This Weather Sucks

Zapski · Post by **Zapski** » Mon Feb 23, 2026 1:55 pm

FUCK fuck fuckity fuck fuck fuck FFFFFFFUUUUUUUCCCCCKKK!!!!!!

I am so done with this.

Now I have to go clear the godsdamn driveway again

Zapski · Post by **Zapski** » Mon Feb 23, 2026 2:48 pm

I seriously don’t mean to diminish what’s happening in New England right now, they’re getting two feet or something. I just want to whine about my little corner of the world, and set up a general weather bitching thread

Jehannum · Post by **Jehannum** » Mon Feb 23, 2026 3:07 pm

I wish we had some snow in New Mexico.

I want to go skiing.

Zapski · Post by **Zapski** » Mon Feb 23, 2026 3:27 pm

I’d suggest flying to New York State, but all the flights are canceled

Malkin · Post by **Malkin** » Mon Feb 23, 2026 5:15 pm

Here's what my friends cleared for me when I was on vacation last week:

I have good friends.

ConnertheCat · Post by **ConnertheCat** » Mon Feb 23, 2026 6:03 pm

Zapski wrote: Mon Feb 23, 2026 3:27 pm
I’d suggest flying to New York State, but all the flights are canceled

Not up here! We got all of like an inch.

(makes up for the usual dumping we got last month)

Post by **obvs** » Mon Feb 23, 2026 6:12 pm

They make heated walkway mats that can prevent snow from accumulating on the walkway.

ConnertheCat · Post by **ConnertheCat** » Mon Feb 23, 2026 7:17 pm

obvs wrote: Mon Feb 23, 2026 6:12 pm
They make heated walkway mats that can prevent snow from accumulating on the walkway.

I imagine the amount of electricity those use must be insane.

Jehannum · Post by **Jehannum** » Mon Feb 23, 2026 7:26 pm

ConnertheCat wrote: Mon Feb 23, 2026 7:17 pm
obvs wrote: Mon Feb 23, 2026 6:12 pm
They make heated walkway mats that can prevent snow from accumulating on the walkway.

I imagine the amount of electricity those use must be insane.

My parents had a whole heated driveway, it was on its own 70A circuit, lol.

They used it once, I think you could hear the meter spinning from inside.

Malkin · Post by **Malkin** » Mon Feb 23, 2026 8:08 pm

Yeah, if those solutions were practical, you'd see them everywhere. The permanent installs I've seen are broken more than half of the time. Until energy sources are all renewable and carbon free, they're also terrible for the environment.

Post by **obvs** » Mon Feb 23, 2026 9:26 pm

I’m not saying a huge heated area, just a little walkway. Ice melts just above 32ºF, so it wouldn’t have to be generating a huge amount of heat in most places. Most places don’t get quite the same amount of snow as Minnesota.

dv · Post by dv » Mon Feb 23, 2026 9:43 pm

Don't forget the phase change energy cost. Once you get ice up to 32F, you have to dump a bunch more energy into it before it turns to water.

From reading about them a bit, I had gotten the impression that heated driveways are more suited for dealing with freezing rain. So in the southern US where a lot of people wouldn't otherwise have snow-melt or appropriate winter gear, it makes more sense. Melting any substantial snowfall off of a longer driveway (mine is about 1,000 square feet) requires a... very large amount of energy.

Keeping steps and sidewalks clear would be a relatively modest energy expenditure, and would probably be a good investment for apartment buildings or retail areas where they get a lot of traffic and are potentially liable for injuries.

Jehannum · Post by **Jehannum** » Mon Feb 23, 2026 9:54 pm

dv wrote: Mon Feb 23, 2026 9:43 pm
Don't forget the phase change energy cost. Once you get ice up to 32F, you have to dump a bunch more energy into it before it turns to water.

From reading about them a bit, I had gotten the impression that heated driveways are more suited for dealing with freezing rain. So in the southern US where a lot of people wouldn't otherwise have snow-melt or appropriate winter gear, it makes more sense. Melting any substantial snowfall off of a longer driveway (mine is about 1,000 square feet) requires a... very large amount of energy.

Keeping steps and sidewalks clear would be a relatively modest energy expenditure, and would probably be a good investment for apartment buildings or retail areas where they get a lot of traffic and are potentially liable for injuries.

It just brings to mind a PhD I worked with for a time at DTRA that decided he was going to melt the snow on his roof with a weed burner.

He made quite a dent in it before it all froze and he slipped off the roof and broke his leg in the shrubberies.

Malkin · Post by **Malkin** » Mon Feb 23, 2026 10:54 pm

Heated walkways do exist here. They are usually broken. I can't recall anyone who installed one who didn't eventually abandon the concept for one reason or another. Again, if they worked well, they'd be more common. With proper equipment, snow removal just isn't that big of a deal.

Geesie · Post by **Geesie** » Mon Feb 23, 2026 10:56 pm

Jehannum wrote: Mon Feb 23, 2026 9:54 pm
dv wrote: Mon Feb 23, 2026 9:43 pm
Don't forget the phase change energy cost. Once you get ice up to 32F, you have to dump a bunch more energy into it before it turns to water.

From reading about them a bit, I had gotten the impression that heated driveways are more suited for dealing with freezing rain. So in the southern US where a lot of people wouldn't otherwise have snow-melt or appropriate winter gear, it makes more sense. Melting any substantial snowfall off of a longer driveway (mine is about 1,000 square feet) requires a... very large amount of energy.

Keeping steps and sidewalks clear would be a relatively modest energy expenditure, and would probably be a good investment for apartment buildings or retail areas where they get a lot of traffic and are potentially liable for injuries.

It just brings to mind a PhD I worked with for a time at DTRA that decided he was going to melt the snow on his roof with a weed burner.

He made quite a dent in it before it all froze and he slipped off the roof and broke his leg in the shrubberies.