Fall Banter and General Discussion

[powderfreak]

19 minutes ago, WxWatcher007 said:

Distraught SNE weenies with rulers in one hand and phones in the other lining up behind Ray to tell the lot of y’all to go to hell. An annual tradition lol.

I wasn’t going to mention any posters but usually starts there, ha ha.

[ORH_wxman]

8 minutes ago, alex said:

I drove to Whitefield daily last year and I can confirm that there were plenty of times when we have a foot plus and they had nothing. Literally bare ground. In fact I’ve noticed a few occasions when Littleton had significantly more snowcover. It’s a combination of lack of significant upslope, strong downslope, and poor CAD (although we are even worse on that front at the higher elevations, but we more than make it up in upslope)

Yeah even Littleton itself is noticeably better though still a bit snow-holish...and SW Littleton is actually pretty good and down toward Franconia. I’m sure you’ve noticed driving around...it obviously keeps increasing rapidly as you head down toward Franconia Notch and Cannon Mountain.

I think the lack of precip is as much to blame or even more so than not holding CAD. Downslope drying in between snowstorms probably helps sublimate the light snows they get more than other areas too...esp on a south or southwest wind.  It’s like 2 or 3 factors all conspiring to make them a local minimum. 

I don’t want to make it sound like they are the Mid-Atlantic....it’s just a very acute local minimum. They still get plenty of light snows from clippers, windex events, and probably even some favorable blocked upslope setups...and even do fine on southwest flow event moderate synoptic snows, but they really struggle on bigger setups and have trouble holding their temps on unfavorable setups compared to other areas nears them. 

 

[dendrite]

If you like radiating and a short growing season HIE is for you though.

[ORH_wxman]

Just now, dendrite said:

If you like radiating and a short growing season HIE is for you though.

Yeah that whole valley floor probably radiates like the moon...esp with fresh snow cover. Probably some -35 to -40ish temps in the coldest winters. Maybe even colder in the local Maple Hollows of the area. 

[powderfreak]

41 minutes ago, CoastalWx said:

It’s not just the thaws, it’s flurries and 2-5” snows. I couldn’t take that knowing 20 miles East is getting smoked. Yeah it would be wintry compared to here, but yeesh....I’d rather rain than see the atmosphere choke on dendrites while 20 miles away gets 18”.

Sounds like my house to the picnic tables and it’s only 5 miles as crow flies.  But it’s never bothered me at all... that’s where I need my snow, under my skis, ha.  I certainly would never prefer rain and will take 5” all day long while the picnic tables pile up the pow.  But it’s still pretty damn wintry regardless and we don’t get screwed in synoptic events, I think that would hurt more.

It also helps when you spend 60+ hours a week and all free time up in that snow... it’s sort of like having two homes, one is snowier than the other lol.

[ORH_wxman]

Just now, powderfreak said:

Sounds like my house to the picnic tables and it’s only 5 miles as crow flies.  But it’s never bothered me at all... that’s where I need my snow, under my skis, ha.  I certainly would never prefer rain and will take 5” all day long while the picnic tables pile up the pow.

It also helps when you spend 60+ hours a week and all free time up in that snow... it’s sort of like having two homes, one is snowier than the other lol.

Yeah it would probably drive you nuts if you didn’t spend all that time up there, but in your situation it’s like two residences. 

[alex]

6 minutes ago, ORH_wxman said:

Yeah that whole valley floor probably radiates like the moon...esp with fresh snow cover. Probably some -35 to -40ish temps in the coldest winters. Maybe even colder in the local Maple Hollows of the area. 

-36 was the coldest I’ve seen since moving here. It hurts

[powderfreak]

9 minutes ago, ORH_wxman said:

Yeah it would probably drive you nuts if you didn’t spend all that time up there, but in your situation it’s like two residences. 

Yeah all daylight hours in one spot, leave home in the dark and come home in the dark, ha.  Most of my daytime weather watching is in a very snowy climate.  Plus we do actually do well in some events and don’t get shafted in synoptic storms... in fact any synoptic storm with SE or East low level flow will jack this side.  Liquid equivalent wise we do decent.

The western slope gets the fluffy upslope and adds up inches, but then you get a 1” QPF synoptic storm and that west side gets 0.40”.  That’s more like HIE probably.  I think it would really bother me to get shafted in synoptic region wide events more than getting 5” vs 12” in the fluffers.   Then you have the J.Spin’s and Phin who do both well...plus obviously my work.

[CoastalWx]

10 minutes ago, powderfreak said:

Yeah all daylight hours in one spot, leave home in the dark and come home in the dark, ha.  Most of my daytime weather watching is in a very snowy climate.  Plus we do actually do well in some events and don’t get shafted in synoptic storms... in fact any synoptic storm with SE or East low level flow will jack this side.  Liquid equivalent wise we do decent.

The western slope gets the fluffy upslope and adds up inches, but then you get a 1” QPF synoptic storm and that west side gets 0.40”.  That’s more like HIE probably.  I think it would really bother me to get shafted in synoptic region wide events more than getting 5” vs 12” in the fluffers.   Then you have the J.Spin’s and Phin who do both well...plus obviously my work.

You’re in a good spot. Decent CAD and still do well in synoptic events and catch upslope at the same time. You live in a good spot. I know Jspin is probably the ultimate weenie spot that acts like it’s the base of Stowe, but consider yourself fortunate. 

[Skivt2]

33 minutes ago, powderfreak said:

Sounds like my house to the picnic tables and it’s only 5 miles as crow flies.  But it’s never bothered me at all... that’s where I need my snow, under my skis, ha.  I certainly would never prefer rain and will take 5” all day long while the picnic tables pile up the pow.  But it’s still pretty damn wintry regardless and we don’t get screwed in synoptic events, I think that would hurt more.

It also helps when you spend 60+ hours a week and all free time up in that snow... it’s sort of like having two homes, one is snowier than the other lol.

I totally get that.  For years I spent all the daylight hours when I was in CT in the office in Hartford. And I rarely looked out the window there and never went outside  I never saw my CT house in daylight except occasional mornings all winter.  But then I would spend Thursday-Monday at Pico at 2,000 feet with lots of time outside and near windows during daylight in a big snow area. I love snow. I’m a total snow weenie.  But I seriously felt like it really did not mater whether It snowed at my house in CT.  I’m my brain I lived in deep snow country.  That was my native culture. Living in the northern Greens would be even better of course.  

[powderfreak]

29 minutes ago, CoastalWx said:

You’re in a good spot. Decent CAD and still do well in synoptic events and catch upslope at the same time. You live in a good spot. I know Jspin is probably the ultimate weenie spot that acts like it’s the base of Stowe, but consider yourself fortunate. 

Yeah certainly not suffering and definitely not looking for sympathy in this forum lol... getting 100” or more is still pretty snowy.  There’s also the half a year it’s not snowing to consider, ha.  I always think about it, but I’m not ready to give up the social aspect of living in the middle of a ski town (well, once COVID is done it’ll ramp back up) and having so much stuff within walking distance.  

Moving to a place that gets a similar climo to the office at work would (short of winning the lottery and just moving up to a 2-3 million place) would likely involve living somewhere with a 45 minute drive to get to work vs. the 7 minutes now.  I guess that’s what I am thinking instead of burning the place down for getting less snow on NW winds than the jackpot zone, lol.  Plenty close for weenie drives in elevation events.

I do think by the time I’m 50 I will want to maybe head out to a more recluse high el spot; maybe then it’ll be time to cash in on 180” a year in the yard.  For now I’ll settle with checking the snow boards at 1,500ft and 3,000ft and living the daytimes in that snowfall.

I am really stoked for Phin this year though, dude worked hard and toiled in a Maryland climate for a long time... cashed in on the hard work building a company and found a spot.  That’s the American snow weenie dream.

[weathafella]

I'm going to do some time in Stowe at some point.  Freak needs to get a real estate license so I can give him some business. 

I was in LA for 15 years and started interviewing for jobs on the east coast.  The first one was DC and my perspective was it snowed plenty considering where my prior 15 years were.  But the concept of upslope and synoptic snow on so many days is really appealing to me.  Plus summers are really nice.  Damn-8 more work days-and I'm waiting for HR to mess this up......gotta baby sit every process.  Taxes in VT are really high though.  Here, a big chunk of my retirement income is exempt from state income taxes and property taxes in my town are not bad at all.

[Ginx snewx]

First call, Phin is first in line calling for his Momma

[weathafella]

Just now, Ginx snewx said:

First call, Phin is first in line calling for his Momma

Randoph, NH must avenge 130-140?

[PhineasC]

1 minute ago, weathafella said:

Randoph, NH must avenge 130-140?

The CoCoRaHS site in my sig averaged 185" over the past 10 years.

[Ginx snewx]

6 hours ago, PhineasC said:

The CoCoRaHS site in my sig averaged 185" over the past 10 years.

Metal roofs? 

[NorEastermass128]

8 hours ago, PhineasC said:

The CoCoRaHS site in my sig averaged 185" over the past 10 years.

That’s almost too much haha. I remember being sick of the snow by the end of 14-15. Blasphemous I know. Now I can’t buy a good storm. 

[CoastalWx]

Nah we want to be buried into March. Then 80 in Napril. Not too much to ask. 

[Cold Miser]

Just now, CoastalWx said:

Nah we want to be buried into March. Then 80 in Napril. Not too much to ask. 

Can we order this up now and beat the holiday rush?  

Thanks in advance.

[ORH_wxman]

Skiing is a hobby for Phin, so no need to rush spring up there. Some of the best skiing is during March and early April with the mountains draped in an entire winter's worth of snow pack.......and also when you don't have to bundle up like you are Shackleton on an Antarctica expedition.

March and (in many years) early April is what Ginxy and I have long called "the best open secret in New England" for skiing.

[dryslot]

10 hours ago, Ginx snewx said:

First call, Phin is first in line calling for his Momma

Especially when he gets his plowing bill every month.

[PhineasC]

1 minute ago, dryslot said:

Especially when he gets his plowing bill every month.

About $80 a plow is what the guy says he charges. I have no way to know if that is a good price or not...

It's a solid quarter mile of driveway with a loop and a big open area that needs to be cleared. Seemed reasonable.

[dryslot]

Just now, PhineasC said:

About $80 a plow is what the guy says he charges. I have no way to know if that is a good price or not...

It's a solid quarter mile of driveway with a loop and a big open area that needs to be cleared. Seemed reasonable.

For that length of driveway, That don't sound bad, I'm sure if its the same guy that's been doing it he knows enough to start by pushing the first snow storm well back so you don't end up out of room or have to have someone come in with a front end loader to move piles, Sometimes a problem with folks NW of here.

[PhineasC]

Just now, dryslot said:

For that length of driveway, That don't sound bad, I'm sure if its the same guy that's been doing it he knows enough to start by pushing the first snow storm well back so you don't end up out of room or have to have someone come in with a front end loader to move piles, Sometimes a problem with folks NW of here.

Yeah, he said that he tries to maneuver the snow and stay on top of it so that doesn't happen. Apparently they did need to bring in front loaders a few times in the past when they had nowhere else to put the snow. We will see how it goes this winter, obviously I have never dealt with anything remotely like this.

[BrianW]

14 minutes ago, dryslot said:

Especially when he gets his plowing bill every month.

I would be more worried about my heating bill there. Looks like propane is $2.80 a gallon in that area. Wait until he experiences his furnace running 24/7 when its -25 out. 

[greenmtnwx]

Will, you are the master of pinpointing average snowfall. Maybe you could give me your number on my cabin?

 

[PhineasC]

2 minutes ago, BrianW said:

I would be more worried about my heating bill there. Looks like propane is $2.80 a gallon in that area. Wait until he experiences his furnace running 24/7 when its -25 out. 

We have a hot water fuel oil boiler system. Hopefully it will be decently efficient, but yeah we are expecting a big bill.

[dryslot]

9 minutes ago, PhineasC said:

Yeah, he said that he tries to maneuver the snow and stay on top of it so that doesn't happen. Apparently they did need to bring in front loaders a few times in the past when they had nowhere else to put the snow. We will see how it goes this winter, obviously I have never dealt with anything remotely like this.

Tell the plow guy to push the first one back to the base of Mt Crescent, That should give you plenty of room.............

 

[ORH_wxman]

4 minutes ago, greenmtnwx said:

Will, you are the master of pinpointing average snowfall. Maybe you could give me your number on my cabin?

 

I forget where you are....pretty close to Mt. Snow or Stratton, right?

Snowfall is pretty variable around there so I'd need to know which town and which side of that town. Like the western side of Wardsboro above 1300-1400 feet is probably 120-130 while eastern side lower down is maybe 90-100. Similar results in Jamaica and Dover.

The West Wardsboro coop averaged 117" when they were in commission from 1978-2011 and they were at 1400 feet. A lot of dogshit years in the 1980s too, so their longterm average is probably a bit higher in the 125-130 range would be my guess.

[ORH_wxman]

29 minutes ago, PhineasC said:

About $80 a plow is what the guy says he charges. I have no way to know if that is a good price or not...

It's a solid quarter mile of driveway with a loop and a big open area that needs to be cleared. Seemed reasonable.

That's a good price for a driveway that long....whats the threshold for plowing though? If it's like 2 inches, then you might have a lot of plow bills.....lol.