Wednesday, December 24, 2008

"Snowmageddon" (Seattle WA Storm)

These past few days every time I turn on the National new I've heard about the terrible weather in Seattle. It's always the first place mentioned, so I asked my blog buddy Kim to write about it, and this was her response.

This is my 1st guest post so please help me to welcome her by visit Kim at http://asthepumpturns.com

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"Here's the thing about native Northern Californians, there are two breeds. The first being the kind that get snow and the others that don't.

I am from the land of No Snow. It's a nice place filled with grapevines and mild temperature winters. Basically, heaven.

Then I moved to Seattle, Washington.

Now, maybe I am blowing this out of proportion, this Seattle Winter Snow Storm. People in Chicago and other mid-west states are getting it far worse then I am, but this is my blog post and I can whine if I want too. Not to mention on twitter it has it's own hash tag, so it must be important, right? Agree with me people.

So here's the lowdown on the Seattle Snow Storm or for my twitter peeps #seatst, yes it's snowing, in Seattle. So far, by my estimates about a foot overall, however, I am not a meteorologist, so don't quote me. The way that downtown Seattle is laid out, is that, well, there are a lot of hills, like First Hill, Beacon Hill and Capital Hill, and the hills are, well, steep. Imagine, if you will, San Francisco, then add a foot of snow with a nice layer of ice underneath that. You have SNOWMAGEDDON. Yes, I named it Snowmageddon, it's catchy, huh?

Snowmageddon as struck and caused chaos in my city, meaning, people don't know how to drive in the snow/ice. I drive a Jeep Grande Cherokee with 4 wheel drive and believe me 4 wheel drive doesn't work on ice, don't kid yourself. Driving slow and in control does, which is what I have been doing, while also avoiding the crazy idiots who think it's okay to change lanes just as they would if it was overcast outside and also trying to drive 80 miles an hour with chains on, yeah it doesn‘t work. Also, if you see an ambulance sliding down a frozen over hill, I would suggest you and your Dodge Neon not attempt it, just sayin'. There is also the small little fact that the roads aren't very well maintained so driving down the main arterial streets is similar to four wheeling in the backcountry, I'm not exaggerating.

If you can't drive in it you might as well grab your skis and ski down the hill, right? Yeah, I've heard reports of it, haven't seen it yet, but heard about it, I have seen people taking plastic dinner trays and sliding down on them. Also, if you live in the ghetto, a freezer door works well too, interestingly enough.

Seattle was so not prepared for Snowmageddon 08, side streets are stuck in feet of snow, the main streets are filled with divots and almost impassable surfaces, yes, I know only a foot and a half of snow. Silly, right? Not to us, Seattleites, we have not gotten this much snow in many, many years. Some say the last big storm was five years ago, some say it was nothing close to this, who knows, really.

The amazing part of this whole ordeal is the sense of community one feels, we are not alone in this crazy snow. As I drove to work this morning, I see groups of people helping each other dig cars out of snow banks. I see people helping each other walk on icy sidewalks and laughing and throwing snowballs. It's an amazing sight among all the havoc. I guess this is what makes this place so special, to me, anyway."

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Thank you Kim! You did a great job!

Sledding down Denny on Capitol Hill

14 comments:

MYM said...

Snowmeggedon, that's what the news here called our storm on Friday, lol! It was a lot of snow all at once!

That sledding is crazy! LOL

Awake In Rochester said...

Hi Drowsey Monkey,

Ah, you too? It must be going around. lol

Anonymous said...

Great post!

I am a Midwesterner born and bred. I live at the Northwestern tip of Indiana, where we not only get system snow, but we get the meteorlogical nightmares known as "lake effect snowstorms" that roll off Lake Michigan.

I am telling you this because even here, in the place where everyone SHOULD fucking know how to drive in snow from the day they first got behind the wheel of a vehicle, sooooo many of them still don't.

I have no idea what it is about 4-wheel drive that makes people think it makes them invinceable, but I'm here to tell you it does not. It's not magic, and basically the only thing it's good for around here is possibly pulling you out of a ditch you slid into because you drove like a fucking idiot.

Ahhhhh. I feel much better after geting that out of my system. Thanks for that! Ha!

Awake In Rochester said...

Hi LadyBanana,

You really should really visit Rochester! You would love the snow!!! In the last few days we have had between a foot to a foot and a half. The snow plows don't know what to do with it all. Some snow mounds from the plows in my apartment complex are 2 cars high! They are a lot higher in store parking lots. It's snow city here.

Awake In Rochester said...

Hi Giggle Pixie,

One word - Decaf ;o)

Sonnie-Dee said...

I couldn't handle snow at this time of year... I can barely handle it any time of year... guess its just as well the last real snow was in 1995 :)

Merry christmas - I hope you have a safe and happy holiday

Posh Totty said...

Merry Christmas Xx

Awake In Rochester said...

Hi S'onnie,

Last snow was 1995! Oh my gosh!

Merry Christmas! Have a great one.

Awake In Rochester said...

Hi Posh Totty,

Merry Christmas! Don't drink to much wine. tee hee.

Speedcat Hollydale said...

Shoveling stinks!

Ha haaaaa!!!!!!!!!

I do like sledding down streets. I remember on massive storm in Minnesota in the 80's where NOBODY was on the roads. They were basically closed. I was out with a frien four wheeling - going through stop lights, whipping donuts, mad mad fun.

Shoveling?

That stinks

Speedcat Hollydale said...

Cool post Kim :-)

Awake In Rochester said...

Hi Speedcat Hollydale,

I can definitely see you sledding down snow filled streets! ZOOOOOM

Anonymous said...

"but this is my blog post and I can whine if I want too."

YES YOU CAN!

xoxoxoxoxxox

Awake In Rochester said...

Hi meleah rebeccah,

LOL! I feel honored that she wrote this post. She is very busy these days. It was very nice of her to take the time to do it!