02 February 2011

Frozen Slush

We were told on Tuesday not to go into work today. I think that's the third time this winter. It turned out not to be such a big deal, at least compared to some of the other storms we've had this year. But the forecasts indicated that this one was going to be somewhat unpredictable, due to fluctuating temperatures. The Mrs. got up at 6:30, took the dog out, came back and said it wasn't doing anything outside, and that she was going to work.

I shoveled Tuesday night from the snow that fell that day, because I didn't want it to get trapped under a layer of ice. Today I went outside at around 3:30 pm to assess the situation. The temperature was in the mid-30s for much of the day, but by the time I went out it had dropped back to about 25, so there was an inch or so of frozen slush covering all the areas I'd shoveled clear the night before.

Not only was the slush heavy, but it stuck to the shovel, even the metal one, making for slow going. I was able to clear everything except the sidewalk in front of the house, which had already frozen solid, but was not slippery because the surface was rough from foot traffic. But I bet it will be slick by tomorrow.

I finished clearing the plow-spill from the bottom of the driveway just before the Mrs. arrived home. If we get a decent day soon where it warms up a bit, I can hopefully clear the front walk.

Update: I just took the dog out for last call, and there's a thin frosting of snow on everything; it must have fallen after I came inside. (The forecasts I saw actually predicted the storm would end this way, so give them credit for getting one right.) This may be for the best, as this top layer of snow may provide a little traction tomorrow morning.

No comments: