Pine Grosbeaks in NE

[jbrumberg]

It does not look like snow for Xmass. This coming rain event is going to melt a lot of the existing snowpack. It will probably start and finish with some frozen stuff. There is a possibility of a mixed precipitation event Thursday, Decmber 27th. I will keep an eye on it. I will be off the air so to speak for the next few days. I am traveling to the Buffalo, NY area later today for Xmass with family. I usually work this holiday, so I may be partying a bit . If I do not get a chance to get back to all of you today- have a great Xmass everyone. Jay

 

[Dougster]

It does not look like snow for Xmass. This coming rain event is going to melt a lot of the existing snowpack. It will probably start and finish with some frozen stuff. There is a possibility of a mixed precipitation event Thursday, Decmber 27th. I will keep an eye on it. I will be off the air so to speak for the next few days. I am traveling to the Buffalo, NY area later today for Xmass with family. I usually work this holiday, so I may be partying a bit . If I do not get a chance to get back to all of you today- have a great Xmass everyone. Jay

Same to you Jay! Enjoy your Christmas holiday off work! Hope Santa is good to you! My guess is that you'll have plenty of snow to look at in the Buffalo area. They ALWAY have plenty up there!

While personally, I think they make for beautiful winter scenes... from a business viewpoint, I kinda hate storms like the last one. If I decide to plow, some folks will be happy and some will grumble and think I'm taking advantage of them. If I decide to hold back and save my clients some money... I end up with a similar mixed result: some happy to save the $$$ and some thinking I'm just being lazy. At some point, I am forced to email my clients and pretty much let them decide what they want. Do any of them answer me? Dang few!

You just can't win with a 24+ hour "slow motion" snowstorm that eventually works its way up to kiss the trigger point... and maybe a little beyond in the overnight. I'll probably have to do a free clean-up round today... just to keep everyone happy.

Dougster

 

[rback33]

Ok. I will say this has been one of the most bizarre yet oddly interesting threads I have ever read. It's got me wondering if I should wander back across the street and do some re-reading and see if it takes off. lol And Doug.. U can have the snow buddy. I still have a mess to clean up from the ice storm. It's been up to about 50 here the last 3 days so a lot of the snow we got last weekend after the ice is gone, but they are calling for another 1 to three inches tonight and tomorrow... when I am planning to be cleaning up....

 

[Dougster]

Ok. I will say this has been one of the most bizarre yet oddly interesting threads I have ever read. It's got me wondering if I should wander back across the street and do some re-reading and see if it takes off. lol

It's only bizarre because Jay's... ahem... *special* snow dance seems to actually work!!! But where was Jay last year when I really needed him???

And Doug.. U can have the snow buddy. I still have a mess to clean up from the ice storm. It's been up to about 50 here the last 3 days so a lot of the snow we got last weekend after the ice is gone, but they are calling for another 1 to three inches tonight and tomorrow... when I am planning to be cleaning up....

I certainly do not envy your ice storm... but snow is like money sent from heaven. Get a plow on that pickup truck of yours and join in on the fun!

Dougster

 

[jbrumberg]

To All: I am back from the Buffalo area- ate real Buffalo Wings as well as "Beef On Wick". Interestingly there is more snow in western MA than many areas around Buffalo to Albany; it is all dependent upon where and how the wind blows off the water. The Buffalo area got a lot more wind than my area. It appears I got ~1.5" of rain plus melted stuff out of my rain gauge since I was gone. I still got a fair amount of snow on the ground and my snow piles are still lining my driveway.

rback33: Any thread I get involved with will eventually become bizarre, but it will always be interesting

Dougster: You might get something to push Thursday night, but not a lot. There will be a series of fronts tracking through southern NE the rest of the week. The upper air winds will probably steer everything to the west and north which will mean mostly non-frozen precipitation through the weekend. I feel the need to do the "dance" tonight. I have not had a chance to really look at my weather data.

Jay

 

[Dougster]

Dougster: You might get something to push Thursday night, but not a lot. There will be a series of fronts tracking through southern NE the rest of the week. The upper air winds will probably steer everything to the west and north which will mean mostly non-frozen precipitation through the weekend. I feel the need to do the "dance" tonight. I have not had a chance to really look at my weather data.
Jay

Welcome back Jay! Hope your Christmas vacation was a good one! While you were gone, a lot of the snow around here has melted away... a very good thing since there was nowhere left to push any new snow that would have fallen. Now, God appears to have taken good care of that nasty problem... and I am ready and waiting for more!

Like you, I don't think I am going to have a large, billable event this week... and that is fine too since end-of-year business will be taking up so much of my time over the next week.

Dougster

 

[Dougster]

There will be a series of fronts tracking through southern NE the rest of the week. The upper air winds will probably steer everything to the west and north which will mean mostly non-frozen precipitation through the weekend. I feel the need to do the "dance" tonight. I have not had a chance to really look at my weather data.
Jay

Hi Jay - Looks like we need your expert weather analysis again. You were right on with the series of rain and sleet-only events for this past (Christmas) week... but folks are suddenly talking about some possible very ugly stuff starting late Sunday night (or early Monday morning)... threatening everyone's New Year's Eve plans (including mine!!!). Help!!!

Lord knows I need the money... and the old snow piles are almost all gone (Thank God)... but messing up the GF's New Year's Eve plans (by still being out snowplowing) would make my life a true living nightmare.

Dougster

 

[jbrumberg]

Dougster:

I am starting to look at the weather maps and data again. As usual the different weather services' weather models are in disagreement . I still have a fair amount of snow laying around here considering all the recent rain, but I would like to see another snow event before the weather cools down and atmospheric energy lessens. I see some precipitation coming (small systems riding along a cold front) Sunday through to Tuesday , but I need to figure it out. The students and staff at the school where I work have been tallying my "hit" rate versus the established weather services. They feel I am more accurate . I have been "lucky" so far this year
, but I have blown timing and amounts in my opinion . I will keep you posted. I am going out to try an "experiment" with my box blade scarfiers in addressing my skating rink of a driveway. Jay

 

[Dougster]

Dougster:

I am starting to look at the weather maps and data again. As usual the different weather services models are in disagreement . I still have a lot of snow laying around here, but I would like to see another snow event before the weather cools down and atmospheric energy lessens. I see some precipitation coming (small systems riding along a cold front) Sunday through to Tuesday , but I need to figure it out. The students and staff at the school where I work have been tallying my "hit" rate versus the established weather services. They feel I am more accurate . I have been "lucky" so far this year
, but I have blown timing and amounts in my opinion . I will keep you posted. Jay

Thanks Jay! Lord knows that I'm more than happy to plow anything that falls up until about 5 PM Monday evening. Then it's time to clean up and leave for Beantown by 6 PM for a private charity event that begins at 7 PM. I better be in that car or there is gonna be hell to pay.

Dougster

 

[jbrumberg]

The box blade worked great on my driveway. I am no longer impersonating James Brown, and it will be safer for my special snow dance. I now how GF's and wives can hinder "manly" activities at times . Jay

 

[Dougster]

The box blade worked great on my driveway. I am no longer impersonating James Brown, and it will be safer for my special snow dance. I know how GF's and wives can hinder "manly" activities at times . Jay

Well, it is a real dilemma for her because she knows how much I need the snowplowing income and she would hate to see me give a storm away to my back-up service. On the other hand, this is a key event on her social calendar. If she ends up having to go alone, I am a dead man.

Dougster

 

[jbrumberg]

Dougster:

Right now it appears that the snow gods are giving you the nod and you will live another day. It looks like you will get 2" - 3" Sunday late into Monday mid-morning. There appears to be potential for more (maybe 6"). There are surface lows all over the place that will hopefully follow the cold front. It will be relatively warm but these lows can pull in the cold front that is approaching. There might be some nuisance snow Monday into Tuesday, but it does not appear to be anything plowable at this point.

Jay

 

[Dougster]

Dougster:

Right now it appears that the snow gods are giving you the nod and you will live another day. It looks like you will get 2" - 3" Sunday late into Monday mid-morning. There appears to be potential for more (maybe 6"). There are surface lows all over the place that will hopefully follow the cold front. It will be relatively warm but these lows can pull in the cold front that is approaching. There might be some nuisance snow Monday into Tuesday, but it does not appear to be anything plowable at this point.

Jay

So it sounds like I'll probably get to have my cake and eat it too! I get a minor-but-billable/plowable storm... and yet still manage to keep the GF happy (and me alive!). It doesn't get any better than that! Thanks Jay!

Dougster

 

[jbrumberg]

Dougster:

It is even getting better for you . I have been looking at a lot of weather data late last night (after some partyingand I did the "Special Snow Dance" ) and again earlier this morning. I think I am calling the timing well (Sunday evening into Monday morning, clearing Monday, and another system moving in early Tuesday into Wednesday), but based on the current storm track and energy coming into this system you may get anywhere from 5" - 8" depending on storm track and elevation. You might get some sleet mixed in which will keep the amounts down, but no rain. The Wednesday system looks like it may be a plowable event at this point. I will keep you posted. Jay

 

[Dougster]

Dougster:

It is even getting better for you . I have been looking at a lot of weather data late last night (after some partyingand I did the "Special Snow Dance" ) and again earlier this morning. I think I am calling the timing well (Sunday evening into Monday morning, clearing Monday, and another system moving in early Tuesday into Wednesday), but based on the current storm track and energy coming into this system you may get anywhere from 5" - 8" depending on storm track and elevation. You might get some sleet mixed in which will keep the amounts down, but no rain. The Wednesday system looks like it may be a plowable event at this point. I will keep you posted. Jay

If we get two plowable events this week, I AM gonna buy myself a cup of Starbucks coffee!!!

Sadly, however, I'm already running into a couple new clients who may be deadbeats. One in particular is looking like he is gonna be a real problem customer.

Dougster

 

[DAP]

... and I was gonna post something about the raptors I saw on the river this morning ...

Sheeesh

 

[Dougster]

... and I was gonna post something about the raptors I saw on the river this morning ...

Sheeesh

I guess I have just been lucky in the past. It seemed like folks didn't want to mess around with a crazy old bearded man with a plow truck, grapple & backhoe... and friends who have little to lose.

As it turns out, since the other day, my potential problem clients have fallen into line and I do not anticipate any further issues.

Dougster

 

[PaulChristenson]

If we get two plowable events this week, I AM gonna buy myself a cup of Starbucks coffee!!!

Sadly, however, I'm already running into a couple new clients who may be deadbeats. One in particular is looking like he is gonna be a real problem customer.

Dougster

Well, once you determine they are deadbeats...just plow their driveway snow right up against their garage door...you won't get any money out of them...but lots of chuckles thinking about them trying to dig out...

 

[Dougster]

Well, once you determine they are deadbeats...just plow their driveway snow right up against their garage door...you won't get any money out of them...but lots of chuckles thinking about them trying to dig out...

Again... no actual deadbeats at this point (fortunately for us both)... but rest assured that I have no sense of humor whatsoever when it comes to being stiffed. I pity the first person that tries it.

Dougster

 

[rback33]

Again... no actual deadbeats at this point (fortunately for us both)... but rest assured that I have no sense of humor whatsoever when it comes to being stiffed. I pity the first person that tries it.

Dougster

Hee hee hee and I bet they will be drinking $tarbucks when they do it.