OT: Snowmageddon 2018 PSA
February 8th, 2018 at 4:35 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 6:19 PM ^
All the huge redneck trucks jacked up with those huge wheels in ditches because the dudes who own them think it makes them impervious to ice and snow.. And that's in 3 inches of snow. What the upper midwest is going to get would have the entire state shut down over here...
February 8th, 2018 at 7:17 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 7:33 PM ^
As someone who grew up here in the north and has lived in the south during even the slightest dustings, I can give at least anectdotal evidence that driving in winter conditions in the two areas is a completely different experience.
Without question, when roads ice up and get some snow in the south, the roads are worse to drive on. I spoke with someone who mentioned that they thought it had to do with the amount of glass in the roads in the south. It was great for the summer in that the roads did not soak up as much heat, but hell during the few days in the winter where they became slipperier than northern roads.
Take it for what its worth, but be safe. Or just realize that it's just a little snow, and so really, its not that big a deal.
February 8th, 2018 at 7:53 PM ^
This would make a great discussion, actually.
Let's assume, for the sake of argument, that road conditions are worse than your memory of equivalent snowfalls in the north. Why would that be?
You suggest something about the composition of the road surface itself. Possible, but I'm not so sure; there are a variety of different road surfaces up north as well, and in my experience the road conditions vary more by type of precipitation and treatment than by a particular road surface.
One thing that may be very different is pre-and-post-snow treatment. Northern communities have experience and resources to pre-treat roads and/or treat them quickly after snow falls. We have a cocktail of chemicals on the roads here in Duluth, and it is only when the temperature plunges past zero that those substances lose effectiveness. Their absence could help explain road conditions in the south.
But I suspect the real reason is much simpler: The type of snow that has fallen. There are various kinds, ranging from cold powders that blow away easily to heavy, wet snows that are produced at temperatures much closer to freezing. I'm not an expert at parsing the types, but I've driven a lot of them and there are types of snow I'd rather drive through six inches of than one inch of some others.
In fact, the most frightening moment I had as a school bus driver did not come in a 1-foot violent snowstorm, but in an afternoon where there was an inch of snow closer to freezing. At one point I stopped at the top of a hill, looked to make a turn... and began sliding backwards toward parked cars. I had to throw the bus into reverse and steer out. Not pleasant.
Less than an inch of snow. But there was a slight layer of slush that formed under it and it was like driving on slime. Horrible conditions. That's probably what you're getting in the snow you describe in the South.
February 8th, 2018 at 8:00 PM ^
Going off of your last paragraph, I see some room to agree. Yes, the driving conditions depend on the kind of snow on the road. Rather than dismiss my point about road composition, I would suggest at looking at the possible effects of road conditions on the snow that has fallen. For example, it would be entirely possible that a relatively warmer road surface would reflect more heat and tend to melt the first layers of snow that fall. And as more falls, you have the conditions you describe. The snow doesn't fall that way, but that's what you've got on the ground.
I'm sure wind, humidity, barometric pressure, and a whole host of other factors goes into it. That said, one of those factors is as described. And this coming from someone who has lived in Washington state, where they don't salt, but instead sand their roads and expect you to drive on studded tires, Minneapolis, with Alberta clippers raging down from the north, Michigan, of course, and eastern North Carolina. It's all different. Of all of them, the south was the worst.
February 8th, 2018 at 10:25 PM ^
Something simple very complex. The reason that driving in a half inch of snow down south is so dangerous is that the locals have no fucking idea how to drive in it.
February 8th, 2018 at 11:25 PM ^
February 9th, 2018 at 10:36 AM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 4:35 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 5:01 PM ^
The weather, other than the brutal summer humidity and the fall hurricanes.
February 8th, 2018 at 5:24 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 7:05 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 5:15 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 5:45 PM ^
I'll be in Orlando on Saturday... well if my flight back to Chicago Friday gets cancelled.
I was scheduled to fly home this evening, but cancelled. REscehduled onto a midday flight tomorrow, but that's not looking too promising with snow expected to fall non-stop until about 9pm CT.
Worse places to be stuck, for sure, although I'd rather be snowboarding.
February 8th, 2018 at 6:36 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 9:53 PM ^
On average Florida weather is pretty bad, but the winters are good. Humidity isn't bad then. It's flat as a mofo though. Lots of family back there.
February 8th, 2018 at 9:49 PM ^
I am jealous of ya'll in Michigan. I was looking forward to skiing this winter here in NorCal. Instead we have 72 and no clouds everyday. This stuff gets old quick. Miss the snow.
February 8th, 2018 at 5:28 PM ^
https://weather.com/news/weather/video/multi-car-pileup-in-iowa-snow-kills-a-driver-on-interstate-35
Being in LA, we kind of forget about real winter. it is 82 degrees and sunny in the San Fernando Valley today. Be safe, kids.
February 8th, 2018 at 4:38 PM ^
Yikes. Stay safe everyone. 82 and sunny here in AZ. Almost feel guilty.
February 8th, 2018 at 4:39 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 4:58 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 5:20 PM ^
It's always snowing in this part of the state.
February 8th, 2018 at 10:32 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 5:00 PM ^
speak for yourself, buddy
February 8th, 2018 at 9:30 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 4:44 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 4:48 PM ^
You can have it, XM!
February 8th, 2018 at 5:25 PM ^
Honestly, i kind of miss real winter.
February 8th, 2018 at 5:37 PM ^
Go to Mammoth then. Not only do you get to experience real winter, you can actually enjoy it there while skiing / boarding!
February 8th, 2018 at 6:38 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 9:14 PM ^
what is the base?
i haven't skied in California in forever.
Alta, Utah was my go to spot before i got too busy to take time off.
February 8th, 2018 at 5:42 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 5:52 PM ^
I'm with you. Our largest snowfall this "season" came at the end of October. The weather patterns are sending all of the big storms south of us.
But we get a few inches here and a few inches there and it never melts so we have over a foot on the ground and it looks great, so there's that.
February 8th, 2018 at 4:48 PM ^
Snowmageddon??
February 8th, 2018 at 5:16 PM ^
Aaahhh....I remember those animated Jim Harbaugh days. Hopefully we get those reactions back in 2018 rather than that stonefaced "I hate being here" type of attitude.
February 8th, 2018 at 4:49 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 4:50 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 4:55 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 5:06 PM ^
that made me laugh out loud. how true
February 8th, 2018 at 6:03 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 5:07 PM ^
that made me laugh out loud. how true
February 8th, 2018 at 5:21 PM ^
Touchdown Billy Taylor!
February 8th, 2018 at 5:24 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 5:40 PM ^
go forth and multiply!
February 8th, 2018 at 6:11 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 6:19 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 6:19 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 5:16 PM ^