Digging Out
Jan. 12th, 2024 01:33 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kevin_standleeThe snowfall is over, but the snow is still with us, thanks to below-freezing temperatures.
By yesterday afternoon, I had a clear pathway from the north gate, over the front porch, past the wood box, to the garage and travel trailer, and could have cleared the south gate if it mattered. (We have nothing down there right now so we don't need it.) However, as you can see, a section of the sidewalk between the porch and the fence that separates the main lot from the east lot still has around 50 cm of snow blocking the way. This is not a big deal at the moment, so clearing it has not been a priority. Indeed, much of the snow from the porch ended up on top of the snow that fell naturally there.
All of the sidewalk areas that get sunlight have mostly thawed out, which is good because the temperatures have stayed close or below freezing. This has led to melting snow landing on the front porch and then freezing. Of course I can't use salt on a wooden porch, but I have spread a bunch of grit (Oil-Dry) on the porch to improve traction.
This picture is from in between the travel trailer shelter (left) and garage (right), and as you can see, the warmer temperatures caused cornices and icicles to form. We stayed clear of this area while awaiting the inevitable. Lisa, who was in the travel trailer where she can keep it warmer than I can get the house, says the racket when they started to give way was very loud.
This afternoon, before the fallen snow could turn into ice overnight, Lisa and I used shovels and brooms to clear the fallen cornices away. There are going to be more to come, as there's still a lot of snow up there.
The weather forecast is for a chance of rain and/or snow showers for the next couple of days, then a slight warming trend next week, with temperatures forecast to go as high as +11° C, which will presumably cause this snow to start melting. However, overnight lows will still be below freezing, so there will be lots of ice with which to contend.
Driving is still challenging, as the snow has turned mostly to ice, and the DOT has not been able to scrape it all away, presumably because things like Interstate 80 are more important. I hope things are better next Tuesday, when I have a dentist appointment in Reno.
By yesterday afternoon, I had a clear pathway from the north gate, over the front porch, past the wood box, to the garage and travel trailer, and could have cleared the south gate if it mattered. (We have nothing down there right now so we don't need it.) However, as you can see, a section of the sidewalk between the porch and the fence that separates the main lot from the east lot still has around 50 cm of snow blocking the way. This is not a big deal at the moment, so clearing it has not been a priority. Indeed, much of the snow from the porch ended up on top of the snow that fell naturally there.
All of the sidewalk areas that get sunlight have mostly thawed out, which is good because the temperatures have stayed close or below freezing. This has led to melting snow landing on the front porch and then freezing. Of course I can't use salt on a wooden porch, but I have spread a bunch of grit (Oil-Dry) on the porch to improve traction.
This picture is from in between the travel trailer shelter (left) and garage (right), and as you can see, the warmer temperatures caused cornices and icicles to form. We stayed clear of this area while awaiting the inevitable. Lisa, who was in the travel trailer where she can keep it warmer than I can get the house, says the racket when they started to give way was very loud.
This afternoon, before the fallen snow could turn into ice overnight, Lisa and I used shovels and brooms to clear the fallen cornices away. There are going to be more to come, as there's still a lot of snow up there.
The weather forecast is for a chance of rain and/or snow showers for the next couple of days, then a slight warming trend next week, with temperatures forecast to go as high as +11° C, which will presumably cause this snow to start melting. However, overnight lows will still be below freezing, so there will be lots of ice with which to contend.
Driving is still challenging, as the snow has turned mostly to ice, and the DOT has not been able to scrape it all away, presumably because things like Interstate 80 are more important. I hope things are better next Tuesday, when I have a dentist appointment in Reno.
