Weather report here: The heavy nature of this snow will make shoveling difficult. Deadly difficult

[NNN0LHI]

Comparing it to 1999 when over 40 people in the Chicago area alone lost their lives from heart attacks while shoveling snow.

Yea, this is a bad one.

Take it easy out there. This sounds like another killer.

Think I am going to need to reassess how I am going to attack this problem tomorrow when it stops snowing.

Don

[virginia mountainman]

1. Folks around here call it "heart attack snow"...nt

[liberal N proud]

2. Last year I broke down and purchased a snow blower

No way am I going to shovel that kind of snow again.

I had stopped shoveling by means of paying someone to clean the drive for me at $20 per storm. My wife caught them double billing us on a few occasions and fired them. It just happened to be the day before a significant storm. I was furious and went out and bought a 2 stage blower. I was lucky to find one in February.

[Motown_Johnny]

3. as someone who will be out moving snow all night and most of the day tomorrow

I suggest trying to get out and get some done when the storm is half over


Yes, it will suck. Dress warmly, but moving half during the storm and half after it ends should make things easier in the long run.


Good luck to you, stay safe.

[Siwsan]

4. It's just starting, here

The heavy snow isn't suppose to start until around 3am and keep piling up until around noon. Normally I try to avoid using the blower, and shovel in shifts, every couple of hours, but it is blowing too hard so I would be wasting my time.

So, I've got my little snow blower fueled up and ready to go, if I can get the darn thing started. Hopefully my lovely neighbor will take pity on me, and bring over his big macho snow blower and help me out. I just had eye surgery and have to be very careful about too much bending and lifting.

[undeterred]

5. Snow isn't 'falling' here... its a blizzard.

Its going to be blowing all over the place. So getting out to shovel in the middle of it is just moving it around for no good reason.

[madokie]

6. I lost a friend 20 years ago because of a snow storm that took down one of his barn

and he was trying to save what he could. 52 years old and he had a heart attack that didn't kill him that day but he died a few weeks later of another heart attack trying to save what was for all intents and purposes already lost.

[mopinko]

7. i broke down and bought a blower that winter.

i was so freakin sick of the snow. i bought the big honking one.
i had resisted because we don't have a garage to keep it in. it sits halfway under the porch, and you have to duck the handle when you go down the basement stairs. after i bought it, it didn't snow enough to use it for about 5 years. it will get a work out tomorrow.

[FailureToCommunicate]

8. Remember to put new clean gas in (among other things)...

[HuckleB]

9. So it's wet snow?

Cascade Cement is what we call it around here. Alas, the Cascades are going begging for snow, while so many have too much.

[TheOther95Percent]

10. Shoveling Wet Cement

A poster further up mentioned going out midway through the storm. I might suggest going out every 6 to 8 inches. It will make a difference.

Also, warm up indoors before you begin shoveling. 10 minutes of stretching and walking in place will go a ways toward preventing a complete shock to your muscles and spine.

Low and slow does the trick. Low amounts of snow on the shovel and push as much of it as you can. If you lift the snow, lift with your legs not your back. Squat with your legs apart, knees bent, and back straight. Lift by straightening your legs, without bending at the waist. Then walk to where you want to dump the snow, holding the shovelful of snow close to your body. Holding it with outstretched arms puts too much weight on your spine.

Take frequent breaks. 10 minutes on and 10 minutes off. More frequent than that if you are winded.

Drink water to prevent dehydration.

My years in the Snow Belt. I don't miss them.

Good luck to all. Stay safe.

[virgogal]

14. Great advice----Slow and easy is the answer.

[postulater]

11. You can help your back out afterwards if you

roll up a towel into a roll about 4 inches in diameter.

When you come inside, lie down on your back on the floor, knees up, with the roll right underneath the upper part of your lumbar spine (right at the bottom of your rib cage). Lie there for twenty minutes, it will help undo the ligament stretching done by bending and shovelling.

And ice is your friend, not heat.

[1776Forever]

12. Mid State Ohio is having freezing rain and snow and the tree branches are falling all over the place

It is truly getting very bad here! Just heard another one go down. We still have electric but my sister, who is in a senior apartment complex, is without hers. We can only hope it moves through quickly.

:hi:

[Snarkoleptic]

13. With the 50mph gusts we're having, it makes no sense to shovel now.

The drive and walk will both drift over so it's best to sit tight until the wind dies down.
Shoveling a partial accumulation makes sense only when you need to get out or you don't have blowing/drifting like this.

Lifelong Chicago metro resident with lotsa shoveling experience.

[customerserviceguy]

15. We've got icy rain here

Forgot to put my wiper blades up when I got home at 4:00 (they cut us loose early), and at 10:00 PM, there was a solid sheet of ice on my car, and on the driveway. Nearly slipped on my fat arse.