12/27/2012

Our First Real Honest-To-Goodness Winter Storm

In case you're wondering why I didn't post last night, I have a simple explanation: I was preparing for our first significant snowfall here in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. Anything outside needed to be stored away or secured or covered. Gas cans needed topping off and the oil in the Official Weekend Pundit Snowblower needed checking. (It also needs to be changed soon.)

The Weather Guys have predicted up to 18 inches (46cm) of snow in this area before it's all over.

As I write this I have been out twice (so far) with the Official Weekend Pundit Snowblower – at 7 this morning to clear the driveway for BeezleBub so he could get to the farm on time, and again at 1 this afternoon to make sure the driveway would be clear enough for Deb to make it out using the trusty F150. (Since I'm on vacation this week she can use the Ford to get where she needs to go despite the inclement weather.) I've cleared away about 8 inches total since this morning.

Why am I going out now rather than waiting for the snow to stop? Two reasons.

First, I don't want BeezleBub's truck or the F150 packing down the snow on the slope of the driveway any more than necessary. It makes it difficult to remove and more slippery.

Second, it's easier to move smaller depths of snow than trying to move it all at once. It takes about 30 minutes to clear the driveway and parking area in front of and next to the garage when the snow is less than 6 inches deep and up to 90 minutes if it's over 12 to 15 inches deep. (You have to run at a much slower speed in the deeper/heavier snow in order to get it to go where you want. It also means you have to muscle the snowblower around at a time when traction is lower, something that is always more dangerous.)

I do have only one gripe about the weather: the media coverage of the storm.

The local TV stations (including the ones in Boston) make it seem like Snowmageddon is upon us. As if. It's winter. In New England. We get snow all the time in the winter so it's not like it's unexpected. Even 18 inch snowfalls aren't unusual. Now if this were Atlanta or Miami or Key West, that would be one heck of an unexpected weather event. But for us this is normal.

These media folks have got to get a grip.