Moving Ahead of the Ice Dams and NWS Special Weather Statement

Efforts continue. Today BLMH had 8 people clearing more snow and ice dams from roofs. There were two lifts on the property. This is an ongoing struggle during this Freeze-Thaw and seemingly snow Every-Other-Day winter.

The association was clearing roofs last week, but the melt and rain didn't happen. Why not? Talk to our local area weather genius Tom Skilling and you will get a hour long explanation. What we did get was an additional 5 inches of snow, which created further problems. It was decided these be cleared and ice dams broken where possible before the rain comes. The lift in this photo has a 60 foot reach, necessary to get to some of the snow and ice at what we call the "D" roof juncture.

Why is this being done? Take a look at these photos as well as a few in recent posts, and you will know why.

But we did have two glorious sunny and balmy days. Now the other shoe will drop.

Here are the National Weather Service advisories issues 4:09PM today.

Hazardous Weather Outlook

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

RAIN...POSSIBLY HEAVY AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS...SOME PRODUCING SMALL HAIL WILL DEVELOP AFTER MIDNIGHT. THE PRECIPITATION WILL LIKELY BEGIN AS A WINTRY MIX MAINLY NORTH OF INTERSTATE 88...WHICH COULD INCLUDE ACCUMULATING SNOW AND SLEET OR FREEZING RAIN.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY.

A WINTRY MIX OF SNOW...SLEET AND RAIN WILL LIKELY CONTINUE NORTH OF INTERSTATE 90 VERY EARLY THURSDAY MORNING. LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN IS ALSO POSSIBLE THURSDAY MORNING...WHICH COMBINED WITH MELTING SNOW...COULD RESULT IN LOCALIZED FLOODING. THERE IS ALSO A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS THURSDAY. A COUPLE OF STORMS COULD PRODUCE SMALL HAIL IN THE MORNING...THEN POSSIBLY GUSTY TO DAMAGING WINDS IN THE AFTERNOON. STRONG WINDS ARE LIKELY LATE THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MUCH OF THURSDAY NIGHT WITH GUSTS TO 50 MPH OR HIGHER POSSIBLE.

IN ADDITION...THE MILD AND MOIST AIR MASS MOVING OVER THE MELTING SNOWPACK COULD RESULT IN LOCALLY DENSE FOG THROUGH THE DAY ON THURSDAY.

FINALLY...RUN OFF FROM THE MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN AND SNOW MELT COULD LEAD TO RISES AND POSSIBLE FLOODING ON AREA RIVERS WITH AN INCREASED RISK OF ICE JAM FLOODING THROUGH THE WEEKEND.

Preparing for the Thaw

This post will show some of the icing we've experienced this year and the efforts the BLMH HOA has taken to deal with this. Of course, our management, snow removal contractor and maintenance have worked very, very hard to deal with the frequent and significant snow accumulations, unusual ice conditions, salt & calcium chloride supply problems and so on.

Click Below to read more

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.