Storm mode 2
Interesting snowstorm yesterday. For most of the day the temp was around 35 here, which meant that the snow stayed on places that were already snow-covered but melted on open cement and grass. Nominal total was 6 inches, but the 'shovelable' amount was more like 3 inches.

The Weather Bureau missed this, and most of the TV/radio "meteorologists" mindlessly went along with the Weather Bureau. Mark Peterson of KXLY predicted it right. Snow in the morning, rain-snow mix in the afternoon. Peterson has a good record of accurately describing reality instead of quoting the Official Version.

Note from the Weather Bureau, by their measurements: "With yesterday's storm, Spokane has now had more snowfall so far this season than all of last winter! This year so far: 18.5 inches. Last year (total): 17.6 inches."



I did some intensive raking, adding the third section to the rake pole for the first time and reaching higher on the roof. Cleaned the outer half of both sides, making ice dams impossible.

Oddly, it seems like I'm the only 'raker' in town, at least on the streets I normally see when walking or busing. In previous years a few other raked roofs were starting to appear at this point in the season.

One welcome difference from previous snowy years: More people with snow-blowers are clearing the sidewalk on their entire block. Previously, each homeowner cleared his own frontage and maybe one or two lots beyond it. There are always non-shovelers in each block, which means that everyone's work is useless. It's like vaccination. When the blower owners catch the unshoveled lots, everyone's work is worth doing. Thanks, blower owners!

The sidewalks are especially welcome because the alleged "city" is doing a bad job on the streets. Copkiller Condon, Bloomberg's best bitchboy, is too busy sulking about the police rejection of his NYC "husband" Copkiller Straub. No time or energy for optional hobby-type activities like PLOWING AND SANDING THE FUCKING STREETS.


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12/25 update: Now I see two other rakers. One is familiar from previous years and sort of minimal, clearing only the first foot above the eave. The other is fresh. A nearly new house, a block west of me, and he seems to have emulated my technique of baring the bottom half. Are we starting a trend? Raking up with the Joneses? Probably not, but I can pretend.


1/1 update: Now we have two more rakers along my street. Still none visible on other streets. We got a Convoy!

1/2 update: One more. Total of 5 rakers, all within about one block of my house. Still none visible elsewhere.

Labels: Heimatkunde

  ¶ 3:13 AM