Snowpocalypse 2.0...brace for it midwest

[BoomerD]

Damn...bad weather everywhere. We had almost 1/4" of rain here last night and today.

The good side is the "storm" should have blown the fucking fog out of the valley for a couple of days.

It's supposed to get cold this week. Lows in the 30's. <brrrr>

 

[destrekor]

Funny thing is, I drive a hell of a lot better in my Dodge Stratus than about 99% of the morons in pickup trucks and SUVs in the snow.

Front wheel drive for the win!

To be fair, if they are RWD trucks, it's basically the worst combination you can put in such conditions.

And many people seem to think SUVs and trucks automatically are capable of awesomeness in the snow, and they typically are the same people who put zero care into driving - i.e. they aren't paying attention to the nuances of what their car is telling them. These people are dangerous, and they are the reason I get super nervous when driving in bad weather.

For what it's worth, my RWD Dakota (even with 250lbs of sand in the back) is not at all what I'd call a capable vehicle in the snow, or hell... at any time. You have to know the details of the language between vehicle and driver, and most importantly, how to react every step of the way.

I've fishtailed numerous times in the snow, a handful of times in one trip on the highway during a nasty storm, but I've been able to recover. So far, I've been able to keep under control even when it's been taken away from me... but I won't ever go so far as to say I'm a perfect driver and can handle anything the world throws at me when I'm behind the wheel.

But yeah, I definitely want my next vehicle to be an AWD performance sedan/hot-hatch.

 

[EvilYoda]

I'm playing to go up north (Michigan) on Thursday night so hopefully all the snow's done falling by then and I can just enjoy the skiing.

 

[ussfletcher]

Damnit, I wish I was at home to enjoy this

Michigan > South Carolina

 

[SparkyJJO]

Hrm, this could make for an interesting 50 mile commute on Tuesday morning, or the return trip that evening :hmm:

 

[Capt Caveman]

Crap. Now, they're saying 15-20" Tuesday-Wednesday in MA.

 

[SlowSpyder]

Funny thing is, I drive a hell of a lot better in my Dodge Stratus than about 99% of the morons in pickup trucks and SUVs in the snow.

Front wheel drive for the win!

I see a lot of people in 4x4 trucks/SUV's driving way too fast in bad conditions. I think many of those drivers tend to get overconfident and don't respect the conditions.

 

[Jumpem]

Crap. Now, they're saying 15-20" Tuesday-Wednesday in MA.

No big deal. Just get up and go to work like any other day.

 

[Capt Caveman]

No big deal. Just get up and go to work like any other day.

I can work from home. But I still need to shovel.

 

[SparkyJJO]

I see a lot of people in 4x4 trucks/SUV's driving way too fast in bad conditions. I think many of those drivers tend to get overconfident and don't respect the conditions.

This. They seem for forget the operative word of 4WD/AWD - DRIVE. It sure helps you get going, but stopping, well...

I have a 4x4 SUV, but I don't drive fast in slick conditions (and I usually don't even have it in 4x4 mode). Irks me when some idiot in his subaru or whatever is tailgating me in bad conditions because they feel they are invincible and I'm in their way :thumbsdown:

 

[TallBill]

Got no car and nothin to do. Hopefully can get on the train fine on thursday for work though.

 

[AmdEmAll]

This. They seem for forget the operative word of 4WD/AWD - DRIVE. It sure helps you get going, but stopping, well...

I have a 4x4 SUV, but I don't drive fast in slick conditions (and I usually don't even have it in 4x4 mode). Irks me when some idiot in his subaru or whatever is tailgating me in bad conditions because they feel they are invincible and I'm in their way :thumbsdown:

Get out of the fast lane in bad conditions and let the Subaru's go through

 

[dmcowen674]

http://www.weather.com/outlook/weat...s-destructive-winter-storm-midwest_2011-01-30

Heavy snow...bitter cold...deadly tornadoes...destructive ice...oh my!

Potentially 100 million people affected.

Calling for 1-2 feet of snow here in Central IL.

Yay!

This will be my first big one in Chicago.

 

[Red Dawn]

I can work from home. But I still need to shovel.

The problem is there's no where to put the snow.

 

[edro]

You can drive fast on snow covered roads.
It's the change in direction and banked roads that are the problem.

As long as you can anticipate turns, slow downs and non-flat roads, you are fine.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Weather patterns look like a jaw is closing on Ill.
Down from Wisconsin and up from Missouri.
Central Iowa is getting little impact.

 

[TraumaRN]

Hmmm 12-15 inches for southeast lower Michigan. Eh well it will be on once a year monster snow storm. I am getting pretty sick of shoveling though. At least there will be plenty of snow melt for my garden and lawn this spring.

My Fusion Hybrid actually handles the snows pretty admirably. Especially if you can keep it in electric vehicle mode until about 10mph. All that low end torque of the electric motor=no wheel spin. Only time I get bad wheel spin is when it transitions into the gas motor that surge of power will light up the traction control for a half second every time.

 

[vi edit]

Weather patterns look like a jaw is closing on Ill.

Yep. IL is getting crunched. Official forecast now is 12-20". It's going to be a wild ride. 1"-2" today with freezing rain. Then more ice to start the day tomorrow. Then the snow comes through and hammers us for 12 hours. Then the winds come in and shake things up and by Wednesday morning it'll be -5.

It's like an entire winter rolled into one 36 hour window.

 

[Triumph]

um, excuse me? the term "Snowpocalypse" can only be applied when it affects people in states that actually have people, such as the east coast. anything that happens to the midwest cannot be considered an apocalypse. please reserve such powerful rhetoric for when it matters.

 

[cardiac]

Recent updates show us getting 18-24" here in NW Indiana, with 45 MPH winds, and the temps plummeting to below zero. I'm in the Lake Michigan "Lake effect" snow belt, on the southern tip, and we could see upwards of 30" here....Oh well, another crappy storm...

 

[Capt Caveman]

um, excuse me? the term "Snowpocalypse" can only be applied when it affects people in states that actually have people, such as the east coast. anything that happens to the midwest cannot be considered an apocalypse. please reserve such powerful rhetoric for when it matters.

This storm is heading for the east coast.

 

[dfuze]

^^ Yup, here in north central CT we are forecast for 4-9" for Tuesday, possible 12" on Wednesday (or if temps go up a tad it could be 1"+ of ice), then another big storm for Saturday. All of this on top of the 2'+ of snow still sitting on the ground. This is what it must be like to live in Syracuse :/

 

[Beev]

Looks like Kansas City will be hit just a little. I hope my flight tomorrow morning stays on schedule.

 

[darkewaffle]

I hope some of this stuff drifts PA's way, I loved the amount of snow we got last year.

 

[vi edit]

um, excuse me? the term "Snowpocalypse" can only be applied when it affects people in states that actually have people, such as the east coast. anything that happens to the midwest cannot be considered an apocalypse. please reserve such powerful rhetoric for when it matters.

Sorry. Only the 3rd largest city, and 5th most populated state in the country is being affected.