A La Nina Type Blizzard may come to Metro-Detroit

**Zacha341** · February-02-11, 01:55 PM

It's a trip without luggage... you don't know who to believe. We got about 4 inches here in the new center area of Detroit. Those who have jobs that did not pay for day off are not happy..... most school districts closed before a snow really started. I hear it worse the further north you go..............

Originally Posted by blackmath

This is getting ridiculous. From now on I'm going to completely disregard any weather "forecasts" that I hear whatsoever. But hey, at least I got a snow day out of it...

**rbdetsport** · February-02-11, 02:27 PM

Originally Posted by courtney

I remember when they called a snow day on my birthday - December 8, 2000. Not sure if it was the last time they closed, but it wasn't so bad then, either.

I remember this day like it was yesterday. It always surprises me that this storm never shows up in the top 10 and no one ever mentions this. If I recall correctly, up in Macomb Township, we had over a foot. I was off of school for two days in a row because of the storm. It was probably one of the bigger snow storms I ever experienced. The memory of my sister and I digging out the driveway so my dad's old camero could pull in is still very vivid to me. Good times!

**ja!mz** · February-02-11, 05:23 PM

Strange...I remeber that week in 2000 very well also...my father had bought us a snowthrower on the 9th, and we had a foot of snow starting on that monday the 11th around 12:00 pm and having not to go to work on that tuesday. My father passed away that spring unexpectedly, but I will always remember that snowy, cold December as the last Xmas holidays with my dad. I just got done clearing the snow today with that same snow thrower-you can never go wrong with a Toro!

DetroitDad · February-02-11, 06:26 PM

Family up North was supposed to get two feet, as fore-casted, and they got barely one. There is a significant difference between 12' and 24'. I'm a little bothered by the snow day and poor predictions. But, I guess it's better safe than sorry. I wouldn't be complaining if I was in the path of a hurricane, evacuated, and returned only to find out it wasn't as bad as predicted. I'm glad we work for employers that care about our safety, and I spent my day productively.

**wolverine** · February-02-11, 06:32 PM

Took some photos this morning. Streets and sanitation really put in some hard work and were working to clear major roads downtown all night. The neighborhoods?....well not so much....

Snowdrift

Car abandoned in the middle of the street

Michigan Ave. Normally buses arrive every 30 seconds per stop around this time. Hundreds them, today in one hour I saw 1, ONE!! and it only had 2 passengers! As for for pedestrians, there were but a handful out, mostly taking pictures too.

Palmolive bldg and Hancock tower

A snowbank sits in the middle of the road on Pearson and Michigan

**canuck** · February-02-11, 08:32 PM

Love it wolverine, brings on the warm fuzzies! That is a lot of snow. Do they just plow it, or eventually a snowthrower will transfer it to a truck and on a snow dump or the lake?

This is a picture I took in february 2009 of a snow dump in an industrial park in Montreal's St-Laurent borough. The machines are leveling the pile so that dumptrucks can bring it on. It can take a while to melt, sometimes you can see a black snowpile is left in mid-may.

**Pam** · February-02-11, 09:36 PM

Scary Chicago clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1xqB1Fv8M0

DetroitDad · February-02-11, 09:54 PM

Originally Posted by Pam

Scary Chicago clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1xqB1Fv8M0

**Jimaz** · February-02-11, 10:04 PM

Originally Posted by canuck

This is a picture I took in february 2009 of a snow dump in an industrial park in Montreal's St-Laurent borough. The machines are leveling the pile so that dumptrucks can bring it on.

Wow. That brings a whole new meaning to the term "snowjob."

I have to laugh at myself. After spending 25 years in the desert with only five recent years' experience with snowblowers, I'm still learning new things about these machines.

First it was learning the basics, 50:1 gas/oil mix, choke, prime. That was easy enough although I did forget to turn the key to "ON" once. No wonder it didn't start. Doh!

Next it was figuring out where to start. Start on the windward side of the driveway, blowing toward the leeward side. It only makes sense not to blow snow into the area you've already cleared. [[I had to think this out! I was totally innocent. It's embarrassing now!)

Then, plan to make each pass a productive pass. I'd been dragging the machine backwards between productive passes without blowing any snow! Double Doh!

Latest revelation: Throw the snow the maximum distance by adjusting the angles of the exit chute. There's an azimuth angle you can set to expel the snow directly downwind. There's an altitude angle that should be set so that the snow launches at 45° up from the horizon for maximum distance. Compensate for high lateral winds by setting altitude higher.

Is there a difference between a "snowblower" and "snowthrower"?

These are the rambling headscratches of a confused desert rat geek repatriot.

**canuck** · February-02-11, 11:42 PM

Blower = thrower. My dad grew up in the east end neighborhood of Hochelaga in Montreal where Arthur Sicard first invented the snowblower on Bennett street. He later built all kinds of heavy duty trucks; cement trucks, municipal streetwashers, garbage trucks, mining, etc... He sold his first blower in 1927 to the city of Outremont, a wealthy municipality now a borough of Montreal.

**sumas** · February-03-11, 01:43 AM

Still don't get it. Michigan=snow. Whats not to understand!

Do wish people would learn to drive in it.

SUV's were stuck on our block??? SUV'S ???

Did help, but people, learn to drive.

**Magnatomicflux** · February-03-11, 02:21 AM

Meh......I would figure a good chunk of people that own SUV's don't really know how to use them. Plus they probably wern't Jeeps

Heck, most people don't know that if your car is stuck, turn off your traction control. By the time you start making progress the computer thinks you're out of control and cuts power to your wheels. And when you sit and gun it, you just dig holes. Feather the gas, rock back and forth, you'll get out of most stuff that your car isn't bottomed out on.

**Bigb23** · February-03-11, 04:57 AM

I'm just sick of the local TV news "Coverage". It's now to the point where I just ignore the "news" until they show the Radar image. How many times are they going to show images of people shoveling snow, walking in snow, driving in snow, sledding in snow, buying snow shovels and salt, and lamenting the snow ? Worthless pap to numb the masses. I've resigned myself to avoid the 5-10 am, 11-1 pm, 4-6:30, and 10-11:30 time slots the day before, during, and after the "Storm of the Century" that seems to happen several times a year. Times that coverage for every little piddling snowfall across the US, and there are tens of thousands of wasted airtime hours that advertisers and viewers alike pay for.

How about balance between snow amd real news, please.

**Meddle** · February-03-11, 05:29 AM

Most SUVs are just big cars with no special drive trains to handle adverse conditions.

**Zacha341** · February-03-11, 05:56 AM

Many schools are still closed today due to low temps and remaining snow.... DPS, Dearborn District 7 etc. See school closings list below:

http://www.clickondetroit.com/closings/index.html

**canuck** · February-03-11, 10:14 AM

Yep, people dont care about driving conditions, I see it all the time. Never mind the zero visibility or the icy roads, folks will still drive like its midsummer here. There was a 30 car pile-up and then a 70 vehicle pile-up on the south shore of Montreal yesterday including 30 tractor trailers damaged. Starting in 2009, winter tires are mandatory in Quebec, but I think drivers will never learn.

http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/...982/story.html

**jackie5275** · February-03-11, 12:08 PM

Originally Posted by Magnatomicflux

Meh......I would figure a good chunk of people that own SUV's don't really know how to use them. Plus they probably wern't Jeeps

I've never gotten stuck with any of my Grand Cherokees.

**jackie5275** · February-03-11, 12:14 PM

Originally Posted by daddeeo

The media is only hurting themselves by getting hysterical every time there is a possible big storm coming. When the predictions fall flat, people will stop paying attention to them much like the folks wouldn't listen to the kid that cried "Wolf' once too often.

I don't think it was just the media. The NWS & FEMA were just as worked up about it too. I saw the weather folks on Channel 7 explaining how they made their snowfall totals predictions. It was kind of a back-peddling justification for the 12"-18" forecast.

**jackie5275** · February-03-11, 12:20 PM

Well, now that it's all over, all I can say is that I have no photos or videoes, but I do have a sore back from clearing my driveway/sidewalk and my neighbor's who lives on the corner house. I hope every one has been safe during this snow and can cope with the cold we're having today.

**Danny** · February-03-11, 03:18 PM

Do all love Winter, folks! I glad I live here. Let the snow calm our worries. Let the children have a Winter Blast. What a Winter Wonderland.

WORD FROM THE STREET PROPHET

Grounghog Day is a fluke!

Neda, I miss you so.

**canuck** · February-04-11, 10:13 AM

Yup, you got it Danny!

ferntruth · February-04-11, 06:19 PM

Originally Posted by jackie5275

I've never gotten stuck with any of my Grand Cherokees.

My Jeep Wrangler has never let me down!

LodgeDodger · February-04-11, 08:09 PM

Originally Posted by ferntruth

My Jeep Wrangler has never let me down!

My Subaru Outback has never let me down.

[[I had to stick in my two cents.)

**thewitz** · February-04-11, 08:48 PM

Originally Posted by Danny

Do all love Winter, folks! I glad I live here. Let the snow calm our worries. Let the children have a Winter Blast. What a Winter Wonderland.

WORD FROM THE STREET PROPHET

Grounghog Day is a fluke!

Neda, I miss you so.

I remember when I was much younger someone telling me if the groundhog sees his shadow 6 weeks till spring, if he doesn't we have 1 1/2 months more of winter.