# Preparing for a big storm here



## VAfarmer38 (Jan 19, 2016)

Well, according to the weather outlets and forecast models, central VA where I'm located is supposed to get hammered. I've seen anything from 6" to a couple feet. Getting one last load cut tomorrow afternoon before it hits and will hope to get the blades to the tractor before it gets too late. May even look forward to doing some sledding with the little ones. Safe travels to everyone that might be out in this one.


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## Z33 (Jan 20, 2016)

The in laws are in NoVa just outside of DC and i have been trying to tell them for the last 4 days and they dont seem worried. 

Lets hope the models under preform for you guys up that way other wise you are looking at a historic snow fall.


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## VAfarmer38 (Jan 20, 2016)

Everything I've seen today seems to be falling pretty consistent.  I'm preparing for the worst, hoping for the best.  Already trying to move hay and make sure things are in place so we don't have to do it in the pouring snow.


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## BrotherBart (Jan 20, 2016)

Yep. Major butt kicking headed our way. I have kinda enjoyed not getting much snow since we got buried for two weeks without power in 2010.


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## BrotherBart (Jan 20, 2016)

The best weather wienie in NOVA just was on. He is the one that said the first week of November that it was going to be warm through year end and we would get our asses kicked in mid-January through February. He said the question is whether we just get two feet in 24 hours or more. He said most forecasts call for this to fall in the top five snow storms in the area but that he believes it is gonna be number two.


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## Ashful (Jan 20, 2016)

Ready:







BrotherBart said:


> He said most forecasts call for this to fall in the top five snow storms in the area but that he believes it is gonna be number two.


That's some mighty big talk, considering the 3 FEET we got in a single storm in Jan. 1996 is our current "number two."


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## BrotherBart (Jan 20, 2016)

Our number one was the three feet in 2010. That is the path from the basement to the generator shack. For two weeks without power.


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## Dix (Jan 20, 2016)

BrotherBart said:


> View attachment 172616
> 
> 
> Our number one was the three feet in 2010. That is the path from the basement to the generator shack. For two weeks without power.



I remember this path, damned you were pissed  

Still sitting on the fence for how much we're gonna get up here. I'm taking the needed precautions. Mostly being prepared to load as much firewood as I can in the house.I can hold 1 week plus for both stoves inside. Glad I have 1 1/2 cord on the back deck and another week or so that I can pull inside.

Truck is full, and I'll fill up the car  Friday night on the way home from the barn. Snow shovel & broom already in the house.


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## BrotherBart (Jan 20, 2016)

Did you ever get a generator @Dix ?


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## Dix (Jan 20, 2016)

BrotherBart said:


> Did you ever get a generator @Dix ?



Nope.


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## Zkx14 (Jan 20, 2016)

Near York PA - Forecasts have pretty much all gone from 'might' to 'will' happen.   Now its just the question of how much.  Lowest number I'm heariing for here is a foot.  More likely closer to 2.  But, we are still 2 days away from this thing starting.


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## firefighterjake (Jan 20, 2016)

They keep talking about it missing us here in Maine . . . I've been pretty good this year (with only 20 or so days into the new year) . . . please send it north to us. We need the snow.


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## Dix (Jan 20, 2016)

firefighterjake said:


> They keep talking about it missing us here in Maine . . . I've been pretty good this year (with only 20 or so days into the new year) . . . please send it north to us. We need the snow.



Done, sending it to Jake.

NOT (wish I could)


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## firefighterjake (Jan 20, 2016)

Dix said:


> Done, sending it to Jake.
> 
> NOT (wish I could)



Well I appreciate the thought Dix.


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## Ashful (Jan 20, 2016)

I'm down to about 1/4 cord at the house, which is basically 2-3 days worth of wood if the power goes out, or less than a week's worth at my more usual rate.  I NEED to shrink another cord of 20" splits to 17", and move them to the house this weekend.  Will be fun, if we get the forecast snow.


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## Beer Belly (Jan 21, 2016)

Just heard 5-10 inches here, and if it tracks a little North, we get slammed. I have no problem with the snow, it brings in the O/T ($$)....snowblower service done earlier this week, today I'll bring in more semi seasoned wood, Beer run tomorrow, and we're set.


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## sportbikerider78 (Jan 21, 2016)

2' doesn't even raise and eyebrow here.  But we're used to it.  Everyone makes it to work.


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## VAfarmer38 (Jan 21, 2016)

I've been telling people since early fall that that we will eventually get hammered with snow.  With the repeated storm systems dumping 2-3 inches of rain each time, common sense tells you that it will eventually get cold enough and all that rain will turn to snow.  Getting my generator ready this afternoon to backfeed so I can run the Heatmaster and the blower so I can at least heat the house.  Getting one last load of wood cut and moved before it gets here.  Too much to do, too little time to do it.


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## Bobbin (Jan 21, 2016)

It looks as if this household will watch what ultimately unfolds on TV; but I bet the surf will be really lovely!  I rather like "snow events" but I always worry about those who don't really understand how serious and dangerous they can be. 

Do you have water saved and set aside? more is always better.
Do you have a provision for "light" when the juice fails?  (oil lamps, Aladdins rock! replacement mantels, wicks, and oil?), batteries?
Do you have enough fuel for your generator? more than just what remains in the tank?
Are you "cool" with the proper use of a generator? ... 
   connections and safe s p a c i n g from your home?
   are you willing to use the generator sparingly in case the outage is a long one??

Maine saw 2wks.+  of no electricity after an ice storm in the late '90s.  It's always stayed with me.  And I think of it every time I hear of a major snow "event" bearing down on large swathes of our country.


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## sportbikerider78 (Jan 21, 2016)

In CT in a condo, I did without power for 9 days.  That really sucked.  

I've since moved and have a more self sustainable property.  I'm ready for 2 wks w/o power at almost any time.  Woodstove, generator, 10 gallons of gas (plus what is in the SUV, car, atv, splitter, lawn mower), kerosene heater, and plenty of food.


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## Bobbin (Jan 21, 2016)

Water always seems to be the "toughie".  We're on a well and we don't have a generator (BIL next door does).  But we have wood for the stoves, water we've drawn and set aside (some of it stovetop), and coolers with pre-frozen cold packs ready to go.  We have a shallow pond near our home and historically we've cracked the ice and drawn "terlit" flushing water from it.  Judicious attention to: "if it's yellow let it mellow, if it's brown flush it down" has served us well.  I've made noises about a generator, but since we have access to BIL's, it's not been a priority.  With every passing year I see it as a smart "investment".


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## begreen (Jan 21, 2016)

Sounds serious. Hope you all will be careful and just get snow. Some areas are predicted to get ice storms first. I hate ice storms. They are the worst.


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## begreen (Jan 21, 2016)

sportbikerider78 said:


> 2' doesn't even raise and eyebrow here.  But we're used to it.  Everyone makes it to work.


I am super impressed with the snow clearing crews back east. Out here in a rural area we are lucky to see the main road plowed. Side roads, fahgetaboutit. A serious snowstorm like the one predicted would paralyze this area for a week.


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## Warm_in_NH (Jan 21, 2016)

Years ago we visited my buddies uncle while were in coco beach FL. He had relocated there from Mass to retire. While sipping a beer am walking around his yard we saw the old F-250 with its 8' fisher plow still attached! 
Naturally, we asked why?!
"Cause when it snows down here, I'll make enough money to buy anything I want!"
He's still waiting....

Keep downgrading this storm for us. Took the big snow thrower with me today from NH to CT so we'd have it if needed. NH is now forecasting 0" and north east CT is down to 2". We shall see....

It's winter, let it snow!


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## Zkx14 (Jan 21, 2016)

That was a close one...
My snowblower usually starts with several pulls.  Even first run of the season, I rarely use the electric start.   I started It early in the fall and it was fine.  Usually would have been used at least a couple times by now,   Since no snow yet, it has been tucked in behind the mower so far this winter.  Just pulled it out to the front of the garage.  Went to start it and got nothin after several pulls.  Ok, plug in the cord and hit the electric start.  Nope.  Starter just spun and did not grab anything . Oh 'shoot'!   Pulled it another 20 plus times and finally kicked.  Belched out a lot of smoke but settled down pretty quick.  Life is good again.  Lol


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## Dix (Jan 21, 2016)

Left work at lunch time and hit LI Hardware for 2 bags of salt... pet & rock. Glad I did, because I had less left over from last year than I thought I did (wonder how that happened ??  ). I'm also working on the ash can, which should be full Saturday, so I can sprinkle it if needed. 

Right now they are calling for 6" here, but with that number "uncertain", currently. 

I loaded another wheel barrow full, and pushed it up by the back deck. Tomorrow nights forecast will tell if I pull that and what's on the landing into the house, or just restock the house. Going to upper thirties the next day, si it hopefully should be OK. 

Either way, I hit the liquor store tonight


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## Ashful (Jan 21, 2016)

begreen said:


> I am super impressed with the snow clearing crews back east. Out here in a rural area we are lucky to see the main road plowed. Side roads, fahgetaboutit. A serious snowstorm like the one predicted would paralyze this area for a week.


Anything under 30 inches will paralyze our area for about... 4 hours.  A 30"+ storm will take a half day to get the roads open and passable.

Folks still run out to buy bread, milk, and eggs before the storm, and I really don't understand why.  In my 40+ years of living here, I've been snowed in for more than a few hours precisely once (Jan.1996 = 3 feet).  I live on a cul de sac with only five houses, and they still plow it about every 4 hours throughout the longest storms.

Power outages are another story.  We can be without power a few days, after a good ice storm.  Most of the damage is from trees falling on the lines.



Dix said:


> Left work at lunch time and... hit the liquor store tonight


Sipping on some Maker's 46 right now.


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## begreen (Jan 21, 2016)

I was in a 2 day, 36" snowstorm in rural CT back in the early 70s. Eventually a large 4x4 truck or two went by. Plows didn't show up for 5 days.


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## Ashful (Jan 21, 2016)

begreen said:


> I was in a 2 day, 36" snowstorm in rural CT back in the early 70s. Eventually a large 4x4 truck or two went by. Plows didn't show up for 5 days.


Wow... probably has improved in the last 40 - 45 years, I imagine.  Or at least, maybe less rural!


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## BrotherBart (Jan 21, 2016)

My challenge has always been that 1,300 feet downhill to the road. And the fact that since my driveway is the end of a road at the intersection of another one. So they dam the snow up across the end of the driveway when they plow. With the big tractor and blade this year I plan on fixing that crap. Well that and the fact that the electric company forgets we are back here in the woods. The neighbors have had their power back for a day before I discovered it and called and jacked up the coop a couple of times. Now I have a neighbor call when theirs comes on and I haul hieney down to catch them before they can get away.


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## begreen (Jan 22, 2016)

Ashful said:


> Wow... probably has improved in the last 40 - 45 years, I imagine.  Or at least, maybe less rural!


Not less rural, the northwest corner of CT is still low population. Towns are less than 1000 frequently. Population is declining in some spots. It's a beautiful area, but not a lot of work outside of tourism.

OTOH I have been in Ridgefield, CT, about 50 miles south, the day after a blizzard and most roads are cleared.


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## firefighterjake (Jan 22, 2016)

Ashful said:


> . . .
> 
> Folks still run out to buy bread, milk, and eggs before the storm, and I really don't understand why.  In my 40+ years of living here, I've been snowed in for more than a few hours precisely once (Jan.1996 = 3 feet).  I live on a cul de sac with only five houses, and they still plow it about every 4 hours throughout the longest storms.
> . ..



Beer, bread and batteries . . . up here they do the same thing . . . every major storm folks are rushing around stocking up on these things . . . never can figure it out since I pretty much always have bread and batteries on hand any time of the year . . . and I don't drink beer so I'm all set on that front.


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## mass_burner (Jan 22, 2016)

firefighterjake said:


> Beer, bread and batteries . . . up here they do the same thing . . . every major storm folks are rushing around stocking up on these things . . . never can figure it out since I pretty much always have bread and batteries on hand any time of the year . . . and I don't drink beer so I'm all set on that front.


I thought it was an urban legend til I saw it for myself. Milk, bread, eggs here (no alcohol in grocery stores). Shelves emptied, people scrambling before a storm.


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## jatoxico (Jan 22, 2016)

Anything under 12" is a yawn after the last couple years. 18" is the official point where it becomes a PITA. Calling for 6+ at the moment.

Got enough wood in the house, could use a little more. Snow blower ready, need to get the shovels and gas outta the shed. At least the days following the storm are predicted to be warmish (38-42). That's a change from last year where everything that fell stayed until mid March.


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## Warm_in_NH (Jan 22, 2016)

Last Friday we had a 3-6" forecasted storm. It was a dud, we got maybe 2" at best. I went to the market during the snow on Saturday morning. It looked like the place had been looted. 90% of the milk and bread were gone, eggs, cheese, and for some reason produce was ravaged as well.  It took the store 3 days to get it stocked back up. I don't get it.

My buddy got back from a vacation that sunday. Went to the market and was thoroughly confused as to why it was ransacked.  Funny.


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## Bobbin (Jan 22, 2016)

I grew up in snow country.  Snow (sometimes lots of it) was part of life.  Food? the 'rents always had a nicely stocked larder (as do I) and while they may've picked up eggs and milk there certainly was no panicked rush for those items.  The biggest threat was loss of electricity (the well pump!); we had a stove and there was no way we were going to be "cold".  In retrospect, I blanche at the memory of that stove; it violated every sensible set-back from combustibles, every sensible hearth recommendation, and there was no fire extinguisher in the house (let alone smoke/CO2 detectors). 

It made a very big impression on me, you guys.  A lot of ladies dislike wood stoves because they're afraid of them (Mum was one of them, for good reason).  I love them, but I am the PITA who schedules chimney sweeping, boiler/furnace maintenance, routine stove maintenance and all those details.  And I'm the one who maintains the Aladdins and makes sure we have the necessary replacement items on hand at all times.  (is there a hyphen in "anal retentive"?)

Also:  cat food and cat litter... heaven forbid we run out of either!


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## sportbikerider78 (Jan 22, 2016)

begreen said:


> I am super impressed with the snow clearing crews back east. Out here in a rural area we are lucky to see the main road plowed. Side roads, fahgetaboutit. A serious snowstorm like the one predicted would paralyze this area for a week.



They do a very good job around here.  I live in the country and they almost always have my road plowed by 6:30am, even during a storm.


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## jatoxico (Jan 22, 2016)

Though Long Island is not a snow capital we are not amateurs when it comes to snow removal. But this is what >30" of snow at the wrong time can do.





This storm hit during the day into rush hour leaving scenes like this all over the Island and closed a 26 mi stretch of the Long Island Expressway! (it also collapsed my garage which was kind of a POS anyway).




Stay safe everyone!


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## begreen (Jan 22, 2016)

1" of snow last night in DC and the city was paralyzed. Commutes frequently exceeded 3 hrs. 24" of snow will shut the city down. Think we will notice the difference?


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## BrotherBart (Jan 22, 2016)

The localities around DC caused that. They didn't pre-treat the roads before that inch. 

Congress has shut down and gone home and the buildings locked up. It is reported that productivity increased by 60%


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## Beer Belly (Jan 22, 2016)

BrotherBart said:


> Congress has shut down and gone home and the buildings locked up. It is reported that productivity increased by 60%


BWA HA HA HA HA !


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## Dix (Jan 22, 2016)

Done rearranging vehicles, double weighting the tarps, and bringing in  75% of the firewood off of the landing (remainder is a days worth, and covered in an old shower curtain at the moment  )

J, I'm seeing 6 - 15" on News 12. Coastal areas are going to take a hit. The same ones that Sandy hit


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## begreen (Jan 22, 2016)




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## maple1 (Jan 23, 2016)

So far looks like the only thing we will get up here from this storm is +6c temps on Tuesday. Thankful for that.

Hunker down & snuggle up folks.


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## webfish (Jan 23, 2016)

So those of you getting hit with the big snow, Do you plow as it comes or just hunker down and do it all at once?


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## Bobbin (Jan 23, 2016)

We may see some flurries. I'll be interested in how the surf changes as the storm moves by and out to sea.  The tides are very high now (full moon) and the forecast is for gusty winds later today.


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## BrotherBart (Jan 23, 2016)

webfish said:


> So those of you getting hit with the big snow, Do you plow as it comes or just hunker down and do it all at once?



I am letting get it out of its system and will address the driveway when it stops falling. Tomorrow.


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## Wildo (Jan 23, 2016)

So how is it snowing down there everybody?


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## Wildo (Jan 23, 2016)

Seriously


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## Ashful (Jan 23, 2016)

webfish said:


> So those of you getting hit with the big snow, Do you plow as it comes or just hunker down and do it all at once?


I like to wait till the end, unless I'm expecting company, or something.  Back when I ran smaller equipment, I'd have to go out and clear every 6" to 10", but now I'm good for 3 feet plus, in one shot.

Woke up to my patio at 16", maybe 18" now.  They had forecast only 6" by this morning, and 12" by tomorrow morning, but we're obviously getting more than double that prediction.

Windy and drifting, so the yard varies from just an inch or two to 24"+.  The patio is enclosed on three sides, so that's my "real snow" gauge.


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## Wildo (Jan 23, 2016)

Seriously,  I am wondering what kind of accumulations you guys have.  It is sunny and -1f up here


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## Dix (Jan 23, 2016)

Upgraded from 6 - 12 " to 12 - 24 " +.

Round 1 of shoveling off the back stairs & landing, and the area in front of the back deck stash accomplished.First layer of salt down.

Snow is wet, and heavy.


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## jatoxico (Jan 23, 2016)

webfish said:


> So those of you getting hit with the big snow, Do you plow as it comes or just hunker down and do it all at once?


For me it depends on how much is expected and the wind. If they're forecasting double digits and the wind is not blowing I'll often do a rough cleanup half way through. With the wind blowing hard like now, not much point.



Wildo said:


> So how is it snowing down there everybody?



Couldn't say how much snow we have. Winds are strong with heavy gusts and very close to whiteout. Some areas are almost bare and others are accumulating drifts that look to be 14-16". They keep upping our forecasted total. Was 6+, then 8-12 now 12-24". Starting to get annoyed.


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## Ashful (Jan 23, 2016)

I should have said, I don't do the driveway till its done.  I'll be going out to make paths in the back yard now, and probably again tonight.  My dogs are smaller than some house cats, and won't poop if the snow hits their butts.


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## Wildo (Jan 23, 2016)

Stay warm and safe if you are out and about.  Stay warm and fuzzy if you're waiting it out


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## Zkx14 (Jan 23, 2016)

begreen said:


> View attachment 172888


Lol, my house is right around the bottom of the 5 in the 15 case bullseye.

Done first round of clearing and taking a very long break.  Had 14" + when I came inside just after 9 AM


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## Beer Belly (Jan 23, 2016)

I think we're in the 10-15 inch range when it's all said and done....no biggie. I'll worry about digging out tomorrow


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## wenger7446 (Jan 23, 2016)

We





Wildo said:


> Seriously,  I am wondering what kind of accumulations you guys have.  It is sunny and -1f up here



We have about 15" in Pottstown PA. The don't want the snow to stop until 10to11 tonight.


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## jharkin (Jan 23, 2016)

begreen said:


> Not less rural, the northwest corner of CT is still low population. Towns are less than 1000 frequently. Population is declining in some spots. It's a beautiful area, but not a lot of work outside of tourism.
> 
> OTOH I have been in Ridgefield, CT, about 50 miles south, the day after a blizzard and most roads are cleared.



Coming in late...  Thats close to where I grew up (SW CT) , those towns are still very small and its beautiful country.  Lots of covered Bridges...  and a beautiful road course track (Limerock  ). I have fornd memories as a kid of driving up Rt. 7 though those little towns on labor day weekend  for the vintage festival... there would be a line of antique cars driving though those little Norman Rockwell town centers.



When I grew up in the 80s they usually had the roads clear within a day and the only time I remember loosing power more than 6 hours was during Hurricane Gloria (we were out 3 days).


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## jharkin (Jan 23, 2016)

How are you guys doing?  Still got power Dix?  Bart?


It just started snowing here... OUr predictions where downgraded the last few days to just 1-2"  but now Im hearing 3-5.  Still not much, barely worth dragging out the blower for it.


Part of me would actually like a good one, but not the 9 feet of last year.


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## begreen (Jan 23, 2016)

jharkin said:


> Coming in late...  Thats close to where I grew up (SW CT) , those towns are still very small and its beautiful country.  Lots of covered Bridges...  and a beautiful road course track (Limerock  ). I have fornd memories as a kid of driving up Rt. 7 though those little towns on labor day weekend  for the vintage festival... there would be a line of antique cars driving though those little Norman Rockwell town centers.
> 
> When I grew up in the 80s they usually had the roads clear within a day and the only time I remember loosing power more than 6 hours was during Hurricane Gloria (we were out 3 days).



I lived in Kent and then Cornwall. Love the area.  Many a day I hung out at Limerock to catch meets, practices and the races.


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## Dix (Jan 23, 2016)

jharkin said:


> How are you guys doing?  Still got power Dix?  Bart?
> .



Still plugged in, the wind was brutal earlier, dying down a bit. Round 2 done, was like I never did round 1.


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## maple1 (Jan 23, 2016)

Dix said:


> Upgraded from 6 - 12 " to 12 - 24 " +.
> 
> Round 1 of shoveling off the back stairs & landing, and the area in front of the back deck stash accomplished.First layer of salt down.
> 
> Snow is wet, and heavy.


 
Wouldn't that layer of salt just make it harder to get rid of what immediately falls on it?


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## Dix (Jan 23, 2016)

maple1 said:


> Wouldn't that layer of salt just make it harder to get rid of what immediately falls on it?



Avoiding the ice that will follow. I'm not falling on my arse taking the dog out going down those steps.


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## Zkx14 (Jan 23, 2016)

Dix said:


> Still plugged in, the wind was brutal earlier, dying down a bit. Round 2 done, was like I never did round 1.


Did a couple full rounds of cleanup here.  Was going to do another before dark, but winds are shifting. Was windy earlier, but at least you could blow all one way.  Just got a face full of snow.  Im done for the day.  Only a few inches on drive now and should be less than 6 more.  Local news said we had 27" about an hour ago.


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## jatoxico (Jan 23, 2016)

Dix said:


> Still plugged in, the wind was brutal earlier, dying down a bit. Round 2 done, was like I never did round 1.


I know they said our area was a tough call but going from 6" to 24" is a sizable miss.


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## Dix (Jan 23, 2016)

jatoxico said:


> I know they said our area was a tough call but going from 6" to 24" is a sizable miss.



I'm not a meteorologist, but this storm has / had classic tracking, hovering over the Atlantic coming up the coast and sucking up moisture, to be a bear. Classic and predictable. 

Liars,


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## Easy Livin’ 3000 (Jan 23, 2016)

Looks like somewhere between 2 and 3 feet so far, with some deep drifts against two of the doors that are about half way up to the top.  I won't be going out those doors.  I decided not to fight it today and just stayed inside and enjoyed the stove.  Can get up early tomorrow after it has stopped and perhaps settles a bit. Never have seen drifting like we are having with this one, in over 35 years here.  I don't mind it much except when it is deep enough to go over the top of the boots, and this is definitely one of those.  Will start with the folks place down the road, then back to our place.  I bought Dad a snowblower a few years back because he would not wait for me to start shoveling, and he is 84!  Now he can just turn the key on the electric start and chase it around until I get there.


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## Ashful (Jan 23, 2016)

Official number on the news is 24", but I swear nothing on my walks around the house is less than 30".  Both patio tables have completely disappeared, and it's covering the lower part of my first floor windows.  Also, the pile on the Weber grill is at least 30" high.

I did go out and clear earlier, for the dogs.  I can still see where I ran the paths, but there must be a fresh 18" - 20" on all of those paths, by now.

Biggest PITA is digging around the mini split condensers.


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## jharkin (Jan 23, 2016)

That's just insane the amounts you guys are getting.

I see about 1.5in outside here


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## jatoxico (Jan 23, 2016)

Ashful said:


> Official number on the news is 24", but I swear nothing on my walks around the house is less than 30".


Unlikely we will get to 30" here but had it like that a couple years ago and it's the pits. The machines can handle the open spaces but the inevitable hand work is a bear. In my case I had to move the drifted snow on the house out with a wheel barrow. At least it looks like we will get some melting next week.


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## BrotherBart (Jan 23, 2016)

Couple of feet here before the sun went down and still pouring down. I dug out to the the generator shed, three times, just in case. And dug just enough to knock most off the cover on the tractor and start it for a awhile. Not moving it until this crap stops. Looked a few minutes ago and it looks like I never cleaned it off.


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## Ashful (Jan 23, 2016)

I cleared this patio at 11am.  It's a step down from this door to the patio, so I'm figuring about 54" deep in the middle.


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## Badfish740 (Jan 23, 2016)

I'm in NW Hunterdon County, NJ which got upgraded to 24-30" around 1:00 p.m. by the NWS-I haven't been out to measure but I bet we'll have 30" on the ground by the morning.  I shoveled about a foot off the porches twice and there's at least another 6" out there now.  The drifts aren't too bad. Making a road for the tractor (no plow for it yet) with the snowblower tomorrow will be fun...


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## Clydeburner (Jan 23, 2016)

Sussex nj varying from 9" to 20" talking with other family members and it is starting to slow down now. The neighbor cleared the driveway twice and I'll have to clean up in the morning with the blower. Can't say I mind the snow making everything clean and pristine


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## maple1 (Jan 23, 2016)

Snowblower is the tool to have for dumps like that.


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## jharkin (Jan 23, 2016)

Ashful said:


> I cleared this patio at 11am.  It's a step down from this door to the patio, so I'm figuring about 54" deep in the middle.
> 
> View attachment 172978



Wow.
That's what it was like here last year, but it took a few storms to build up to that.


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## woodgeek (Jan 23, 2016)

Hard to tell with the drifting, but my birdbath is gone.  I think its over 24" average, and the single biggest storm I've seen here in 20 years.

At least its powdery and not pulling down the wires.

Bad flooding in NJ with the full moon high tides...higher surges than Sandy.


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## jatoxico (Jan 23, 2016)

Yeaaah...


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## jharkin (Jan 23, 2016)

Our totals have been updated... Not surprised as I had the predicted 2 inches at dinner.

Now we might get a whopping 6... still nothing compared to you all.  Stay warm.


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## Ashful (Jan 23, 2016)

woodgeek said:


> Hard to tell with the drifting, but my birdbath is gone.  I think its over 24" average, and the single biggest storm I've seen here in 20 years.
> 
> At least its powdery and not pulling down the wires.
> 
> Bad flooding in NJ with the full moon high tides...higher surges than Sandy.


The biggest one I recall was exactly 20 years ago, to within ten days.  This is in the top five, tho!  Prior big storms in my memory were 1983, '93, '96, and then the 1-2 punch of "Snowmageddon" in 2010.

I have it up to the meeting rails on several first floor windows, now.  Got a double-hung on the walk-out side of the basement that's just a wall of snow, no light at all.  Looking up at the roof on the leeward side of the house, there's a 7 foot wall of snow straight up from the gutters.  That can't be good.


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## BrotherBart (Jan 23, 2016)

The Tropics of Virginia when I got up this morning. And it has kept coming down until about a half hour ago.


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## Ashful (Jan 23, 2016)

Time to build a shed for that tractor, Bart!  Run electric out there, if you have a block heater.  I did the long extension cord thru the snow thing for a few years, and it gets old... fast.


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## BrotherBart (Jan 24, 2016)

Glow plug for twenty seconds and it fired off this afternoon. It has a block heater but I just gave it a shot without it. Surprised me that it started so easy.


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## firefighterjake (Jan 24, 2016)

Bobbin said:


> I grew up in snow country.  Snow (sometimes lots of it) was part of life.  Food? the 'rents always had a nicely stocked larder (as do I) and while they may've picked up eggs and milk there certainly was no panicked rush for those items.  The biggest threat was loss of electricity (the well pump!); we had a stove and there was no way we were going to be "cold".  In retrospect, I blanche at the memory of that stove; it violated every sensible set-back from combustibles, every sensible hearth recommendation, and there was no fire extinguisher in the house (let alone smoke/CO2 detectors).
> 
> It made a very big impression on me, you guys.  A lot of ladies dislike wood stoves because they're afraid of them (Mum was one of them, for good reason).  I love them, but I am the PITA who schedules chimney sweeping, boiler/furnace maintenance, routine stove maintenance and all those details.  And I'm the one who maintains the Aladdins and makes sure we have the necessary replacement items on hand at all times.  (is there a hyphen in "anal retentive"?)
> 
> Also:  cat food and cat litter... heaven forbid we run out of either!



Good to see you still kicking around here Bobbin'.


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## Bobbin (Jan 24, 2016)

All I can say is, WOW! you guys were definitely slammed.  And my heart goes out to those on the shoreline.  It must be so discouraging.  I wonder if This Old House will revisit the jobs they did on the Jersey shore as a follow up on the upgrades to vulnerable homes?


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## Dix (Jan 24, 2016)

My emergency stash, right out the back door


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## Warm_in_NH (Jan 24, 2016)

Ended up with maybe 8" here in NE CT. Hard to say with all the blowing and drifting. 
Went for a walk on the golf course last night during the height of the storm. Was alright heading out with the wind at out backs, coming back home was like an expedition on Everest! 
Glad we got some and not as much as others! 
Be safe while digging out. One beer per every hour of shoveling .


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## begreen (Jan 24, 2016)

Ashful said:


> Biggest PITA is digging around the mini split condensers.


Sounds like they need a small shed roof.


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## Ashful (Jan 24, 2016)

begreen said:


> Sounds like they need a small shed roof.


That may not be a bad idea, or at least a temp shelter I put up for storms like this one.  Has never been an issue before, but install was just in 2012, and this was our first two-foot storm, since.

The 64" snowblower performed admirably, but I wished I had ballast in my tires, as a 2500 lb tractor pushing a 500 lb snowblower thru this amount of snow doesn't have sufficient traction, even in 4wd and standing on the rear diff lock.  The 24" blower failed me, but is repaired now.  Headed back out to do walks, patios, and dog trails, shortly.

Also running out of wood at the house!  I'm debating chaining up to head down the big hill to my wood lot for another cord.  Trouble is, they're 20" splits that must be trimmed to 17"... In about 30" of snow around my stacks.


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## jatoxico (Jan 24, 2016)

After clearing the snow it's still pretty tough to tell how much we got. Could have have used some drift cutters but the snow blower did the job. Last year I tuned the carb and turned up the high speed rpm just a hair (by ear) then did a small repair on the weight distribution lever. There's still stuff I could do but 4 hrs is enough, at least for now.


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## Ashful (Jan 24, 2016)

This is what I was up against here.


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## begreen (Jan 24, 2016)

Lots of drifting.


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## Dix (Jan 24, 2016)

Drifting was amazing ... the wind gusts were brutal.


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## begreen (Jan 24, 2016)

maple1 said:


> Snowblower is the tool to have for dumps like that.


Uh, about that snowblower...


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## maple1 (Jan 24, 2016)

Still better than a shovel or plow. Just need a hole big enough to blow it through. Knock down & blow, repeat..


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## Zkx14 (Jan 24, 2016)

These are from yesterday afternoon long before it was done.   That's my heat pump under a tarp in front of the dog and Bilco doors where I load my wood into basement behind hèr.  Ended up with over 31"


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## jatoxico (Jan 24, 2016)

begreen said:


> Uh, about that snowblower...
> 
> View attachment 173076


Not quite that bad today but not too far off either. Wind out of the south dropped everything on the north and north/west side of the house. Had probably 40+ inches facing me when I opened the garage this morning.


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## jatoxico (Jan 24, 2016)

maple1 said:


> Still better than a shovel or plow. Just need a hole big enough to blow it through. Knock down & blow, repeat..


Yeeeahh...I'm not buying it. Blow where?


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## maple1 (Jan 24, 2016)

Out away from the doorway. Might take a while to get it, and might have to blow the same snow more than once, but it'll get blown out of the way eventually. What are the alternatives? Unless you get someone to come in with a loader & dump truck to haul it away. Might take them a while to get to you though.


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## jatoxico (Jan 24, 2016)

maple1 said:


> What are the alternatives?


Faced with that situation I'm not sure what I would do. I guess you'd have to pull a bunch down from the top corner into the garage to try to create a window to start throwing. Or attack with a shovel from the outside until you could get the blower outside. But man that would stink!


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## Beer Belly (Jan 25, 2016)

Got a boring 10 inches or so......but thats enough for a bit of O/T


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## Ashful (Jan 25, 2016)

I have a front-end loader and a snowblower on the same tractor.  Blower is only good up to about 2 feet, and then the tractor doesn't have enough traction to push it straight thru anymore.  I can muscle thru about 3 feet by raising the blower and doing two passes, or going fwd/rev to take stabs at it, but that's about the limit.

The FEL is good for 6 feet deep snow, or as high as it can teach and dump.  So, I'm with jatoxico on this one.  The snowblower is the fast tool for moderate snow, But give me the FEL when it gets real deep.


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## maple1 (Jan 25, 2016)

Not me - although it does depend on the snow and how much snow has come down over the course of the winter so far.

We've got a 100hp tractor here. And km's of woods roads to plow along with yard & driveways. The snow moving goes in stages as the winter goes on. Early it's use the bucket, for the first couple of snows. Then add a backblade on the back end so you can wing it back a bit. We just switched in the angle blade on the front last week, snow's a little deeper & banks get built up more. Things are sitting pretty now, nice wide roads. We can go another dump or two maybe like that, depending how deep they get. Maybe a lot more. But if we get too much, the banks build up and the roads start getting narrower and then it's time to put the big blower on the back and the bucket back on the front. The blower will deposit the snow into the woods, with a blade or bucket you can run out of room for the snow to go. The bigger stuff we don't put on until we have to, because it makes the tractor awkward & harder to use for other stuff you want to use it for.

Have never had any issues with trying to move the blower through the snow - it gets it out of the way as you go. Tire chains would likely help - everyone should have a set of those.When it's real bad, you have to slow way down & then it gets hard on clutches when low low gear is too fast. It is way harder trying to push through with a bucket or blade if snow is building up in front of it - downright impossible if you've got 2 feet of a fresh dump on top of the 6' of snow you got before that that already got plowed into snowbanks that now resemble something like cement or a rock wall.

Last year was a nightmare here, I hope we don't go through that again. So far so good knock knock knock on wood.


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## Ashful (Jan 25, 2016)

I almost resorted to chains yesterday, but heavy duty 5/16" chains are hell on asphalt, even using 2-link sets.  Your 100 hp tractor puts you in a whole different class, than most of us with CUTs and even garden tractors.


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## maple1 (Jan 25, 2016)

I was so fed up last year I didn't even bother trying to take pictures. I likely should have, looking back, but anyway. This is the only one I got showing moving snow, so it's not good. I'm not sure, but I don't think we got any after this - this was March 20. We got 3 blizzards in that one week. We didn't need in that door until then so it only got done this once the whole winter.


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## BrotherBart (Jan 25, 2016)

This wasn't what I was thinking about for practicing on the new tractor and blade but I made the 1,300 feet to the road yesterday. Did a couple more runs after this one yesterday morning. Enough that the Suburban can get out in an emergency. Dropped the blade today and doing touch up FEL work up at the house. The winds helped blow some off of the house.

I opened the front door this morning to see that one or more large deer slogged up from the woods last night, through the yard, and stomped around on the little front porch. And one peed on the porch. I bet the cat was on the other side of the door going nuts. It didn't ring the door bell so I never knew it was there.


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## begreen (Jan 25, 2016)

Here's a great time-lapse video of snowmaggedon 2016. The camera took one photo every two minutes for nearly 27 hours. He captures 40" of snow over 40 seconds in Martinsburg, WV


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## Dix (Jan 25, 2016)

I'm amazed at the less amount of firewood I used this round, as opposed to many others. 

I used a bit more in the 13 than I thought I would, but I'm attributing  that to the smaller fire box, and more of a reload to get it back to cruising. The PE purred like a princess. Even early Saturday evening while the wind was still blowing 30 and gusting to 50. 






I still have firewood on the landing ... about 2 days worth, and have the "stash" ( 1 1/2 cords of well seasoned oak, cherry, maple, & pine) almost uncovered. Tomorrows warmer temps will help a lot.. I did not shovel out to the farther away stacks  for the first time in a few years, which was nice, I have another cord + tucked back my the basement door,  under an eave.and tarped. Plus 3/4 of a cord tucked under an eave on the opposite side of the house, right out side the door near the 13. 

Aside from the shoveling, my biggest blow out was losing cable Saturday night.


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## Bobbin (Jan 27, 2016)

OK, it's Wednesday and after two warm days we have _maybe _2" of snow in the areas that still have snow.  Best of all, that packed snow that became ice is now melted.  I'd rather get a lot of snow than 2-3" of heavy, wet, "mashed potatoes" snow.


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## begreen (Jan 28, 2016)

Look like a familiar scene?


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## Ashful (Jan 28, 2016)

Used to live in a village on a busy state road.  Main thoroughfare with sidewalks in both sides.  That photo was me, after every storm.


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## Bobbin (Jan 28, 2016)

I lived in N.Conway, NH for several years and I was routinely awakened by the massive snow munching machine that passed by in the wee hours of a new day.  NO ONE ever made a basic effort to clean the sidewalks... .  My contempt lingers to this day.  What ever happened to clearing side walks in front of your home/business?  W/regard to No.Co.: you fancy yourself a first class vacation resort but no one can safely use the (maybe) one mile of side walks after a snow fall? who the hell are you kidding??


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## Ashful (Jan 28, 2016)

Around here, we have 24 hours from the last falling flakes of a storm, to get the walks clear.  Penalty is a fine, although it seems they've gone slack on enforcing that, in recent years.


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