36" of snow? Please be careful!!!

[Dave Anderson NH]

Here in NH and in MA too for that matter they have already declared a state of ememrgency and no one but esential service personnel are allowed on the roads starting at midnight. Here we expect 18-25" according to the latest forecast. The temps will be in the high teens, the winds 35+ mph with gusts to 75, but the snow will be light and fluffy. Since I'm stuck at home all day tomorrow with work cancelled I'll just play it by ear. I've plenty of wood for the woodstove if needed, and in case of a power outage I have a 14kw propane generator. I'll shovel and snow blow based on how the wind ends up. It's too easy to overplan things and then have to modify based on what really happens.

By the way, my 2 stage Simplicity will handle snow deeper than the throat by just slowly nibbling away until I reach a depth less than the throat and then it's full speed ahead.

[Val Kosmider]

I lived in the snowiest city in the US for several years. 2011, I think, we had just over 200 inches....120 in December alone. Dumps of a couple of feet of lake effect were quite common.

On the really big ones, you got out about every foot and clear it away. I used an Ariens 24" snow blower with a nine HP engine. For the most part, it did a great job. If the snow was REALLY wet it was work; and when the wind blew, as is the case with the current storm, and the drift outside the garage door was up to the top of the door, it took an effort with the manual shovel to get started.

And then there was that 6 foot bank at the end of the driveway where the Oskosh plow from the town came by....

All in all, you have to stay on top of it and nibble away a little bit at a time. If you wait till the end of the storm there is always somebody running around with a bucket loader willing to dig you out....for a price.

[Ken Platt]

Trying to decide about whether to wait and clear at one go vs easier but multiple times is why I gave away my Ariens walk-behind and bought a 60" wide snowblower with a tractor. I just adjust how fast I drive to the weight of the snow - although usually faster is better, it seems to drive the snow up and out the chute better when it's really wet. Slow down and it clogs.

With snow this light, it'll be pedal to the metal, which sounds a lot faster than it really is, of course. Still, the 300' driveway is the least of my work. I have to do the chicken's run by hand....and then there's the deck.

I love, love, love that snowblower. Snow like this it'll blow 30' away easy.

Ken

[Jebediah Eckert]

I'm in it now and winds are whistling. I have a few beers cooling out in the snow. As soon as I grab one the hole that it left is filled in within minutes. Not going to be fun. I will have to play it be ear tomorrow. I have a tractor with a plow on front. I may just give it a quick clear I'm the morning. If it all blows back I'm only out my time.

Ken, we may be neighbors? Small world. Haha

[John Coloccia]

I'm right in Bolton but sort of live off in the woods. With the wind the way it is, I'll be waiting until it lets up a bit. I don't really want to get whacked in the head with a tree, snow or no snow.

[Pat Barry]

Anyone got pictures?

Also, yesterday lots of the folks I talked to here in Minny are a bit jealous - they have no snow so their snomobiles are sitting idle in the garage.

[Jim Matthews]

I dunno about the locals near you, but "down heya" by the Rhode Island coast,
the Swamp Yankees were in all out panic, yesterday.

Today, they're ticked off that nothing bad happened.
There's just no pleasing Massholes, is there?

(I moved here from the foot of the Adirondacks in New York. I've never lived near people so ill-prepared for predictable weather.)

[Jim Matthews]

It's just enough to get my kids excited, and tire out the dogs.

No big deal. Schools are closed, mass transit stopped and people
will be eating bread and milk for a month before they see the
back of their refrigerators again.

[roger wiegand]

Haven't ventured out to the shop this morning.

[Cody Kemble]

Not going anywhere. I finished moving in Sunday night and had no time to prepare for this.

[Paul McGaha]

Not going anywhere. I finished moving in Sunday night and had no time to prepare for this.

How much snow did you get Cody? I'd guess you're pretty close to 3 foot.

[Cody Kemble]

It's hard to tell with the drifts. The deck has just over 20" and in front it just crests a concrete bench that is around 2'. All in all I'd say close to 24". It has drifted over waist high at the garage and it should continue through the afternoon.

[Dave Anderson NH]

As of 7:20 EST we have 30" with the oddball drift of 4-5 feet. The winds weren't as bad as forecast at least where I live thought they were up to maybe 30mph. It is currently still snowing lightly and we expect maybe another 3-4 inches before things wind down. Right now the driveway is clear, the deck and patio are clear and there is easy access to the 2 propane tanks of 120 gallons and the generator they feed (if necessary).

The bottom line: It's NH, it's winter, it snows. That's just the way it is.

[John Coloccia]

It's hard to tell with the drifts. The deck has just over 20" and in front it just crests a concrete bench that is around 2'. All in all I'd say close to 24". It has drifted over waist high at the garage and it should continue through the afternoon.

That's about what I was guessing too. All in all, not too bad really. Just a lot of digging. I was expecting a lot worse.

[Keith Westfall]

Cody,

Looks like it has turned your world upside down!! Hope you (and all the rest) get through it OK.

klw