Bad weather in DSM today.

[lancie00]

I've been listening to DSM on liveatc.com today. They've got a pretty good backup because of heavy snow. I don't know all of the particulars (I'm at work) but it sounds like they had a plane push back onto the ramp to de-ice and the de-icing crew ran out of fluid. For some reason, they are first in line and other taxi ways are closed for snow removal. The controller asked them to report when they are done de-icing because there are 5 flights behind him waiting. The flight crew said that the airport RAN OUT OF DE-ICING and it would be an hour before they got any. Sounds like somebody made a big f***-up. Glad I'm not flying out of there today.

 

[sourdough44]

Just home stoking the woodstove tonight. Even the after school activities are cancelled. I may get the mail later, provided the mail lady still goes through ‘sleet, snow, rain’ and all to deliver.

 

[Cykoguy]

I've been listening to DSM on liveatc.com today. They've got a pretty good backup because of heavy snow. I don't know all of the particulars (I'm at work) but it sounds like they had a plane push back onto the ramp to de-ice and the de-icing crew ran out of fluid. For some reason, they are first in line and other taxi ways are closed for snow removal. The controller asked them to report when they are done de-icing because there are 5 flights behind him waiting. The flight crew said that the airport RAN OUT OF DE-ICING and it would be an hour before they got any. Sounds like somebody made a big f***-up. Glad I'm not flying out of there today.

Had not heard that. Surprised they didn't just call over Signature to do it. Depending on who it was when I worked there they were trained/signed off to de-ice American, Frontier and Allegiant (back ups on the first to and primary on Allegiant).

 

[NoHeat]

Chain-reaction crashes on I35 north of Des Moines. Skip to 3:00.

 

[AKiss20]

Chain-reaction crashes on I35 north of Des Moines. Skip to 3:00.

Just goes to show how important it is to SLOW DOWN in bad weather. Don't drive if possible, but dear god slow down. Many in New England here have learned that but you still get those meatheads in a massive SUV with snow tires who think they can go 70 on the highway during a blizzard.

 

[sourdough44]

Yep, one minute you are fiddling with the phone, the next you smash into stopped traffic.

The end of that daisy chain is no place to be.

 

[azure]

Just goes to show how important it is to SLOW DOWN in bad weather. Don't drive if possible, but dear god slow down. Many in New England here have learned that but you still get those meatheads in a massive SUV with snow tires who think they can go 70 on the highway during a blizzard.

I used to fear for my life driving in winter in Michigan because of idiots like that, but have yet to encounter even one in New England. Here in Vermont it's usually the opposite problem: long traffic jams because of people going WAY below the speed limit on days when it's sunny and dry. Vermont slowpokes I call 'em. But on days like today I'd rather have that problem than people who don't know when the posted speed limit is way too high for conditions.

9 inches forecast today for the Montpelier area, some zones as much as 14. Winter in New England...

 

[SkyDog58]

Some of those folks sure were in a hurry to get to the accident. I guess they just didn’t want to miss out.

 

[AKiss20]

I used to fear for my life driving in winter in Michigan because of idiots like that, but have yet to encounter even one in New England. Here in Vermont it's usually the opposite problem: long traffic jams because of people going WAY below the speed limit on days when it's sunny and dry. Vermont slowpokes I call 'em. But on days like today I'd rather have that problem than people who don't know when the posted speed limit is way too high for conditions.

9 inches forecast today for the Montpelier area, some zones as much as 14. Winter in New England...

While I love living in the city (Boston), I will say that more "rural" drivers seem to understand the limitations of their vehicle a lot better. I've driven in VT during the winter a lot for skiing and see many fewer of the idiots than I do on 93 or 90 here in Boston. Actually, I've seen more idiots on the road in Boston than anywhere else (and I grew up in NJ/NY). Certainly doesn't help that the Boston approach to road planning was throwing spaghetti against the wall and copying the shape onto the map!

 

[azure]

While I love living in the city (Boston), I will say that more "rural" drivers seem to understand the limitations of their vehicle a lot better. I've driven in VT during the winter a lot for skiing and see many fewer of the idiots than I do on 93 or 90 here in Boston. Actually, I've seen more idiots on the road in Boston than anywhere else (and I grew up in NJ/NY). Certainly doesn't help that the Boston approach to road planning was throwing spaghetti against the wall and copying the shape onto the map!

Yeah, I should have qualified "New England" with "northern". Down in the "tropical" south, I expect things could be much more like in Michigan. But I've yet to drive down that way during the winter.

 

[NoHeat]

Some of those folks sure were in a hurry to get to the accident. I guess they just didn’t want to miss out.

There were several fatalities in that pileup. Watching the video, you don’t know for sure which crashes were fatal, but several around 4:00 - 4:30 were particularly nasty.

It’s interesting to see how quite a few drivers improved their outcome by purposefully going into the ditch. The ditch had fewer targets to hit, and its surface was rougher and provided more deceleration. Before I viewed this video my impression was that going into the ditch would be the worst choice because of rollovers, but now my opinion has changed.

 

[azure]

And we are buried. The NWS hasn't come out yet with storm totals, but I would guess we saw about 12 inches in all over the 24-hour period. The worst part is, the sidewalks are covered with snow plowed from the streets, so we have no choice but to walk in the street. I doubt if I'll try to drive anywhere until tomorrow afternoon at the earliest.

 

[azure]

More snow coming today... winter weather advisory out for central and NE Vermont. 3-5 inches generally, though the local forecast says only 1-3. I think we've had that much already...

 

[denverpilot]

More snow coming today... winter weather advisory out for central and NE Vermont. 3-5 inches generally, though the local forecast says only 1-3. I think we've had that much already...

We’re getting a little taste of that today too, but not as much as y’all have had. Denver had an entire day of widespread freezing fog yesterday which is certainly quite rare for here.

 

[Luigi]

On the CO western slope we've gotten a good 10" today.

 

[azure]

We’re getting a little taste of that today too, but not as much as y’all have had. Denver had an entire day of widespread freezing fog yesterday which is certainly quite rare for here.

At the moment we are having rain that seems to be freezing on contact, even though the air temperature is above freezing. Apparently the surfaces are still below freezing. Very treacherous walking. I spoke briefly with a gentleman at the local pizzeria about a half hour ago who said the roads were not slippery. It's possible that there is enough traffic on the busier highways that the water is kept in the liquid phase by pressure. But on the side streets, such as the one I walked on from home, it's quite slick.

 

[denverpilot]

On the CO western slope we've gotten a good 10" today.

Sounds like the ski areas are happy with this storm, too.

Eventually we made it up to 3-4” out here on the prairie.

I still feel like crud. Maybe I’ll go out and see if the driveway needs more than just packed down with the truck tomorrow sometime. Maybe not.

 

[Cykoguy]

Been a fun week of snow. Cedar Rapids is proving once again that they are lazy when it comes to residential areas though.

I did see a stat that yesterday was the seventh straight day that DSM had received measurable snow. That is the longest stretch since 1965.