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| Fiery aftermath of a 29-vehicle pileup that happened in a Minnesota snow squall on Thursday. Miraculously, there were no deaths here. Photo from the Minnesota State Patrol |
You know, those days when driving sucks and you just want to stay home if you can.
There's nothing in the immediate forecast to suggest a lot of snow anytime soon in Vermont, but it can certainly happen this time of year. I'm sure you know that.
After all, exactly one year ago today, we were experiencing a record low of 9 degrees above zero in Burlington, Vermont and we were all cleaning up from a six to 12 inch dump of snow the previous day. So, yeah, we about to get into the thick of it now.
Which is my cue to give you my annual warning not to be an idiot on the roads on snowy days.
If you still don't have the snow tires on your vehicle yet, get 'em on pronto.
When the snow finally starts to fly, it will be OK to drive even more cautiously than you think warranted. Who cares of the speed demons in those supposedly four wheel drive trucks think you're going too slow. It's not your fault they're idiots.
Also, an incident in Minnesota yesterday is another reminder to take snow squalls in particular very seriously.
A sudden, intense snow squall hit Interstate 94 in Monticello, Minnesota Thursday, causing a 29 vehicle pileup that also burst into flames. Miraculously, there were no deaths and just nine relatively minor injuries out of this, so it could have been a lot worse.
Snow squalls are the worst. In regular snowfalls, the bad weather doesn't hit suddenly. There's a build up to the event. Also, usually, in a typical snowstorm, visibility is reduced, but doesn't fall to zero.
It's different, and more harrowing with snow squalls. You're cruising along at top speed in clear air and dry pavement and then you plunge into zero visibility and glare ice on the roads. Pileups seem to become inevitable in these situations.
The National Weather Service, among others in recent years have really take note of the dangers inherent in snow squalls.
In the past couple of years, the National Weather Service has started to issue snow squall warnings when this type of weather hits. They want the public to know what terrible hazards these weather events are.
Snow squall warnings are set up much like severe thunderstorm warnings you hear in the summer. They cover a relatively small, specific area, usually a county or a cluster of counties. These snow squall warnings will tell you where the snow squall is, where it's heading, and what to expect inside one of them. Usually that's near zero visibility, suddenly icy roads and gusty winds.
If you get a snow squall warning, then you want to stay at home or at work and not drive until the bad weather passes.
If I hear a snow squall warning when I'm driving, I've gotten into the habit of exiting high speed roads like Interstate 89 and waiting it out in a parking lot until after the snow squall passes. That prevents you from getting into one of those pileups. Or it saves you from the anxiety of wondering whether you will get into one of those crashes.
Either way, you win. The wasted time sitting in some parking lot is worth it.
Just as a note, there was a snow squall warning in effect for the area where that crash happened in Minnesota yesterday. Motorists involved in the crash said visibility immediately went down to zero and nobody could see the vehicle in front of them until they crashed into it.
The United States sees several of these big highway pileups each year, the majority of which are either caused by snow squalls ir freezing rain. I believe yesterday's in Minnesota was the first big one of this winter season.
Snow squalls, like summer thunderstorms, usually don't last long, unless you're someplace downwind from one of the Great Lakes. There, you get those lake effect squalls that go on for hours or days and really pile up the snow.
Once the snow squall ends and the snow squall warnings expire, you can gingerly get back on the road. Remember, though, the pavement is still icy and snowy under your tires, so drive cautiously.
Here in Vermont, as noted, don't count on any snow squalls for the next couple of days at least, but do know they are inevitable, so be prepared!
Here's a KARE-TV video of the aftermath of the Minnesota crash (no sound on the video):
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