Thursday, January 17, 2008

inner dork: snow

As it has snowed, again, here last night, today, and will continue through tomorrow.

As we have reached 18,000 inches in the white fluffy stuff.
(Okay, that may be a smidge of an exaggeration.)
(A smidge, a tad, of an exaggeration, but not by much)

As the windchill is currently -14.

And as I just walked two miles to and fro in the white, non-shoveled, non-plowed, crap of white fluff in that windchill, yet when I got to school I was sweaty. (Dressing for the winter months is a conundrum. Must be bundled-up so as not to freeze, but I will be sweaty by the time I get there, but fingers, ears, nipples, will be numb.)

So, here are some "fun" snow facts.

Based on National Weather Service records for 1961 through 1990, Rochester, New York averages 94 inches of snow annually and is the snowiest large city in the United States. Rochester has a population more than 200,000 and annual municipal snow-removal budget of $3.7 million.
(Good, Lord. See, some place does get 18,000 inches of snow.)
(Again, perhaps an exaggeration.)

Almost 187 inches of snow fell in seven days on Thompson Pass, Alaska in February, 1953.
(Getting closer to that 18,000 mark.)

Each year an average of 105 snow-producing storms affect the continental United States. A typical storm will have a snow-producing lifetime of two to five days and will bring snow to portions of several states.

In the early 1900s, skiers created their own terminology to describe types of snow, including the terms "fluffy snow," "powder snow," and "sticky snow." Later, the terminology expanded to include descriptive terms such as "champagne powder," "corduroy," and "mashed potatoes."
(What, not a term for, sick-of-this-blinding-white-cold-snow-powder?)

In the western United States, mountain snow pack contributes up to 75 percent of all year-round surface water supplies.

Nationwide, the average snowfall amount per day when snow falls is about two inches, but in some mountain areas of the West, an average of seven inches per snow day is observed.
(Huh, I had no idea my state had mountains. Imagine my surprise that my state may, in fact, have mountains based on this "fun" fact.)

5 comments:

Bob said...

I live even closer to the equator than does brody. We don't have snow very often around the 32°N latitude line, Thank God. And if we did, no one around here has experience driving or walking in the stuff. I would be chaos for sure.

And why do folk go to the store and make a run on milk, eggs and bread when forecast is for snow??? Is French Toast snow comfort food?

PG, warm wishes, literally!!!

limpy99 said...

I loves me some snow. The more, the better.

Phollower said...

I really miss the huge, lake effect Buffalo snowfalls. Here in the midwest, 6 inches will lock people in their houses for days. That works for snow too.

Ba dum bum.

Party Girl said...

Brody: I can understand the excitement if it doesn't happen very often..

Bob: The first big snowfall of the year, I actually DID have to go to the store for groceries before the storm hit.
Good, Lord. You would have thought it was the end of the world.
The dairy section was empty.
Empty.
I, of course, had to make a snarky comment about the world really must be coming to an end since the milk is all gone.

Limpy: When I don't have to drive in it, I love it.
My biggest complaint about the snow this year is that apparently new home city does not have any kind of budget for snow removal. There are sidewalks still covered from the first snow fall over a month ago. Roads are covered in the melt, remelt, melt, new snow, ice, melt, remelt from weeks, days, hours ago. That has gotten really, really, really old. I have to walk in it therefore I would like to navigate the sidewalks and streets without killing myself.
I know. Picky.

Ph: Groan.
But true.

ptg said...

Coming originally from the "southern" east coast, when we had snow - which was usually 2 inches or less - the snow day was much appreciated.

Now, 2 inches is a PITA and not enough to do anything but inconvenience me and my patients (patience too!).

We're expected to get more snow today (CRAP).

At least I live in a condo now and don't have to shovel.