As snow-experienced as I am from 31 years of living in Central New York, it still takes my breath away when the view from the window is snow and only snow.
It had lightened up a bit by the time I went out on the side porch to snap a shot with my iPad Air just now.
But you get the picture.
And, to be fair, I must mention that people who live to the north of Syracuse have had it much worse than us, snow-wise. In the Lake Effect region, as I shall call it, the snow is measured in feet when we only get inches. No exaggeration.
The morning paper draped this headlinke under the A1 flag this morning: The Cold, Hard Facts.
The accompanying chart chills me to the bone. It points out:
On 13 days in January and February, the temperature has fallen below zero. January was 3.7 degrees colder than norma. February has been 3.2 degrees colder than normal.
The National Weather Service has officially recorded for Syracuse in January and February 34 cloudy days, 20 partly cloudy days, and zero days with clear skies.
On the weather page comes what I must consider good news. Well, average news, at least.
For the winter, Syracuse has received 105.5 inches of snow. That’s just a tick above the average snowfall by Feb. 27.
That view. I remember it well, Mark. As bad as it is, I recall telling my girls (adults) that “if I can see the neighbor’s house across the street, then I’ll drive to Utica (from Syracuse) to work.” My boss told me I was “amazing” because I made it in when those who lived closer didn’t. My kids thought I was crazy. I lucked out. The weather was fine once I got on the Thruway. But, as you know, you just can never tell.
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You were brave, Judy. The Thruway usually is kept relatively clear, plow-wise, but oh, the blow-through whiteouts that can occur!
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That…..is why I drive in Louisiana during the winter!
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Yeah, but I know how much you love driving in Baton Rouge, Trey. I read about it on your treyz blog!
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I don’t wanna talk about that….
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I will say that we are going to have a six inch or more snow storm from Sunday evening until Monday morning! Enough is enough! Isn’t there a way to prevent this? Oh yeah, become a ‘snow bird’ and be able to retire to the South… sounded good when I had money! oh well! Soon we will have Spring… Robin
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Delaware County, Ohio, buckle in, especially you, Robin.
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I remember one January just a few years ago, the temp got above freezing in St. Louis every day that month… and the global warming police were screaming bloody murder that this was going to be the kind of winter we better get used to from now on. How quickly the weather can turn on you…
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Yeah, I think it can go either way, any season, ESN. Or stay average.
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Brrrrrr, could not survive!
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When you must get used to it, you do, Laflor!
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The cold, the wind and the bitterness both yield from a combined effort is torture. Bring on the snow, because I can be managed to a point. The freezing aspects, the inability to walk a block and having to turn your back and hood-covered head, are actually painful.
Great take, Mark.
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Tonight was a torturous drive from Bowling Green in North Syracuse to home in Eastwood, blowing snow making visibility zero. That’s what I hate, driving along with a couple feet the furthest you can see. But your walk against the freezing wind is right up there, Chris.
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So you will for sure never retire to Florida?
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Aiming for Hawaii. Really.
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Mark, our weather has been see-sawing from 65 one day to 27 at present moment. At least the sun was out today. If we get snow here it is usually sandwiched between thick layers of ice, I can handle snow, but ice is a different story. I remember snow from many years ago, but Kentucky had the distinction of being the only state in the country of being shut down for one entire month because of 6 inches of ice that we are not equipped to deal with. This year the kids will be going to school until the middle of June because of the ice days.
BTW, during the white out, did you see any chickens cross the road?
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No, the chickens all flew south to Kawaii.
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Reblogged this on Kentucky Angel's Train Wrecks and commented:
And we complain about the snow and cold.
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i love this title, mark and you know i really think of them as an important part of any post. thought i’d mention it this time ) yeh, it’s a blanket of frozen white stuff and i don’t see it disappearing anytime soon – what have we done to deserve this?!
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I have to keep improving to reach near the level of connection you have between your titles and story, Beth. I am trying hard. I drove home from bowling league tonight in a white out. Snow and blowing snow, and I couldn’t see the road at all in the stretches were there were no street lights. It took me 25 minutes to go about 7 miles, usually 10 minutes when you hit the traffic lights right. You are right, what did we do to deserve this, my friend.
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Mark-we don’t have any yet. But we’re getting the warnings. I don’t mind it so much…..but I’m starting to feel sorry for the kids and teachers who are being thrown about trying to figure out how to make up the accumulating snow days!!! Stay warm!
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It is wildly cold with blowing snow tonight, with a terrifying drive home for me from my bowling league. But now I’m toasty and safe at our happy little house.
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That’s one of the worst things about the snow. Is knowing people have to go out in it. Safe snow travels Mark.
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This snow totally sucks, Mark.
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It’s time for it to go back to where it came from, Mer. Unwanted guest.
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It has overstayed its welcome. Go home, snow. You have piled on us enough this winter.
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Uh, it looks so cold Mark. I enjoy your photos of your winter, but I don’t need this snow.
In Europe the Spring is started around one month earlier than usual. Strange weather.
Irene
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I like the early spring for Europe, Irene. Thanks for your praise for my winter photos.
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😀
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Mark, I am sorry to “party crash” your blog like this but I need your help. How do I find the url for the Shauny Award and Field of Flowers Award??
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Here is url to shaun’s blog.
http://prayingforoneday.wordpress.com/about-2/
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And here is the url for Field of Flowers Award.
http://petitemagique.wordpress.com/the-field-of-flowers-award/
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Jealous – so jealous, it is so completely hot and humid here at the moment and it seems the monsoonal rains are still going strong. One day on three days off and the rain doesn’t help with the heat either, it just raises the humidity. I know I know I’m whining but I’ve found it is easier to warm up than it is to cool down in most circumstances. And just as an aside I love the whiteout photo.
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I can listen to you whine all day, Jenni, from a locale where the weather is the (non-) polar opposite of mine right now. To me, the air conditioning takes the edge off of being hot more quickly than the furnace warms you from the sub-chill. I’m glad you like the white-out photo. Look at it, close your eyes, and think cold!
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Duly reprimanded – but still sooo jealous. In truth I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else – we’re in the heart of whitsunday islands and on the doorstep of the Great Barrier Reef (hence my foaming at the mouth rants at our government on my blog – I even have a section just for ranting) but some days it can be somewhat oppressive. 🙂
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I good rant is welcome when you run hot on any topic, Jenni. I shall check out your Great Barrier Reef) posts.
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I fear your region may completely freeze up and drift off the map entirely. I’m in awe of every photo!
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I shall try to get a shot of the rest of the iceberg for you, Sandra, as we drift off into wintry waters …
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Just promise to write about the journey. And hold on tight to Karen! Want you two to find sunny days on the other side of the states.
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105.5 inches of snow!? Oh my! I think that at the most we have had is about 2″ but winter isn’t over quite yet. It has actually been very warm and sunny for about the past 2 weeks except for today and it is ‘spitting’ rain.
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Take what it gives you, PJ. We have no other choice.
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Wow! That’s an amazing amount of snow. Stay warm, Mark. It’s look too cold to go outside. Out here in California, we’re well below average for rainfall. I don’t know what it is, but it’s bad. It did rain last night though and it’s supposed to keep raining. Yay!
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I wish you enough rain to make up for any deficit, Amy. Too dry is worse than too snowy, in the long run. Thanks for dropping in again from California.
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Reblogged this on Hey Sweetheart, Get Me Rewrite!.
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Thank you, Terry. It was an awesome sheet of white.
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