So… is this rolling snow event Seattle’s Worst Ever? Another diarist asked the the Elders of Kitsap Peninsula, and they cannot recall anything like it.
But you know, unlike old female elephants, old humans are not particularly known for precise memory. And perhaps there are also local variations, since Kitsap is across the Puget Sound from Seattle. But I recall the December 2008 event as roughly equal to this one.
In 2008 it started with snow on Saturday night, Dec. 13th. We went to watch the Husky Volleyball gals battle at home for an NCAA Final Four berth, and suffer a heartbreaking 3-2 loss. Coming out of Hec Ed Pavilion, the ground was covered with fresh snow. Afterwards a few days’ break, but not warm enough for the snow to melt - then all hell broke loose starting on the 18th. City completely shut down precisely during the crunch days before Christmas, eventually costing Mayor Nickels his re-election prospects. We had snow on the ground for a couple of weeks.
It’s been a similar pattern this time around: snow on Sunday-Monday of last week, a few dry but very cold days, and then a larger second round, with a wet-snow grand finale on Sunday-Monday and even more disruption, including us losing power for nearly all of Monday night. Seattle Public Schools won’t start this school week before Thursday, on the heels of starting last week only late on Wednesday .
The Daily Bucket is a nature refuge.
We amicably discuss animals, weather, climate, soil, plants, waters and note life’s patterns.
We invite you to note what you are seeing around you in your own part of the world, and to share your observations in the comments below.
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We live nicely in the Seattle Alps, a.k.a. the Maple Leaf neighborhood up north. It is not quite the highest hill in Seattle, but something in the location (close to the convergence zone? A bit inland?) makes us seem to get the most snow within city limits. We now have approximately half a meter of snow on the ground, in places where it wasn’t removed. And it’s getting slushier and ickier by the moment.
→ which is probably why the robins flocked to the holly in front of our house. Not choice robin food, but when push comes to shove, they’ll eat it.
And then poop red all over the place, in particular over a good spot to drink some running water.
(the water “gushing” out of the spout are not running though — it’s ice)
The snow’s weight bent the salmonberries into a nice archway...
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Right next to that hill I snowshoed there is a quasi-temporary homeless encampment, near or under the bridge. Different people have sheltered there for different durations over the years. It’s not a bad spot if you’re homeless, and it’s outside the park proper, so Seattle Parks won't go after you.
On Saturday I had a small scare, as the tent near the bridge broke open and it seemed there was someone inside. I timidly checked, eventually poking the sleeping bag. Mercifully it was empty; the inhabitant (who had been maintaining the trail down which I snowshoed) had left.
But Sunday my son and I met another man in a tent under the bridge. We asked if he needed anything, and he very humbly replied, “maybe some dry socks”. I came back with that and a few snacks and hand/toe warmers, and asked him about seeking shelter in a proper place (Seattle has opened up special emergency shelters). He said he was just released Saturday from a few weeks in jail downtown. Likely too timid/ashamed to go to a shelter, but he said Monday morning he’ll go to start a rehab program. Indeed on Monday he wasn’t there anymore.
Walking with Lila nearly 2km each way today to drop off our school-levy ballots (last moment, as always), I remembered my grandpa’s story. They escaped Poland in the last moment, fall 1939, and were sent by the Soviets to a hamlet in northern Russia, where they spent The War.
My grandpa, a master shoemaker, worked in a shoemaking collective in the nearest small town some 20km away. Saturday after work he would walk the 20km to his family, and then walk back to work Sunday night. Walking on the snow was fine. But once during the snowmelt he nearly drowned in the slushy mess, and was saved by nearby farmers who took him in and warmed him up.
Having grown up in a dry hot climate where snow was considered a blessed miracle that melts away quickly, I understood his story superficially, but not really. After seeing slush in action in 2008 and this week, I think I’m beginning to understand.
Slush is the worst. And it awaits for me tomorrow as I escape cabin fever to take my 2-bus commute into the office.