As expected, winter has eventually arrived, complete with about 6" of snow. The snow squalls developed Monday and continued overnight, so we woke up to a white winter landscape on Tuesday. I no longer enjoy winter as I once did, skiing and snowshoeing, since I can't get out and ride safely in the snow. And if it gets a little slushy, the electric motor on my wheelchair doesn't do very well!
The storms that bring a lot of snow are 'lake-effect' snow squalls. This means that the westerly wind picks up moisture blowing over Lake Huron or Georgian Bay and then dumps it as snow on land. This sort of snow squall can be very dense and heavy, and occur in a narrow band which you can see on the radar. The view across the street, past the few leaves left on our Tulip tree, shows you what it's like. We've driven into one and it's like hitting a wall of white, then after a few terror-filled moments, coming out the other side, sometimes into bright sunlight!
As you can imagine, this sort of snow storm wreaks havoc with traffic. Here, if you haven't got snow tires on by now you shouldn't be allowed to drive! Ours are always on by Nov. 1st.
oooooh it's so pretty, you know i am jealous!! for me, snow tires is a term of yesteryear. our sport utility vehicles always have 4 wheel drive, and we never "change" our tires. i will have to ask the hubs about that, if people with cars change their tires!!! the hubs said tires sold in this area are "all season" tires and that no one has to change them for winter!!
ReplyDeleteIt looks beautiful but I'm glad we don't have any yet. I had my tires changed before Halloween this year so I am ready. Stay warm.
ReplyDeleteWhew, your crane has his buried already, roll onto summer he is saying.Love that view out past your chairs, as it changes with the seasons.
ReplyDeleteI love the snow in the ornamental grass. We get the snow squalls from the wind blowing over the sea and picking up moisture and dumping it as snow on the island. Isn’t nature amazing!
ReplyDeleteI try to avoid winter tires for as long as possibly, so we go to about mid-November.
ReplyDeleteI looked immediately for your "snow" crane. It is such a reliable measurement of the snow fall.
ReplyDeleteI've driven in blizzard conditions before, but that's usually light fluffy snow and while it does cause difficulty with visibility, I suspect a snow squall with heavy wet snow would be far worse.
Stay warm and stay safe!
Happy Winter - the snow is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful beautiful snow. We haven't used snow tires since we graduated to Subarus, no need for them here, even to climb the hill to the house in a heavy wet snow.
ReplyDeleteSnow does put a damper on many things. But it is warm inside. Be careful.
ReplyDeleteYes, it's definitely looking very wintery up your way. Winter is not my favorite time of the year either.
ReplyDeleteYes, it's arrived all right. We have no snow but lots and lots of rain from an atmospheric river. Flood watches are everywhere but it's very mild.
ReplyDeleteWow you got some snow!
ReplyDeleteThat's a lot of snow!
ReplyDeleteStay warm.
All the best Jan