Glad I wasn't a Freeway Icicle

 

It happened in my backyard- a 24-hour backup in fairly mid-weathered Virginia. Interstate 95 between Washington, DC and Richmond, VA is fragile at the best of times. It serves as a long-distance route connecting the Northeast to Florida, a commuter route to Washington DC and the inner suburbs, and local traffic within the suburbs of Prince William and Stafford counties.  Add some weather, and it becomes a parking lot. Despite ample public warnings and morning snow, the road was carrying near normal weekday afternoon traffic load. The snow came fast in the afternoon, slushing the highway, stalling cars and jack-knifed trucks. Once the lanes were blocked, cars stopped and were frozen in like ice cubes.

Why was everyone out of the road? First, there were lots of trucks delivering cargo. They just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Other essential workers were on the road, including nurses and firefighters headed to their shifts. Many others were told by their employer to be at work- not considering stay-at-home warnings. I guess these were not the same employers who offered special time off during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. There were those who were making a quick grocery run that turned into a brutal night; and there were travelers conquering distance, or so they hoped. GPS blindness put those cars on the road– many long-distance drivers paid excessive attention to their electronic navigation aids and the often-optimistic Estimated Times of Arrival (ETA). Those ETAs are estimates, and drivers, like air pilots and mariners, need to look outside the window for a reality check.    

What were the human factors? Why ignore the warnings? Some never received them. While tornadoes and hurricanes call for Emergency Alerts broadcasted to every cellphone, mass notification about this storm did not reach atomized groups. Complacency in one’s rolling fortress: exhibiting style over substance, not all large vehicles today are designed for heavy weather driving.

And, for the past two years, propensity to ignore public health and safety warnings. I guess that once you decide that legitimate coronavirus information is “fake news”, blizzards are the next threat to ignore.

 

Snow Days- Was this a good year?

Montgomery Co. MD to students and parents: Sorry; you should've had two 2-hour delays on April 25 and April 26. All absences for those two mornings are excused. Reason? Tornado warnings issued at 6:30am on both mornings. Reason that these delayed openings were not announced? The County makes the call by 5am.

In our area, school delays and closings usually only happen for snow and ice in winter; and the occasional September hurricane, more often a tropical storm. Cancellation of after-school activities is also common for heavy rains. Closing for tornadoes, in an area that receives few, might seem to parents a little incredulous to believe.

Mont. Co. batted average for giving snow days this year: 4. One was given for an ice storm: that day, I actually couldn't get to school safely. Three were given for one Jan. 27-29 snow event, which left 6 inches on the ground in DC, but a whole 12 inches ten miles north in Mont. Co. The County, usually quick to give snow days, made a dubious call for one late-season weather event, giving a 2-hour delay instead. There was a whole 3 inches of snow on top of half an inch of ice on the ground upcounty. Neighboring PG and Frederick Cos. gave the day to the students. Mont. Co. would've probably given students that day and another in February, if it wouldn't trigger an extension of the school year, and if there were not so many "teacher development days" this school year. Given that we took all four of those contingency days, from our perspective, this year was "perfect". Students would need 10 days off in all- rare indeed- to make any further gains: school year extensions are typically capped at 5 days.

St. Anselm's now has gotten its own banner on Fox 5. While some teachers at school have expressed frustration about what they consider "wimpy" calls from Rockville, snow day calls are still based on Mont. Co. MD for liability reasons. What the school really wants, though, is to be able to make calls when Mont. Co. is out of school for teacher days without resorting to a phone tree. Some parents still live email-lite, but sending a shoutout to students on Facebook would work, though.

As for neighboring DC, only one snow day (Jan. 27) was called this year. The other days which Mont. Co. got off, including that ice storm, were 2 hour delays. But this was enough to trigger an extended school year; for some reason, DC had not put in any buffer days against the 180 day minimum. The Board of Education is looking into why the schedule turned out this way this school year.

Snow and ice totals set a record for the East Coast overall; however, three of the five major storms that hit Philadelphia missed DC, which made this winter season an underperformer for the city; yet, by catching one of those missed major storms, and picking up some clouds from the mountains, snow totals were slightly above average in Mont. Co.

Sources: Washington Examiner Weather Page, May 2011; Northwest Current (DC), May 18 2011.

2 Day Weeks Are Easy

On a snow day, I'm obliged to blog. As unusual as it is, I've been productive these past two days. When I'm productive, there isn't usually much news. Down in West End DC, the snow total amassed 4 inches, a respectable amount. In the northern suburbs of Fairfax County, VA and Montgomery County, MD, over 8 inches of snow blanket the ground. Get this- in parts of Mont. Co, the snow totalled two digits- 10.2 inches in moderately populated Damascus, and 11 inches in more rural Boyds, according to WTOP reports. Why do suburban snow totals matter? Because St. Anselm's follows the Mont. Co snow reports. Why?

There are several reasons. Mont. Co. is the lowest common denominator when it comes to snow. Back in the '90's, the County picked up a reputation of being the first to close. This snow-phobia has diminished somewhat: 3 inches of snow on farmland doesn't guarantee a day off- it didn't last season, and it didn't two weeks ago. The second reason is that a plurality of students come from Mont. Co, and adding students who live within walking distance of the county line would make a clear majority. A third reason is that DC the city rarely issues snow days: DC expects kids to trudge through snow to a Metrorail or major bus route, even when cars are snowed in on the sidestreets. At least half of St. Anselm's students rely on a car or SUV some part of their journey to and from school. Reason four is that the other schools in our league abide by MoCo's judgment. If your friends are out to play, then so will you! Then there's brand recognition and association. Mont. Co., as well as Fairfax, VA, do an excellent job in public school education; many schools in these counties rank top in the Nation. Mont. Co. Public Schools is the biggest absorber of students between 8th and 9th grade at St. A's. Reasons for making the leap range from "availability of females" to "my gosh they've got Smartboards in every classroom!". To my knowledge, DC Public Schools has not lured off any rising freshman in recent history.

One proposal that arises in the County is whether or not to split the County's schools into two snow districts, so that South County gentry from Bethesda and Chevy Chase (like my classmates) don't get a free ride whenever Sugarloaf Mountain gets a white coating. This suggestion is off the table, though, because enough students from Upcounty travel to Mid-and Down-county schools for advanced level curricula, lacrosse, etc., that a split system would be unfeasible.

It's my last year in the K-12 ed system, so I'm not concerned about this, but some keen, younger students are aware of "changing demographics". As DC the city becomes more cosmopolitan and attracts well-heeled families,the schools increase recruiting efforts in the rowhouse neighborhoods of Capitol Hill and West Georgetown. As a result, pushy parents from snow-light DC may get the schools to adhere to the DC school closing announcement,and call to an end the easy flow of snow days.

4 Day Weekend

On Tuesday, I went down to the car; I needed it that day to shuttle equipment and people around at school. The night before, around 10pm, freezing rain started to fall from the sky. Tuesday morning, indeed, there was about half an inch of ice all around- sidewalk, and on the car windshield. I turned the car on, and started to chip at the ice with a gloved hand. I tried using the ice brush, but it wasn't much use. After a few more hacks with my hand on the ice, I called upstairs to tell Mom that, "I'm taking the train today". "Come up, there's no school today", she replied. Snow days come when you least expect them.

Before I Snooze, Merry Christmas!

We wish you a merry Christmas
We wish you a merry Christmas

For us in the DC Area, the official qualification for a white Christmas seems a bit strict. That would be one inch. This morning, we got a dusting. The effect was best on the river though. With the recent cold water, the river was frozen thick and appeared as if we had received a healthy snowfall. We received 3 inches last week.
Snow and Christmas seem to go so well with each other.

We wish you a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

First Snow

As my classmaate across the table was working away on math, I kept my joy to myself. When I got up to go outside before the flurries stopped, J. wanted to know what I was doing. "Catching some flakes", I explained. He put his work down and stared intently out the window. Sorry, J., for distracting you. Outside, I let youthful enthusiasm get the best of me as I lallied around on the path to the upper building. An exchange student from China asked, "what's that?". Snow. He was gone before I could find out if he got snow frequently at home.

Then I saw in the tabloid paper; "snow showers", forecasted for Monday (tomorrow). I can remember the joy that a fresh snowfall would bring as I woke up at 6am, as if there was to be school. Snow settled overnight, as the yellow of the streetlight reflected on the thin layer of white on the road in the pre-dawn sky.
Actually, back to reality, snow during an exam period isn't too desireable; you've got to take the tests sometime.Thus, it is bittersweetness I feel as the forecast dissipates.

What I'm doing this Weekend

Good evening from KAIROS! I've managed to smuggle my internet phone into camp and am here to share my experience with you. Now, I'd never spoil any secrets. We've been keeping busy, though. Prayer, song, meditation, social time, board games, wilderness walks. Oh, and snowball fights! No boating, though, the lake was iced over. But I mean, seiously? What are you doing fasting in the wild when we could do the same thing at Bethesda Marriott? It's a totally different experience. It's like we're on that show LOST, but we are fed and watered on a regular basis. But I must say, it's like some modernistic brain thing. You build up expectations and anticipation, and then, come Thursday, boosh, you're on a motorcoach to neverland. There is a slight allegory, I guess, to the Second Coming. But this is like, really, only the first full day. I suppose Sunday is a lost day, considering that Fourth Day will be sprinkled over the next 16 months of our school career.
I should get back to quiet reflection.

Snowpocalypse

The snowplowing trucks boomed along the thoroughfare at all times of day today.

I asked the snow king for 14 inches, not quite 40. He must have misheard me.
This time, Montgomery County was the epicenter of this storm, dubbed "Snowpocalypse". Power outages, downed trees, and stores running low on supplies are widespread throughout the area. It has been 2 weeks since I have been to MoCo on account of recent weather activities. Reports are coming to the newsroom from secondhand sources who say that it looks like doomsday- or winter wonderland. Choose your pick. Don't expect another storm in the area of this magnitude for 6-7 years.

As for me, I did make it to mass this morning ; the congregation was reduced to 10% its usual size. I cooped myself up at home in the afternoon with the final work on an essay and laboratory report as well as a mock SAT exam. Fun? Choose your pick. Most institutions in the area are closed tomorrow, including the Fed. However, the DC Gov't plans to open with 1 hour delay. When there is a will, there is a way.

Checklist

Sleep as late as desired
Practice violin and do homework
Stay in pajamas all day
Make a snow cone (but dont eat it)
Stay inside
Make a snow fort with lots of snowmen and snowladies
Make some hot chocolate with an eurobiscuit and marshmallows and cinnamon on top
Keep a snowball in the freezer as a reminder of this awesome winter (I got this from the show Arthur when I was about 8)

Snow Days- Political Material?

There are some things that should not become political. These include science, general safety. I said 'should', not 'are not'. Remember, this year is an election year. Anything goes. Weather-related school cancellations are not an embarassment. Plumbing issues that close a school are. The same goes for skidding minivans that could have been spared the trip. Or the snowplow trucks that are damaged by that skidding car. Running out of snow cleanup funds does not seem to be a political non pas. But, not plowing streets in the name of fiscal responsibility seems like a bad move, a la DC 1996. Maybe the neighboring jursidictions or the national guard will lend a plow. Sometimes, the decider is pressured into making a bad call- "these kids already lost 3 days of school" is no replacement for impartial judgement. Or what if the signs are not there- snow is expected to come at noon. Should you close school and risk ridicule, or brave it out and risk a rushed, teutonic effort at having to get kids on buses and home before the white stuff comes. That's an embarrasment. Alas, mistakes don't ruin you. It's the way you handle them. Don't make knee-jerk reactions too obvious- it makes you look incompetent. Try evolutionary change.

Scare tactics have been shown to work in favor of incumbents. Try this: "Vote for Mr. X, he's the only one who can protect your family from Jack Frost". Or, a general 'state of emergency' on election day.

For the record, Mont. Co. was teased for making a no delay call on Monday when roads were havily iced over. Asking about people's commutes, there was sliding and a near-hit incident with a salt truck down a hill. Snow came again last night. It was a little, about 3 inches, 1 on roads, but school was called off. Sources say that, by 9am today, the snow on the roads had melted. A 2-hour delayed opening could have been done. But, all in all, Mont. Co does a good job for the heavy responsibility of 300,000 coeds.

Temp

It chilled. It chilled fast. The snow was powdery, because it was cold. It was 36 degrees today, enought to melt some of it. The fluffiness will be gone. It will be just ice in the morning, because it's cold now.

Salt and Sand

Ha! WOuld I believe it! Our third Saturday snowstorm of the season! This one's a little different from earlier ones- it's the powdery stuff that you get when it's really cold. Not that 33 degree barely snow material. I wonder if it's any good for skiing: we sent a brigade and are awaiting news. For the matter, the DC area has surpassed the average seasonal snowfall with this storm. Bring the powder on!

Snow Dance

If it starts snowin', schools start closin'.
The situation today in the DC area reinforces the stereotype of the ningaphobic school administrator (ningaphobe= latin/greek for person afraid of snow). There was about an inch on the ground. All around schools called a 2 hour delay to help parents negotiate powdery conditions. For me, it was a one-hour late start; however, we paid back the time through compressed classes (same material shoved into less time) and a shortened midday 'mingling period',aka, lunch break. Obama must have another snide remark about school closing policy during his second Washington winter.

Betty Crocker, II

Part 1
The shopping mall has been blockaded by the snow. All of them, inaccessible. Except for DCUSA, but that's not like a real, real mall. I mean, it's STACKED! As for Pentagon City, all approaches from the north are cut off because both lines cross above ground sections, which were impassable by train. Bus service has been restored in places, but not to a mall it goes.White Flint, cut off too, Bethesda and the Mazza, isolated by the infrequent underground train service left in the storm's path. Tysons, Montgomery mall not on a metro line at all. As for driving, the car is a foot deep in snow and loses traction in 1 inch of slush. Thus, for us and millions of other Americans, we were kept away from the mall on the busiest shopping days of the year. I can just image years from now struggling retailers blaming the weather. (We did not buy the XC Volvo yet.)
Bright side: Strong day-after xmas sales (pls don't read as bargain hunting!) and a Roaring Christmas shopping season next year after 3 dismal years?

Part 2
It took twice as long as usual to get to church. Expecting absences, I signed the serving log. And indeed the Rector had a job for me. It was multiple jobs, usually served by a complement. At the Offertory, having never played this role before, I almost botched the most important part of the mass. The emcee (in this case, the person who tells people where what and when they need to do something) was absent and his/her role was played by the, uh, spotlight of the mass. The complementary acolyte arrived T -3 minutes, in wet sneakers. He too had to fill the roles of about 5. The congregation at this well-attended service sat in the small choirstalls, and most of those who arrived either lived in the neighborhood or were dedicated and able to take limited Metro from Bethesda or North Arlington. There was no formal fellowship,and I assumed that Sunday group was cancelled. The organist was present and serving as usual, although without the choir. Money from the offertory ostensibly was left under the chalice table during the final hymn.

Part 3
Although all precepts should have indicated normal Sunday subway service, this was not the case. When I heard that bus service was reinstated There were eager beavers wanting to get places. Mother rode the Red Bus Circulator to "Chinatown". She reports that it was loaded. I wondered if Ride-On was really still running. If so, a two-seat ride (Red line to RO 46) to White Flint or the Maxim Oriental Grocery in Rockville, MD, could have been adventurous possibilities. In lieu of that, we turned the kitchen into a bakery. For recreation, trips to nearby supermarkets. Oatmeal raisin cookies, white bread, walnut brownies, an adventure, came from the G.E. electric oven.

Part 4
I feel relieved of duty. A term that had fallen out of my vocabulary, "Free Reading", became an ever-present, ominous thought. What had been a waste of time last week became the best use of time today. For that matter, I could do anything I wanted. I had not felt this way before; during previous breaks, even on the first day, I let time loose. But I was booked and cooked. If there was not a big natural incident, right now I would have been a soloist at a concert in Rockville, MD. I would have, beforehand, explored the NCTM National Capitol Trolley Museum(dctrolley.org) on Bonifant Road. Yesterday, I would had a violin lesson. I still have the book of matches from church in my pocket. I hope they had enough for the day. WHAT I had thought throughout December was that my vacation starts on Monday. Like the delayed test, I was given a reprieve. Let's hope I make good use of tomorrow, and pray the Wall Street Hymn regarding access to the shopping malls:

Let the rivers run
Let all the dreamers
wake the nation
Come, the New Jerusalem

Silver Cities Rise
the morning lights
the streets that meet them
and sirens call them on
with a song...
(Carly Simon)

It's allegorical and metaphoric.

NOAA's Arc

I knew it was supposed to come, either this winter season or the next. By the past predictaments, it was bound to happen. But in December for Christmas? Nor after exams? This predictament of a storm is unprecedented. Take, for example, the foretaste of a storm on Dec. 5. It was a Saturday. This time too, the storm blows an a Saturday. What a fine coincidence. Now with a snowy December, does this imply more big storms THis snow's a 7-year event. No future storm this season will match this one's greatness nor impact(wink).

Aftermath

My legs are tired, and my head is tired. My gait has gone awry, but some sleep should do the trick. It has to do with all the weaving, I think. Well, it's off to bed.

The Snow is Snowing

The wind is blowing, but I can weather the storm.
Whadda I care how much it may storm?

Yes, it got really chilly this afternoon. It got real windy, too. So then, it was like a real winter storm. Clouds were encroaching on the aura of sun that lied above our heads at the hill in Northeast. Then the snow flurries came, although none stuck to the ground. Yet with proactive defense, Main shut out Alban, 50-0, on this tantalizing day.

Snow Hour

I wish I could have blogged this morning at 6:30, when I first found out about the delayed school opening. That was, of course, after I showered and started to eat breakfast. That delay was about the "torrential" rain, perhaps. Rain that kept my socks wet all day, and carved a gully in the soil. So for that we got some extra time at home. Intramurals, EVERY player made a shot on a frequent basis. Whazup widdem? Orchestra, shuttle metro, home.

I'm sorry about having to say this, but I have to show some emotion. I was happy this afternoon, because I totally aced that history quiz! (mine was graded on the spot) Then I sort of lost that glow when Main lost to Austin.

Fluffy Snow

Such nice snow today! Big globs falling from the skies like Manna to the Israelites. Makes nice snowballs as well. A wonderful thing it was to see the whole place covered in this substance. It even added up to a few inches! Or at least more than I've seen in a while. It was nice up on Mount Saint Anselm's, but unfortunately it was a thin layer being blotted out by rain where I come home to.

For those who are wondering, I did make it to the Metro this afternoon, before the first shuttle made it, to those shuttle riders' surprises, having already passed me. I had to explain it twice. "I got on the 80 with my card." As I have said before, I have everything prepared ahead of 3:20.
But my after school event was then canceled, and coming out, I would have landed on the third or fourth shuttle. There are 4 buses that could serve me at that time. E2 towards Friendship Heights, 80 either direction, B51 special service. So I was at the metrobus stop, and the B51 didn't stop for me. I expected that anyway, as I think I was the only passenger ever trying to hail down that bus. So I walked down two blocks. First shuttle passed me. Then the 80 bus came around that turn. Nice driver. Stopped for me even though I wasn't at the stop, as I was running to meet it. There were only a few passengers on at the time, and the bus did not make a stop to until the train station. I got off and converged with the shuttle riders. They were surprised. I considered basking in my glow waiting for everyone else who fared me well in the shuttle line, but that was too indulgent for my tastes.

So as I recommend:
If you are waiting for a third or fourth shuttle to return, and you have a way to get on the metrobus for a reasonable price (do Smartrip cards offer bus-to-rail transfers yet?), why not try the 80 or E2?


The below may not apply to all readers.
(About Room 41 chatter, that's such a 'sin'! Multiple times a day, nothing better to do? Self -pleasure? Enjoy it!?)

Another Post (Happy style)

(insert a phrase from George Horton paraphrasing Greek literature)

Because I did my Math homework last night I did not have any homework tonight! That's a first in a while. For the record, Montgomery County Schools opened 2 hours late today, and therefore we had a neat-o 1 hour delay, which I used half of for a snooze and half for treading through ice. I didn't have a problem with the trains, but apparently some people did. There are automatic snowmelters on the tracks to take care of the ice. While the temperature barely broke over freezing, parts of the park's snow/ice has broken into islands in the park outside my window. Likewise certain streets are still in a thick layer of frozen wintry mix, while other (side) streets are melted. Whatever was going on with ice adherence today will not disturb my normal Friday and Friday night tomorrow!

Also: I found my Biology folder back where it belonged. Nice people-returned my exam study material.