Got Candles?

[mbarrick]

Environment Canada is predicting a blizzard tonight. And I don't mean a "ooh, it's snowing kinda almost hard" Vancouver-style "blizzard", but an actual 90 Km/h winds, up to 20 cm of new snow, blowing snow, -20 °C blizzard. Vancouver is not set up for this kind of thing. This is an unusual city in that a great deal of the electrical infrastructure, even downtown, is done with suspended wires and telephone poles. High-wind plus sub-zero temperatures plus snow plus above-ground electrical wiring - you do the math.

If you don't have candles or a flash-light now would be a good time to go out and get some.

Comments

[scuttle.livejournal.com]

I have been trying to explain that to people here in Ottawa. Vancouver and Victoria don't have millions set away annually for snow removal, legions of private contractors who will work overnight to keep the city cleared, or ingenious little sidewalk snowplough bulldozer machines. The trees themselves are not suited to withstanding snow. Not to mention the fact that the temperature rarely stays far below zero (this blizzard being an exception) before rising and then refreezing, resulting in coatings of ice everywhere. It's not just that people here are "better" drivers. More experienced in snow, yes. No one can drive in rain though!

Rare and Elusive Vancouver Snow that Lasts More than 15 Minutes

[mbarrick.livejournal.com]

Vancouver has *one* snowplow (we used to have three, but they sold the other two to Burnaby) and a total annual snow-removal budget of $500,000. I don't know about Ottawa, but I know Montréal spends half a million dollars in a *day* for snow removal.

The first time it snowed after they built the Skytrain the entire system ground to a halt because the snow people were kicking off their shoes as they got on the train caused the doors not close properly, and of course the trains don't move until the doors are shut.

First time it got really cold with snow the trains died, too. No one imagined that there would ever be powder snow on the tracks and the cooling intakes for the electric engines were sucking in the powder and shorted out.

About twelve years ago or so there was a big snowfall right after they had sold off the "extra" snowplows and gone down to one. The city salted the crap out of the streets (although nothing that would be unusual for back east) and most of the trolleys shorted out. BC Transit (they weren't Translink yet) had to bring all the diesel buses they usually use for the suburban routes in to serve downtown and had to use charter buses for the suburban runs. It cost them many millions of dollars.

This will be the first big snow with the new fleet of trolleys - I wonder how they'll hold up.

The other thing with Vancouver drivers being dismal in the snow, is that about half the population are immigrants and a good chunk on them are from places were it *never* snows. For example, the all-time record low, i.e. the coldest it has ever been, in Hong Kong is 0 °C! It doesn't even freeze, let alone snow. I'd estimate that somewhere between a 1/10 to 1/5 or so of the people in Vancouver can count on their fingers the number of times they have even *seen* snow.

I've been amused this past week just watching people who don't know how to *walk* in the snow, let alone drive in it.

Re: Rare and Elusive Vancouver Snow that Lasts More than 15 Minutes

[seymour-glass.livejournal.com]

i remember riding the trains back then...even in 90/91 it was like that...i can remember getting on at scott road station and the train taking 2 1/2 hours to get downtown...at every stop the doors would remain open for 15 to 20 minutes and it was freezing...i even took a motel room downtown for a night or two just to avoid the trip it was so freaking bad...

the other thing is the pipes here are meant to withstand these temperatures...there were a few guys at hockey this morning complaining about their pipes freezing...i'm sure many will have burst already...

i haven't been in a real blizzard since i left the prairies...could be interesting...i guess i'll have to stock up on stuff tonight because i may not be going anywhere tomorrow...will be interesting to see how my flight does for monday...the only saving grace is i'm flying pacific coastal out of the south terminal...so less crowds and less chances of planes being delayed back east...

i can't imagine how people will react...they already don't dress for the weather...i have at least four layers on and lined pants and i was once used to the cold...and i laugh at women in heeled boots running up the sidewalk...what the hell is so important it's worth risking some broken bones...

Re: Rare and Elusive Vancouver Snow that Lasts More than 15 Minutes

[mbarrick.livejournal.com]

Yeah, frozen pipes. Vancouverites have no excuse for broken pipes other than ignorance. Water is free in Vancouver, and even if the pipes are not insulated (which many aren't) the easy trick is to leave a couple faucets on a trickle. With all the chlorine in the water, as long as it is moving a little bit it's got to be DAMN cold for the pipe to freeze.

Even with the temperature being where it has been I've noticed a lot of the fountains around here *aren't* frozen - but they do have the white foam from excessive chlorination.

And on the subject of frozen water - if this keeps up, maybe people will be allowed to skate on Lost Lagoon for the first time in decades.

Re: Rare and Elusive Vancouver Snow that Lasts More than 15 Minutes

[seymour-glass.livejournal.com]

i was going to mention that...when i was young in the early 70s people always were skating on lost lagoon...that is a particular childhood memory i have when you could still drive all the roads in the zoo area...there used to be tons of people skating on there...and we used to always be able to skate on the pond on our property...i thought it so weird when i came back in 90 that it didn't freeze any more...

i noticed the mac blo fountain...it looks pretty bad...got some pictures of the fountain sculpture on burrard and pender at bentall...it doesn't have the foam so there is great icicles on it...i want to get one when it's lit up at night because the light and icicles would look great...maybe sunday night if it's not too bad out...otherwise i'm heading to penticton where it's freakin' colder...i finally had to break down and buy gloves for the first time since i moved back here...

Re: Rare and Elusive Vancouver Snow that Lasts More than 15 Minutes

[scuttle.livejournal.com]

You're so right about the footwear. In Ottawa everyone wears their ugly winter boots on the way to work and changes into indoor shoes when they get there. Everyone in my office keeps a pair or two at their desk. The bonus is the good shoes don't get stained with all the salt.

Re: Rare and Elusive Vancouver Snow that Lasts More than 15 Minutes

[seymour-glass.livejournal.com]

i've noticed that when i work in ottawa in the winter (i'm a fed)...the people there where sensible footwear of course...people here are wearing the shoes you wear out to the club and stuff to try and get around...there's a time and a place for that kind of footwear, but icy sidewalks don't qualify...

Re: Rare and Elusive Vancouver Snow that Lasts More than 15 Minutes

[lilitha.livejournal.com]

I remember the year (not sure which one it is now) when it got cold enough in HK for frost to appear. It was such a spectacle and rare event, that tons of people traveled up to the mountains early in the day to see the frost.

Re: Rare and Elusive Vancouver Snow that Lasts More than 15 Minutes

[mbarrick.livejournal.com]

That's really neat that you remember that! I just looked up the stats to make the point, but it didn't say what year it was. I don't know why but I just assumed it was a really long time ago.

But it totally makes the point, too. How is some who grows up in a place where it never freezes (HK, Vietnam, Philippines, south India, Australia, Jamaica, etc.) supposed to know anything about snow tires, antifreeze, chains, et al? It's no wonder there are so many bad winter drivers in Vancouver.

Same thing for walking on ice. I'll never forget trying to teach a friend in college who was from Trinidad how to run-and-slide on an icy walkway. He just couldn't do it. He had a very sore bum the next day.

The storm isn't supposed to start until around midnight, so Mike should be O.K. getting home.

Re: Rare and Elusive Vancouver Snow that Lasts More than 15 Minutes

[lilitha.livejournal.com]

It was quite some years ago, I almost want to say about 10 years ago. I remember watching the news and people in HK were going crazy over the frost. The footage showed people getting up early and going to the outskirts where the mountains are just to see the frost. If they didn't say it was HK, I wouldn't have believed it. When I think of HK, I think of extreme heat and humidity, where the concrete walls of your apartments looks like it's sweating because of condensation.

Speaking of bad winter drivers, it reminds me the year that both of my grandparents from my father's side of the family came to visit. My uncle and cousins took them to Whistler, but they're still not used to driving around in the snow and they got stuck in a snowbank. I think they had to take planks of wood and push it under the wheels to get it out. This was all caught on camera, lol.

Mike and I were thinking of going to the Rio tonight for the midnight Cult Classic because they're showing Nightmare Before Christmas and Gremlins, but my friend just checked on the cabs and it's all a very long wait and technically we can walk there, I'm just not fond of the idea of traveling back home when there's a blizzard. Especially since I think I have "cold hives" and I really should go see a doctor.

[agentdanak.livejournal.com]

<--- seattleite with a shit ton of candles. because she's from the midwest and knows better than 3/4 of this city.

[mbarrick.livejournal.com]

LOL :-)

It's funny, where I grew up on Vancouver Island was actually a hair warmer than Vancouver or Seattle, but the power grid was extremely fragile. The power would go out for days at a pop a couple of times every winter. People that have always lived in a city never learn how to cope when the infrastructure fails. They just panic and wait for somebody else to magically fix it, then complain about how long it took.

[seymour-glass.livejournal.com]

it's true...in alberta it was standard to have candles...i'm sure few people here have them...and i have my trusty led flashlight from mec...

[ladyvermath.livejournal.com]

Candles no problem-o Kris bought 30 of those red pillar candles & then the following week he had some custom purple ones made. Total count not inc reg store bought pillar candles 60. I think we'll be fine. Going to start charging the batteries on the flashlights & then head to the store for some eats.

[lilitha.livejournal.com]

Uh oh... I better run out and get some stuff... or else it's just going to be me and the darkness. I hope the blizzard doesn't start until Mike gets home. He drove to work at Park Royal today. Eek!