Winter Rain and Ice Warning!!!

This post updated at 3:00pm. See the notes and comments, as well as the following "Severe Weather Alert", quoting  the Weather Channel Website at 3:00pm.

"...LIGHT FREEZING RAIN OR FREEZING DRIZZLE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...

AREAS OF FOG...LOW CLOUDS...AND SOME DRIZZLE WILL SPREAD NORTH ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE TO RISE...EVEN AFTER SUNSET THIS EVENING...HOWEVER ITS POSSIBLE THAT THERE COULD BE A PERIOD OF FREEZING DRIZZLE SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 80 THIS AFTERNOON...AND ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS EARLY THIS EVENING BEFORE TEMPERATURES RISE ABOVE FREEZING. IT ONLY TAKES A SMALL AMOUNT OF FREEZING DRIZZLE TO MAKE WALKING AND DRIVING DIFFICULT.

PERSONS VENTURING OUTDOORS ONCE THE FOG AND DRIZZLE ARRIVE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOULD BE ON THE LOOK OUT FOR ICY CONDITIONS."

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Wednesday, December 29, 2010
It's 8:30am and currently 18F with a high today predicted of 35F. There will be more melting snow.

However, the weather forecast for the next few days in Wheaton, according to the Weather Channel is:

• Thursday December 30: High 39F, low 37F with 30% chance of showers late in the day.
• Friday December 31: High 51F with showers. Low 22F.
• Saturday January 1: High 26F, low 16F.

We can expect lots of melting snow, and standing water which will freeze on Friday night. That's not a good thing.

I received a telephone call from our maintenance company yesterday, and personnel will be sweeping snow away from gutters and pouring snow melt in the gutters over the garage entrances, to assist nature and attempt to get water flowing through the gutters, when the rain comes. However, all of this is entirely dependent upon the weather and how this brief warming pattern occurs. If it is very sudden, with immediate rain, there will be insufficient time for ice to melt before the water arrives.

Residents are cautioned to be very careful on walks, paths and the streets. These will be slippery. Everyone should be very cautious on exiting their units, particularly in the morning. There will be ice, and it may be very slippery. Salt (ice melt) should be used by residents, at entrances and at garage doors.

Good Luck, and please be careful!

This winter scene, taken early this morning, will soon be replaced with something else!

Comments, Corrections, Omissions, References

Note 1.  Here are a couple of photos, taken this afternoon as our maintenance crews prepared our property for the coming rain. Ladders and a bucket truck were all part of the tools. Snow was removed from the edge of the roofs and gutters, icicles were removed, and snow and ice melt put along the gutters. 

Note 2.  Our plowing service is on site, doing cleanup and clearing driveways of ice buildup. We have not received any snow, so was this simply "good will" as part of the contract? Well, as some of the residents say "what do we get for our money?" 

Note 3.  Our tree maintenance contractor is on site, continuing the winter pruning of trees begun the other day. I saw a crew in a spruce on Harrow, and the wood chipper was working hard. I'm not sure of the precise area to be trimmed. This is done on a rotational basis and as of today, none of the trees behind the buildings on Harrow have been trimmed. 

Note 4.  For additional information and winter tips, check the official BLMH welcome packet.