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Update From The Snowy North
Boston doesn’t often make weather-related headlines. We’re far enough north to be safe from most hurricanes, and we’re sufficiently coastal and temperate to be spared the worst of New England winters. In the seven years I’ve lived here, the city’s dodged storm after storm that have left our neighbors in all directions badly damaged. Boston seemed weirdly blessed.
Then it started snowing a few weeks ago.
As of 7 AM this morning, Boston has received more than 61″ (155 cm) of snow in the past 30 days, or about 40% more than we receive in an average year. In our suburb, we’ve received something north of 18″ in just the last 24 hours, which means all the work my wife and I did to clear the drive and walkways has been undone. You know you’re in trouble when you have to shovel away snow piles just to make room for new ones. You’re past that when you’ve had to do it twice already, and know you’ll have to a third time.
In the history of natural disasters, of course, this doesn’t even rank. There’ve a few roof collapses, and surprisingly minor power outages. The biggest hassle — besides shoveling — has been transportation. Boston’s roads aren’t good in the best of conditions, and they’re a complete mess right now.
Public transportation has been even worse. The MBTA is the oldest subway system in the country, and some of the train cars have been in service since we were landing people on the Moon. Much of the system is above ground, too, which means the trains’ third rails can fail in poor weather, causing trains to lose power (that’s what happened to these poor folks). We’re fortunate enough to childless and able to telecommute, but others are in a real bind.
Anyway, I’m off to do some shoveling. How’s the winter your way?
Published in General
Surprisingly sunny, and more mild than not.
Ohio is known for depression-inducing grey winter overcast.
We had a high of 57 yesterday.
The temperature fluctuations have been consistent (which is really bad for my migraines), as has a snow/melt/freeze/melt/snow cycle, the worst of which tends to coincide with the morning commute.
Very wet and unseasonably warm in the PacNorWest. Our only snow was before Thanksgiving, and that only hit the very north end of the Sound. The warmth is causing my wife and me to start itching for this year’s garden (post forthcoming…), but the fact that my yard is nothing but mud and dog mess is putting us off doing any real prep quite yet. We’ve started reading and planning, and the urge to get some seeds germinating indoors will probably overcome us by the weekend.
Here in Montana we had winter in November and December but most of January and February have been dry and unseasonably warm. I even went golfing yesterday! It has been many years since I last was able to golf on my home course in February, let alone the first week of February. Consider that last year and the year before the course was snow covered until late April.
Boston? North?
Puh-leaze.
It’s at the same latitude as Rome.
It’s further south than the French Riviera!
Freakin’ whiners…
The extreme cold causes light and non-sticky snow that does not accumulate much weight on power lines, trees, etc.
This winter has been rough, even for Buffalo. While we’re used to snow, the difficult part is the constant 6+ week freeze that has kept the drifts from diminishing.
This is the problem with talking about the weather on Ricochet. The Canuckistanis feel a need to gloat about how weak the rest of us are.
Oh, yeah, Kansas City had a high of 65 yesterday.
Look, when your city is further south than Europe’s beach resorts, you don’t know the troubles.
Also, I am so pleased that “Canuckistani” is finally catching on! I’m really trying to make it a meme. ;-)
Hi, I live about 25 miles south of Boston, and I’m here to say that this winter is the worst (ok, I say this every year, but I really mean it!).
We have to have about four feet of global warming on our roof and now we are getting leaks. Fortunately, we have had power so I can’t complain too much.
Tomorrow I have just found out we will have our SIXTH day of no school in three weeks. The first snow day was fun, we went outside and baked cookies, etc. By today (Day 5), I was seriously considering offering my home as a substitute for Gitmo. Between the repeated Nick Jr. theme songs and occasional fights among my three little girls (all 6 and under), it has been pretty miserable.
Praying for spring…
Yeah, finding a place to shove all this snow is really becoming a problem. At work, the parking lot has already lost something like 25% of the spots because of the massive snow piles growing out from the curbs (fortunately we have a lot of parking space).
This really stopped being funny, like, 2 ft ago.