Residential Winter Summaries

November

---

---

Go to:  November    December    January    February   March   April

December

---

Saturday, December 9th : 0.3"

During the day on Saturday 12/9, we had periodic very light drizzle mixed with light snow. Due to warmer air temperatures along side warmer ground temperatures, most of the daytime precip was all liquid as it landed. No concerns during the day. But then, after 4-5pm, the temps did drop below freezing which made for the water to turn to ice. On top of that, we had a final couple snow burst bands move through to sit on top of it all. By 7-8pm, the system was on its way out and left us with about 0.2”- 0.4” of snow on top of the ice.

This snow dusting we had did not meet the 1.0” or more requirements for plowing and it did not hit the OPTIONAL “light snow” category for plowing for 0.5” or more. This was purely a salting event, and we ended up salting customers that have signed up for driveway salt, and we focused more on the more inclined driveways. All the work was completed from about 9pm on Saturday evening through about 4am early the following Sunday 12/10.

---

SATURDAY/SUNDAY: December 30 & 31: Some freezing drizzle then about 1.0” of snow

On Saturday, 12/30 - we had a clipper system that started to push in basically from North to South. As it moved closer to us, we had some freezing mist occur across the Twin Cities that made for things to get slick. Then, once that moved out late in the afternoon of 12/30, some light snow rolled in through the evening hours which produced about 0.2” of snow. But around midnight, a final band developed and basically rode down 494 straight south. This produced a burst of “heavier” snow that made for about 1” across all accounts by the end of the night.

That next morning of Sunday, 12/31 (which was the day of New Year’s Eve) - we plowed all driveways through the morning hours. Shoveling was completed as well and plenty of salting on driveways due to the slickness from that freezing mist we had, plus if you remember back on Christmas, all that rain that occurred washed away any salt “residue” that we had on pavement. When that happens, it makes hard surfaces more prone for freezing, so we felt like we need to get a bunch more salt down.

---

---

Go to:  November    December    January    February   March   April

January

---

Saturday, January 7: .3” plus some mist (2 batches)

On Friday night, January 5 - we had a band of snow move through from South to North actually during the evening hours - basically between that 6pm & midnight time frame. Then, almost the exact timing, on the next day on Saturday, January 6 - this band moved through from west to east - both bands producing some freezing mist and about a coating to 0.2” of snow.

On Friday night, January 5th into the very early morning hours of Saturday, January 6th - we made the decision NOT to complete any driveway salting for residents because we saw that our previous “salt residue” took care of melting what fell for the most part. And knowing another band was coming the next night, we held off until Saturday night into early Sunday morning 1/6 into 1/7 to salt all driveways. No plowing was required.

 

---

Monday, January 8 : 1.0”

During the daytime on Monday 1/8, we had a band of wet snow develop moving north ahead of a low pressure system. Depending on where you live, this delivered about 0.5” - 0.9” of snow. When it was done by 1pm-ish that day, the forecast at that time called for another 1-2” of snow starting by 9/10pm that evening. Because most of the measurements were still under an inch, we collaborated with friends in business and the fact that we were mostly under an inch, to wait until the next batch moves in. In the end, the next batch did not materialize like they were thinking, but it did put down other 0.25” max in some spots much later than expected. That batch actually came through between about 5am-8am the next morning, and that is when we plowed all residential driveways. If you shoveled prior to our arrival, you will not be charged or it will not count towards your 12 monthly plows. We did use some salt, but not a ton because of last salting was taking care of things pretty good. If you are signed up for our “light snow” plowing services, this situation was a bit different whereas the window of when the next snow was supposed to start falling was too tight to warrant a light snow plow/shovel, and then a 1” full plow/shovel.

---

---

---

Go to:  November    December    January    February   March   April

February

---

---

Wednesday, February 14 : 6.0"

We had a nice little compact system move through our area that actually over-exceeded the snow total expectations. 3-5 days before this system hit, it was forecasted to mostly stay south of our area, or maybe give us a very minor event if anything. Then, a couple days before the storm came in, weather models changed as the storm track changed. This put the Twin Cities within some of the heavies snow from this system and it dropped a thin stripe of 6-8” across the SW/southern/SE metro.

Snow began very lightly from west to east around 3pm on Valentines Day, 2/24. It was mostly melty on the roads, but it did start to accumulate on grass until dark. Once dark hit, the continuing light to moderate snow bands started to accumulate on everything, and then about 8-9pm, our heavies snow bands moved through until about 11pm or midnight. It is during this time when 3-5” of snow fell in about a 3 hour period…maybe less. Yep, that is not a mistake, it was that much snow in that short of time. With this said, it made for one of those pretty heavy water content within the newly fallen snow along with a decent chunk of accumulation. 6-7” of wet cement in a 2-3 hour period is nobody’s friend.

When snow falls that fast and that heavy, it basically puts everything to a stand still in the snow plowing industry. It is tough to get workers in fast (roads were very bad), it is tough to make up ground plowing because it is a decent pile, but also it is wet and heavy. It just makes things more difficult. In the end, we did plow everything 1x, instead of possibly getting through everything 2x. Plowing that much wet/heavy snow takes a lot longer to get through routes. We appreciate your patience as we did get to all customers as soon as we could, along with working our tails off.

All resident driveways were completed by noon on the next day, Thursday 2/15. End of driveways were dealt with all morning…even the City plows were behind, but all in all it went pretty well with all things considered, it just took longer than we would like. Shoveling was completed by noon as well (if you are signed up for your walkways to be shoveled), and plenty of salt was applied, because the temperatures fell fast, and once we cleared the wet snow away, the pavement flash freezed immediately and created a layer of ice.

---

SUN / MON. - MARCH 24/25 : 8.0"

During the morning hours at around 10am on 3/24, we did start to see some light snow that lasted throughout the day. But the daytime sun angle and warmer temps did a good job of melting a lot of it as it fell. As we did get later in the afternoon, parking lots/roads were still not collecting a bunch of the snow, but residential driveways were. And with the forecasted amount of snow for the night ahead, we started to open all Residential driveways between about 7pm-10m Sunday evening, 3/24 which lasted into the night.

The rest of the night more snow moved in and it got really heavy until about 1am, then it transitioned to rain/sleet, and snow mixed in. Pretty much for the rest of the morning on Monday, 3/25, it rained/snowed & sleeted. As we figured out not much more was going to accumulate, we started to fully plow residential driveways once again for the final clear.

The City plows were slow once again, so for those that we plowed that the City plow did not come by yet, we circled back later in the morning. All plowing & shoveling of sidewalks was completed prior to noon on Monday, 3/25.

Limited salt was used with melting warming temperatures underneath. It really was not that slippery, but the snow was extremely heavy to move. Also, the ground is super soft and fully thawed out, so it was very slow and very tough to push the snow chunks up on grass safely. We did our best with elements.

---

---

Go to:  November    December    January    February   March   April

March

---

Friday, March 22 : 1.5"

On Thursday evening, 3/21 - very light snow started to fall about 6-7pm-ish. It was melting on contact to start, then it started to accumulate on grassy/raised surfaces, then finally as the late March warm sun got well set - it started to stick to roads/parking lots/driveways. Most of the accumulation was done by 3-4am early Friday morning, 3/22.
**but, thereafter, snow showers continued off and on through about 8am that morning which caused another dusting over things. Then as the sun came out later that morning, that dusting melted fast.

Residential driveway plowing and sidewalk shoveling was completed prior to 11am on Friday, March 22. Limited salt was used due to the warmer ground temperatures.

---

TUESDAY, MARCH 26TH : 4.0"

Timeline:
-3am-ish 3/26, solid rain moved in, yes, rain, at night.
-5-7am-ish rain turned to freezing rain in a matter of seconds.
-630a-830a - freezing rain mixed with sleet and became heavy sleet at times.
-730a-930a - sleet mixed with snow, pretty heavy at times as the cooler air continued to moved in, eventually to all snow.
-then it all snow, heavy at times until 2pm that afternoon of Tuesday, 3/26
-although the bulk of the accumulation was done by 2pm, snow showers continued off and on thereafter
-some accumulations from the snow showers after 2pm through the evening, but some melted, some did not, depends on the surface.

This was a 3-4” event which means we start plowing once the snow is done and we come one time through. We decided that about 2-3pm that afternoon, it was “done enough” to fully plow all driveways through the afternoon/evening. We did have one break down which caused some delays for some routes. Salt was used heavily on driveways due to the dropping temps and everything that turned to liquid during the day froze solid at night. We did salt a few driveways at about 9-10am that morning as the sleet was changing to snow just to get a layer of salt underneath the frozen elements. Shoveling lasted until about 10-11pm at night - it was tough to get through, heavy layer of slush/sleet under the snow that fell over the top.

---

 

---

---

Go to:  November    December    January    February   March   April

April

---

 

---

---

---

Go to:  November    December    January    February   March   April

---