Oh My Gordon, the SNOW! (photos added)

One of our issues here is the frequent power outages. We've had close to 10 outages of the off/on/off/on variety. The power is not off long enough to cause most of the clocks to need resetting. This computer goes on and off with the power. On up the road toward the lakes they have had 4 trees across the lines in the last 2 days. BC Hydro hired a helicopter to blow the snow off the trees along one of the right of ways just before Christmas. We keep a canner of water on the woodstove continuously in case the hydro is off again for an extended time.

rosewood wrote:One of our issues here is the frequent power outages. We've had close to 10 outages of the off/on/off/on variety. The power is not off long enough to cause most of the clocks to need resetting. This computer goes on and off with the power. On up the road toward the lakes they have had 4 trees across the lines in the last 2 days. BC Hydro hired a helicopter to blow the snow off the trees along one of the right of ways just before Christmas. We keep a canner of water on the woodstove continuously in case the hydro is off again for an extended time.

We used to get a lot of outages but it has been better the last few years. I would like to have a generator or solar power even if it is just for the well pump and the furnace motor.
A helicoper to blow the snow off interesting.
How far does it blow the snow?

We have a generator, but keep putting off the equipment we need to supply power to the pump in the well. Our outages the last few days are like someone flicking the light switch, but it is the hydro flicking on and off and on. Our snowfall since just before Christmas have been very wet snow that has lodged in the trees. They used the helicopter along the line going farther up the valley. There is one line from Kamloops north to the Alberta border. One break in the mainline and the whole valley is off. We use a wood stove for heat and a furnace for backup so hydro doesn't affect the heat in the house. The new house has a propane fireplace which works without electricity.

Well, no snow today. Yay!

This is what one of the chook shed looked like this morning.

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You can see why I am concerned, right? It is supposed to get cold again, so no melting.

We were at plus 2 C all day and the snow is super heavy and branches have broken off the fir trees into my big turkey run and dumped heavy snow onto some of the outside run roofs. Augh! Scary out there

Snow removal is a constant occupation here. The poor quad has to work hard to move the heavy wet snow. No quick hydro outages here since around 1 AM. I had to get up to turn off the motion sensory lights which stay on continuously when they are turned off and back on quickly. We recently reverted to a manual coffee grinder so are somewhat prepared for a no hydro morning.

coopslave wrote:Well, no snow today. Yay!

This is what one of the chook shed looked like this morning.

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You can see why I am concerned, right? It is supposed to get cold again, so no melting.

Can you safely pull or shovel the snow off the roof then
put in some more runners to suport the tin. Should be every 16 in min 2 ft apart.

No shoveling the snow off, it isn't tin it is the clear plastic stuff and the shovel goes through it when it is this cold. I did take some snow off the end hoping it may slide, no luck. You are right, they should have been closer together. I think the runners are about 2.5 feet apart (I think the picture is a little deceiving). Usually the snow just slides off. Not this year. Haven't had trouble for 2 years but this year has been different.

I suppose on the positive side, the snow acts as good insulation.

Could you clear it like this (the snow removal is about halfway in)?

Hey coop I have the same type of roofing material on my coop. I use my hubby's shop broom to gently sweep it off. You would be amazed at how much pressure it can actually hold.

I just want to say, I'm blaming this thread for our winter storm warning of 20 cm

And by Blame, as long as I make it home, I mean I get a snow day tomorrow!!

We woke up to a paltry 2 inches of the fluffy dry stuff this morning. Doug can't wait to plow. Full speed with the quad and blade creates a beautiful satisfying snowy arc.

Cold Alberta gets surprisingly little snow if you are not in the mountains around here.

wow coopslave that is a lot of snow!
I can understand your worry for your roof on your yard.
What amazes me is how your snow falls straight down, no snow in the shelter yard at all!
Out here our snow almost always comes with a wind and drifts the pens full even with a roof over it...

Thanks everyone.
Fowler, that is how I do the dog kennels and one of the chook runs that has a tarp type roof. I like the idea of the armour all sprayed on it in the fall. Will try that next year.

Ruffled, I may try the shop broom on top, but it is very brittle right now. I put my plastic snow shovel through it close to the end, that is when I gave up.

Sue, trying desperately to send snow your way, will do a little snow dance for you later today....
Sorry about the snow Sweetened, send the rest to Sue!

Miry we very rarely get wind here. Spring can be windy most years but our snow comes down in big, floaty flakes usually.

Well thank you coopslave for sending your snow....
We had 2 nice days and melted the majority of our snow away, hill tops bare again and our dugout near the house is overflowing...But now the weather has frozen the puddles in the yard, the driveway is one large skating rink (not smooth enough to actually enjoy skating on but slippery as heck that you have to do a shuffle to get across it safetly).
Now snow is falling, and not the beautiful BC snow, no this is little ice pellets that sting your face when you are out there, wind is us and temperature is dropping. 20+cm is forecasted for our area.

Guess a good day to do book work and clean the house, or maybe time so snuggle down with a good book instead and take the day off.

I hear you HR!
Not too bad here yet but feels like something is on the way.
Still have my coop doors open, it was so warm yesterday it is still kind of damp in there, but I imagine I will be closing everything up a bit later in the day.
A good day to make some more baskets!
I have a bunch different sewing projects on the go right now, I get bored of one so switch off to another,
I am:
1. sewing chicken saddles
2. making another basket (I need to buy more clothesline after this!)
3. Quilting some chickeny pot holders
and 4. Making a new tree skirt, made one and it is ok but I put the pattern upside down (whoops!)

We have a projected high of +2 on Tuesday. Better send that snow fast before we lose what we have!

Snowing again.....sigh.....big surprise. Hopefully it is short lived and doesn't accumulate.

I'm not trying to rub this in but its beautifully sunny here the down side its -7 with a wind chill factor of -20

Well, I don't think I should talk about the weather anymore. I have jinxed myself and it was snowy and WINDY today. Supposed to get cold for the next few days. I am so looking forward to spring and I still have to make it through February!

We haave about the same amount of snow, so unusual for here. It is really messing with my building projects. I will make sure everything I build will be able to handle this kind of snow load, I tend to overbuild and this year is a good reminder of why.

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Yeah, fun. that drift is 8ft or so.

Wow sweetened what is it drifting off of to get so high?
I look at the ground at his feet and the snow is not that deep?

We have some strange drifts here but nothing like that, highest one would be 3 ft at most.

The way our shelter belt is set up, it ends not far from the back of the property (may 30-45 yards behind that snow mound. There is a fallen outbuilding and then the wellhouse there. It just swooped around it and piled up. Lovely for sure. There are some areas blown almost clean of snow, but it's piiiiled up otherwise.

More:
This is the other side of our well house, where that mound continues around. We have to dig that out, as we're hauling water in 3 gallon pails to our cistern right now.
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Back behind the house, to the left of the above picture.
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Further left, our cistern is under there somewhere.
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Bully and I in my snow cave, he's not happy about the snow being blown in his face.
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Me coming out of the snow cave, looking long tom boy as always
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I love your snow cave, Sweetened!