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Is It Snowing in Portland, Oregon?

isitsnowinginpdx.com

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Re: Is It Snowing in Portland, Oregon?

#111

Post by bobthepanda »

selectodude wrote: post #63
tzs wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't know if this is accurate but I recall an article that said another significant difference between western WA snow and snow in the states that get seriously cold for a long time in winter is that the ground in western WA usually doesn't freeze like it does in the colder states. When snow falls in western WA, the fall at the start gets melted by the ground, and the refreezes as the following fall hits it. This…

> When snow falls in western WA, the fall at the start gets melted by the ground, and the refreezes as the following fall hits it. This results in an ice layer covered in snow. Which is why cities that competently deal with snow begin salting immediately when it starts snowing.

Does salt work on hilly terrain?

In my experience in Seattle what I've seen a lot is the snowmelt washes salt downhill, so you generally just get back to square one.

Re: Is It Snowing in Portland, Oregon?

#112

Post by selimthegrim »

selimthegrim wrote: post #80
im_down_w_otp wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The snow is also much more wet and slick in the PNW along the Puget Sound and down the Willamette River Valley than it is in many other places that receive regular annual snowfall. Mostly because when it snows in Seattle, Tacoma, Portland, etc. the temperature is hovering right at the melting point, so the snow compacts to a slick ice-like form quickly. Even up at the ski resorts on places like Mt. Hood the snow is d…

I did OK in the snow on the hills there with a standard/stick shift (though front wheel drive) Jetta TDI, although it did have traction control

I should add this was Feb 2014 for context

Re: Is It Snowing in Portland, Oregon?

#113

Post by stevenbedrick »

rootusrootus wrote: post #97
stevenbedrick wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As context for non-Portlanders, the "revolt" against additional freeways was one part of a larger effort to manage urban growth so as to avoid endless sprawl and preserve the agricultural landscape surrounding the metro area. One of the freeways that the city specifically opted out of building fifty years ago would have taken up the entire west side of the city's waterfront; because we _don't_ have a freeway running…

I'd much rather see a really robust network of buses than another light rail expansion. It's not convenient to get to the train, and it crawls through downtown at an average pace of 17 mph. I live all of 20 minutes from downtown (by car), and even then it would take me as long as 60 minutes during the day to catch the nearest bus, and then 30+ minutes to make it downtown (and that assumes the connections work flawles…

I have zero disagreement with you, there- I would personally much rather see a dramatically-expanded bus service than another light rail expansion, or at the very least increased service on the existing lines. In its current state, you are correct in that there are large parts of the metro area where it's just not a practical choice, and that's something that needs to change. I am lucky enough to live and work along one of the transit corridors where TriMet's bus service _does_ make sense, but it's definitely not viable in much of the metro area.

And yeah, "dysfunctional" only begins to describe the Columbia bridge debacle. But I will say, in defense of the project and its staff: that was a spectacularly challenging problem to solve. One of those fractal problems, where the more closely you look at it, the more complex it gets. The physical challenges were already going to be hard enough, and then the twelve-dimensional politics of the situation made it even more so. I don't pretend to know what the best solution would even be, but like everybody else in town I was disappointed to see it blow up after so much had been invested in it.

Re: Is It Snowing in Portland, Oregon?

#114

Post by stevenbedrick »

selimthegrim wrote: post #110
rootusrootus wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd much rather see a really robust network of buses than another light rail expansion. It's not convenient to get to the train, and it crawls through downtown at an average pace of 17 mph. I live all of 20 minutes from downtown (by car), and even then it would take me as long as 60 minutes during the day to catch the nearest bus, and then 30+ minutes to make it downtown (and that assumes the connections work flawles…

Oracle hiring random college graduates with a pulse to manage devs for the state healthcare exchange was an eye opener

Agreed. I was genuinely shocked by that whole saga...

Re: Is It Snowing in Portland, Oregon?

#115

Post by authed »

> This site is still maintained by us, it's not dead. We use a weather API, so if you're wondering why it may not match what you're seeing, check here.

They probably should choose a smaller area to make this useful (for somebody).

Re: Is It Snowing in Portland, Oregon?

#116

Post by selimthegrim »

stevenbedrick wrote: post #114
selimthegrim wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oracle hiring random college graduates with a pulse to manage devs for the state healthcare exchange was an eye opener

Agreed. I was genuinely shocked by that whole saga...

I only found out because I actually met one in person on a date who insisted you didn't need any IT or coding experience to manage developers

Re: Is It Snowing in Portland, Oregon?

#117

Post by duck »

travisgriggs wrote: post #88
shanecleveland wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not to mention the limited resources municipalities have to deal with these events, since they just don't happen that often. It is more common to see 4WD vehicles abandoned in ditches because they didn't realize 4WD doesn't help with braking or going down a hill. Wanna learn how to drive in the snow? Tackle an unplowed, 45 degree hill littered with vehicles that didn't make it.

> Wanna learn how to drive in the snow? Tackle an unplowed, 45 degree hill littered with vehicles that didn't make it. I'm sure your advice is a bit tongue in cheek? :D I live on the hillier/colder/drier side of Washington where we do get some actual snow. During my kids' learning years of driving (16-18), first big snow, I find an empty/abandoned parking lot, take my kids there, do a couple of donuts and such, then…

Just did this with my 15yo today in Bellingham - it works!

Re: Is It Snowing in Portland, Oregon?

#118

Post by jollybean »

FourthProtocol wrote: post #99
jollybean wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not so much 'choosing the correct tire' - there's a 'category of tire' and it's called a 'snow tire' and everyone in snowy areas has them, often by law. It's like 'choosing' to slip through the snow wearing Oxford shoes, or, put on a pair of boots. All of these comments about bad driving in the W. Coast, about 50% of this is just everyone has completely the wrong tires.

Understood. I chose (forgive me) 'choosing the correct tire' because not everybody in snowy areas knows they need them, and not everybody has ready access to them. There's often no legal requirement for snow tyres, and some countries (Australia, for example) don't even HAVE snow tyres even though Canberra for eg, tends to get snow at least once a year. Snow is no stranger in Scotland either, and there's no snow tyres…

Oh yes, I understand the lingo as a once-upon-a-time Canadian-Californian.

I totally get the confusion.

... and why people are driving around in smash up derbies with just 2 inches of snow.

I'm only just saying 'there isn't that much confusion' elsewhere, it's not like Bostonians have super magical driving ability.

They mostly just have winter tires.

Winter tires with proper 4x4 and ABS etc. can be a pretty safe package.

Re: Is It Snowing in Portland, Oregon?

#119

Post by seanmcdirmid »

shanecleveland wrote: post #52
rootusrootus wrote: post #25

I've lived in the midwest, and in Portland. What many people don't get is that Portland has hills bigger than what people in the midwest would call a mountain. Also, snow in late December is relatively rare. We missed a white Christmas by one day. Only have an inch here where I'm at, but hey, take what you can get.

Not to mention the limited resources municipalities have to deal with these events, since they just don't happen that often. It is more common to see 4WD vehicles abandoned in ditches because they didn't realize 4WD doesn't help with braking or going down a hill. Wanna learn how to drive in the snow? Tackle an unplowed, 45 degree hill littered with vehicles that didn't make it.

I did Monida pass in Idaho coming into Montana in winter with just AWD (no chains). It was a steep decline in the other end, definitely not 45 degrees but enough to make me queasy. Suffice it to say I kept my Subaru in 1st gear all the way down.

Re: Is It Snowing in Portland, Oregon?

#120

Post by jmspring »

xeromal wrote: post #102
jmspring wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For my Tacoma, I make sure to put enough weight in the back (over the rear axle) to help offset the vehicle being front heavy. Typically in straightaways, if no one is around, on some of the rural roads I drive I'll test braking (not slamming, but just steady) to check traction. I've also replaced tires considered to have sufficient tread, but were a couple of years old, to make sure getting through a season was as s…

Yeah, blows my mind when you see a 2500 with knobbies flying down the highway and you seem them in a snow bank about 5 miles down the road. lol

Pretty much. Trucks with snowmobiles on the bed or in a trailer typically are on ones ass If ahead of them.
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