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So I live in Alabama, and we just got hit with more snow than we've had in... uh.. a VERY long time.

A whole 3 inches.

DAYYUUMMM son.

I kid, but seriously, it was the Snowpocalypse up in this bitch. Nobody in Alabama is equipped for driving in snow or on ice (vehicle-wise and skill-wise) so there were constant accidents everywhere. In Birmingham I recall seeing a map reporting 73 accidents at once.

People had to drive 5 miles an hour down the interstate and were still fishtailing. Truckers got stuck on slight inclines and backed up traffic for miles. On one side of Birmingham was backed up all the way to Atlanta. That's a 2 hour drive NORMALLY. I want you think about how insanely backed up that is.

Unfortunately there were a lot of wrecks and a few deaths, so it wasn't a super fun snow day for everyone. I even saw a pic of 4 cars that had slid off a bend and into a river. Some schools and workplaces even had to keep their kids/workers overnight. National Guard was on standby to offer assistance.

And this is just a light snow. I'm not talking like HOLY SHIT BLIZZARD. I'm talking "My what a beautiful snowy day!"

Alabama is not equipped for this shit.

How're you more northern people doin'?

3 inches? That's adorable! We Canadians get average big storms between 8-12 inches, sometimes as much as 15 or 16.

But yeah, I can imagine people in Alabama'd be all like "JESUS CHRIST, THE WORLD IS ENDING!"

Heh, I remember a distant relative moved to the states with their family a few years ago. Don't recall exactly where, but a place that rarely got snow. They got hit with a small bit of snow. Enough that warranted shovelling in my cousin's eyes. So he goes out and starts shovelling the driveway and walkway. ALL the neighbours around came out and watched him, scratching their heads, wondering what in tarnation he was doing.

Man, I remember when I lived in Maryland and we'd get these three-foot blizzards.

I also remember shoveling all that snow.

I wish it would snow instead of just being cold and miserable.

bhamv3 said:

Man, I remember when I lived in Maryland and we'd get these three-foot blizzards.

I also remember shoveling all that snow.

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Three FEET? That can't be right. That's like 90 cm.

My car's a bit icy.

ThatNickGuy said:

Three FEET? That can't be right. That's like 90 cm.

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It's right. Waist-high snow everywhere.

The best part was that after a few days, the snow on the surface would solidify into ice, and you could walk on top of it. However, there were still weak points in the ice, which would crack and send your leg down into the three feet of soft snow underneath. Imagine, if you will, being trapped there, one leg extended and stuck in the snow, the other still on top of the ice but curled up uncomfortably beneath your torso, unable to exert enough force for you to pull your other leg out.

bhamv3 said:

It's right. Waist-high snow everywhere.

The best part was that after a few days, the snow on the surface would solidify into ice, and you could walk on top of it. However, there were still weak points in the ice, which would crack and send your leg down into the three feet of soft snow underneath. Imagine, if you will, being trapped there, one leg extended and stuck in the snow, the other still on top of the ice but curled up uncomfortably beneath your torso, unable to exert enough force for you to pull your other leg out.

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Ah, as far as how high it's piled up. I don't think that's the same as what's actually said in forecasts. Though I do remember one week when I was living in PEI, we got hit with two or three major, 40cm storms. Closed school down for a whole week, completely buried one of our cars in the driveway, and when the plow came through, left the end of our driveway with literally a wall of snow over 10 feet high.

Okay, I'll get off my ass and look out the window.

...

It's snowing, but not sticking. I don't think the DC area is supposed to get hit bad ... which means the federal government will be closed again.

I'm from California. What is this "water from the sky" you speak of? And it sometimes comes in "flake" form? I don't even . . .

@Cheesy: Don't forget, I'm from California too. Up north, we'd get snow routinely. My first year there, I... was not prepared. Went out to play in jeans and hiking boots. >_<

This is not too far (less than an hour) from Lake Tahoe and Donner Pass. Look up the Donner Party if you're feeling interested. Have some jerky while you're reading.

Right now, we're in "Emergency Drought" mode. They're saying it's the worst dry spell in decades.

Temp still around zero, but it's windy, so we are still getting wind chill warnings from the weather service of -20 to -30F. Everyone's going a little slower on the thin layer of snow and ice the plows leave behind. My car had to be jumped this morning, the five year old battery doesn't seem to like these temperatures.

Notably, the university of michigan actually closed for the first time since the seventy's. They stopped closing for snow days when a student successfully sued them for one days worth of tuition, and instead left it up to individual professors to cancel classes as needed. I suppose they feared a frostbite lawsuit more than another tuition lawsuit.

Have something less than 18inches of snow on the ground. The plows are doing a reasonable job, but our neighborhood really doesn't get plowed until one to two days after any given snowfall. Still lots of idiots sliding off the road. "Oh, you think that SUV means you can drive the speed limit on top of the snow and ice? Let's see how that works out for you..." I like to count the number of cars per mile in the ditch along the freeway as I travel.

Still get irritated at the few people who shovel their driveways into the road.

But our 22+ year old furnace hasn't given out yet, so we are quite comfortable despite the cold. And the new ceiling insulation in the garage means the garage no longer freezes, even though it's not being actively heated most of the time.

I put a jacket on tonight.

ThatNickGuy said:

3 inches? That's adorable!

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I have to, I'm so sorry...


ahem

SOUNDS LIKE NICK'S PROM NIGHT!

Ravenpoe said:

I have to, I'm so sorry...


ahem

SOUNDS LIKE NICK'S PROM NIGHT!

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You're fired.

Cheesy1 said:

Right now, we're in "Emergency Drought" mode. They're saying it's the worst dry spell in decades.

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Yeah. It 'a like spring around here. Which would be nice, I guess, except it's dry as a bone and we desperately need water. So California is having the opposite problem from the rest of the continent. If you folks want to send some of that moisture our way, we'll happily give you some warmth.

ThatNickGuy said:

You're fired.

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Ravenpoe said:

I have to, I'm so sorry...

ahem

SOUNDS LIKE NICK'S PROM NIGHT!

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Now, -3. Roads are mostly clear with just under a foot of snow on the ground.

Sunday night into Monday morning was awful. Temps went to the mid 30s at ~10pm Sunday to mid 40s by 5am Monday. Rain and wind started at about 2. Then the temps started dropping. By 6:15ish it was snowing. By 7:15 it was snowing a lot and the temps were still dropping. By 8am and the end of my shift, it was in the upper 20s and the roads were just hideous. I had to try to make it home anyway.

I made it to the interstate with only a little wheel spin. Opposite direction was bumper to bumper at a crawl. Nearly lost it trying to slow down for the next exit ramp, but made it. The lights were in my favor, so I didn't have to stop on an uphill slope. Cars were twitching all around me. Made it to my street. Even standing on the brakes, I wasn't stopping. Slowly sliding down the hill. Got to the driveway and... stuck.

And that's when I found out I still had the hotel keys in my pocket.

Foxtrot. Mike. Lima. *pats DarkAudit on the back*

It turned out okay in the end. I got out of the driveway at about 11:20 after the snow had stopped and crews had made it out. Smooth sailing to work and back except for the driveway again.

Got my W2 and a half dozen donuts and called it a day.

Cheesy1 said:

I'm from California. What is this "water from the sky" you speak of? And it sometimes comes in "flake" form? I don't even . . .

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The ONLY time I ever went to California, it rained for the entire week I was there. That's the sort of luck I have when traveling.

It is the ice that gets us in the south. 4wd or awd, on a sheet of ice drivers are doomed.

I've never seen traffic this bad in Atlanta, ever. Sorry folks, Georgia is closed right now.

-8°F and windy (12 mph; makes for wind chill of -28°F (-33°C)

South Carolina is also closed.

Here are some pics of the carnage:

Dear every national news broadcaster,

It is not that we are "not used" to driving in the snow that is causing the massive traffic back-ups, though it certainly does contribute. It's more that we do not have the equipment and people necessary to effectively deal with iced-over roads. There are 13 snow plows in the state of Georgia. To compare, Minnesota has more than 800. I couldn't even find data on the number of plows in South Carolina.

Called it. There is precisely zero reason for me to be in this early. No snow, very few ice patches - although we're predicted snow later on, and it is actively sleeting right now.

Still - no reason I had to miss out on the two hours of sleep I could have gotten before coming in at my normal time.

We got about an inch last night, but no big deal. We still have a lot of snow on the ground from the foot we got last week, but the roads are pretty clear today. Temp was 7F (-14C) this morning when I moved my car so my wife could get out of the garage.

Though I lived in Texas for 40 years, I think I may have to turn in my Good Ol' Boy card. I went out in a t-shirt to move the trash cans in, and went "meh" at the temperature.

TNM said:

It is the ice that gets us in the south. 4wd or awd, on a sheet of ice drivers are doomed.

I've never seen traffic this bad in Atlanta, ever. Sorry folks, Georgia is closed right now.

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Story on my Facebook feed, a friend of a friend tried to drive home from work yesterday in Atlanta. Took her 8 hours to travel 5.5 miles, out of 37 to her home, she got off the freeway at 3:30 in the morning to get food and slept on the floor of a Kroger (grocery store/supermarket for those not familiar with the chain).

ThatNickGuy said:

Three FEET? That can't be right. That's like 90 cm.

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He speaks the truth. I lived in Maryland when I was very young and I remember snow banks over my head.

When I lived in Fargo I tripped on something walking over a snow bank. Turns out it was a car antenna.

But we have had hardly any snow this year. It's been cold & windy a lot, but hardly any snow.

Emrys said:

He speaks the truth. I lived in Maryland when I was very young and I remember snow banks over my head.

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Yep same in my part of southern New Jersey. When my husband and I were still dating and he was stationed in Sicily I sent him a picture from one of the blizzards we had. At the time I had a 1999 Hyundai Elantra. It was buried up to the door windows. That was before my dad plowed the driveway and pushed the snow onto my car.

I'm still hoping for a little snow here in Washington... D:

heatherling said:

I'm still hoping for a little snow here in Washington... D:

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I'll mail you some.

I've seen at least two people being annoying smug about environmental issues and what this cold weather means. However, one said "Ha! Unexpected cold weather, it's almost like the climate changed!" while the other made a more coherent point about how cold weather like this isn't unheard of, but there have actually been colder storms to hit various areas of the United States and that this is a sign of global warming. I'm not sure who is right, possibly neither, but uninformed activism bugs me.

figmentPez said:

I've seen at least two people being annoying smug about environmental issues and what this cold weather means. However, one said "Ha! Unexpected cold weather, it's almost like the climate changed!" while the other made a more coherent point about how cold weather like this isn't unheard of, but there have actually been colder storms to hit various areas of the United States and that this is a sign of global warming. I'm not sure who is right, possibly neither, but uninformed activism bugs me.

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Global warming causes radical weather.

Also - a good way to tell who is right - the person that thinks global warming is fake is the one that's wrong.

Charlie Don't Surf said:

Global warming causes radical weather.

Also - a good way to tell who is right - the person that thinks global warming is fake is the one that's wrong.

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I'm aware that global warming causes radical weather and, since you can't read, both of the self-righteous idiots that I was talking about said that climate change and/or global warming are real (they just used different reasoning and contradictory "facts"). It's also possible for them to both be wrong in their assertions, while still not invalidating the viewpoint that man-made climate change has a significant impact on global weather patterns.

I'll add you to my list of annoying weather related comments.

The polar vortex in motion:

I don't think the Minnesotans can give you guys in the south a whole lot of crap about this any more.

15 spinouts in 25 seconds on Interstate 35

I don't fully understand what the Polar Vortex is, but that shit needs to stop.

We are expecting 5-10 inches of snow starting in early evening through morning (but it's a Colorado weather forecast so who knows), and plows are already starting to mobilize. Thanks Atlanta!

evilmike said:

The polar vortex in motion:

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KILL IT WITH FIRE!

...wait. Hang on, guys.

IT'S FREEZING THE FIRE! REPEAT, THE POLAR VORTEX IS FREEZING THE FIRE!

Fuck it. I'm out.

If the weather gets much stupider, I'm just going to hibernate for the rest of the winter.

I'm really, really, REALLY getting tired of seeing that stupid stop-sign-! icon on ForecastFox.

Every. Damn. Time. I open. FIREFOX.

And it's either telling me "WIND CHILL ADVISORY", "WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY", or "SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT."

...and right now it's telling me ALL THREE.

We're supposed to get in the mid-t0-high 40's over the weekend. Thank goodness

60s and 70s, just in time for the food truck roundup this weekend!

70 this weekend. Nice enough for me to go to my last fighter practice for a little bit.

But seriously: it is getting a bit tedious when you see that the thermometer is rising, and you brace yourself for the snow. And then, when you see the snow stop, you brace yourself for the bitter cold.

Yeah, I would accept many multiple feet more snow over this bitter cold. My check engine and tire pressure warning lights have come on twice this winter. Both times just because I started the car during this shitty weather. As soon as temps got to near normal, they were fine.

Thing is, I just kinda got used to it over here in NCW - but not this much fraggin' SNOW.

Down here in SC Wis, we're getting snow today - 2-5" expected, probably about 2-3 out there now, then another 4-6 on Tues into Wed. *sigh* I have to shovel this crap, as I don't own a snowblower yet (I live in a duplex that we have to do our own snow removal and yardwork).

I just shoveled the new 3 inches and I should see another 3-4 by the end of the day.

But it's WARM! I shoveled in a long sleeve with earmuffs and gloves but no coat, I would have cooked in this 28F weather.

I should be sledding, but instead I'm replacing the kitchen counters...

stienman said:

I shoveled in a long sleeve with earmuffs and gloves but no coat, I would have cooked in this 28F weather.

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I went out and cleared off the car, went to the grocery, etc, in just a short-sleeved shirt for most of the morning. The looks I got from all the other bundled-up people? Ooo...

--Patrick

Up here in the north of Wisconsin, we haven't really gotten too much snow, but it's been just bitter cold.

I can shovel snow. I can't shovel cold.

Bowielee said:

Up here in the north of Wisconsin, we haven't really gotten too much snow, but it's been just bitter cold.

I can shovel snow. I can't shovel cold.

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Count yourself lucky. Here in SE Wisconsin it's either been snowing or negative degree weather. Today is the first day I can remember in a long time which wasn't snowing or the temp was in the single digits (it's a whole 11 degrees)

We're running out of places to put the snow that we shovel/plow/blow.

This was Austin last week.

That, my friend, is NOTHING:

Hoooooly damn

Heh. You fell for it: that photo was taken from floor level from the patio of my apartment.

Still - the snow is roughly two feet deep on the other side of where the snow blower came through to clear off our front walk.

Aaaaaannd here we go again. Every time we have a day warm enough to finally melt some of this snow, the next day we get more snow. It's been a few weeks since I've seen our lawn. But it's also just dead/hibernating grass, so I don't miss looking at it.

Celt Z said:

Aaaaaannd here we go again. Every time we have a day warm enough to finally melt some of this snow, the next day we get more snow. It's been a few weeks since I've seen our lawn. But it's also just dead/hibernating grass, so I don't miss looking at it.

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For you, my dear.

I am so fucking sick of this. I'm starting to question where it is I actually want to live my life this weather has been so miserable.

blotsfan said:

I am so fucking sick of this. I'm starting to question where it is I actually want to live my life this weather has been so miserable.

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You should probably aim for something in the green zone, then.


Map: "How much snow does it take to cancel school (by county)?" from reddit user atrubetskoy.

--Patrick

Forecast for Sunday night into Monday morning when I went to bed that afternoon was 2-4". We got 10-12" and it's still coming.

ThatNickGuy said:

3 inches? That's adorable! We Canadians get average big storms between 8-12 inches, sometimes as much as 15 or 16.

But yeah, I can imagine people in Alabama'd be all like "JESUS CHRIST, THE WORLD IS ENDING!"

Heh, I remember a distant relative moved to the states with their family a few years ago. Don't recall exactly where, but a place that rarely got snow. They got hit with a small bit of snow. Enough that warranted shovelling in my cousin's eyes. So he goes out and starts shovelling the driveway and walkway. ALL the neighbours around came out and watched him, scratching their heads, wondering what in tarnation he was doing.

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Yeah, growing up in Sweden there was only ONE time that the snow was bad enough that they actually closed the schools, think it was back in 94 or 95. I was 19 years old at the time so it just managed to sneak in and spoil my perfect record, I guess. Granted I lived in the southern 3rd of the country (right in between the 2 large lakes in the south), but there were always at least a couple of days every year where you had to shuffle through a knee high layer of snow to get to school. And if you were late because of it the teachers would still lecture you about the importance of arriving on time.


The one time schools closed for snow has a story to it. The day before the big snow storm (in November of all things, normally never any snow to speak of in November) we had a school trip to the nations capitol, to take a tour of the parliament and a few museums. A friend of my moms had a woman, named Mariama, visiting from the Gambia (in Africa). She got permission to come along on the school trip even though even though she wasn't a student. She had been to Sweden before and experienced snow, but never close this much (it was the most amount of snow I had ever seen). On the trip back home from Stockholm we could tell it was bad. The last quarter of the journey even our big heavy bus had to move at a slow speed. It was past midnight at this point, so no traffic to speak of, just too much snow.

A few hours later then predicted the bus arrived at our drop off point. The walk home from there would normally be about 5 minutes, but with snow up to our asses the walk took over 15 minutes. It was about 4am and had snowing heavy for 24 hours, The snowploughs couldn't even clear the main roads fast enough. As we trudged on home I would occasionally call out to Mariama to hurry up. She never responded and just struggled after me silently. Being a self centered 19 year old I didn't realize she was afraid (I feel so bad about this now). Having grown up jumping in and out of snow drifts for hours I knew we weren't in any danger. With our layers of clothing we could walk for hours if needed. The damn snow was just annoying to walk through. She thought that we were in danger of dying and that was why I was rushing. Only when we finally reached home and my mom greeted us with hot chocolate did she reveal that she had been scared.

Later that day she had a better experience. It had finally stopped snowing. Most of the roads were still covered in an impenetrable (by car) layer of white. My mom took Mariama with her to the grocery store. As I mentioned schools were closed and kids were, of course, all over outside playing the hell out of the snow. Building forts and shooting down the slopes, on sleds and skis, like rockets. The normally 10minute, one way, walk took about 25 minutes and mom said Mariama was laughing the entire time. She had to stay with us for a few days because my moms friend lived out in the boonies and were really far down on the priority list for the snowplough. Can't recall what else we did during that time, but I think she had quite the story to tell back home.

File this under: Making the Best of It.
This is the first snow we've gotten that actually sticks together (which is a b**** to shovel). This is also only 1/2 completed, because I ran out of daylight and can only distract/neglect a toddler for so long. But I give you.... Snowrannosaurus Rex!

I'm amazed we didn't have a snowpocalypse here today. I saw 2 flakes, that's usually enough to cancel school for a week and close every major government office.

Managed to get home at ~11pm to grab stuff for my next shift... only to find my driveway plowed shut by the street dept. Had to stop in the middle of the street while I dashed inside.

I think God was trying to send me a message. Snow day today.

PatrThom said:

You should probably aim for something in the green zone, then.
View attachment 13781

Map: "How much snow does it take to cancel school (by county)?" from reddit user atrubetskoy.

--Patrick

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LOL, I'm firmly in the 2 foot plus area. School has been cancelled twice this year, but it hasn't so much been for the snow, but for the -50 to -60 below wind chill factors.

Colorado should be set to "massive avalanche" for snow days for this year. Stupid floods ruining my hibernation days.

Welp. It's snowing in Alabama again.

That's twice in one year. It might be a record.

It is about 5-6°F right now here in Frozen Tundra, Wisconsin. That wouldn't be bad - if it wasn't for the 10 mph+ breezes we're getting.

...WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON CST FRIDAY...
* WIND CHILL VALUES OF 25 TO 35 BELOW ZERO ARE LIKELY LATE THIS EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING.
* WIND CHILLS THIS COLD CAN CAUSE FROSTBITE IN 10 TO 15 MINUTES IF APPROPRIATE CLOTHING IS NOT WORN.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A WIND CHILL ADVISORY MEANS THAT VERY COLD AIR AND WINDS WILL GENERATE LOW WIND CHILLS. THIS WILL RESULT IN FROSTBITE AND LEAD TO HYPOTHERMIA IF PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT TAKEN. IF GOING OUTDOORS... MAKE SURE YOU WEAR A HAT AND GLOVES.
&&

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It's so cold that WI's Caps Lock key has frozen.

--Patrick

It's been hovering around zero in CO the last two days, but has been clear skies and brilliantly sunny. Middle School kids are still walking around in shorts and leaving me baffled.

jwhouk said:

It is about 5-6°F right now here in Frozen Tundra, Wisconsin. That wouldn't be bad - if it wasn't for the 10 mph+ breezes we're getting.

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I'm numb to it all now. I'm just happy I don't use natural gas for heat right now.

Just north of Seattle, it's been around 28 for the past week. It was starting to feel a little warmer a week or two ago, 40's ish, but then it got pretty freakin' cold again. And the worst part is, no snow. Well, we had about 15 minutes of very light snow a couple days ago, and the same thing happened again today. Very, very light snow, and not nearly enough to stick anywhere. I also just put away the fleece blanket we had between the sheet and comforter but had to bring it out again. I need more meat on my bones.

FINALLY there is snow and it's sticking! I am finally a happy happy girl!

Our weather forecasters are already calling it "the year without winter". We've had 3 nights with light frost this winter so far, and no days where temperatures staid below 0°C. Man, it's warm for the time of year.

Well, looks I'm stuck in due to the ice and snow. My approach for spending this chilly evening: a cup of hot cocoa and watching Castle in the Sky.

Had to whip out the snow blower again today.... ugh.

This winter has been one of the mildest we've had in years. Too mild in fact. Keeps going above zero and melting the snow into ice.

Walking to the store for Red Bull early in the day, because I'm a sad, sorry freaking addict

This is a picture of my front lawn ice skating rink from yesterday. It melted some today, but not nearly enough.

General Specific said:

This is a picture of my front lawn ice skating rink from yesterday. It melted some today, but not nearly enough.

View attachment 13888

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I'd definitely at least make a shot of that with my Hockey Skates. Probably just go right through immediately, but if not, could be cool.

Reinjured my left elbow from digging my car out for work... AGAIN. Hard to properly rest it when I don't have any consistency to my schedule and keep getting hit with 7,8,9 days straight before the next day off. And chances are that may be a single day off at that.

Imma gonna punch Jack Frost right in the fargin mouth.

The guy driving the plow through our apartment complex parking lot just went up and down a single path, passing the snow back and forth between two sides of the lot. Getting out tomorrow is gonna be fun.

I think at this point it's safe to say if there is snow in the Northeast US, yes, we got dumped on. Otherwise I'll be posting every-other day.

Got about 20 cm today (8 inches for those of you who use the bad measuring system).... the first snowfall to fall since the new year. We got a few snow dusting so far but nothing this significant since the X-Mas break. Drove from home to Montreal to have breakfast with a friend, took a whole 5 minutes longer than usual. I couldn't help but laugh at some of these pictures on the way there.

Needless to state, here's to hoping a shorter winter... 6 more weeks or so of this shit.

We're expected to hit high 50s, low 60s tomorrow, for those of you who think Fahrenheit is sensible.

We've had 2 nights of mild frost so far, and we're heading for the mildest winter since 1830. Boy-oh, it's cold.

Shakey said:

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That's been going around my feed as being Glenwood avenue here in Raleigh. I can't tell because of all the snow .

You'd think the AT-AT would have been a dead-giveaway.

Well winter is over, we had 3 snow events her this year. It is likely a record. It usually snows once every 5 years. Now it is 75degrees outside, meaning when I get home I'll have to run the A/C.

sixpackshaker said:

Well winter is over, we had 3 snow events her this year. It is likely a record. It usually snows once every 5 years. Now it is 75degrees outside, meaning when I get home I'll have to run the A/C.

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Sigh, that's the Texas I remember...