# More snow than expected (Helena)



## vinny11950 (Jan 7, 2017)

4 hours on the LIE to travel 60 miles, on what the forecast said 3-6 inches of snow in the morning.  By the time I was stuck in traffic, slipping and sliding in blizzard conditions, the forecast had been updated to 8-12 inches of snow.  Doh.

Really wish I had gotten the front driveshaft installed on the Jeep to have 4WD.  Nevertheless, made it home okay.  Wasn't sure I was going to make it with the the low visibility, crawling at 5mph sometimes and still sliding around.


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## BrotherBart (Jan 7, 2017)

Glad ya got home safe vinny. Something I don't miss since I retired. Now I just hunker down. Member Dix lives on LI and she just told me that she just went over a foot of snow.


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## vinny11950 (Jan 7, 2017)

Thanks, BrotherBart.  Really didn't expect this snow to be so deep and lasting (20 degrees doesn't let much melt on the road).  I would have hunkered down, but I didn't think it was going to be that bad.


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## Jags (Jan 8, 2017)

A rear wheel drive only jeep in 8-12 inches of snow?  That had to be like driving on ball bearings.


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## vinny11950 (Jan 8, 2017)

Yeah, I felt like an idiot driving a 2WD Jeep Cherokee.  I brought a knife to a gun fight.

Luckily for me, a had plenty of company on the roads.  Traffic was packed.  Most drivers didn't think if was going to be that bad that fast.

I made sure not to stop until I got home.  Didn't want to risk stopping and getting stuck.


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## jatoxico (Jan 8, 2017)

Only got about 7-8" here. Cold day, any moisture on the road must've turned right into ice. Luckily didn't have anywhere I needed to be. Very dry snow that's at least easy to clear.


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## Dix (Jan 8, 2017)

Glad you made it home OK Vinny. It got very bad really, really fast yesterday. I was going to the supermarket, got 2 miles away, and said "screw this" and took myself home, and stayed put.


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## vinny11950 (Jan 9, 2017)

Dix said:


> Glad you made it home OK Vinny. It got very bad really, really fast yesterday. I was going to the supermarket, got 2 miles away, and said "screw this" and took myself home, and stayed put.



Thanks, Dix. 

Glad for stayed put.


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## sportbikerider78 (Jan 9, 2017)

You got lucky there aren't any hills!  People think their vehicles are much more capable then they are till they hit bad weather and hills.  

I'm forced to have 4wd and snow tires on the commuter car.  I live at the bottom of a long driveway in the snow belt.


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## vinny11950 (Jan 9, 2017)

sportbikerider78 said:


> You got lucky there aren't any hills!  People think their vehicles are much more capable then they are till they hit bad weather and hills.
> 
> I'm forced to have 4wd and snow tires on the commuter car.  I live at the bottom of a long driveway in the snow belt.



I realized that every time the LIE climbed a little, the back of the Jeep would fish tail a bit if I gave it too much gas.  Like you say, I am lucky I didn't have to tackle any real hills - it would have been game over.

Most of the snow that fell is still around as it has been real cold, but Thursday it is supposed to warm up to 55 degrees and rain.  I am sure it's going to mess with the gutters around the house.


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## sportbikerider78 (Jan 9, 2017)

Rear snows and some weight in the back can make a world of a difference in a RWD truck.  But all will be well if you get the 4WD working.


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## jatoxico (Jan 9, 2017)

Left my 4wd home in case my oldest (home from college) needs to go out. Promptly did a slow motion, all wheels locked slide into the street from my gently sloped driveway. Zero traction. Unless the sun helps out today it's possible I won't be able to get up to the house when I get home. Stuff we do for our kids-


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## vinny11950 (Jan 9, 2017)

jatoxico said:


> all wheels locked slide into the street from my gently sloped driveway.



Helpless feeling.


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## jatoxico (Jan 9, 2017)

vinny11950 said:


> Helpless feeling.


Yes, especially with all the anti lock brake and ECT systems popping like crazy! It was crawling, prob no more 0.5 mph. More of a foreshadowing of what my first 4 miles to work were like.


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## maple1 (Jan 9, 2017)

Think we got the same system you did. Some glad for the AWD SUV & new winter tires. Drove 2.5 hours Saturday evening getting home, snowed all the way but we were going the same way the system was so just stayed on the leading fringe of it. We got home just in time - I looked outside on the way to bed 3 hours after getting home & it looked like there was a foot of new snow on the truck.


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## Dix (Jan 9, 2017)

maple1 said:


> Think we got the same system you did. Some glad for the AWD SUV & new winter tires. Drove 2.5 hours Saturday evening getting home, snowed all the way but we were going the same way the system was so just stayed on the leading fringe of it. We got home just in time - I looked outside on the way to bed 3 hours after getting home & it looked like there was a foot of new snow on the truck.



That'd be the one. Near white out here for a couple of hours.


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## Lake Girl (Jan 9, 2017)

Was wondering how our east coast friends were making out ... winter storms are never fun.  Daughter and her boyfriend got on the road just in time ... he's moving from South Carolina to Florida for a job.


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## jatoxico (Jan 10, 2017)

We are supposed to get a warm up above freezing until Friday. Hopefully that lets the secondary roads clear up and we get some melt so we don't get any ice dams on our roofs.


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## Dix (Jan 10, 2017)

jatoxico said:


> We are supposed to get a warm up above freezing until Friday. Hopefully that lets the secondary roads clear up and we get some melt so we don't get any ice dams on our roofs.



It's warming up, and the roof is melting. Rain tonight should wash most of it away.


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## jatoxico (Jan 10, 2017)

Dix said:


> It's warming up, and the roof is melting. Rain tonight should wash most of it away.


Cross your fingers.


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## Dix (Jan 10, 2017)

jatoxico said:


> Cross your fingers.



To late, J. Windows under the ice bergs have started their drip...... I moved the couch & coffee table.

I opened windows and knocked o the icicles.... water started running off of the roof. It can't rain fast enough for me.


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## jatoxico (Jan 10, 2017)

Dix said:


> To late, J. Windows under the ice bergs have started their drip...... I moved the couch & coffee table.
> 
> I opened windows and knocked o the icicles.... water started running off of the roof. It can't rain fast enough for me.


If the water starts to run and doesn't refreeze I should be ok. I know your temps tend to dip below average, hope you stay dry!


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## begreen (Jan 18, 2017)

Just came back from a visit up north to a friends place. Could only drive my 2wd truck up to the neighbors. Their road and driveway was 3-4" solid ice caused by large snowfalls, rain, sleet then more snow. All compacted down since early Dec.. It is barely walkable and only his 4wd with chains can make it up in compound low. 55F here now today. Hoping they are thawing out.


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## vinny11950 (Jan 18, 2017)

Lately, every time I check the national weather, the Northwest is suffering some crazy storm system that involves snow, ice and rain.  Meanwhile here in NY it feels like late March, early April.  Can't complain much, cause I am not burning as many pellets.

PS, I finally swapped out the pinion yoke on the front differential and installed the front drive shaft to get 4WD on the Jeep


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## vinny11950 (Jan 19, 2017)

begreen said:


> Just came back from a visit up north to a friends place. Could only drive my 2wd truck up to the neighbors. Their road and driveway was 3-4" solid ice caused by large snowfalls, rain, sleet then more snow. All compacted down since early Dec.. It is barely walkable and only his 4wd with chains can make it up in compound low. 55F here now today. Hoping they are thawing out.



Wow, just saw some pictures of the ice storm in Oregon and Washington.  More coming this weekend.  Be safe.


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## begreen (Jan 19, 2017)

Warm and rainy here in the lowlands. I didn't have a fire yesterday and now it's looking like I didn't need to start one today either. The passes otoh are closed and the city of Portland has had several dumps though they too are finally thawing out. East of Portland in the Gorge they got serious ice storms and accidents.


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## vinny11950 (Jan 19, 2017)

At least the rain will help with the droughts, especially California.


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## ginab (Jan 27, 2017)

It is cloudy here and the temperature is 33 F. It is really cold out here and I can't wait for the winter to end. My house is still cluttered with the holiday mess and I was busy cleaning it and reusing some by referring to this blog I found online https://www.junk-works.ca/locations/blog/category/removing-holiday-waste/ . I can't wait for spring to come again. I have already neglected my garden for a long time I want to bring it back up to its feet again.


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