SOOOO sick of snow!!!!!

[mommylamb]

According to an email the came across my desk today originating at NOAA, we are in for a blizzard this weekend. This is their definition of blizzard:

Blizzard Warning - Sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35 mph or greater, considerable falling and/or blowing snow reducing visibility frequently to 1/4 mile or less for a period of three hours or more.

There are no temperature criteria in the definition of a blizzard but freezing temperatures and 35 mph winds will create sub-zero wind chills.

[egoldber]

I hear you. And today is snow day #4 for FCPS, so no more 3 day weekend on President's Day. :(

[mommylamb]

I hear you. And today is snow day #4 for FCPS, so no more 3 day weekend on President's Day. :(

Who knows... it might snow then too! We're right on the boundary of the 15-18 snow band and the 18-20 snow band. I think you guys are solidly in the 18-20 band. Sorry.

[trales]

Please send it to me, I can see some grass. I am so sad.

[egoldber]

Who knows... it might snow then too!

No no no! No more snow days! They start losing part of Spring Break then!

Jeepers, with 20 inches they won't have school for the next week :crying:

ETA: Oops, it's a Teacher Work Day they lose next. Then they start extending the school year. And we already go until June 22!

[HIU8]

This stinks. In addition to the blizzard we are supposed to be getting this weekend, there is another storm coming on Tuesday. I had heard that this weekend was going to be 12+ and Tuesday was likely another 8 inches. that is 4 snowstorms in a row and around a minimum of 25 inches.

Today was a waste of a snow day IMO. I can't believe they closed. MOCO has used it's 4 snowdays already. We are still in preschool, but they go with the MOCO closings. DS cried this morning when he heard school was canceled.

20 inches Oye, we had plans this weekend that I guess are just not going to be happening. Just call me cousin IT. I will end up having to cancel and reschedule my much needed haircut (had to do it in December when we got 22 inches also). Plus, DD has a birthday party on Sunday morning that I guess won't be happening (although as long as I've dug out the driveway I'm taking her if it's still on (by that time she will need to get out of the house).

[mommylamb]

This is the map I have

[scrooks]

I don't mind the snow as much as I mind temps below about 30.
At least the snow covers up the brown grass!

[HIU8]

CRAP! I really dislike the snow--esp more now b/c DH does nothing, and I mean nothing. He doesn't shovel anything. I do it every single time. He just drives over it and leaves me with the stuff packed on the driveway and twice this winter I could not make it up the driveway at all. In December I had to shovel us out. DH is always telling me how he never had to do anything b/c his sister who was 7 yrs older did it all (shoveling, lawn mowing etc...). To bad for DH, but he had better help me this weekend..................

[maestramommy]

Please send it to me, I can see some grass. I am so sad.
:yeahthat: We had a projected snowfall accumulation of 1 inch overnight, and I don't think we got even half an inch. This is just not the winter I thought it was going to be! Our NJ cousins are coming next weekend to go sledding, and I want to see some snow on the hills!

[egoldber]

Ugh. Pretty firmly in the 18-20 band. :(

I wouldn't mind the snow so much, but I have to work and I have NO days left to take off!!!! "Unscheduled leave" does me diddly squat when I have no leave to take!

[vejemom]

As of yesterday, Sue Palka was saying that there was no way of knowing what the projected storm would look like until Thursday. So I'm being stubborn and refusing to acknowledge the possibility of that much snow until it's falling on me. :wink2:

I'm sick of it, too. I'm also sick of hearing people from the northern states (nobody on BBB!) call us wimpy about it. Come spend a snowstorm here. It isn't so much the snow, but the fact that the normal winter temperature around hovers around freezing. So it freezes and unfreezes. Usually in time for rush hour. I was planning on running a few errands today, but opted not to after I watched the show at the end of may driveway. The paved roads are clear, but the county has apparently given up on treating gravel roads. The melting made a thin layer of water on packed snow - the road may as well be polished glass. Four - no joke - vehicles in 30 minutes got stuck and required a tow truck in the 1/10 of a mile stretch in front of our driveway.

[mommylamb]

Ugh. Pretty firmly in the 18-20 band. :(

I wouldn't mind the snow so much, but I have to work and I have NO days left to take off!!!! "Unscheduled leave" does me diddly squat when I have no leave to take!

Will they let you work from home if need be? Unscheduled leave is totally bogus. DS is still daycare aged, and it's an in home daycare, so assuming we can get there they're pretty much always open, so we are lucky that way. But I'm afraid for when he hits school age because it does seem like FCPS close at the drop of a hat. I can't believe they were closed today. Our roads were fine.

[egoldber]

Come spend a snowstorm here. It isn't so much the snow, but the fact that the normal winter temperature around hovers around freezing. So it freezes and unfreezes. Usually in time for rush hour

Exactly! Plus the fact that no one here knows how to drive safely in snow/icy conditions and we don't have the equipment to deal with this much snow. The 20" storm a month ago literally shut things down for almost a week. Ugh.

We've had more snow already this season than we got in the previous 3 years combined.

[HIU8]

Geez. It's not that bad at my house--other than the fact that we are at the bottom of a hill and get all the water from the melting snow freeze at the end of the driveway every single storm. I have run over the grass so much b/c I have slid out the end of the driveway this winter that we are seriously considering cutting a patch of grass out and placing gravel there.

All I know is that it's going to be horrible tomorrow when I run to the store to stock up on stuff that we need (was going to do it regardless of the storm). I'm not looking forward to it at all.
When I lived in upstate NY it was normal to just go about your business when it snowed. Nothing stopped. But they didn't have the melt and refreeze issues that we have here.

[egoldber]

Yes, my boss is very nice about letting me work from home when I need to. But I have things I can only do in the office and I have a meeting next week I need to get things done for!

[mommylamb]

The other problem is that VDOT really doesn't get the budget to handle this much snow. The storm over Christmas had us in the house for several days because the roads were in such bad condition (at least the road my house is on-- which is plowed by my development-- and the road that connects me to a main road, which is a VDOT road).

And, yes, it's the ice that makes it really trecherous here. I grew up in Connecticut, and it was never this bad because we had the equipment and the budget to handle the snow.

[HIU8]

I am working from home right now-with the kids home. It's nearly impossible to get anything done (I've gotten 2 hours of work in today). When I had issues with unscheduled leave there were a couple of times I ended up having to take leave without pay (which totally sucked).

[elektra]

I just can't imagine. In my reality, snow is for skiing and that's about it!

[lfp2n]

OMG where did that map come from Charlottesville is sitting in the highest snowfall area. I can't believe we had a snow day today, its hot out there and the roads are fine. If there's anything more than a delay tomorrow I'm going to scream because you know Friday is off.

[mommylamb]

The map came from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, which is the govt. department that houses the national weather service. This is the text of the email I got from a NOAA forcaster on this:

The morning's model runs have started to trickle in and they are portraying an increasingly dangerous winter weather event. My colleagues are using the b- word.

The morning's runs have increased the amount of liquid water available and, more significantly, increasing the winds, which could result in a bona fide blizzard raging Fri night and Saturday.

To review here's the official definition of a blizzard:

Blizzard Warning - Sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35 mph or greater, considerable falling and/or blowing snow reducing visibility frequently to 1/4 mile or less for a period of three hours or more.

There are no temperature criteria in the definition of a blizzard but freezing temperatures and 35 mph winds will create sub-zero wind chills.

Notice that snow amounts don't figure into this definition though intensity of snow fall may be implied by the low visibilities. It is possible that we will have amounts similar to what occurred in December...except with wind this time around.

[lizzywednesday]

...

Notice that snow amounts don't figure into this definition though intensity of snow fall may be implied by the low visibilities. It is possible that we will have amounts similar to what occurred in December...except with wind this time around.

My uncle and one of my friends work for NOAA (uncle works for NOAA on Long Island; friend works for NOAA in Las Vegas) ... the uncle just confirmed "plowable" snow according to the models due to the way 2 storm systems are moving in the models.

[TwinFoxes]

Let me join in this bitch! It looks like my DH will have to spend Friday night in the District because he has to run things on Saturday (he works in news). So I get to entertain the girls while snowbound until he gets home (which hopefully will be Saturday and not Sunday!) Not to mention, so much for our Super Bowl party.

In total agreement about FCPS. My kids' toddler "gym" class was held today, but regular school wasn't? What's up with that? Plus I heard on WTOP last night that afternoon activities were cancelled yesterday...it didn't start snowing until last night!

[clc053103]

This is the map I have

so, I'm in lt blue that's "Just" 10-12! LOL!

I'm not sick of snow, just the 2 hour delay they insist on having for 1/4 of an inch!

[egoldber]

A friend who works for a place that launches orbiting "surveillance" systems said their computer models are showing 20 inches for our area. Where is the puking smilie?????? :crying:

[pb&j]

This is the map I have

Oh FUDGE. Guess which band I'm in? :hysterical::crying:

Snowmaggedon part 4!!! Wheeeeeeeeee.

[kedss]

yep I'm about over snow for the next century or so ;)

[mommylamb]

Let me join in this bitch! It looks like my DH will have to spend Friday night in the District because he has to run things on Saturday (he works in news). So I get to entertain the girls while snowbound until he gets home (which hopefully will be Saturday and not Sunday!) Not to mention, so much for our Super Bowl party.


Oh, that truly sucks!

[rachl500]

I'll add one more bitch. We live in a small community. Our street is private. We pay for plowing - by the hour! Ouch! :crying::crying:

[R2sweetboys]

Please send it to me, I can see some grass. I am so sad.


:yeahthat: We had a projected snowfall accumulation of 1 inch overnight, and I don't think we got even half an inch. This is just not the winter I thought it was going to be! Our NJ cousins are coming next weekend to go sledding, and I want to see some snow on the hills!
:yeahthat: I can't believe that I'm actually wishing for snow but I am. If it's going to be cold, we may as well have snow. We have sleds and a snowmobile that we'd love to use but there are patches of grass everywhere! It's really kind of strange for this time of year. I do feel bad for all you moms south of us getting hit so hard. I can't imagine dealing with that much snow without the resources(plows,etc) to effectively deal with it. :hug:

[TwinFoxes]

I'll add one more bitch. We live in a small community. Our street is private. We pay for plowing - by the hour! Ouch! :crying::crying:

Wow, you have every right to bitch!

If it's any consolation, I'm sure the plow driver will enjoy the new boat you bought him!

[egoldber]

Ugh. And they've already announced "unscheduled leave" for tomorrow.

[LarsMal]

Ugh. Pretty firmly in the 18-20 band. :(



Double ugh...us too!

[LarsMal]

Ugh. And they've already announced "unscheduled leave" for tomorrow.

For tomorrow?! When is it supposed to start? I thought not until Friday night and into Saturday. I need to go check the weather report.

I guess the only good thing for us is that the kids are sick anyway and can't go to ice skating lessons on Saturday and the jury is still out on school for DS next week. At least with snow days I don't have to upset him by saying he's too sick to go!

[egoldber]

Snow is currently expected to start between 10 and 2, getting heavy by late afternoon.

http://wtop.com/?nid=25&sid=1880749

I am expecting FCPS to dismiss early.

[mommylamb]

I'm sure there will be an early dismissal for the schools, especially if it really starts at 10 am (that was the last forcast I saw). I'm so sad. DS's wonderful daycare is celebrating its 1-year anniversary tomorrow and we were all going to go to Chuck E Cheese together in the later afternoon. All the parents were leaving early for it. I was really hoping we'd be able to do that before it gets too bad with the weather, since we're likely to be cooped up inside for most of the rest of the weekend (maybe all) and DS will go stir crazy. I had hoped he'd have a chance to burn off some energy.

The last forecast I saw said for the metro area between 16-24 inches.

[LarsMal]

Snow is currently expected to start between 10 and 2, getting heavy by late afternoon.

http://wtop.com/?nid=25&sid=1880749

I am expecting FCPS to dismiss early.

The gov has already announced unscheduled leave? I know my hubby won't take it, but hopefully I can convince him to at least leave early and not get stuck in what I imagine will be horrendous traffic!

[egoldber]

Yes, the federal government has announced unscheduled leave:

http://www.opm.gov/status/index.aspx

I am hoping they change it to closed. :p

[LarsMal]

I am hoping they change it to closed. :p

Me, too. I could use the extra hands...not to mention the company!

[LarsMal]

I just went to the Post website and had to laugh:


"Snowmageddon" and "Snowpocalypse"- crippling the DC area.

Oh joy!!!

[mommylamb]

Latest update has it starting at 6 am and 20-28 inches.

[arivecchi]

I'm jealous. We have not had that much snow this year. :( It would suck to get so much snow and not have enough plows, salt, etc. though.

[egoldber]

And FCPS just called off school for tomorrow. Sigh.

[elephantmeg]

yeah we're in the 20+ range and I work fri/sat/sun. I think I'm going to move into work. Hopefully the kids will survive DH and vice versa! I'm actually thinking it sounds a little like a holiday :) lol.

[Cam&Clay]

I work for FCPS and just heard we have tomorrow off. I am actually glad because I'm on day 4 with a sick toddler and have no leave.

I am dreading this storm. DH won't be around. Just DS2 and I snowed in and we've already been home for 4 days together. DS1 will be with his dad. I guess the neighbor's boys are going to earn some shoveling $$ this weekend.

I recently heard the storm referred to as SnOMG! I thought that was pretty funny!

[lizzywednesday]

...

I recently heard the storm referred to as SnOMG! I thought that was pretty funny!

My friends and I have used that (SnOMG) as a hash tag on Twitter. It made for a ton of funny tweets.

[lfp2n]

Its crazy around here, all school systems are shut down, the university has closed except for essential employees which never happens, they've banned parking most streets downtown-the shops have had a run on milk and gas. Now we are all just sitting waiting for snowmageddon.

Except my DH, in December he parked our car as far up the other end of our driveway as possible- we had to dig out at least 40-50 ft. This time around he told me he'd turned it forward facing and moved it up to the road. I look out, its halfway down the drive so just 20 feet of digging this time- why???

[ThreeofUs]

Please send it to me, I can see some grass. I am so sad.

:yeahthat: I'm with you! We've had so little snow this year it's sad.

[egoldber]

Well, I am now happy because the government added a 4 hour early dismissal. So I got in at my usual 6:30 :p and will leave before the storm really hits.

I thought it was a bit irresponsible of them not to have closed early given that they anticipate 4-8 inches of snow by normal rush hour! Not to mention commuter buses are planning to stop running early and Metro may close above ground stations once the snow hits a certain amount.

[mommylamb]

DH stayed home and did a second trip to the grocery store since my trip last night was, let's just say, not so fruitful. I'm in work at the moment, but I got in early too (no where near as early as you, Beth) and I'm planning on leaving shortly. DH just called to say it is now snowing at home, but it's not here in the city at this point.