Month: December 2012

December 22 to 26, 2012

Yeah, yeah, we all grew up with snow and grew tired of it and for the most part, moved away from it. We were delighted to be able to shovel air in San Francisco beginning in 1992.

Now, we’re in Reno and experiencing our first mountain west winter. On Saturday, that meant snow — lots of windblown, very, very wet snow. So I bored y’all with pictures and so on. The weather changed to sun and a high blue sky on Christmas day. Brian and Natasza came over for a cheese foudue repast. In the late afternoon a big gray cloud appeared in the southwest. Weather guys had been saying that we were experiencing a 3 part storm wrapped around a LOW moving into California. Well, here comes part three. Tiny, flurry like flakes appeared just before dusk, around 5pm. Carol is fond of saying, “Little flakes, big snow; big flakes, little snow.” Yeah, right. The next morning we had four more inches, making 10 inches on the ground on our north back terrace.

Continue reading “SNOW, an essay” →

Recently, we got a flyer in our mailbox about Reno Snow and Ice Control. I thought the procedures were particularly enlightened.

Salt Brine

In the winter season of 2011-12, the City of Reno began using a new method to treat streets for snow and ice. Prior to a snow or ice event, City crews apply salt brine to the Priority 1 streets, bridges and inclines. The brine consists of a clear solution of tap water and sodium chloride (road salt), mixed in concentrations of 23 to 26 percent salt, and has a freezing point of -6º F. Salt brine is applied to the roadway to prevent snow from bonding to the streets, making it easier and safer to plow. Brine is up to 20 times more effective than salt and sand and is labor efficient since it is applied during normal operating hours prior to the arrival of the storm. For more information, please read the salt brine FAQs.

I didn’t know when they might get around to little old Sierra Canyon, although from I-80 to our house is all uphill. The next day, I saw this:

For the whole snow and Ice control policy, see the website.

Carol and I haven’t experienced snow and ice since moving to San Francisco in 1992. This makes us feel good about the upcoming winter.