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News & ArtsMonday, January 16, 2012
Panic / The Weather Cliff Mass Says Wednesday Will Bring "Snowmageddon"
Posted by Anna Minard on Mon, Jan 16, 2012 at 3:42 PM
The bottom line is that there is a serious threat on Wednesday of 8-15 inches of snow over the region, with a minimal turn over to rain. The biggest snowstorm in years. Anyway, before anyone goes out and buys a snowblower, lets see what tonight's runs show. If they continue this trend then Slushmageddon might be replaced by Snowmageddon. In almost any conceivable case, Wednesday morning is going to be very problematic for travel...I suspect there will be a lot of school cancellations and the like.
2
I hope there are lots of storms this year, so we use up 'Snowpocalypse' and 'Snowmageddon' and have to watch people use the increasingly awkward 'Snowtaclysm' and 'Snowgnarok.'
4
I hope you get hammered. I'm looking forward to sitting here laughing my ass off at all of you. (And yes, we've already had storms that bad here this year; it didn't even make the news.)
5
I love the xxxmageddon construct.
Severe drought (or swarms of locusts)? Farmageddon.
People dying from tainted cheese? Parmageddon.
The breakdown of the natural order of things? Dharmageddon.
Severe drought (or swarms of locusts)? Farmageddon.
People dying from tainted cheese? Parmageddon.
The breakdown of the natural order of things? Dharmageddon.
7
It's times like this I wish I didn't commute on foot. It's hard to claim you can't make it in to work when you can walk there. I suppose it's for the best, since I'd have to go without pay if I didn't show up, and that's probably worse than walking in the snow.
@5: our poor behavior coming back to collectively bite us in the ass: karmageddon
@5: our poor behavior coming back to collectively bite us in the ass: karmageddon
10
@4
When 15 inches of snowfall in a short period of time is a common occurrence where you live, then of course it's not "news". When the same amount drops on an area that gets that much snowfall perhaps once in every five or six years, it does, by definition qualify as newsworthy.
And what is it with people anyway and their pathological obsession with pointing out things like this? Every year somebody feels compelled to utter something along the lines of, "well, WHERE I LIVE ______ (insert favorite local excessive meteorological phenomenon) happens ALL THE TIME, so the rest of you are pathetic nincompoops for not knowing how to deal with it EVEN IF IT ONLY HAPPENS TO YOU ONCE IN A BLUE MOON!"? Seriously, I don't get this neurotic need to one-up people who don't normally experience the same kind of shitty weather conditions you seem to live with on a more-or-less permanent basis. As if shitty weather, like a consistently losing sports team, is something to be proud of?
When 15 inches of snowfall in a short period of time is a common occurrence where you live, then of course it's not "news". When the same amount drops on an area that gets that much snowfall perhaps once in every five or six years, it does, by definition qualify as newsworthy.
And what is it with people anyway and their pathological obsession with pointing out things like this? Every year somebody feels compelled to utter something along the lines of, "well, WHERE I LIVE ______ (insert favorite local excessive meteorological phenomenon) happens ALL THE TIME, so the rest of you are pathetic nincompoops for not knowing how to deal with it EVEN IF IT ONLY HAPPENS TO YOU ONCE IN A BLUE MOON!"? Seriously, I don't get this neurotic need to one-up people who don't normally experience the same kind of shitty weather conditions you seem to live with on a more-or-less permanent basis. As if shitty weather, like a consistently losing sports team, is something to be proud of?
11
5280, I get annoyed at all the chuckleheads here who don't know how to drive in the snow but, in all fairness to them, they don't have experience in it since it rarely snows here. If it snowed here like it does in Denver or the Twin Cities, I've no doubt that people, overall, would be better able to deal with it.
14
I prefer Snowpocalypse for snow storms and Warmaggedon for heat waves. Is there a separate term for the panic brought about by an impending storm, or it it just "snow panic"?
Drive safely and walk carefully, everyone.
Drive safely and walk carefully, everyone.
18
No worries, Comte. Our mile high Colorado friends have us beat on dealing with snow storms. But they can't have sex a mile high and on the beach within hours without getting on a plane. It's all good.
19
Seattle is in the grip of 'snow angst', which has replaced 'upper-middle-class angst' as the malaise of the week.
20
Matt & 5280, my brother-in-law, whose father used to live in Boulder, told me that Denver gets a lot of sunshine each year. I just read on metrodenver.org that "Metro Denver has 300 sunny days a year—more annual days of sunshine than either San Diego or Miami Beach.." I'd really like that.
Years (okay, decades) ago I made up my mind to go to summer school at either the U of Oregon in Eugene or UC in Boulder. I ended up choosing the U of O which is how I eventually ended up in Seattle. Had I chosen Boulder, I'd probably be living in the Denver-Boulder area.
Years (okay, decades) ago I made up my mind to go to summer school at either the U of Oregon in Eugene or UC in Boulder. I ended up choosing the U of O which is how I eventually ended up in Seattle. Had I chosen Boulder, I'd probably be living in the Denver-Boulder area.
23
To be fair, people from most parts of the country that experience a lot of snow aren't as familiar with these naturally-occurring Earth formations known as "hills." In the end, everyone's a tough guy until they have to get from LQA to the top via Queen Anne Ave.
24
@12 & 13: Have you seen the videos of SUV pinball from yesterday? Seattle is not equipped for this. Do I have to retell the story of my Snowmageddon car wreck in which all my windows blew out, both airbags deployed, and my earrings where knocked out of my ears?
No. I have no sense of humor regarding the coming plague of rabid snow cats forecast for this evening. And I'm sorry if all y'all in the Mile High City, with your permanently frostbitten toes, and 17 broken down snowmobiles ensconced in your yards, think that we here in Seattle are weenies about it.
No. I have no sense of humor regarding the coming plague of rabid snow cats forecast for this evening. And I'm sorry if all y'all in the Mile High City, with your permanently frostbitten toes, and 17 broken down snowmobiles ensconced in your yards, think that we here in Seattle are weenies about it.
26
@11, I live in Denver currently following 6 years in the Twin Cities. The commonality that both share with you is that none of these fuckers (in Denver or in Minnesota) can drive in the snow.
27
I tried to borrow a car Sunday morning, but ended up just sliding downhill 20 yards and into another parking space.
Bicycles win again.
Bicycles win again.
28
catballou, if that's the case in the Twin Cities, then things have definitely changed since I lived there. There were, of course, always a few folks who were bad drivers in the snow but it wasn't anywhere as widespread as it is here.
How did you like MSP?
How did you like MSP?
29
Strangely, my butt is quite unhurt, as I enjoy plenty of soft, comfy cushions on all my chairs.
But then, @13, when you live in a place with so many "America's worst..." designations as Denver (worst airport, worst bedbug infestation, second worst-selling housing market, worst city for DUI's - not to mention some of the nation's worst air pollution, violent crime rates, incidents of police misconduct - well, apparently, there's a very long list of attributes that Denver is worst or near-worst at), I can certainly understand why anything happening up here in Seattle (consistently ranked at the top of most annual "Best City" lists for just about anything you can think of) might make you feel a little hypersensitive.
But then, @13, when you live in a place with so many "America's worst..." designations as Denver (worst airport, worst bedbug infestation, second worst-selling housing market, worst city for DUI's - not to mention some of the nation's worst air pollution, violent crime rates, incidents of police misconduct - well, apparently, there's a very long list of attributes that Denver is worst or near-worst at), I can certainly understand why anything happening up here in Seattle (consistently ranked at the top of most annual "Best City" lists for just about anything you can think of) might make you feel a little hypersensitive.
30
@23: every time I hear that old saw, I think about my years spent in Duluth MN. #4 snowiest city in the US, a town strung up and down an 800-foot hillside above Lake Superior. Fun times for a poor college student with a lousy car!
Nevertheless, hie thee to the liquor store, Seattle; you've been duly warned.
Nevertheless, hie thee to the liquor store, Seattle; you've been duly warned.
31
Roma, that "300 sunny days a year" thing is a work of fiction. While it's correct (as far as it goes), what they don't tell you is that, if we get sun for one minute during the course of a day, they count that as a "sunny day." Today will be a "sunny day," yet it's snowing as I write this.
That said, we do get a hell of a lot more sun than most places. (I was going to say "more than Seattle, but the whole fucking world gets more sun than Seattle.)
That said, we do get a hell of a lot more sun than most places. (I was going to say "more than Seattle, but the whole fucking world gets more sun than Seattle.)
32
@28, I loved MSP. I loved the people, the atmosphere of the cities, the general midwestern friendliness. I did not love the month of February in MN, where the mercury didn't hit the good side of zero for 2 or 3 week stretches. But there are trade offs to living anywhere.
My theory on the downfall of civilization/why people in MN can't drive in general (rain gets them also) is the proliferation of the SUVs and 4 wheel drive, with the acccompanying belief that 4 wheel drive makes one impervious to the laws of physics. Invariably, those are the vehicles in the ditch, upside down, in the lake....
My theory on the downfall of civilization/why people in MN can't drive in general (rain gets them also) is the proliferation of the SUVs and 4 wheel drive, with the acccompanying belief that 4 wheel drive makes one impervious to the laws of physics. Invariably, those are the vehicles in the ditch, upside down, in the lake....
33
3: You remind me of that story about former KIRO anchor Sandy Hill, that Knute Berger told at the passing of Harry Wappler:
May you all get at least 8 inches. (if you want it, of course)
We got to gossiping a bit about Sandy Hill, the former Miss Washington who worked as a newscaster at KIRO and later was co-host of ABC's "Good Morning America." Harry told that one night, he had predicted snow, which hadn't materialized. The next day, Hill, on camera, innocently turned to Wappler and said, "Harry, where was that six inches you promised me last night?" Wappler and the crew dissolved in laughter, and Hill was baffled until she realized how it sounded.I heard the story from none other than Bob Newman (Gertrude of J.P. Patches fame), so it MUST be true.
May you all get at least 8 inches. (if you want it, of course)
34
If you're not butthurt, why are you making shit up?
@ 24, I know why snow is a problem for Seattle. I'm not making fun of Seattle, just Comte's ridiculous and predictible responses to them. They're quite unbecoming.
@ 24, I know why snow is a problem for Seattle. I'm not making fun of Seattle, just Comte's ridiculous and predictible responses to them. They're quite unbecoming.
35
Thanks catballou. Cool...glad to hear you loved it there. In many ways, I prefer the Twin Cities to Seattle. If I could transplant them out here, near the coast and mountains, I'd have the best of both worlds (well, I'd have to retain a few Seattle features, like Pike Market.)
Yeah, when it's bitter cold for those long periods it can be quite trying. In fact, during my final year of college, what prompted me to make the move out here was one of those 2-3 week stretches of subzero temps.
Your theory about SUVs and 4 wheel drive seems quite plausible. SUVs didn't exist back when I lived there.
Yeah, when it's bitter cold for those long periods it can be quite trying. In fact, during my final year of college, what prompted me to make the move out here was one of those 2-3 week stretches of subzero temps.
Your theory about SUVs and 4 wheel drive seems quite plausible. SUVs didn't exist back when I lived there.
36
5280, thanks for the clarification of the "300 days."
Most of the world gets more sun than Seattle but I suspect that the UK and Ireland are about as dreary.
I found this website, which lists large US cities where it rains or snows over 130 days each year. Seattle is topped by Rochester, Buffalo, Portland, Cleveland and Pittsburgh but if you removed "or snows" then Seattle would be the drizzly runner-up to Portland.
Most of the world gets more sun than Seattle but I suspect that the UK and Ireland are about as dreary.
I found this website, which lists large US cities where it rains or snows over 130 days each year. Seattle is topped by Rochester, Buffalo, Portland, Cleveland and Pittsburgh but if you removed "or snows" then Seattle would be the drizzly runner-up to Portland.
37
Seattle (consistently ranked at the top of most annual "Best City" lists for just about anything you can think of)
How about (soon-to-be) Best City for Chihuly museums?
How about (soon-to-be) Best City for Chihuly museums?
38
Snowmygod!
As someone who has driven, biked, walked in heavy snow in lots of differnt topographies, I think seattle can be pretty challenging. There are a lot of people who are not familiar with the tricks of the trade..starting in second gear, parking at the bottom of the hill, knowing when to stay put.
As someone who has driven, biked, walked in heavy snow in lots of differnt topographies, I think seattle can be pretty challenging. There are a lot of people who are not familiar with the tricks of the trade..starting in second gear, parking at the bottom of the hill, knowing when to stay put.
40
@34:
What "shit" exactly is made up? Presumably, you have the power of teh Google, look it up for yourself.
@37:
I have a feeling that, at best, we'll tie with either Tacoma or perhaps Venice for that particular, um, accolade...
What "shit" exactly is made up? Presumably, you have the power of teh Google, look it up for yourself.
@37:
I have a feeling that, at best, we'll tie with either Tacoma or perhaps Venice for that particular, um, accolade...
42
@ 40, I don't just buy shit you say. You once asserted that atheism is scientifically proven, after all. You want to be believed? Show your work.
Not that any of it matters. I could go out an cherry pick a bunch of various things too (why didn't you bring up traffic? Oh, yeah) and "prove" Denver's superiority. But so what? On the one hand, NYC, LA, Chicago and other places score worse on most of those accounts. Would you say that Denver is therefore superior? On the other, civic pride is about as dumb as racial pride.
Not that any of it matters. I could go out an cherry pick a bunch of various things too (why didn't you bring up traffic? Oh, yeah) and "prove" Denver's superiority. But so what? On the one hand, NYC, LA, Chicago and other places score worse on most of those accounts. Would you say that Denver is therefore superior? On the other, civic pride is about as dumb as racial pride.
44
Grazie, lauramae.
Comte, just havin' fun with you. I recall your visceral hatred of the new museum (and, I believe, all things Chihuly.)
Comte, just havin' fun with you. I recall your visceral hatred of the new museum (and, I believe, all things Chihuly.)
45
Now, now, your cities are both pretty.
Yeah, but you have to give the nod to Denver as a surname. John Seattle and Bob Seattle just don't have the same ring to them.
Yeah, but you have to give the nod to Denver as a surname. John Seattle and Bob Seattle just don't have the same ring to them.
46
Don't forget Cliff's missing dog. Missing for quite a while by recently spotted again.
http://misscockapoo.blogspot.com/
http://misscockapoo.blogspot.com/
47
Chief Seattle, OTOH has a nice, distinguished sound to it...
I didn't bring up traffic, because it's one of the few data points that Denver & Seattle share almost equally, so it's something of a wash in that particular regard. Same with public transportation, where Denver currently ranks #1 in terms of investment & overall safety, but Seattle also appears in the Top 10 nationally. Violent crime rates and air quality are also essentially on-par between the two cities. But in pretty much every other relevant criteria used to determine overall livability: general health, education level, creative and cultural amenities, job creation & unemployment rates, median income, etc., there's simply no comparison.
Now, if you lived in Boulder, or even Colorado Springs you might be able to make some more favorable comparisons, but Denver? No way.
I didn't bring up traffic, because it's one of the few data points that Denver & Seattle share almost equally, so it's something of a wash in that particular regard. Same with public transportation, where Denver currently ranks #1 in terms of investment & overall safety, but Seattle also appears in the Top 10 nationally. Violent crime rates and air quality are also essentially on-par between the two cities. But in pretty much every other relevant criteria used to determine overall livability: general health, education level, creative and cultural amenities, job creation & unemployment rates, median income, etc., there's simply no comparison.
Now, if you lived in Boulder, or even Colorado Springs you might be able to make some more favorable comparisons, but Denver? No way.
48
As for the "existence of God" question, I would put it to you that there is far more evidence that God doesn't exist than there is ANY evidence that he does.
49
Chief Seattle, OTOH has a nice, distinguished sound to it...
True, but does he have an omelette named after him?
True, but does he have an omelette named after him?
50
@ 47, I don't have much reason to use this often, but Denver's traffic even a fraction as terrible as the LA of the Northwest?
ROFLMAOPIMP.....
And if you think Somalia Springs, with its untended parks and turned-off street lights and cancelled suicide hotlines, has anything going for it at all, that's just something else you're displaying your ignorance. (You have a point about Boulder, where I have also lived, but if there's a place that makes Seattle seem down to earth in comparison, it's that place. "Portlandia" could just as well be called "Boulderado.")
As far as god(s) go, science doesn't conclude anything from the absence of evidence.
Now, go, enjoy your municipal shutdown and your diminished reputation. Thanks for the laugh.
ROFLMAOPIMP.....
And if you think Somalia Springs, with its untended parks and turned-off street lights and cancelled suicide hotlines, has anything going for it at all, that's just something else you're displaying your ignorance. (You have a point about Boulder, where I have also lived, but if there's a place that makes Seattle seem down to earth in comparison, it's that place. "Portlandia" could just as well be called "Boulderado.")
As far as god(s) go, science doesn't conclude anything from the absence of evidence.
Now, go, enjoy your municipal shutdown and your diminished reputation. Thanks for the laugh.
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