Now this is a snow storm, even by NY State standards! We’re close to 2 ft now, headed to about 3 ft when we’re done. This is a good one, for sure!
Yesterday morning we attended a funeral for the husband of a friend. It started snowing as we were driving to the funeral home at 11AM. At the cemetery, the snow was light and melting on the roads and grounds, which was actually better than rain would have been. Traveling throughout the afternoon was easy. It wasn’t until after 5PM that the temperature dropped below freezing and the snow started to accumulate.
At 9AM this morning, there was 18 – 22 inches of snow where we were out cleaning around the house. The local weather service is reporting 22 inches nearby – there is definitely more snow at this time than the December storm. The winds had died down from during the night when there was a lot of drifting. I awoke briefly before 5AM and heard thunder but did not see any lightning. Wbaltv.com is forecasting another 10-12 inches by the end of the storm tonight.
Donna and I cleaned some heavy snow from trees close to the house, especially Jack’s Magnolia and the big Scotch Pine. Donna dug out the front walkways while I dug out the emergency generator in case it is needed. It was buried and could have choked on the snow if it had tried to start. I also dug out around the heat pump for the garage side of the house. It was about half buried because it sits about 4 ft high. The gas fireplace is working good. We’re good to go for now!
The local news reports 33,000 people are without power around Baltimore. We had the emergency generator installed this Fall, which probably means we’ll never lose power again – a small price to pay for that security. One benefit of all the snow this Winter is the swimming pool will be full when Spring arrives. It was drained this Fall when renovated and then half filled before being closed. I checked the water during the thaw in January and it was near the top step so it is on schedule to be full in April. It’s hard to envision swimming right now but it is a pleasant thought.
At 11AM, it’s snowing harder with bigger flakes – thankfully, the winds are light. The bird feeders are attracting many birds. The post the feeders are on is 7 ft high but it looks much, much shorter right now. The backyard looks like a flat plane with all the bushes covered. Some of the outdoor furniture can still be seen but they are slowly being covered, too.
Pappy’s dog, Big Red, doesn’t know what to make of the snow. He’s less than a foot high so it is overwhelming to him but he has some paths cleared for him to go outside near the house.