Snow over the year; meteorological records

[Mark T.B. Carroll]

Today's snow reminds me: Is there any data for past years on when the
first and last major snowfalls of the year were, for the Columbus area?

-- Mark

[Michael Kenefick]

That stuff on the ground very early this morning was not snow. It was
just your neighbors dandruff. The wind blow most of it away before 0800.

[Mark T.B. Carroll]

Michael Kenefick <kene...@copper.net> writes:

> That stuff on the ground very early this morning was not snow. It was just
> your neighbors dandruff. The wind blow most of it away before 0800.

Yes, I agree, although the timing was different where I was. Still, I'd
like to know when to expect major snowfall, because that I actually
might have to do something about.

-- Mark

[Michael Kenefick]

Well I am glad I did not tell you don't worry until late December 8>)
Some of this dandruff is sticking around until tomorrow.

Mike

[Mark T.B. Carroll]

Michael Kenefick <kene...@copper.net> writes:

> Well I am glad I did not tell you don't worry until late December 8>) Some of
> this dandruff is sticking around until tomorrow.

(-: I got my Michelin Pilot Alpins just in time!

-- Mark

[Steven Huwig]

ma...@ixod.org (Mark T.B. Carroll) writes:

> (-: I got my Michelin Pilot Alpins just in time!

... for a 70-degree day.

-- Steve

[Michael Kenefick]

Well Mark the meteorologists were wrong about Thursday. No snow came.
Now they have a 50 / 50 chance to get it right. They are predicting 1
- 3 inches before Sunday morning. I take it that Alpine are some type
of all season radial? Maybe they will get wet this time 8>)

Remember the first snow fall really throws the drivers around you for a
loop. They forget how to drive one year to the next. Better yet stay
home and avoid the amateurs. Same can be said for driving on New Years
Eve 8>)

Mike in Ohio

[Mark T.B. Carroll]

Michael Kenefick <kene...@copper.net> writes:

> Well Mark the meteorologists were wrong about Thursday. No snow
> came.

We got a fair bit in Youngstown, where we spent Thanksgiving - quite a
few accidents that morning, actually. The snow fell, melted, then
refroze, and their salting/gritting of the roads was unimpressive.

> Now they have a 50 / 50 chance to get it right. They are predicting 1 - 3
> inches before Sunday morning.

Oooh. We do seem to have started with a tiny amount already. I saw some
salting/gritting being done on I-270 this evening.

> I take it that Alpine are some type of all season radial? Maybe they
> will get wet this time 8>)

(-: They're most definitely severe snow tires, not all-season. I have
summer tires (Bridgestone RE070's) on a separate set of wheels for after
the snow. With the snow tires and the all-wheel drive, I figure I should
do okay - on the handful of days in the winter when I really need them,
anyway. My last car was rear-wheel drive with all-season tires, and in
the very worst weather here I could still get stuck - not too often, but
it was annoying not to have more assurance. (If it snows heavily over a
work day, I will probably still want to try to get home for the evening
instead of unexpectedly sleeping in some nearer friend's house.)

> Remember the first snow fall really throws the drivers around you for
> a loop. They forget how to drive one year to the next. Better yet stay home
> and avoid the amateurs. Same can be said for driving on New Years Eve 8>)

Yes, it doesn't happen enough in central Ohio for people to be used to
it. They seem to do better in Cleveland where they're already used to
the lake-effect stuff. I'm looking forward to the reaction to his first
Columbus winter of a new colleague I have who moved here from Chicago,
where I'm assuming drivers also know how to deal with snow.

-- Mark

[Michael Kenefick]

Jeeze. I left my car in the driveway. It has ice al over it. I should
have put it away earlier, drat, drat, and double drat......

[Mark T.B. Carroll]

Michael Kenefick <kene...@copper.net> writes:

> Jeeze. I left my car in the driveway. It has ice al over it. I should have
> put it away earlier, drat, drat, and double drat......

Yes, that was an interesting sort of freezing rain I saw last night on
the way to bed! I'm just glad I didn't stay out later, I guess, or the
drive back could have been interesting.

-- Mark

[Michael Kenefick]

Well It looks like the forecasters finally called one. We are going to
need those all seasons tonight (or snow tires if you got them, Mark)

mike in Ohio

[Mark T.B. Carroll]

Michael Kenefick <kene...@copper.net> writes:

> Well It looks like the forecasters finally called one. We are going to need
> those all seasons tonight (or snow tires if you got them, Mark)

Yup, I did. Those and the all-wheel drive worked excellently - the
problem was more one of visibility than traction. Well, and the people
who seemed keen to follow rather close behind me, which was somewhat
unnerving. Also, toward the end of my drive, the wipers started to ice
up a bit, so they didn't work so well. The tires will hardly work
miracles though if the snow gets warm enough to melt and refreeze; it's
not as if anyone studs tires anymore for ice. Let's see if we get any
more snow overnight.

(I'll be leaving for Europe on Tuesday for a few weeks, so I'll not see
local weather for a while!)

-- Mark