asmac

No names for snowstorms but maybe we should start! You really are from New Orleans!
When the temperature drops to -15c Toronto issues a "Cold Weather Alert" that mostly has to do with extra beds for the homeless but has a breathless quality that makes me think Armegeddon is approaching. There does seem to an Orwellian thing going around to keep us all afraid and controllable. Weather being the least part of it.

tsl

It's a Weather Channel thing they started this year. The one that just went by was Winter Storm Saturn.

But you can bet your sweet bippy be there won't be a Winter Storm Uranus.

JoeyBike

I still have images of Goldie Hawn's hand painted gyrating body burned into a brain cell somewhere.

Giving away your age brother. See you in the 50+ Forum. "Say goodnight Dick".

Trower

I live in Northern Maine, and we get a lot of snow but they almost always keep the roads passable. On really stormy mornings when it's low visability with wind or snowing really hard, I hitch a ride with my boss as he drives right by my house. But thats 2 or 3 times a winter.

The harder part is the cold, we get some really cold stretches in January and Febuary. If it drops under -30F it's just too cold to make the commute and I hitch a ride.

tjspiel

Though it may not snow in New Orleans, one thing it has in common with Minneapolis is the Mississippi (to the right in the pics below). As I was riding into work this morning I took a closer look at St. Anthony Falls than I have in awhile. The water was pretty low. It reminded me of how dry it had been through the summer and Fall. In spite of having a snowier February and early March it's still only been an average winter in terms of precip. We need much more snow and rain, so bring it on.









There is a difference between an early/mid winter snowfall and an early March snowfall. Things melt much quicker in March. If this was two days after snowstorm in January, there'd be hardpack on that path rather than bare pavement. The first pic was from December. The middle pic was from February. The last from this morning. All the pictures were taken shortly after a significant snow. Temps matter of course but a big difference is the angle of the sun in the sky. It's much higher this time of year.

Snow can be a minor inconvenience for me but I wouldn't have a winter without it.

tsl

Goodnight, Dick.

asmac

Ah, geez... why did they go and do that? I missed it. In my experience they were called The Blizzard of '98 or some such though I can only remember one such event, ever. It was, as it happens called the March 4 blizzard.

The other ones were called "Look, it's snowing out."

ItsJustMe

I've made it to work on the bike on days that it would have been difficult in the car. I've made it on days when it was impossible in the car - usually when it's so icy that cars can't make it up hills.
That said, my super busy season is winter and when I start working 14 hour days, I generally just drive because I am barely getting enough sleep anyway without burning an extra hour plus of time riding. And now, when my work is slacking off a bit, I'm not able to ride every day because my legs aren't up to it (and the gravel road that is my best route is a bit of a quagmire when we start to get daytime melt).

redeyedtreefr0g

This.

You are generally slower with snow on the ground too- whether it's from actually having to work harder to pedal through snow, going slower due to caution and to maintain control, or maybe because you're stopping every few feet to take pictures because it's SO PRETTY. I always make sure to leave an extra 15 minutes early- my commute is about 30 minutes in winter- I'm slower in general this year, for some reason. It's 4.5 miles one-way. The recent warm weather makes me feel like I'm flying and I've noticed higher speeds on my computer.

I'm a school bus driver so I'm out in whatever nature threw down very early. In the few snowfalls we've had I get to make the first tracks on at least part of the trail, if not most of it. On weekdays I usually meet someone in a little bobcat thingy plowing, but the weekend we got a bunch of snow (6 inches?) only part of it was plowed Monday morning. I got wonderful pictures too, see my blog post here. My main concern with snow is being able to see it. I don't want to be out traveling without being able to clearly see the rut directions and such that i need to be bumping over.

Now that I actually have real tires, I'm excited to see what tomorrow's storm will bring- they're predicting probably the most snow we've had so far this year. I may have to attend some 1980's themed ride just so I make sure to get out and play in it!

I've noticed this year (my second commuting by bike AND dealing with actual winter) that my balance is EXTREMELY improved. With the deep snow I mentioned above, one section of sidewalk never did get plowed. I was bumping along, twisting my handlebars this way and that way and twitching to recover when the unexpected slip or slide occurred... I got through without falling, without being tense and cramped- frankly, I was amazed at myself. It was one of the best feelings in the world, and I know I could not have accomplished that at all last year even if I'd been brave enough to try. And that was without studs, on my slick hybrid tires! Imagine what I can tackle now with a little bit of tread and those itty bitty studs!

Ozonation

Up here in Canada, it snows everyday, 12 hours per day. Winter is normal; summer is a myth.

JoeyBike

The world is your oyster (as they say). Sounds like you are having a blast with the white stuff.

wolfchild

This was my 6th winter and as usual it was a lot of fun... But I am glad a change of season is taking place and spring is on it's way. Can't wait till it gets very warm so I can take off my shirt and get a very dark sun tan

Snowman219

We gots' a snowplow here, nobody knows how to use it though. It rained back in uh...Januaryish and we had an inch of ice ALL over the damn place. I fell on my butt twice and had to ditch my bike about a quarter mile away from my job and walk in the foot of snow on the side of the road! I caved and went and bought some strap on ice cleats and a set of spare rims/Klondike WIDE Studded tires. If it gets any worse I'm getting a quadricycle and some sled dogs.
Actually I have 1 sled dog, she's german shepard husky and a 3 legged cat. I'm set! MUSH HO!

Burton

Here in the Great White North a little snow doesn't raise any eyebrows. People ski in it, snowmobile in it, snowshoe in it and camp in it. And thats just fir fun. So commuting by bicycle or car isn't a big deal - the roads are plowed and in some places - do are the bike paths. I find studded tires gelp, but lots of people do without.

spivonious

I bail and take the car if there's snow or gusty winds in the forecast (>30mph). It's just not fun to ride in those conditions.

TOTAL CONTROL

I bought a set this winter. But the snow never got deep enough to use......at least not yet.: https://www.slipnottraction.com/

But when the snow finally does come for me, trust & believe....this cyclist will damn sure be ready:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zBQPBKcYACI

asmac

Another studded tire: https://www.bikeradar.com/gear/catego...-diavolo-37540

alhedges

They are good at plowing here, but if we get a heavy snowfall after midnight, they often can't get it clear by rush hour. In this case, the most common concession is to start work at 11 (and suggest that we work at home in the morning). If there is particularly heavy snow, they may have us work from home. Occasionally, if we are having meetings with out of town people, they will put some of us up in a downtown hotel.
Winter is my busy season, so I tend not to ride that frequently anyway. But I would bail to the car.
No. The biggest issue where I live isn't that there is an impassable snow mound, but that the roads are somewhat slick, which makes riding/driving with other traffic more dangerous. I.e., my biggest worry driving to work after a 10" snowfall (which will have been partially plowed) isn't that I'll slide off the road, but that another car will slide into me.

It completely depends on the plowing. 12 hours after a 12" snowfall, all but the residential roads will be clear. 3-4" that haven't been plowed is way too much for me, though.

Note that this is just snow - ice makes things much more difficult.

How many work days each winter do you lose on average due to the white stuff?[/QUOTE]
Average is probably 1 work morning; some years I have none.