Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Snow Days = White Christmas

Yes, we'll be having a white Christmas, thanks in part to the recent (and now tapering) Pineapple Express. Image is from NOAA, the evening of the 19th (2:30 Dec 20 UTC).
Here's what it looked like yesterday in front of our little house...
...and here's what it looked like this morning.
The Prius yesterday...
...the Prius this morning, slowly getting buried deeper and deeper.
We don't have all that much room to pile up snow when we shovel it, so we use a wheel barrow to haul the snow uphill out of our driveway, down the street where it can be piled out of everyone's way.

Note the conspicuous absence of my truck in these photos. It's parked on the street below because it wasn't possible to get it up the hill yesterday, though by the end of the day it probably would have been possible. It is, however, safe from becoming snowed in like the Prius, so we're just leaving it there for the nonce. If we do laundry today or tomorrow, we may have to haul our baskets down to the truck with MOH's snow sled, the one he uses to carry extra gear when snow camping.
Snow on our roof, as of this morning. Yesterday, after two days of snowfall amounting to about a foot per day, I measured 14 inches of compacted snow on the low roof behind our garden.
Here, MOH is measuring the snow on our rooftop. L-square height is 24 inches. His measurement of 17 inches agrees with my behind-the-garden measurement, also of 17 inches. Snow depth varies considerably from place to place, and the 2 feet of Sierra Cement that fell the first two days (after a day of rain) compacted immensely.
Another shot of the Prius.
Inside, I have found the view out my window to be fascinating: ice from icicles has melded with snow on branches.
Unfortunately, these shots can only be taken through the non-removable window screen.

Why does it snow?
More on the Pineapple Express, called an "Atmospheric River" at the WunderBlog.

10 comments:

Gaelyn said...

OMG! You Are Buried! Not my cup of tea at all. Be careful out there.

Lockwood said...

So pretty if you don't actually have to cope with it.

Silver Fox said...

Gaelyn, thanks! It may be tapering off, and after two days of shoveling burn out, we are just letting the snow sit where it lies. For the moment, anyway.

Silver Fox said...

It is pretty... though I've noticed that it pretty much looks the same every year. Challenging to get "new" photos. :)

Anonymous said...

Is your roof safe with 17 inches of "Sierra cement" on it? I sure hope so! Or do you shovel it off?

--Howard

Short Geologist said...

If you're snowed in, I hope you took a break from shoveling to make some snow angels! I'm not anticipating a white christmas up my way - less scenic but much easier driving!

Silver Fox said...

Howard, I think the roof has had more than 17 inches on it before - and we've never gone up and shoveled. The snow was heavier than usual to start with though...

Silver Fox said...

SG - have a merry christmas! I didn't make any snow angels, or snowmen, but haven't shoveled at all today. MOH took over, and is now out for supplies, which he'll ferry up the hill from the parked-below truck via sled. Hopefully that will work! (Supplies: nog, etc.)

Nina F said...

I live at about 5400' and have just had the rain (the predictions had been for rain below 8000')- but I expect the higher elevations in southern Utah must look pretty much like this!

Silver Fox said...

Nina, I knew when I saw your post about the Pineapple Express that I'd have to report on it here. We're at 6500 feet, something I forgot to mention in this post.