GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — I know what many of you are thinking. Another snow storm... really?
Even those who love winter activities, like snowmobiling, snowboarding and cross country skiing are likely wondering.. couldn't we just get one big snow storm and be done with it? That way we have enough to play in, but we don't have to drive in it day, after day, after day... (after day).
Yet here we are, facing possibly the biggest snow storm yet this season, but it's not just the snow totals that will be a cause for concern this weekend. KARE 11 meteorologist Laura Betker says it could also be the heaviest, bringing a host of potential problems.
GORDON: “What kind of snow are we going to see this weekend?”
LAURA: “The snow this weekend is going to be heavy, wet, sticky snow.”
GORDON: “What are some problems we’re going to see with this heavy snow?”
LAURA: “The first one that comes to mind is actually a very serious issue, it’s why we call this 'heart attack snow.' Shoveling this snow is a huge amount of exercise. So, what we recommend is shoveling in shifts. If you see a couple of inches, go and shovel off the driveway, even though it’s still snowing and we’re expecting a lot more.”
GORDON: “And I’m sure snow blowing people are going to have some clogging problems?”
LAURA: “Right, there are going to be clogging problems and it’s also very heavy snow so it doesn’t travel as far. It’s going to be harder to blow, it’s not going to clear as well.”
GORDON: “What are we going to see on the roads?”
LAURA: “As this heavy, sticky snow falls, and people drive over it, it compacts, and when temperatures drop below freezing, everything turns to ice.”
GORDON: “Are we going to see more problems with people’s wheel wells?”
LAURA: “This is where you pull into the garage and there’s just enough room around your wheel well for your tire to spin and you’re going to want to clean that off.”
GORDON: “Ice dams have been a big issue for several weeks now, how is this snow going to impact that?”
LAURA: “This snow will melt quickly, but will also keep re-freezing, so that cycle that forms ice dams will continue with this snow.”
GORDON: “There is some good with this snow, people who enjoy snow, this is the snow to have, right?”
LAURA: “This is perfect snow man, snow ball, snow fort snow.”
GORDON: “So, a good thing for people who like that…”
LAURA: “If you want to find the positive in this, that’s it.”
GORDON: “And it’s been hard to find positives this winter.”
LAURA: “I think most of us are a little sick of it, but we’ll get there, we’ll get there.”