Signs Winter is right around the corner

[Whitespider]

Big acorn drop - short brown band on the wooly bear. Yup, the signs are all there.

Ummmmm..... I've never paid much attention to caterpillars for predicting winter, but I don't believe the acorn drop means cold owl squat. We have the worst mast year I can ever remember 'round here... maybe a small handful of acorns under the oaks (and those are full of worm/insect holes). If the acorn drop was a predictor, I'm guessin' we wouldn't even see temperatures below 32° this winter.

Silly question but why do you lot need all this salt

Without salt (and calcium chloride) to melt off the roads they would load-up with a foot or two of hard-pack snow/ice over winter. Then, when the temperatures began to warm in early spring, during the late day there would be a foot or two of slush resembling wet concrete, making it near impossible to drive. Overnight that slush would re-freeze, complete with the ruts from tire tracks... and then driving would be totally impossible until it thawed to slush again. The years with a lot of "Alberta Clippers" (quick, fast-moving snow storms that dump 1-3 inches of snow every other day) would make it worse... the hard-pack could grow to several feet deep. Really, a snow storm ain't even required to cover the roadways... just the wind blowing snow around will cover huge sections.

Calcium chloride is often sprayed on roadways as storms are approaching... the idea it to keep snow/ice from initially freezing to the road so plows can clean it off easier and more completely. Sometimes it works... but how well it works depends on the amount of snow/ice, how long the storm lasts, the temperature, and the amount of traffic "packing" the snow/ice down to the roadway.
Salt (often mixed with sand) is applied after the roadway becomes covered with hard-pack and/or ice... the salt melts the stuff, and the sand improves traction.

We live in a mobile world... ultimately, everything that moves is (at some point) hauled by over-the-road trucks. It is imperative we keep the roadways clear and open... when traffic slows or stops we all pay the price. It ain't about taking responsibility, studded tires, or driving to match the conditions... it's about keeping the mobile world we live in, mobile... it's about livelihood... it's about economic survival.
It-is-what-it-is.
*

 

[zogger]

Ummmmm..... I've never paid much attention to caterpillars for predicting winter, but I don't believe the acorn drop means cold owl squat. We have the worst mast year I can ever remember 'round here... maybe a small handful of acorns under the oaks (and those are full of worm/insect holes). If the acorn drop was a predictor, I'm guessin' we wouldn't even see temperatures below 32° this winter.

Without salt (and calcium chloride) to melt off the roads they would load-up with a foot or two of hard-pack snow/ice over winter. Then, when the temperatures began to warm in early spring, during the late day there would be a foot or two of slush resembling wet concrete, making it near impossible to drive. Overnight that slush would re-freeze, complete with the ruts from tire tracks... and then driving would be totally impossible until it thawed to slush again. The years with a lot of "Alberta Clippers" (quick, fast-moving snow storms that dump 1-3 inches of snow every other day) would make it worse... the hard-pack could grow to several feet deep. Really, a snow storm ain't even required to cover the roadways... just the wind blowing snow around will cover huge sections.

Calcium chloride is often sprayed on roadways as storms are approaching... the idea it to keep snow/ice from initially freezing to the road so plows can clean it off easier and more completely. Sometimes it works... but how well it works depends on the amount of snow/ice, how long the storm lasts, the temperature, and the amount of traffic "packing" the snow/ice down to the roadway.
Salt (often mixed with sand) is applied after the roadway becomes covered with hard-pack and/or ice... the salt melts the stuff, and the sand improves traction.

We live in a mobile world... ultimately, everything that moves is (at some point) hauled by over-the-road trucks. It is imperative we keep the roadways clear and open... when traffic slows or stops we all pay the price. It ain't about taking responsibility, studded tires, or driving to match the conditions... it's about keeping the mobile world we live in, mobile... it's about livelihood... it's about economic survival.
It-is-what-it-is.
*

...meh, you are just plying your wordsmithing with usual bias...

hehehehehehe..I snuck it in..hohohohohoho hehehehehe

 

[mainewoods]

Odd how different things are in other states. Need to wear a hard hat up here if you're near any oak trees this year. The wooly bear caterpillar and the acorn drop are just a myth. I was only funnin' with ya. We have had several nights in the 20's with white lawns in the morning. And that was early in September. There's your sign.

 

[nathon918]

Odd how different things are in other states. Need to wear a hard hat up here if you're near any oak trees this year. The wooly bear caterpillar and the acorn drop are just a myth. I was only funnin' with ya. We have had several nights in the 20's with white lawns in the morning. And that was early in September. There's your sign.

same here with the acorns, it literally sound like its raining in the woods from all the acorns falling, somehow a good amount of the acorns always fall in a pile in my wood stacks or in my wood shed, I still cant figure that out

 

[mainewoods]

My metal roof plays quite a tune when the wind blows.

 

[jrider]

Sign winter is approaching... silly arguments over nonsense is on the rise in here.

 

[UpOnTheHill]

The acorns are falling here like I've never heard before. My woods floor is absolutely loaded with them. And salt.... I live in the salt capital of the world. Rochester and Buffalo use more road salt than anywhere else. Probably because of the enormous underground salt mine nearby. It's readily available. I can't keep rust off our vehicles no matter what I do.

 

[unclemoustache]

Back west(and Northwest) there isn't much need for salt. It gets plenty cold, so the snow doesn't melt on the roads, and is easily plowed off and blown off by passing traffic.

However, here in the midwest where the winters are less cold and more humid, the snow is wetter and more likely to turn to ice on the roads, since it doesn't get as cold. Much slicker, and so salt and other chemicals are needed to melt it so it can run off.

 

[snoozeys]

They spread it on the roads to melt ice.

Ahhh I understand now ... too humid here for snow

 

[flotek]

Abundant Acorns predict good squirell hunting and that's about it . I have a giant red oak in my front yard I have monitered for years as a weather predicter . I can say with assurance that how many acorns are dropped is meaningless to the type of winter we will have. . I had massive loads falling on some of the warmest mildest winters I can remember and this year they are no different . Wooly bears the same situation . The only natural predicter I have ever seen to predict weather is how fat the deer are in the fall . They instinctively know to bulk up to prepare

 

[slowp]

I live near one of the mountain passes and the WADOT does spray that calcium chloride stuff on the roads. In fact, it amazes me that I can drive most of the way up to the ski hill on bare pavement. That's not how it used to be. Back then, they "sanded" with small boulders and the windshields took a beating. Of course, I choose my ski days carefully, and we still will get a big dump that might close the passes due to avalanches. Since ours is a two laner and easier to keep plowed, it is usually the last to close.

Soccer mom's causing all the wrecks? That's pretty sexist. We have a lot of Macho Men/Boys who don't know that four wheel drive does not mean you can stop or slow down fast in slick conditions. Idiots come in both genders.

Down on the lower elevation county roads, we tend to get some snow and then it rains and makes slush. Most of us can negotiate that OK and eventually the county will come along and plow it off on the school bus routes.

 

[daveffemt130]

They don't really use much salt here....calcium chloride. ..I'm sure it's got some salt in it but I works down to about 0 f where salt dually quits around 20f

 

[farmer steve]

I do. I guess the wooley bears come here from Maine.

you let wooly bears from maine move there? just bustin ya slowp.

 

[slowp]

you let wooly bears from maine move there? just bustin ya slowp.

They don't have the good sense that the slugs have. I noticed there are lots of smashed wooley bears on the road. One seldom sees smashed slugs. I guess we'd have to use real salt on the roads if too many slugs were on it.

 

[ijon1]

My black walnuts are pulling the limbs down they are so heavy with nuts. The last storm we had the wind busted a pretty good sized limb off. I thought it was because of rot, but it was just the weight of the nuts.

 

[KenJax Tree]

My black walnuts are pulling the limbs down they are so heavy with nuts. The last storm we had the wind busted a pretty good sized limb off. I thought it was because of rot, but it was just the weight of the nuts.

I wish i had that problem

 

[cheeves]

Big acorn drop - short brown band on the wooly bear. Yup, the signs are all there.View attachment 371588 View attachment 371589

Yah Buddy..... Bur oak on the hill has an enormous crop of acorns! And noticed the wooly bear too! Pear tree is really loaded too!!

 

[Icehouse]

Idaho State hwy 2 and 57 are covered in salt and calcium chloride. When the sun comes out the blacktop is all but pure white. I used to drive long haul truck and in the winter hauled road salt from Salt Lake and delivered to Spokane and Coeur d Alene, to be mixed with road sand. Northern Idaho and Eastern Washington use salt on most all their hwys.

 

[lindnova]

Ummmmm..... I've never paid much attention to caterpillars for predicting winter, but I don't believe the acorn drop means cold owl squat. We have the worst mast year I can ever remember 'round here... maybe a small handful of acorns under the oaks (and those are full of worm/insect holes). If the acorn drop was a predictor, I'm guessin' we wouldn't even see temperatures below 32° this winter.

Without salt (and calcium chloride) to melt off the roads they would load-up with a foot or two of hard-pack snow/ice over winter. Then, when the temperatures began to warm in early spring, during the late day there would be a foot or two of slush resembling wet concrete, making it near impossible to drive. Overnight that slush would re-freeze, complete with the ruts from tire tracks... and then driving would be totally impossible until it thawed to slush again. The years with a lot of "Alberta Clippers" (quick, fast-moving snow storms that dump 1-3 inches of snow every other day) would make it worse... the hard-pack could grow to several feet deep. Really, a snow storm ain't even required to cover the roadways... just the wind blowing snow around will cover huge sections.

Calcium chloride is often sprayed on roadways as storms are approaching... the idea it to keep snow/ice from initially freezing to the road so plows can clean it off easier and more completely. Sometimes it works... but how well it works depends on the amount of snow/ice, how long the storm lasts, the temperature, and the amount of traffic "packing" the snow/ice down to the roadway.
Salt (often mixed with sand) is applied after the roadway becomes covered with hard-pack and/or ice... the salt melts the stuff, and the sand improves traction.

We live in a mobile world... ultimately, everything that moves is (at some point) hauled by over-the-road trucks. It is imperative we keep the roadways clear and open... when traffic slows or stops we all pay the price. It ain't about taking responsibility, studded tires, or driving to match the conditions... it's about keeping the mobile world we live in, mobile... it's about livelihood... it's about economic survival.
It-is-what-it-is.
*

Sodium chloride salt is not as bad on equipment because it washes off, but only works effectively to 20°. Calcium chloride (still a salt) works to -25°, but sticks to equipment and is responsible for more rust than sodium chloride is because it needs to be scrubbed off. I agree some salt is needed, but I think it should be used less than it is.

When I was plowing there were lots where they wanted to skimp on salt and others you couldn't put enough down. It doesn't take that much to help melt off any remaining snow hardpack on a sunny day, but lawsuits have ruined us so it is overused.

I am still surprised on all the environmentalist issues these days, but road salt barely plays into it. I just heard yesterday that our town has a meeting with certification on how to properly apply salt.

 

[aokpops]

The cold is merciless but righteous it will show who you are .