ANOTHER NEW SNOWSTORM

[drakew]

"How about the snowcutter?"

http://www.snowcutter.com/

[vette]

Thanks for the info on the snow rakes and snow cutter. If your roof is over 20 feet from the ground though like one of mine is you still can't reach it. It still would work on the lower levels though. How much snow before you need to clear a roof? We have had storms of 18 to 24 inches in NJ and I've never seen anyone use one. We do knock off the hangovers though.

[ELCHALJE]

This has gotten ridiculous, and dangerous.  White out conditions with heavy snow and sustained 40 MPH winds, gusts to 60.  Fed Gov't closed for third straight day.  All 3 airports closed.  Conditions are so bad in some places that snow plows have had to cease operations for safety reasons.  This has caused one power company to halt its repair efforts.

The wife is a Food Svc Director at a State of MD hospital.  Her and her employees are sleeping on cots in their work areas.  Don't expect to see her home until Thursday night at the earliest. 

Every shovel full of snow has to be thrown over existing 5 to 7 foot snow banks.  If you don't look up, you don't throw it high enough and it just rolls back into the driveway.  And this ain't gonna end until 7 PM tonight.

Knock on wood, so far the power is on.

[jimv]

Ed, when to clear a roof is a subjective call.  Up here, where we usually get a lot more snow, we get a build up on the roofs simply due to fact that we generally don't get enough melting between storms.  In your case, a 12 - 24" storm is not usually  followed quickly by another one.  So, there's rarely a problem.

If, in this case, you still have most of the last storm on the roof, I think you should check & see how much is added.  The winds will likely whip the snow from one side to the other so one side will have much more than the other.  Keeping the edges clear is the first step.

I know I haven't said much, but, my advice is that if you think it's too deep then clear it.

[dasher]

Although nowhere near Maine weather- Philadelphia area now has officially the most snow of any season since records were kept. When this storm is through it will approach 70 inches for the season. The prior record was 60 inches set in 1996.
And resounding snow thunder is being heard!
dasher dale

[expatriot]

We had 34 inches on Saturday and they just said on the news that we should get another 20 before this storm in through.  I have never seen this much snow...nor shoveled it either.  Unbelievable!

[vette]

Thanks Jim.

[jimv]

Up here in Maine, my seasonal snowfall right now is only 45.2".  The last two seasons, I went over 100".

[drakew]

"My meteorologist called this last October: warmer and drier for the first half of winter, much wetter and colder the second half.
He explains this as a result of El Nino: extra heating in the Pacific generating more Pacific storms, that combined with the jet stream sweeping them across the nation, offers much greater precipitation than normal. Cardosi is the deal, I tell ya"

[jimv]

Just wondering Drakew, who is "my meteorologist?"

[drakew]

The softspoken, darkly handsome man in the blue Giants tie shakes his head in apology. "Sorry man, I work with this guy, and I do the calibration and maintenace of his dopplers etc, he is amazing. His name is Jay Cardosi. BTW, a few years back he CALLED Punto Gordo about four days in advance"

http://www.wlky.com/weather/16509268/media.html?qs=;longname=Webcast;shortname=Webcast;days=&ib_wxwidget=true#HEARSTWX=http%3A//www.wlky.com/weather/22538054/media.html%3Fqs%3D%3Bref%3D/weather/16509268/media.html%3Blongname%3DWebcast

[Webster29]

Gee for a change all this snow seems to be missing my western NY snow belt.  Got a little bit past week end but roads are clear and driving past one of my favorite golf courses on the way into work I'm thinking it wont be long now.

Of course reality will eventually set in.

[babywhales]

Thanks for the info on the snow rakes and snow cutter. If your roof is over 20 feet from the ground though like one of mine is you still can't reach it. It still would work on the lower levels though. How much snow before you need to clear a roof? We have had storms of 18 to 24 inches in NJ and I've never seen anyone use one. We do knock off the hangovers though.

Ed,
The roof racks are extremely popular out here in sconsin.  I don't worry about depth from a weight issue as much as an ice issue. Aside from the depth of the snow, consider how many feet of ice shield is under your shingles. My old roof had none, it was a problem. Recommended is 3 feet, for my new roof I had them install 6 feet of ice shield (from the edge). If you have no ice shield or only 3 feet of ice shield,if consistently warmer temperatures are not predicted and accessing the edge is an option I would recommend that the snow be removed. If accessing the edge is not an option, many roofing companies will send a couple guys up there to remove it for a reasonable fee.

Good luck
Chris

[vette]

Thanks Chris. I had a new roof installed a couple of years ago and I don't remember how many feet of ice shield, but I believe I insisted on 6 based on my roofing expert's recommendation. I'll have to check. The roof was dry before this last storm of 14 inches, so I'm ok at this point.

[jimv]

Ed, just remember to watch the edges of the roof.  If ice starts forming, clean back for several feet.

I got rid of my ice backup problems last year as I had a steel roof put on.