Snow Removal Strategy (Portland, Brunswick, Gorham: home, school, college)

[Northern Maine Land Man]

We topped out at 33 degrees this morning which melted the ice off the trees and wires. I waited to clean out the driveway to avoid having glare ice. However, with about 3 inches of heavy slush I have to clear it out before it freezes like cast iron. That's OK because the inch or so we'll get later today will freeze to the ice and be safer than glare ice.

It is a thoroughly disagreeable experience to have tons of snow come off the roof and land in your lap when on the tractor and the tractor could trigger the slide just from the vibrations. There is a strategy to all this. Timing is everything. The snow just went off the roof by itself so now is the time.

[flycessna]

With a good bunch of my neighbors clearing snow last night I waited until this moring allowing for the rain and ice to sit somewhat on top of the snow which made it a lot easier to clear the snow without any ice issues...

Yes snow removal done right does take strategy!

[Coaster]

Yep. Timing is everything. We got 5-6 inches of snow yesterday before the freezing rain began after dark. My neighbors shoveled and plowed last night and had glare ice this morning. I waited until this morning to clear the driveway and steps. The rain had formed a light crust on the new snow, but it was powder underneath. Easy to move with the snowblower and now we have bare pavement.

[Maineah]

I plowed early yesterday afternoon when we got the first 4 inches. I plowed again today to move the second three inches and the foot and a half the plow left out front. The WMTW weather said Yarmouth only got 3 inches.....that's weird because I got 7" only three miles away. I think someone told them the wrong total. Going to rake the roof a bit today while it's warm. We're supposed to get more snow Friday and then we go into the deep freeze for a few nights. Well below zero on Saturday and Sunday nights.

[OutDoorNut]

Originally Posted by flycessna

With a good bunch of my neighbors clearing snow last night I waited until this moring allowing for the rain and ice to sit somewhat on top of the snow which made it a lot easier to clear the snow without any ice issues...

Yes snow removal done right does take strategy!

Here's an interesting point about how rain falling on a snow covered roof, greatly increases the danger of roof collapse, " . . . the snow will soak up the rain like a sponge and will get heavier in the process": AccuWeather.com - Weather News | Roof Collapse Alert for Part of New England (http://www.accuweather.com/blogs/news/story/44491/roof-collapse-alert-for-new-en-1.asp - broken link)

[Nor'Eastah]

Funny, all of the above sounds like down here, including the temps.

I have in-laws telling me what a fool I'd be to take the missus up north there, what with the snow and ice and such. It is worse down here right now.

And worse in MANY respects, not just the ice, snow, and cold...

[7express]

Somewhat off topic possibly, but its a snow removal question:

I was debating going up to Maine this weekend because my school has a game there (@ Southern Maine in Gorham like 20 miles or so West of Portland). I was going to go up tomarrow (Friday) and go to a game at Bowdoin college in Brunswick. How's the weather supposed to be up there?? I'll be driving on interstate highways for the majority of the time anyways (since I'm comming fro, southwest Connecticut), but I assume once I get off the highway onto the state roads they'll be clear for the most part (assuming its stopped snowing)??

[Northern Maine Land Man]

Maine is good about keeping our roads open. Your problem is going to be visibility. This will be light fluffy snow.

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by 7express

Somewhat off topic possibly, but its a snow removal question:

I was debating going up to Maine this weekend because my school has a game there (@ Southern Maine in Gorham like 20 miles or so West of Portland). I was going to go up tomarrow (Friday) and go to a game at Bowdoin college in Brunswick. How's the weather supposed to be up there?? I'll be driving on interstate highways for the majority of the time anyways (since I'm comming fro, southwest Connecticut), but I assume once I get off the highway onto the state roads they'll be clear for the most part (assuming its stopped snowing)??

The weather is going to be really bad until about 5-6 PM today Friday. National Weather Service just upped the storm snow totals once again for the coast from 4-8 inches to 6-10 inches. We usually take that to mean a foot. The last storm they predicted 5-9 inches for our area and we got 17 inches. As NMLM said they do a good job keeping the roads clear but when it's that intense they just can't keep up with it and there will be greasy spots. There were a lot of people off the road last storm and there will be alot more this time because many people thought it was only going to be 4 inches and went to work. They will be driving home after 10 inches so there will be problems.

[shadowfax1997]

Just curious, but does anyone know if you are breaking any laws if someone plows their snow from their driveway into the entrance of your driveway?