Out in the ocean, east of the Canal, the temperature during the day has been in the high 30’s – so we don’t have mountains of snow, just maybe 3 in. of fairly cosmetic stuff. We have gotten storms, but then rain, so we don’t have masses. Slush, slippery – but not the Snowpocalypse you have. Since Jan. 1, our school has only cancelled two days.
At the shopping center known as The Loop there is a pile of snow that rises more than two stories from the ground and covers several square yards at the base. Someone even planted an American flag on top.
jconwaysays
Like many Chicagoans I stayed indoors yesterday with all our major highways and roadways dead, with many cars stuck inside them. While the main roads are opened, the side streets are still jammed with cars, particularly in Hyde Park. The President would have a hard time getting around his own neighborhood I can tell you that.
mike-from-norwellsays
since they were talking on the news about 20″ the highest snow in Chicago since 1967. We’ve had that numerous times here in Boston over the last few years. Does it generally not snow that much in Chicago?
jconwaysays
I lived 18 years in New England and have spent the last five in Chicago and can say that it doesn’t snow here at all, its just a hellavu lot colder. Usually the lake protects the city from the snow, but sometimes, as in this case, when the storm comes across the water, it can cause some real devastation.
somervilletomsays
The city has done a fabulous job of managing the snow and keeping streets passable. I don’t know where the next batch can be put. The small side streets are barely passable now, because snowbanks lined with parked cars leave precious little room for vehicles to pass.
<
p>There is no more room for added snow. If we have more snow before some of this melts, there will be a real problem.
howland-lew-naticksays
How many pints (pounds) of ice and snow on your roof? Flat roof or gentle slope roof is a danger in this weather. We get snow or rain on top of snow and marginal melting between storms. Roof collapse becomes a certainty after a while.
<
p>You can buy a roof rake at Amazon, but I doubt you’ll get it before the next storm. I’ve not seen one at any store. Has anyone?
<
p>Built my own with a window washer extension and a 1×3. Be careful of power lines.
<
p>(New England still beats living with the bugs in the Southland…)
He recommends filling small paper bags with calcium chloride and throwing them up on the roof at intervals to melt ice dams. Paper disintegrates (unless it’s too cold, and them he suggests dampening the bag to speed break up) and tossing them on the roof to help melt, especially ice dams. He also had some hockey-puck looking things made of ice melt for tossing, available at hardware stores.
stomvsays
As a general rule, 7 inches of snow is 1 inch of rain, though of course this varies based on the wetness of the snow, etc. However, as a general rule, 7 pints of snow weights a pound, not 1.
<
p>I wonder: if your gutters were clear of ice buildup, what would happen if you sprayed the hose at the roof? Would the (above 32 degree) water help melt the snow resulting in less weight, or would you run the risk of the water freezing before making it to the gutters, thereby adding weight?
somervilletomsays
and covered it with ice.
<
p>I think there are two major factors (1) ambient air temp and (2) the temp and thermal mass of the roof surfaces.
<
p>If the roof and structure is really cold (if it’s been 15 deg F for a month), and the ambient is, say, 33, then I think it will freeze before it gets to the gutters. The thermal mass of the roof and structure sucks the heat from the water, and freezes it.
<
p>That’s my speculation, at least. Years ago, as a newcomer to Massachusetts, tried to wash the ice off the front and back windshields of my brand-new 1975 Plymouth Valiant with the hose. No go.
<
p>Of course, the hose and faucet itself has to be warm enough not to freeze. When I owned property, I usually had to shut off and drain the outside lines.
howland-lew-naticksays
Did the same with my Gremlin a few years earlier. Did learn that metal and earth suck up heat, though.
<
p>“You learn something every day if you pay attention.” –Ray LeBlond
howland-lew-naticksays
If I’d put all that down the cops would have revoked my poetic license.
<
p>;o)
<
p>“Poetry is what gets lost in translation.” –Robert Frost
irishfurysays
We had sleet this morning. But if you slept in you could never tell because it all melted by 6 this morning. Yep. The winter scares everybody down here.
and the drivers are tired of slowing down to safely get around me, too.
Out in the ocean, east of the Canal, the temperature during the day has been in the high 30’s – so we don’t have mountains of snow, just maybe 3 in. of fairly cosmetic stuff. We have gotten storms, but then rain, so we don’t have masses. Slush, slippery – but not the Snowpocalypse you have. Since Jan. 1, our school has only cancelled two days.
<
p>We DO have maurading Kennedy turkeys and tipsy travel, but it’s all ice and not drifts.
At the shopping center known as The Loop there is a pile of snow that rises more than two stories from the ground and covers several square yards at the base. Someone even planted an American flag on top.
Like many Chicagoans I stayed indoors yesterday with all our major highways and roadways dead, with many cars stuck inside them. While the main roads are opened, the side streets are still jammed with cars, particularly in Hyde Park. The President would have a hard time getting around his own neighborhood I can tell you that.
since they were talking on the news about 20″ the highest snow in Chicago since 1967. We’ve had that numerous times here in Boston over the last few years. Does it generally not snow that much in Chicago?
I lived 18 years in New England and have spent the last five in Chicago and can say that it doesn’t snow here at all, its just a hellavu lot colder. Usually the lake protects the city from the snow, but sometimes, as in this case, when the storm comes across the water, it can cause some real devastation.
The city has done a fabulous job of managing the snow and keeping streets passable. I don’t know where the next batch can be put. The small side streets are barely passable now, because snowbanks lined with parked cars leave precious little room for vehicles to pass.
<
p>There is no more room for added snow. If we have more snow before some of this melts, there will be a real problem.
How many pints (pounds) of ice and snow on your roof? Flat roof or gentle slope roof is a danger in this weather. We get snow or rain on top of snow and marginal melting between storms. Roof collapse becomes a certainty after a while.
<
p>You can buy a roof rake at Amazon, but I doubt you’ll get it before the next storm. I’ve not seen one at any store. Has anyone?
<
p>Built my own with a window washer extension and a 1×3. Be careful of power lines.
<
p>(New England still beats living with the bugs in the Southland…)
He recommends filling small paper bags with calcium chloride and throwing them up on the roof at intervals to melt ice dams. Paper disintegrates (unless it’s too cold, and them he suggests dampening the bag to speed break up) and tossing them on the roof to help melt, especially ice dams. He also had some hockey-puck looking things made of ice melt for tossing, available at hardware stores.
As a general rule, 7 inches of snow is 1 inch of rain, though of course this varies based on the wetness of the snow, etc. However, as a general rule, 7 pints of snow weights a pound, not 1.
<
p>I wonder: if your gutters were clear of ice buildup, what would happen if you sprayed the hose at the roof? Would the (above 32 degree) water help melt the snow resulting in less weight, or would you run the risk of the water freezing before making it to the gutters, thereby adding weight?
and covered it with ice.
<
p>I think there are two major factors (1) ambient air temp and (2) the temp and thermal mass of the roof surfaces.
<
p>If the roof and structure is really cold (if it’s been 15 deg F for a month), and the ambient is, say, 33, then I think it will freeze before it gets to the gutters. The thermal mass of the roof and structure sucks the heat from the water, and freezes it.
<
p>That’s my speculation, at least. Years ago, as a newcomer to Massachusetts, tried to wash the ice off the front and back windshields of my brand-new 1975 Plymouth Valiant with the hose. No go.
<
p>Of course, the hose and faucet itself has to be warm enough not to freeze. When I owned property, I usually had to shut off and drain the outside lines.
Did the same with my Gremlin a few years earlier. Did learn that metal and earth suck up heat, though.
<
p>“You learn something every day if you pay attention.” –Ray LeBlond
If I’d put all that down the cops would have revoked my poetic license.
<
p>;o)
<
p>“Poetry is what gets lost in translation.” –Robert Frost
We had sleet this morning. But if you slept in you could never tell because it all melted by 6 this morning. Yep. The winter scares everybody down here.