Note: I pared back a couple of nested quotes with pictures.