That four letter word!

[kickidee]

Well I must agree I got a stealthy giggle there. It is also funny to be a prairie person amongst all the van Isle folk during this major weather event, especially when one reads the word "extreme" applied to it!! Non the less I have seen first hand that it does create havoc! A funny story in the paper, and the news that it is melting slowly should be cheering everyone up. Got a real kick off a post on this thread I should love to Have seen woven in this story. It was when a nameless poster said simply "we're doomed!"

[neecy2k]

I remember moving to the Island back in '86 when I was a teen. I grew up along the North Thompson (Birch Island - just outside Clearwater) and was simply amazed at the panic I'd see in peoples faces when the forecast mentioned snow! You'd think armageddon was approaching. The first winter and subsequent "green Christmas" was a real novelty after being used to 3+ feet of snow at a time being dumped. I've gotten a bit soft over the years (don't we all?) but still get a giggle now and then when I realize how differently people react to a snowfall or two.

A question I have though - although we seem to get a snowfall every year, quite often its gone as fast as it appears. The city's snow removal budget is around $388,000 and it was mentioned on the news that they blew through that pretty quickly this year, but fortunately had a slush fund (how apropro!) to dip into for backup.

My question - is that $388,000 allocated every YEAR via the city budget, or is it a "maximum amount" that remains in the removal fund year after year even if its not used? Considering the effect this snowfall has had on the city - wouldn't it be prudent to put aside a fixed amount every year - whether it was used or not, so that come the "once every 20 year" snowfalls, there WOULD be enough money in the fund to attack the snow removal problem with efficiency?

[kickidee]

Sounds like a plan to me. Smokey must be gone for the holidays. he would know about budgets and all that! Or th are you there, Homeless shares a lot of research too.

[TH2008]

And now..............

.....high winds! Woo hoo!

Anyone for an earthquake?

--
TH

[kickidee]

No earthquake yet to shake things up, but where is that other 4 letter word....."rain!"? Or another favorite 4 letter word, "warm"?

[TH2008]

SNOWFALL WARNING: East Vancouver Island Issued at 6:19 PM PST SUNDAY 4 JANUARY 2009

SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS UP TO 5 CM FOR WEST AND EAST VANCOUVER ISLAND THE SUNSHINE COAST FRASER VALLEY WEST AND HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF GREATER VANCOUVER THIS EVENING. SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 10 TO 15 CM FOR FRASER VALLEY EAST BY TOMORROW MORNING. ADDITIONAL SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 10 TO 20 CM TONIGHT FOR NORTH COAST INLAND HOWE SOUND AND WHISTLER. THIS IS A WARNING THAT SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED OR OCCURRING IN THESE REGIONS. MONITOR WEATHER CONDITIONS..LISTEN FOR UPDATED STATEMENTS.
A STRONG FRONTAL SYSTEM IS PRODUCING HEAVY SNOW TO INLAND SECTIONS OF THE NORTH AND SOUTH COAST OF BRITISH COLUMBIA. ADDITIONAL SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OF 10 TO 20 CM ARE EXPECTED OVER INLAND SECTIONS OF THE NORTH COAST HOWE SOUND AND WHISTLER TONIGHT. 10 TO 15 CM IS EXPECTED OVER FRASER VALLEY EAST BY TOMORROW MORNING. LOCAL COASTAL REGIONS INCLUDING WEST EAST AND INLAND VANCOUVER ISLAND THE SUNSHINE COAST GREATER VANCOUVER AND FRASER VALLEY WEST ARE NEAR FREEZING RESULTING IN WET SNOW. WET SNOW IS EXPECTED TO CHANGE OVER TO RAIN LATER THIS EVENING AS THE FRONT MOVES INLAND AND TEMPERATURES RISE ABOVE FREEZING. THE FRONTAL SYSTEM IS ALSO BRINGING HIGH WIND SPEEDS TO EXPOSED SECTIONS OF THE BRITISH COLUMBIA COAST. STRONG SOUTHEAST WINDS OF 60 TO 90 KM/H ARE OCCURRING OVER EXPOSED COASTAL SECTIONS. THE WINDS WILL BEGIN TO ABATE THIS EVENING AS THE SYSTEM MOVES INLAND AND WEAKENS.

WIND WARNING: East Vancouver Island Issued at 6:19 PM PST SUNDAY 4 JANUARY 2009

SOUTHEAST WINDS 60 TO 90 KM/H FOR THE NORTH COAST CENTRAL COAST AND NORTH VANCOUVER ISLAND. SOUTHEAST WINDS 60 TO 80 KM/H FOR EXPOSED COASTAL SECTIONS OF THE SOUTH COAST. THIS IS A WARNING THAT POTENTIALLY DAMAGING WINDS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING IN THESE REGIONS. MONITOR WEATHER CONDITIONS..LISTEN FOR UPDATED STATEMENTS.
A STRONG FRONTAL SYSTEM IS PRODUCING HEAVY SNOW TO INLAND SECTIONS OF THE NORTH AND SOUTH COAST OF BRITISH COLUMBIA. ADDITIONAL SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OF 10 TO 20 CM ARE EXPECTED OVER INLAND SECTIONS OF THE NORTH COAST HOWE SOUND AND WHISTLER TONIGHT. 10 TO 15 CM IS EXPECTED OVER FRASER VALLEY EAST BY TOMORROW MORNING. LOCAL COASTAL REGIONS INCLUDING WEST EAST AND INLAND VANCOUVER ISLAND THE SUNSHINE COAST GREATER VANCOUVER AND FRASER VALLEY WEST ARE NEAR FREEZING RESULTING IN WET SNOW. WET SNOW IS EXPECTED TO CHANGE OVER TO RAIN LATER THIS EVENING AS THE FRONT MOVES INLAND AND TEMPERATURES RISE ABOVE FREEZING. THE FRONTAL SYSTEM IS ALSO BRINGING HIGH WIND SPEEDS TO EXPOSED SECTIONS OF THE BRITISH COLUMBIA COAST. STRONG SOUTHEAST WINDS OF 60 TO 90 KM/H ARE OCCURRING OVER EXPOSED COASTAL SECTIONS. THE WINDS WILL BEGIN TO ABATE THIS EVENING AS THE SYSTEM MOVES INLAND AND WEAKENS.



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TH

[bamb00]

All that warnings came only hours AFTER the snow started...

[homeless]

Just drove form downtown to wakasia and jingle pot. Fitzwilliam was blocked by sliding cars, albert was same. Pine was snow covered and slippery. Snow tire equipped vehicles only until the crews get on top of it..

[TH2008]

Crap! It's really coming down out there as of 7:23 PM. I need to go shovel soon.

I hope this snow doesn't screw up my work tomorrow afternoon.

--
TH

[TH2008]

Just drove form downtown to wakasia and jingle pot. Fitzwilliam was blocked by sliding cars, albert was same. Pine was snow covered and slippery. Snow tire equipped vehicles only until the crews get on top of it..

Here is the Parkway near Malaspina College.



What a wipe out!

--
TH