The Great March the Second Storm

This was all that was left of my largest snow-pile as of last Sunday

This has been Bizarro-World Winter: we had who knows how many 50+ and 60+ degree days in February and set who who knows how many records for high temperatures for various dates. Yesterday morning it was downright balmy and the very last trace of former snowbanks had melted away.

And then—whaaam. I stopped at the grocery store last evening and it was jammed—more cars in the parking lot and more people in the store than I think I've ever seen. Woke up this morning and saw the reason why!

Look closely and you can see our old friend the red chair.

Lost a big tree from the hillside, too. I heard it come down with a great whump and clatter early this morning, and went to investigate. It wasn't the one I thought would go. But I'm just as glad it came down—seeing it in pieces on the ground it's obvious it was dead.

Wonder how much last night cost me? I'll have to call around and get prices for clearing away fallen trees.

Now I've got to suck it up and get on the snowblower...a task I dread. Never get a single-stage snowblower if you have a gravel driveway! No, amend that—just never get a gravel driveway. (They're a giant pain.)

They say March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. That's what February did, though.

Onward! Life on life's terms.

Mike

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Comments

[Stephen]

Mike, a piece of advice: I don't know how large your "big tree from the hillside" is, or what sort of shape it was in before it came down, but if you are worried about the cost of having someone clear it out you may want to look into seeing if there are any local woodworkers who would be interested.

There are a number of woodworkers, both professional and hobbyists, who will come take away fallen or dead trees for free as long as they get to keep the wood.

Might be worth looking into, depending on the tree(s).

[John Camp]

Chainsaw. Make you feel country. You can drop lines in the store like, "Yeah, gonna have to sharpen up the old Stihl, tonight, I guess."

[Eric Rose]

Well so much for spring! We are getting 25-30cm of snow today. This is the never ending winter. Currently it's -10C. To say I'm getting cabin fever is an understatement. You can only take so many "cute" pictures of the cat before you go bonkers.

[John]

If the tree hit a structure, your insurance should cover it. If not, see if a friendly neighbor needs firewood...

Here the wind is still howling and I fear for some of our trees.

[Carl]

The tree appears to be hardwood, maybe an ash?—so it shouldn't be difficult to find someone who heats with wood who'd be delighted to cut up and haul away for free. Folks who live on small properties and heat with wood are always looking.

Gravel will mess up a two-stage snowblower too. Our drive is paved, but maybe 35-40 years ago—it's not smooth and flat. That means I have to make multiple passes to get most of the surface down to the asphalt. Such an unfun chore I do it by hand unless it's over four inches or so.

[Bob Johnston]

We are experiencing a similar sudden cold period here in Britain. It's total chaos with roads blocked, trains cancelled and airports closed. Three people have lost their lives already. If you can, leave the tree where it is. As it decays the wildlife will love it.

[Michael Perini]

Mike
Most snow blowers have an adjustment for how low they scrape just for that reason. Not all have it but most machines do.
If not you may be able to have it modified for next season.

[Mike Plews]

Seven years ago I bit the bullet and bought a two stage Toro and it is magnificent. We have a rock driveway and I share your low opinion of them.
Hate the rock driveway but love the Toro. It can really move snow and if need be it can launch a frozen dog turd into outer space.

[Oskar Ojala]

You could just use muscle power to move the snow: great exercise and since you don't have to drive to work at a specific time, you have flexibility in terms of when and how to move the snow :-)

[Scott Paris]

Same here (in Detroit).
Couple of 60 degree days, then 6 inches of snow yesterday.
But hold off for a day on the snow blower: today was 40 with brilliant sun all day, and it's supposed to be the same tomorrow.
The grass is still covered but the driveway cleaned itself.
Exactly as I planned.

[Don]

Do you have to clear away the fallen tree? Is it a hazard? Manicured gardens are no friend of wildlife and dead wood provides home for many vanishing species as it slowly decays.

[Bryce Lee]

Radical change in the weather eh? Here in Southern Ontario we got about two inches of snow, if that. Yes the wet sloppy snow, which then froze on branches and anything stationary.

As a result Mother Nature did a wonderful pruning job; mind a few trees fell as well. Somebody else can collect the pieces; and as has been suggested, see if somebody local will cut the remaining bits of the tree(s) and take the wood. The small twigs you can pitch back into the undergrowth. It might be time to review the trees on the slope before the next winter arrives and remove what needs to be done.

The red chair looks lonely...

[Robert]

Invest in a chainsaw and woodburner - heavenly independence, good exercise and free heating. What could be better?

[Patrick J Dodds]

Leave the tree for wildlife, no?
Red Chair iv is beautiful.

[John Longenecker]

I have a stone driveway. Bought a Cub Cadet single stage with tank tracks. If you run in transport mode it keeps the blower an inch off the ground. You still pick up a stone or two but it's not like running right on the ground.

[Rory O'Toole]

Same here in Ireland. Most snow since (apparently) 1947. Country has stopped!

[Dave Millier]

London is suffering in the grip of an unusual week long snowstorm. Transport in chaos, schools closed, pizza deliveries delayed. Nightime temperatures -5 degrees centigrade.
It's a nightmare, we can't cope.

And when I look outside there is maybe one inch of snow on the street, a couple of inches on my
front drive and on the car.

I shudder to think what would happen if we had 10 inches of snow in one night. I expect we would all be dead.

[D. Hufford]

Snow. I remember that stuff very fondly, although most people think I am nuts. I see snow once a year now, if I am lucky. An inch can cause panic and confusion and nearly shut down the largest metropolis in the world.

But when it does snow, everyone goes out to take photos while professing to hate it. Then people overseas who see the photos think Tokyo is a winter wonderland that really does have four seasons.

[Dave Millier]

Next day (Sunday) and the London snow is all gone as if it had never been. Back to regular rain. Panic over.

The UK weather is amazing - we can have all four seasons' weather in a weekend, nay, an afternoon.

Weather forecasting as a profession is pointless here.

[George]

Mike, your "red chair" foto is being ripped off by Kirk Tuck of VSL. Just like yours except for the lack of snow and a few other things, time to get it copyrighted :D :D

[Tom Burke]

Biggest snow fall of the winter here in Sheffield (UK) - 5 or 6 inches, maybe a bit more. Actually, the biggest for several winters.

On Wednesday I was in Kuala Lumpur in temperatures a tad above 32°C. When I arrived at Manchester airport early on Thursday morning, it was a tad below 32°F. Unfortunately, I was dressed for Kuala Lumpur....

[John Boeckeler]

You need a good Ariens snowthrower with the adjustable skid plates so you can set the intake height. Set it right and you'll have no problem with gravel. Buy a Stihl chainsaw, too. Those two things will make you pretty self sufficient in the north country. And think about an emergency generator.

[Alan Kett]

Here, in eastern Massachusetts, we didn't have much snow but I spent an anxious day, sitting at the kitchen table, watching the tops of the 80' pine trees in our back yard whipping back and forth in the 70mph winds. They're close to the house and I wondered and worried what they'd do to the roof if they snapped and fell the wrong way.

Weather! Who knew it could be so complicated?

[Robert Roaldi]

A friend has a long gravel driveway. He packs down the first snowfall with his car and rider mower, then never blows it down to the rock throughout the winter. Always drives on a layer of hard packed snow. If you get freezing rain over it, just spread some cat litter, it will be fine to drive on.

[Ronald Frakes]

The hundred+ foot trees here in the Pacific North just ignore the snow. And it will still be snowing for at least another week. Pine trees in snow are beautiful ... as long as you have sufficient provisions when the snow doesn't stop for three weeks!