Well... I guess there will be winter this year

[Whitespider]

Hope everyone in this area is ready...
We had a dusting of snow yesterday morning and all the idiots were out driving and bouncing off each other... man, I hate the first couple snows when I have to be out on the road. Seem most have to re-learn how to drive every year... Idiots!

The National Weather Service in La Crosse has issued a Winter Storm Warning for heavy snow and strong winds... which is in effect from 6 PM this evening to 6 PM CST Thursday. The Winter Storm Watch is no longer in effect.
* Heavy snow will fall tonight into tomorrow.
* 5 to 10 inches of snow is expected to fall.
* Sustained winds of 15 to 30 mph with gusts of 35 to 40 mph will accompany the heavy snowfall and could cause near blizzard conditions... .particularly tomorrow morning and afternoon.
* Blowing and drifting snow could result in Road closures and localized whiteout conditions tomorrow.
* This storm will have a high impact on travel. Those traveling or commuting could face dangerous driving conditions.

 

[CTYank]

Hope everyone in this area is ready...
We had a dusting of snow yesterday morning and all the idiots were out driving and bouncing off each other... man, I hate the first couple snows when I have to be out on the road. Seem most have to re-learn how to drive every year... Idiots!

Don't quote me, but it seems that folks from the "little latitudes" are more challenged by driving in winter weather.

Folks who grew up in Maine don't do much better. Especially with the first snows.

Body & fender men love that first snow- their Christmas bonus.

 

[Guswhit]

Here it seems like the weatherman reports this stuff, but the dim light bulb goes off in someones head that says "Let's go drive around and look because we don't think it could possibly be that bad out", this is when the real problems start.

 

[trophyhunter]

My favorite are the idiots that own a 4 wheel drive and believe for some reason that gives them a pass to keep driving like the roads aren't covered in snow and ice. It's just dangerous to go out anymore with those fools on the roads.

 

[Whitespider]

My favorite are the idiots that own a 4 wheel drive...

When we owned the Dealership, one of the hardest things to teach new owners of 4x4's was that 4 wheel drive will help you "go", but it doesn't do anything to help you "stop". We'd try and tell them that 4 wheel drive will give a false sense of the available traction on "go", but reality will set in when you try to "stop".

Some would actually listen (darn few), most just let that fly over their heads... You could always tell which ones would be coming back to visit the body shop shortly after the first snow.

 

[Soby1]

Yup nothing like the first annual snow derby.

 

[greendohn]

Aahhh, SNOW!

I guess we'll be getting some snow and rain mixed around here in the next couple days.

Being that I'm an x-ray guy, with the majority of pt's I see coming thru the emergency Room, the snow guarantees lot-o-business! You would think with these people having grown up and living in these parts all their lives they would slow down, pay attention and drive with some caution when the roads get bad,,,NOPE, NOTTA' CHANCE.

 

[cmsmoke]

How about the people that don't put it in 4 wd till they get stuck...like on a hill. Duh? I thought I could make it! Then everyone behind them is stuck too. Most vehicles can be shifted in while moving. Those are the real knuckle heads! Am I the only one left that runs studded tires in the winter?

 

[flyboy553]

How about the people that don't put it in 4 wd till they get stuck...like on a hill. Duh? I thought I could make it! Then everyone behind them is stuck too. Most vehicles can be shifted in while moving. Those are the real knuckle heads! Am I the only one left that runs studded tires in the winter?

Wish we still could! They made them illegal here many yrs ago. they were too hard on roadways I guess. Loved them things!

Ted

 

[Whitespider]

Studded tires… there’s a blast-from-the-past.

I still have a couple sets of studded tires sittin’ in the shed, but I ain’t put ‘em on anything for years. Really, they ain’t all that much help with 4x4’s and front wheel drives… if it gets that bad out I’ll just put chains on the 4x4 instead. Studded tire were the most advantageous with those big old rear wheel drive monsters we called cars back before radial snow tires… but they’re pretty much ancient technology now-a-days.

Hmmmm……. Come to think of it, I believe I have a set of 15-inch studded that would work great on the old rear drive, ’92 Crown Victoria I picked up this summer (pretty much my "incognito" gravel road car and weekend beer hauler). I may just haf’ta dig around in the shed tonight.

 

[Isna]

You guys are lucky, We've been having snow for 8 weeks now. It's always funny to see how so many forget, year after year, that snow is slippery... Holidays are even funnier: we get all those tourists coming from the French Riviera to ski. Blessed days for the car repair business...

 

[Steve NW WI]

Have fun with that, we got our first two weeks ago. Sounds like the northern edge will just graze us up here, maybe an inch or two. Blowcombed weatherdudes are talking 12-16" for the Madison area.

No studs here, although the mailman can still run em, but I don't beleive he does. I do have a set of chains for the Chevy, but they've been on exactly once to make sure they fit. They originally were used on Dad's old 69 with the tall skinny bias tires when he needed to get to the town shop to plow, he never owned a 4x4 in his life. 2 wheel with a locker in back and a load of wood in back all winter was his answer, and it worked for him.

 

[One Shot Will]

Bought a crown vic police interceptor this summer for the grandson and in the trunk a set of studded tires mounted on rims ready to go.
That brought back memories.

 

[cmsmoke]

Studs make a huge difference on any type of compact snow as well as ice...I don't care if it's 4 wd, rear wd, front wd or a motorcycle. Bias or radial, they still help.

 

[bcorradi]

We've been really light on snow this year...only about 2" so far, but I assume some will be coming shortly. Studs are legal in north dakota, but they aren't in minnesota so I don't have much experience with them.

 

[Whitespider]

Well, I guess they've upgraded us to a full-blown blizzard... and stretched it out a few more hours.
Locally they're predicting power outages out in the county (where I live)... this one looks to be the real thing this time.
Might just be a long 30 hours or so coming up...
Think I'll go pick up another 10 gallon of gas for the generator after work... just in case (and another box-o-beer).
Time to dig-in and hunker down!

The National Weather Service in La Crosse has issued a Blizzard Warning... which is in effect from 6 PM this evening to midnight CST Thursday night.
The Winter Storm Warning has been cancelled.
* Heavy snow will fall tonight into Thursday... especially between midnight and noon.
* 10 to 14 inches of snow will fall from La Crosse into northeast Iowa. 5 to 10 inches expected across southeast Minnesota.
* Sustained winds of 20 to 35 mph with gusts of 40 to 45 mph will accompany the heavy snowfall and could cause blizzard conditions... .particularly Thursday.
* Blowing and drifting snow will likely lead to Road closures and localized whiteout conditions Thursday. Visibilities will drop to below 1/4 of a mile.
* This storm will have a major impact on travel. Those traveling or commuting will face dangerous driving conditions.
* Emergency services and rescues could be halted for a period of time during the height of the storm.

 

[dave_dj1]

My wife and I had to make a not so happy trip to the NH seacoast over the weekend, it was not a fun drive for many reasons. We have a Mercury Mariner awd and good tires and I grew up in the mts of VT so for me it was cautious progression. We saw one Benz off the road before we left town and too many to keep track of on the way. Driving down 93 in NH I was going 50 and cars and truck would pass us and then a mile of so down the road they would be down over the bank! I just chuckled and kept my pace.
It sleeted all night Sunday night and rained Monday so the drive home wasn't much different!
Take care out there, the life you save may be your own.

 

[J-Saw]

I always come across the people with their 4x4 Escalades and such, who think that its ok in the winter to sport their 22" summer wheels and tires. Find a few of them every year, always in the ditch or spinning up the hill

I myself run studded winter tires on both vehicles...didnt this past winter and realized what I missing, so i went back and bought a set of black steelies for this year.

 

[Whitespider]

Well, things could be going better… 7:00 PM, just walked in the house, just starting to spit snow and the wind coming up. Stopped and picked up an extra 10 gallon of gas for the generator on the way home… and then decided I’d start the darn thing just to make sure. Cranked, and cranked, and cranked, and cranked… no damn fire-up! I could smell it had flooded, switched to the rope back-up and finally got it going. I’m suspecting the fuel is turning sour… just drained it and refilled with fresh non-ethanol and stabilized 91-octane in July… but… It started hard a couple weeks ago; guess I should have paid attention instead of blowing it off. Hopefully it will start easier later if needed.

I’m opening a beer…

 

[mking7]

I kicked the air conditioner on this evening...ugh....our winters are mild compared to most on this board but geez, it's been cold like 4 days so far. Got a little front coming through so maybe I'll put a fire in the stove tomorrow night. Supposed to be in the upper 20's tomorrow night. I spent a lot of time cutting and splitting and I feel like I'm getting jipped so far.