What weird weather we're having #7

Wow, that's a lot of snow!!! Zhinu. Good thing for those bird feeder posts, you sort of know where you're at and what you might be stepping on.

Beahive..... good luck with those cookies, hopefully the rds are better now.

Tilly, how long before you will have more than 2" of water in that well? that's not good. It reminds me of way back when.... when a pipe at our place froze, then broke. The pump tried to pump itself dry, but then it froze first. ---who would've thought that freezing up was the better alternative!! Either way, it was expensive.

red, other than the random toys that didn't get put away before the snow started the yard is pretty safe. It's just deep and has an ice layer that makes it hard to walk in.

Somewhere the other day I mentioned the 1950 blizzard. This one didn't have the wind here but it's not much different. It has been poring snow here all day. At least we have the comfort? of knowing it doesn't get worse that this as far a snow goes.

Ladybug--I feel like we owe you an apology for our weather, this being your first year here and all. It's tough with no power. We went 6 days in '96. Hang in there.

OH wow, I completely forgot that this was your first year here too Ladybug! By "too" I mean you and Portland1.
Definitely not the even keel weather people sort of expect. But, I'm pretty sure that I remember you saying that you did your homework on the weather trends here. so, at least it wasn't a complete shock. Hopefully this stuff melts slowly and we'll get back to our normal precip without too much ado.

Ladybug, yes this is weird weather, you will not get this every year, last time we got anywhere near this was Jan. 2004, time before that was 1996.

Kris - this weather is atypical for us. We do get some snow, but nowhere near these amounts, and it doesn't stick around too long. That being said, this winter weather anomaly seems to be trying to become an annual trend. '06, '07 & '08 are unique to the "traditional" pattern. And winter has just begun...
Over the past 20+ years, normal has been 2-3" of slushy, wet snow, lasting for 1 - 2 days...

rc....that doesn't look like a 40 mph turn to me!

willow...nice pictures. I agree with rc, great craftsmanship on the house. Is Thoughnot related to Lingernot?

beahive....I can't believe how much trees can bend and still come back. We only use Splenda, so I have to buy sugar occassionly to fill the hummer bottles^_^

Tilly...hope your well is better soon. Be extra careful going to work.

Ladybuggfan....if Santa doesn't bring snowshoes, maybe you should buy some just in case.

zhinu....hope you can stay home and just enjoy the view.

My snow is all gone, even Mt Pisgah is clear now. Still raining and cold, but the ice is gone too.
Here's one of my favorite ornaments.

Is Carnation an area that typically get more snow? Seems to me that it is pretty close to the mountains.

I found Thoughnot in a store in Poulsbo and he said he might be related to Lingernot. They look a lot alike.^_^



This message was edited Dec 21, 2008 2:21 PM

Katye, yes we have had "weird" weather since 2004. 2004, much like this year, earlier "winter". 2005, light snow but many single days of it. I'm not sure on 2006. 2007 was super cold. than this year...

Sally, my DH had to work today, but other than that mom and my families don't have to go out today; I don't even have to get the mail since it's Sunday.

My sister reminded me last night that the picture I sent her looked just like the one I sent in April. Wasn't that about the time you started this 'Weird weather' thread rc?

One more, my boys still call this mom's toy tree. They picked out most of them when they were little guys. The one who chose this is now a Dad and a great fly fisherman.

I used to have mostly toys on my 9' tree, but I put up a 4' one this year. If my 9' one had lights on it I would like it better. The little one does have lights. I'm getting lazy in my old age and my DH can't help get it in or out of the attic anymore.

I think this forum has lasted the longest of any since I've been on here.

This message was edited Dec 21, 2008 2:29 PM

Red, I love the red berries in the snow.

Willow, is that “I was hoping for a gnome, but I thoughtnot” or “he might be intelligent but he thoughtnot”?

He was hoping for a loving family but he thoughtnot of ever getting one.

Yep, your right Sally, that was about the time. I'll have to look it up. I know that it was around the time when the meteorologist folks were giving a heads up to an extremely late round of snow that was going to be followed by record setting heat!! Craziness all around. cute ornaments!

2006 was normal for me, or at least not memorable. 2007 did seem a little off. For me, this actually goes back to the weather pattern of 1996. actually it was almost a combo of floods in nov. '96 and feb (I think) of '97

Thanks Laura, it's one of my favorites for this time of year!

Just took this one outside the dining room window.

Hmmm.... I do remember everyone talking about the weather and showing pictures from the late snowstorm in late April, but apparently it wasn't the Weird weather thread. I do remember everyone talking about and showing pictures of plants with snow and then plants with heat stress, but I started another hot spell/weird weather in mid or late June. So, it was another thread before then.

ahhhh, cute bambi! glad it's at your place :-p

These are the twins from the doe who lives on our fairway. They come through here everyday around this time. Now they are eating birdseed.

This message was edited Dec 21, 2008 2:47 PM

I looked too. But I remember the snow pictures.

i know.....you do take issue with bambi's. They just have no respect at your place.

Here's the one from April

Cute pictures Willow.

Here's the one I sent her yesterday. The cottonwoods were cut down after the other one.

This message was edited Dec 21, 2008 2:52 PM

Here is my place today and it is coming down hard and fast....

We've had steady light snow most of the day, and expecting more this evening.

In my earlier post, I neglected to mention that this weather is not normal for the Seattle Metro area. I live east of Seattle by Lake Sammamish (15 min by I-90 freeway), and we don't see snow stick around too long. It's usually mucky slush that alternates between freezing/thawing. Much easier to navigate.
Nov '06 - Feb '07 &, Dec '07 - Jan '08 were both oddities, plus our infamous prolonged energy outages.
Carnation sits northeast of us (1/2 hour by highway/backroads) & tucked up against the Cascade foothills. They get colder winter weather & more snow than my location, not to mention the radical winds that rip through the Snoqualmie valley corridor.
This snow has been dry & with the temperature fluctuations, is topped with a 1/2" thick crust of ice, plus ice underneath.
I believe that Oregon & southern Washington took the brunt of these recent systems.
Well, the convergence zone north of Seattle got whacked pretty hard, too.
I for one, hope this is a quick winter.

Well...no more baking today. The power went out again and the ice never got any better to have a safe drive into town. Also the pilot light went out on the fireplace ( was working this morning) . Can't get it to light..NW gas can't come to Wed-Thur at the earliest . I just hope the power does not go out again. The fireplace is our heat backup. Burr! Freezing rain now...been a wasted day!
To top it off my little snowman is dead! :(

Katye, our snow has been great powder, not too wet or too dry, but we got freezing rain late last night (1 to 3am) so there is a think layer of ice about 10" up; we have another inch on top on that now. I slipped off my step and hit a thick layer of ice that didn't break and I think I might have a bruise on my shin now.

Looks to me like that snowman has been mugged. Bea I sure hope you get your power back on soon and can get to the store for sugar! Gotta have cookies for Christmas!
It has been snowing non-stop today, except for about 30 minutes of freezing rain. I will take photos in the morning if it is not too windy.
Ladybug no water for 5 days??? OMG! You are really a brave soul. I don't know how you do it!

Portland1- no he's dead. Went to collect the scarf for washing and it is stuck in the ice...His hat is down the path and stuck to the ground.
Poor little man! I had hoped to rebuild him..but he is beyond help at this point. So sad! :)

Been fun here, got the car dug out, then got buried again, has not stopped snowing since 2 PM. DH went to HD to buy hoses to get water to to the well from the creek, all the other hoses where frozen or buried in the snow. My boss is a but head, and wants me to work in AM, I told him I will give my ultimate try. But don't hold your breath. My life means more to me than my job, Sorry dude. Not going if I don't feel I can. I don't like to be given the ultimatum, "You have to be here, no matter" I don't think so A## H###.

Tyler having a ball.

Poor snowman, come out to my place, you can have many. LOL
Guys clearing the drive.

His hat! No kidding he's dead...a new one tomorrow? or is your weather turning warmer with rain?

Laura - I think your area is in a southerly convergence zone - more accumulation and with the cold air trapped it's quickly ice. Hope you're able to get about & your leg is working ok!

Tils, no job is worth your life, and no boss/supervisor should demand of you what they would not be willing to do themselves.
A**H*** - no kidding! Ask him if he's willing to pick you up at your place - I guarantee you will hear a long, loud silence...

I love the snowman or what's left after he melted! No one here thought to make a snowman. I liked bambi too, took some flakes of hay down to the bottom pasture so they could have something to eat tonight - 16" plus some freezing rain topped with another 2+" tonight. We had some trouble getting back up our hill tonight on the way in from 'santa' shopping. Roads were rough all over tonight, not much in the way of traffic either - guess that's good.

Glad this isn't typical weather here. We're fairly well equipped as we ski, just not accustomed to dealing with a well nor propane/electric loss. Love the great outdoors! Just need to convert the fireplace from propane to wood - that I can manage.

Tilly hope that you can get out safely for work in the morning even if your boss is a jerk. I'm holding out hope that everyone gets to spend time with their loved ones during the holidays.

Tilly, DH had to work today and tomorrow. It sucks, but we do need the money. We'll see if he can work tomorrow; we couldn't get the car into the garage when he got home about 6pm.

Katye, yep, your exactly right, except the snow was great until we got the rain last night and what's fallen today is quite nice too. My shin isn't bruised and is feeling better; now joint and muscle aches... I'm only 30!

Tilly, what a jerk of a boss you have! I like Katye's idea, ask them to pick you up! that should get him to button it up! Tyler is awesome.

Zhinu, I hope the shin feels better soon.

Beahive.... that poor, poor, snowman. What a tribute the hat is.

I DO remember winter of 2006 now. How did I forget that one! Strangely enough I had more ice than others who had snow and freezing rain. I think that you folks up in Washington had it a little worse than I did. After about a week of wet stuff I was left with a 2 or 3" layer of ice underneath an inch or two of snow all over my driveway and sidewalk that wouldn't melt. finally after at least two weeks of sliding and 3 bags of rock salt that weren't helping, I finally decided to melt it myself instead of letting mother nature do it. That was entertaining to say the least.

Red, The shin is fine, just hurt for about an hour, my back is killing me, but that's a different issue.

I don't remember anything like that in 2006, I suppose I could be senile, I am feeling old today.

I think what we were getting was a little different than what others where getting. I don't remember how it was different, just remember that it was. It was the same system that sent california into a tizzy because the orange crop was hard hit by the frost that they got from it.

Sorry to hear about the back. Yep, sounds like 30 yr. to me.... unfortunately.

RFLMBO.... im really sorry about frosty there beahive ... but the combo of melted snowman and his hat i couldnt stop laughing! its jsut way to funny..lolololol

tyler looks like hes having a blast. amazing how he can stay heads up as little as he is!lol

tilly... what a *(&)(*#@! you have for a boss!! omgoodness. i think they have the right idea... you tell him to come get you and take you home.....life is way more important that stupid job. (and stupid boss!)

i think last years weather (at least here) was much worse... it was bitterly cold and we had lots and lots of hail and much more snow... chill you to the bone wind... its cold here but nto (yet) like it was last year. i agree... i hope its a quick winter.. been a stupid year all year weather wise.

nice of you ladybug to feed the bambis out there!

Wow. You guys have been busy today.

I drove up my hill in tandem with my neighbor and being hooked to his truck got me over the two slick spots from the day before. It was much slicker on Friday than it is today, and I think it'd be fine if I had chains. But now I'm at the top and the Subaru should do fine on the main roads.

I must have had over 20" of snow in the last week. This is definitely record-setting, even for the Cascade foothills. Ladybug is not too far from me, so I imagine our snow is looking the same. We didn't get hit so hard by the winds as points south of Seattle and I am grateful that I haven't lost water or power at all. My heat bill's going to be outrageous next month, though.

I got the driveway shovelled and chipped away ice this morning. I'm sure it's covered with several inches by now, but it feels good to have done it.

I did hear tonight that Seatac has broken snow level records, so it's officially surpassed 1950.

Patricia - very cool that you guys build your own house. It looks very nicely done. Those deer babies are great!! I know they're not always as tame as we'd like, but I'm still fascinating when they're up close like that.

RC - are you up high enough that this snow is normal for you? My place looks almost like that. Wish I had a tractor. I hope you are able to get out tomorrow easily. Bummer about your phone.

Sally - I know what you mean about being in the moment and just doing as you're instructed with your DHs CPR. They say that kids do so well in emergencies with 911 because they follow instructions. It sounds like that's what kept you all going. I tend to be "robo-woman" in emergencies, too. No independent thought, but I can pick things up and go for help. LOL

Laura - sorry about your injury. I've fallen a couple times coming down the hill. And clearing a path today through the crusted ice tops was started to hurt my knee. Ice usually wins when you come in direct contact with it. Hope your DH gets out okay tomorrow.

Bea - how unfair that it's warm enough to kill your snowman, but that it's cold enough to mess with your power. I hope you got your cooking done today. What ever happened with the smoke alarm?

Mary - I think you're right to put your safety first. Your boss should know you well enough now to know that you'll do what you can. But this weather is not usual.

I'm with you, Kate, there was a time when I could appreciate the snow more (though I had a moment of that when walking home last night in the dark through the woods reciting Robert Frost).

Whose woods these are, I think I know
His house is in the village, though
He will not see me standing here
To watch his woods fill up with snow

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year

He give his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake

The woods are lovely, dark and deep
But I have promises to keep
And miles to go before I sleep
And miles to go before I sleep.

Ahhhhhh. I love that poem and it suits this weather perfectly. Thank you, Robert Frost.

This message was edited Dec 21, 2008 11:07 PM

thank you for the poem katie... lovely

katie....yes, that's lovely.

I can usually handle an emergency......then completely and utterly fall apart.LOL