Worst Winter Ever

[Moo2K4]

So I hate winter. I'm not going to lie. I freaking hate winter to death. I hate snow, I hate ice, I hate sleet, I hate driving in it, I hate everything about the winter. And it's unfortunate for me that I live in good 'ol Iowa, where we are getting the crap beat out of us by winter this year. Last I knew, we'd already seen something like 46" of snow total since winter began, and we've gotten a shitload more since then, so I'm betting that figure is probably closer to 53" or so. And the best thing about all of this is this just crushes the average we usually see, which is about 37". It's ridiculous. I hate it. And the worst part about all of this, is that the winter isn't even over and we might get more later this week. For the love of god, we've already had at least 3 nasty ass blizzards this winter, and I'm just sick of it. I can't wait for Spring, when all this shit melts....but then we'll have the joy of flooding....which thankfully I don't live anywhere near a body of water.

Anyways, has winter been brutal for anyone else? If you live in the midwest, I'd instantly assume it has, but how is this comparing to other winters some of you might have seen? I know this is by far the worst winter I've seen in my 21 years, and apparently it's the worst winter Iowa's seen in 35 years. God, I can't wait for this to be over.

 

[cpawfan]

Not even close to the worst winter I've ever seen. That said, I also hate winter and damn my family need to move back to Ohio

 

[NJNetz]

I hate the winter too, but it hasn't been that bad in NY. We must of had only a couple of days where it was extremely cold. As for snow, we had some last week, but it melted the very next day, so you can say it was nothing.

 

[Moo2K4]

Yea, we've been getting snow and it's been staying. There was actually a week earlier in January where we didn't see a high in the positives. It's ridiculous. Our average highs this winter is probably in the teens. Plus, when we do get some mild temperatures in the high 20s or low 30s, we've been getting more snow. So, it's really been a no-win situation for us. It's either bitterly and unbearably cold and not snowing, or decently warm and snowing like crazy.

 

[pegs]

Winter's sucked in Central NY. There's a shitload of snow, ice, and freezing weather. Me and my friends all hate winter, and have been looking forward to the Summer since early January.

Central NY sucks.

 

[Petey]

As The Joker mentioned, 1 day on snow in NYC! YES!

-Petey

 

[Run BJM]

I usually love Winter here because its like 50-60 degrees but this year it was like 40s. Sound stupid to complain about compared to Iowa lol but still lame.

Never anticipated the summer more in my life.

 

[JCB]

We've only had one real "snow" filled day here this year, last week, when I almost killed myself (twice) driving home from school. Other than that, it's been ridiculously hot. It hit 70 two weeks ago, and it's 61 degrees as I type this.

 

[Moo2K4]

Ugh, I'm so jealous. I have a friend that lives out in California that's moving back to Iowa here soon that complains when it gets around 40. It hits 40 here and it's a freaking heatwave.

 

[huevonkiller]

I've never seen snow in my life.

If it were a couple of degrees cooler over here it'd be perfect. But I'll take this weather.

The only bad thing about living in Florida is that every 2-4 years a hurricane comes. Every 4-8 years it's a little more serious and your windows are in jeopardy of being smashed, but at least we don't get any earthquakes like in California.

New Orleans was a special case since their city is below sea level, but even if a powerful storm comes over here we should be fine in a couple of weeks; Earthquakes are too spontaneous for my liking.

 

[Really Lost One]

No snow here

Although it's been raining like crazy in recent weeks

 

[binz]

I live in Winnipeg and we have one of the worst/coldest winters in Canada. But we have the hottest summers. woot.

The past few weeks we had weather ranging from -20 to -45 C (-4 to-50 Fahrenheit) including the wind chill.
We had snow on the ground for almost four months now.. one more month to go. Thank god.

It's crazy to think that we have over 600 thousand living in the city.

 

[Chutney]

Man, I love winter. It's been snowing so much lately and they're predicting another mini-storm soon (maybe tonight). I'm going boarding on Wednesday so this is all good news for me. I seriously can't wait.

 

[Big Frame]

I love snow. I just hate the idiots that drive like idiots on the snow.

 

[NJNetz]

I don't mind snow at all, its the freezing cold that pisses me off. Having to wear 15 layers, especially in the morning when I have to travel to school. Thats the worst.

 

[Run BJM]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (huevonkiller @ Feb 18 2008, 01:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>The only bad thing about living in Florida is that every 2-4 years a hurricane comes. Every 4-8 years it's a little more serious and your windows are in jeopardy of being smashed, but at least we don't get any earthquakes like in California.</div>

Eff that. Earthquakes are way overrated by east coast people. In California they're no big deal for the most part. Every couple decades you'll get a "big one" but theoretically most of California is earthquake proof. It'll still cause big problems but nothing too major to the point where communities can't recover in a couple of months.

Hurricanes on the other hand come what every year and routinely cause flooding, tons of property damage, all the wind and everything, etc. I'm sure natural disasters aren't as bad for the people living in them as for the outsiders looking in. After a while you just get used to it.

Oh and earthquakes only last like 10 seconds.

 

[huevonkiller]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Run BJM @ Feb 18 2008, 03:16 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (huevonkiller @ Feb 18 2008, 01:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>The only bad thing about living in Florida is that every 2-4 years a hurricane comes. Every 4-8 years it's a little more serious and your windows are in jeopardy of being smashed, but at least we don't get any earthquakes like in California.</div>

Eff that. Earthquakes are way overrated by east coast people. In California they're no big deal for the most part. Every couple decades you'll get a "big one" but theoretically most of California is earthquake proof. It'll still cause big problems but nothing too major to the point where communities can't recover in a couple of months.

Hurricanes on the other hand come what every year and routinely cause flooding, tons of property damage, all the wind and everything, etc. I'm sure natural disasters aren't as bad for the people living in them as for the outsiders looking in. After a while you just get used to it.

Oh and earthquakes only last like 10 seconds.
</div>

Hurricanes do not come every year.

Earthquake proof in what sense though? I know the death toll is negligible, but what about the property damage? It seems that Earthquakes are very high and low on the bell curve of destruction as well; I also like knowing where a hurricane will hit and at what time. I can always stay up North for a while whereas a Quake can catch me off guard. It's pretty much impossible to die from a Hurricane if one just migrates.

I did just say that even a bad hurricane only occurs about every 6 years on average, and we recover in a couple of months (at worst) as well. A Category 4 hurricane has a good chance of not even being felt that powerful when it lands because the strongest gusts are at the small core. Most people get the effect of a Category 1-2 Hurricane in that case. This post is based off my experience in South Florida at least.

 

[Moo2K4]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (justsick03 @ Feb 18 2008, 01:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I live in Winnipeg and we have one of the worst/coldest winters in Canada. But we have the hottest summers. woot.

The past few weeks we had weather ranging from -20 to -45 C (-4 to-50 Fahrenheit) including the wind chill.
We had snow on the ground for almost four months now.. one more month to go. Thank god.

It's crazy to think that we have over 600 thousand living in the city.</div>

Yuck. No way could I deal with that. Though our winter really sounds like one that you have. It's been white for most of the past 3+ months. There's been a few warm days that melt most of the snow but then we just get what we had and then some a week later. The temps have also been somewhat similar at times. We had a day where it was -26F without wind chill, and we were actually the coldest city in the U.S. that day. It'd been ridiculous...though after reading your post, my bitching seems so futile compared to what you go through yearly. This is hardly regular for us. Like I said, this has been an abnormal winter for us. We're usually in the 20s or 30s, with recent winters seeing temps upwards into the high 50s and 60s. I just got so accustomed to those that this is just pissing me off.

 

[Dumpy]

Man, you're all depressing me. I'm going for a dip in my pool.

 

[Answer_AI03]

Michigan has had a TERRIBLE winter....i had to walk to work the other morning and there were wind chills of -40. Winter is just depressing, shorter days, cold weather...i cant stand it. as soon as i graduate im gonna be somewhere south.

 

[Chutney]

Talking to people from Winnipeg or Atlantic Canada is always pretty humbling. They got a monopoly on complaining about bad weather.

 

[Big Frame]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Answer_AI03 @ Feb 18 2008, 05:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Michigan has had a TERRIBLE winter....i had to walk to work the other morning and there were wind chills of -40. Winter is just depressing, shorter days, cold weather...i cant stand it. as soon as i graduate im gonna be somewhere south.</div>

What school you going to Lake State? I only had one bad storm this year, and a lot of little ones.

 

[hustler]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Chutney @ Feb 18 2008, 02:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Man, I love winter. It's been snowing so much lately and they're predicting another mini-storm soon (maybe tonight). I'm going boarding on Wednesday so this is all good news for me. I seriously can't wait.</div>
lol you live in Brampton right?

Shoveling snows a bitch.

 

[Answer_AI03]

I go to MSU. Usually its not too bad down here, but this winter has been especially bad

 

[M Two One]

Meh, we've had the same issues as people in Iowa, plus having to deal with lake effect. I don't mind the Winter though, except for the pot holes everywhere. I just walked around in wind chill well below zero for five or six hours through the city and I have no complaints. Also, I hate Spring and Summer, we have way too many tornadoes over here from May through June to go along with massive floods and countless other problems.

 

[Thoth]

Its been an unaturally cold winter here in Utah. It just got back to "normal" recently. The snowfall has returned to what it was when I was a kid i.e. 5 or 6 good storms between Nov & Feb.

However, it always snows for the morning commute and that really sucks IMO.

My truck has 4 wheel drive but its the goofs in their Beemers, Infinitis, etc... that think they are invincible all the while making on their cell phones or the soroity girls in their VW's panicking at the tiniest flake.

Good point M Two one about the lake effect; Storms coming off the Great Salt Lake can be a real pain.

 

[Moo2K4]

Yea, I don't have the issue with the lake effect. I just have the issue with unnaturally large amounts of snow and incredibly cold winds. I can deal with cold and I can deal wind, but I hate snow and ice.

And right now, the awesome thing is that we just had another ice storm over the weekend. It prevented me from going to work for 2 days because the roads were literally a sheet of ice. For the most part, that issue has been taken care of. The interstates and highways are clear and perfectly safe to drive on for the most part. The issue is the country roads out where I live. They're still covered in ice. I have to go about 35 mph down the roads in order to feel remotely safe, and where it used to take me about 10min to get to the interstate from my house, now takes me over 20 min.

The other crazy thing I want to point out is how unprepared for the winter Iowa has been. We're out of freaking ice melt salt in the state. Last I knew, nowhere had any to purchase. The government has actually had to get some from neighboring states in order for us to have ice-melt to use on the roads. Talk about ridiculous. And we have more snow coming next week. Freakin' awesome. God, I want this winter to be over.

 

[Thoth]

Moo's previous post brought up another thing I hate about this winter.

Every time, I've gone in to wash all the grime & salt off my ride when its warm enough; it snows a day later.

 

[shookem]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (justsick03 @ Feb 18 2008, 02:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I live in Winnipeg and we have one of the worst/coldest winters in Canada. But we have the hottest summers. woot.

The past few weeks we had weather ranging from -20 to -45 C (-4 to-50 Fahrenheit) including the wind chill.
We had snow on the ground for almost four months now.. one more month to go. Thank god.

It's crazy to think that we have over 600 thousand living in the city.</div>

Worst winters?

I'm pretty sure the Yukon and Yellowknife would have something to say about that.

Winterpeg does suck though, no denying that.

Teedaught has been caught pretty bad this year. it seems to be getting better though. having said that it's snowing pretty bad out there.

For the most part winter sucks in urban areas but get out to the country and it can be sooo much fun.

Even though I'm in the city I'm trying to do the most with it. I've built a pretty good fort in my backyard and it's a fine place to sip some whisky or have a quick bowl.

 

[ToddMacCulloch11]

Today was the first real snow around here. the drive to work was horrible...and it's supposed to turn to freezing rain later, so driving home is going to be even worse.

I left a half hour early for work and still ended up being 25 minutes late.