Archive for Monday, February 4, 2008
Photo by Matt Stensland
A coal train crosses Fifth Street at the entrance to Howelsen Park on a snowy Sunday afternoon. The National Weather Service in Grand Junction on Sunday predicted between 12 and 18 inches of snow would fall in Steamboat Springs by midnight today, with 2 to 3 feet accumulating in the mountains.
Snowed in
More winter weather in store for Steamboat Springs
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Steamboat Springs — Ace at the Curve hardware employees have had a difficult time keeping snow removal equipment in stock this winter. Today's expected weather won't help.
Steamboat Springs and surrounding areas are under a winter storm warning until midnight tonight, and when it's all said and done, another 12 to 18 inches of snow could be added to what's quickly becoming a historic winter in terms of snowfall.
That means it might be time for Ace employees to phone in the next shipment of shovels and ice melt.
"We haven't been able to get any snowblowers in because the demand is so high that even the warehouse hasn't been able to get any in stock," Ace employee Kelli Herman said Sunday. "Ice picks, shovels and ice melt - we order more as soon as we get some in because we run out so fast."
The National Weather Service predicts 12 to 18 inches of "heavy, fluffy snow" in city limits by the time the storm passes through the region late tonight or early Tuesday. The mountains could see between 2 and 3 feet of snow.
"This is a big storm. It's going to snow through Monday and into Monday night, before improving quite quickly Tuesday," said Chris Couco, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Grand Junction. "The snow will come back on Wednesday but not as strong."
Couco said he expects wind gusts of 30 mph south of Steamboat. The gusts could create areas of blowing and drifting snow, particularly near the town of Yampa.
"At the mountain base area, we think winds will reach up to 15 mph," he said.
The snow is continued good news for skiers and riders. The Steamboat Ski Area surpassed the 300-inch mark of mid-mountain snow last week, and depending on this storm's yield, season-to-date snowfall could surpass the historical average of 331 inches. The ski area reported 324 inches of cumulative season-to-date snowfall Sunday. It has snowed on the slopes of Mount Werner 80 percent of the days since Nov. 21, according to the ski area. Thirty-two of those days brought 4 or more inches of snow.
The ski area reported the third-snowiest December on record (126 inches) and the second-snowiest January on record (129 inches). For just the third time in ski area history, there were more than 100 inches of snow in December and January of the same ski season. All this is after a mild fall that forced a week and a half delay in the ski area's opening.
The abundant snow also has created problems, particularly for the snow removal budgets of local governments and homeowner associations. City of Steamboat officials said last week that snowplow drivers are working long shifts and collected nearly 1,000 hours of overtime in the two-week pay period ending Jan. 19.
Snow also brought headaches to many motorists last week when whiteout conditions forced the temporary closure of U.S. Highway 40 from the Utah border east to Rabbit Ears Pass. Although no injuries were reported, the commutes of hundreds of drivers were delayed by as long as four and five hours along U.S. 40 and Colorado Highway 131. Dozens of vehicles slid off roadways.
The National Weather Service advises against highway travel for the duration of today's storm.
According to the winter storm warning, "Many highways will have closure, and it's highly recommended to check road conditions before departing. If you do not need to travel, then stay home. If you travel, expect snow covered and icy conditions everywhere during the next 24 hours.
"If you are planning travel through the mountains of Eastern Utah or Western Colorado, be prepared for extremely poor travel conditions. Mountain passes will be icy and snowpacked with poor visibilities from blowing snow. Be sure to pack a winter survival kit in your vehicle if you must travel."
Routt County Emergency Management Director Chuck Vale said motorists should always travel with blankets, gloves, an emergency medical kit, a shovel, flashlights and spare batteries, along with enough food and water to survive for up to 72 hours.
"You need to have enough to hunker down to survive for up to 72 hours until services are able to reach you," he said. "People should be prepared to take care of themselves. It makes it easier on emergency services."
"Of course it snows in Northwest Colorado a lot, but wind is our real problem," he said. "(The Colorado Department of Transportation) and county road crews do a good job of removing the snow. I don't anticipate those kind of problems in this storm unless we get high winds : but I advise everyone who will be traveling to be prepared for an emergency."
Heavy snowfall also has put roof strength to the test. Engineers warn that the weight over the heads of homeowners could cause significant damage.Cracked drywall and garage doors that won't open are signs that heavy loads are putting structural pressure on buildings. The stress may result in the need for expensive repairs, while some buildings, unable to shoulder the load, could collapse under the enormous weight.
Comments
weallnutz (anonymous) says...
I've lived here forever, I live here for the summer and fall and even kind of enjoy mud season..... this winter is getting a little ridiculous. Can't live in Steamboat and complain about getting snow...but can I moan and groan just a little, I'M SICK OF PLOWING, thanks I feel better! Oh well, the floods will be great! I think if I lived in Dream Island I'd start filling sand bags now.
February 4, 2008 at 6:21 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
freshair (anonymous) says...
Man, oh man, this Global Warming is something else!!(:>)
February 4, 2008 at 7:18 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
STEMBOATwannabe (anonymous) says...
The snow is great
Love it!
February 4, 2008 at 8:08 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Malcolm_Reynolds (anonymous) says...
To the whiners in November about the Ski Area opening late. Good things come to those who wait.
February 4, 2008 at 5:56 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
skiday11 (anonymous) says...
Yeah Al Gore. Take this!!! Al Gore is soooo stupid.
February 4, 2008 at 12:14 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
skiday11 (anonymous) says...
sorry.
February 4, 2008 at 12:16 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
BoatMaster (anonymous) says...
Let it snow!!
Skiing up to my waist is snow is fantastic.
I have a service clear my snow so I have no complaints. (except for the cost)
February 4, 2008 at 6:58 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
blahblahblah (anonymous) says...
=^..^=
February 4, 2008 at 9:42 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
kielbasa (Matthew Stoddard) says...
weallnutz- I know how you feel. I have no place left to put snow from my driveway. My wife has shoveled back our sides twice in one month due to build-up. Our driveway sides are now approx. 10ft. high. I wish I could get up and ski with all this snow, but time hasn't presented itself yet. All I'd like is a week of sunny, 40 degree weather to melt down the roads and my driveway sides (and roof) for a bit.
February 4, 2008 at 6:53 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
blahblahblah (anonymous) says...
meow
February 4, 2008 at 9:43 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
fmrstudentlxa (anonymous) says...
Even with hiring a service it amounts to a lot. Of course our service tends to be rather erratic in when they come (last week's dump resulted in a 7 am plow while today I was stuck since they werent there yet around 9) Can't complain though every little bit helps with water storage and levels. Early kayak season will be epic. Still with or without the gripes and complaints I still think someone ought to slap Punksatony(sp?) Phil upside the head. Six weeks my *** more like the next 4 months.
February 4, 2008 at 10:23 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
thecondoguy1 (anonymous) says...
I agree this global warming is a bugger...........
somebody is a phoney, I think the academia should get that Pulitzer back...........
February 4, 2008 at 10:28 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
SkiTownUSA (anonymous) says...
Oh my gosh oh my gosh!
It is snowing and cold outside, so global warming (in italics) CANT be true.
February 4, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
thecondoguy1 (anonymous) says...
oh it can, but don't worry your pretty little head off, it's not your fault..........
February 4, 2008 at 10:34 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
justathought (anonymous) says...
Responder, TAKE NOTE.
"Many highways will have closure, and it's highly recommended to check road conditions" "be prepared for extremely poor travel conditions." "Mountain passes will be icy and snowpacked with poor visibilities from blowing snow. Be sure to pack a winter survival kit in your vehicle if you must travel."
I just wanted to emphasize this in case they don't put a sign up telling you the roads are bad.
Hey skiers! Your "pray for snow" worked, any chance you could pray for a little sunshine? Someone should shoot that goofy groundhog.
February 4, 2008 at 10:45 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
kielbasa (Matthew Stoddard) says...
Pulitzer??? Did you mean Nobel Peace Prize?
February 4, 2008 at 10:46 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
thecondoguy1 (anonymous) says...
yes for sure, I stand corrected al did win the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007.
I think he won the Pulitzer for inventing the internet, or maybe the sun, I can't remember...............
and yes "responder" and "mom", it's snowing, no thanks to al gore, I might ad,,,,,, make sure there's plenty of valium in the car..............
February 4, 2008 at 12:17 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
80488mom (anonymous) says...
Too funny.....but this time I'm riding home with my husband and I brought some knitting so I can occupy myself and not look where we are going.......even if it's in a ditch.
February 4, 2008 at 1:30 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
thecondoguy1 (anonymous) says...
God bless you mom, and be safe...............
February 4, 2008 at 1:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
paddlefisher (anonymous) says...
maybe Al Gore can come and shovel all our drives and roofs..the he will wonder is there reallty gobal warming..cann't prove it by this winter in all of colorado and utah
February 4, 2008 at 3:36 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bigdog (anonymous) says...
Don't worry about AL, in a few years he'll be pimping the coming "Ice Age"..... and most of you suckers will fall in line and believe the hype.
February 4, 2008 at 4:22 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
colowoodsman (anonymous) says...
GREAT PICTURE! It really shows what Stinky Springs is all about.
February 4, 2008 at 6:12 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
kielbasa (Matthew Stoddard) says...
And condoguy- I was the one who was admonished about using Wiki long ago...by whom?? Take a wild guess. I was told "Any idiot can edit Wiki!" Then, guess who started using Wiki links half the time? Average_svbore.
So yes: fair is fair. The above post of mine actually says it all:
"The IPCC bases its assessment mainly on peer reviewed and published scientific literature. [3]"
February 5, 2008 at 9:04 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
QuitYerWhining (anonymous) says...
Ignorance is bliss... until the ice caps melt....if you people would take some time to understand that this an indication of global warming. See if you can understand this...oceans get warmer...more moisture in the air ....more snow falls as it collides with artic blasts that dip farther south do to wacked weather patterns. Southern states dry up and blow away. Drought worsens in may areas of the world. Huge snow storms in China and snow in the deserts of the Middle east. Do us all a favor and read an article or two about the subject before you decide tow your stinky 2 stroke sleds up to Buff pass in your 8 cylinder Hemi 4X to kill a few more brain cells from the fumes. Viva Exonn!!!
February 4, 2008 at 9:15 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bcpow (anonymous) says...
Where is the voice of reason's response? We need more links because the snow stopped and I have time that was reserved for shoveling that just opened up.
February 4, 2008 at 9:23 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mud (anonymous) says...
only five links? C'mon its global warming!
February 5, 2008 at 1:10 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
colowoodsman (anonymous) says...
For those of you 'come latelies' without a clue, it doesn't snow when it is COLD, 20 or more below zero. The tempurature has to be around zero or above.
February 5, 2008 at 1:39 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
kielbasa (Matthew Stoddard) says...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_......
Opening Paragraph:
"National and international science academies and professional societies have assessed the current scientific opinion on climate change, in particular recent global warming. These assessments have largely followed or endorsed the IPCC position that "An increasing body of observations gives a collective picture of a warming world and other changes in the climate system... There is new and stronger evidence that most of the warming observed over the last 50 years is attributable to human activities".[1]"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intergov...
The IPCC bases its assessment mainly on peer reviewed and published scientific literature. [3]
February 5, 2008 at 8:16 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
thecondoguy1 (anonymous) says...
sorry matt, I am going with sbvor's thesis, don't forget how we have admonished him/her for using wikipedia for reference resource. fair is fair..............gotta dig deeper.
February 5, 2008 at 8:51 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
kielbasa (Matthew Stoddard) says...
The IPCC bases its assessment mainly on peer reviewed and published scientific literature. [3]
The IPCC bases its assessment mainly on peer reviewed and published scientific literature. [3]
The IPCC bases its assessment mainly on peer reviewed and published scientific literature. [3]
The IPCC bases its assessment mainly on peer reviewed and published scientific literature. [3]
The IPCC bases its assessment mainly on peer reviewed and published scientific literature. [3]
The IPCC bases its assessment mainly on peer reviewed and published scientific literature. [3]
The IPCC bases its assessment mainly on peer reviewed and published scientific literature. [3]
How 'bout that?
February 5, 2008 at 9 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
kielbasa (Matthew Stoddard) says...
I saw your post. So what? It says IPCC based on scientific and peer reviewed studies. Maybe YOUR intpretation is what is flawed. Being from a forgotten generation can do that to you.
It's not my fault you don't "agree" with their findings. Plus, I don't worship anyone but Cary Grant. Too smooth. He'd have called you a Bore, too.
February 5, 2008 at 1:56 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
weallnutz (anonymous) says...
global warming or not(most likely NOT!!) could it please stop snowing!!!!
February 5, 2008 at 7:46 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bubba (anonymous) says...
Sbvor, I really don't have the time to research global warming personally, so I do not have an opinion as to whether it is man-made or not, but your whole CO2 argument doesn't really prove that CO2 does not cause global warming- from a pure logical standpoint, without getting into the posting of links and all of that, your argument says:
CO2 levels increase as (or after) the earth warms, therefore CO2 is a result of global warming and does not contribute to it.
That is flawed because logically, the fact that melting ice caps release CO2 does not imply that CO2 does not contribute to climactic warming. Put in the simplest logical terms, you are saying:
A implies B, therefore B implies A.
That is a logically flawed statement, and as far as I can tell, the basis for your theories on global warming. From the fact that A implies B, we have no indication of whether or not B implies A, so unless I missed something in your arguments (and I am sure I will see several links if I did), CO2 may be released into the atmosphere BY global warming, but that does not mean that CO2 does not contribute TO global warming as well, accelerating the process.
February 5, 2008 at 8:31 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
kielbasa (Matthew Stoddard) says...
Chicken or the egg, bubba; chicken or the egg.
February 5, 2008 at 10:23 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
paddlefisher (anonymous) says...
I agree enough already..I'm tired of plowing snow blowing shoveling and driving in this..Is there such a thing as an anti snow dance..you just get caught up and BAM another foot or two..Yes I'm Whing...I have very little room for snow now and march isn't here yet...I WANNA SOAK UP THE SUN..by the way what does it look like
February 6, 2008 at 3:43 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
fmrstudentlxa (anonymous) says...
I think the sun is just a myth I mean clearly it must only effect the ice caps.
February 6, 2008 at 5:42 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
colowoodsman (anonymous) says...
sbvor, have you checked out 'greenhouse gases' at www.eia.doe.gov?
February 6, 2008 at 6:02 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
paddlefisher (anonymous) says...
i actually heard that in Switzerland they granted scientiets a grant to research the affects on GOLBAL WARWING cows had by farting and bealching..lol hard to believe
February 6, 2008 at 6:32 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
kielbasa (Matthew Stoddard) says...
paddlefisher- Methane release
February 6, 2008 at 6:57 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
paddlefisher (anonymous) says...
so i guess we be come veg heads cause cattle are part of our problem..so dont eat bean the magical fruit the more you the more you toot.the more you eat the better you feel so eat beans for every meal..naught..we are contributing to gobal warming so hold it in..lol
February 6, 2008 at 7:25 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
kielbasa (Matthew Stoddard) says...
No- DO eat them so they stop producing methane. Human farts are smaller...most times.
February 6, 2008 at 8:21 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
colowoodsman (anonymous) says...
sbvor-my point is-You are missing the point!(obviously) What's YOUR point?
February 9, 2008 at 5:53 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
colowoodsman (anonymous) says...
Colobob-I did see (or hear) about Oblio and Arrow and their journey through the Pointless Forest. It was really good! I'm surprised it hasn't become a classic.
February 10, 2008 at 5:55 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
colobob (anonymous) says...
....................anyone ever watch "Me and My Arrow?" Great animated flick about Oblio and his dog Arrow in the Land of Point. If you haven't seen it you owe it to yourself to view it.
February 9, 2008 at 12:06 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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