Thundersnowstorm?

Y

Yousuf Khan

Has anyone ever seen a thundersnowstorm? It was the wierdest thing,
usually you don't see thunder/lightening and snow together. I was
driving back to Montreal from Ottawa last night, and half way between,
it struck on the highway. Initially you just noticed that the highway
had turned greyish, from the ice pellets and snow. So I immediately got
off the cruise control, slowed right down to 80kph from 120kph, and took
manual control at that point, because you could tell things were getting
squirrelly even while you were driving straight. Then you start seeing
ice pellets, snow and freezing rain all coming at you at different
times. Wind had kicked upto 40kph, aimed right across your side trying
to push you off the road. And then you start seeing the bolts of
lightening.

It was the first time I didn't even feel confident in my Outback.

YOusuf Khan
 
Yousuf Khan said:
Has anyone ever seen a thundersnowstorm? It was the wierdest thing,
usually you don't see thunder/lightening and snow together. I was driving
back to Montreal from Ottawa last night, and half way between, it struck
on the highway. Initially you just noticed that the highway had turned
greyish, from the ice pellets and snow. So I immediately got off the
cruise control, slowed right down to 80kph from 120kph, and took manual
control at that point, because you could tell things were getting
squirrelly even while you were driving straight. Then you start seeing ice
pellets, snow and freezing rain all coming at you at different times. Wind
had kicked upto 40kph, aimed right across your side trying to push you off
the road. And then you start seeing the bolts of lightening.

It was the first time I didn't even feel confident in my Outback.

YOusuf Khan
Click to expand...

We had one come through here a few weeks go. (15 miles NW Baltimore, MD USA)
It started with thunder rumbling in the distance and quickly progressed to
lightning and thunder very close to our house. I got up and peeked out the
window to find it snowing at a good rate. The storm only lasted about 20
minutes-- it is only the second time I can ever remember thunder, lightning
and snow at the same time. Must be all that global warming. ;)

Steve
 
Could that be because you were doing 80 kph when you should have been doing 40? I see more 4WDs in the ditch than
anything else, probably because people think they're some sort of magic vehicle. Do yourself (and everyone else) a
favor and SLOW DOWN.
P.S. We had one of those thundersnowstorms here in CT not long ago.
 
SLOW DOWN.

Or, if you get really sick of it, move to Victoria! We got a whopping 1
inch of snow this winter.

Mind you, the average house price is just over half a mil, but HEY!
It's worth it!!. ;)

Grrrarrrgghh....
 
Yousuf Khan said:
Has anyone ever seen a thundersnowstorm? It was the wierdest thing,
usually you don't see thunder/lightening and snow together. I was driving
back to Montreal from Ottawa last night, and half way between, it struck
on the highway. Initially you just noticed that the highway had turned
greyish, from the ice pellets and snow. So I immediately got off the
cruise control, slowed right down to 80kph from 120kph, and took manual
control at that point, because you could tell things were getting
squirrelly even while you were driving straight. Then you start seeing ice
pellets, snow and freezing rain all coming at you at different times. Wind
had kicked upto 40kph, aimed right across your side trying to push you off
the road. And then you start seeing the bolts of lightening.

It was the first time I didn't even feel confident in my Outback.

YOusuf Khan
Click to expand...

Not all that uncommon (reported several times a year) here in the mountains
of northern Arizona... we call it "thundersnow." I think it is more common
than we realize, because snow limits the distance the flash can be seen and
the distance it can be heard.

Mike
 
Jonah said:
Could that be because you were doing 80 kph when you should have been
doing 40? I see more 4WDs in the ditch than anything else, probably
because people think they're some sort of magic vehicle. Do yourself
(and everyone else) a favor and SLOW DOWN.
Click to expand...

I don't think I've ever seen a Subie in the ditch. Lots of SUVs though...
 
Yea, it is weird to have thunder and lightening during a snowstorm...I
saw that once last winter....
 
Yousuf Khan said:
Has anyone ever seen a thundersnowstorm? It was the wierdest thing,
Click to expand...


They are very common in Boston. I've been in them (on foot) above
timberline in western Nevada.
 
Well, 80 kph was driveable. Remember, I *had* slowed right down, from
120. However, that didn't prevent people from passing me at a pretty
good clip (i.e. 20kph higher than me). Someone in a Jeep Liberty passed
me, which was possibly believable. Then somebody in a VW Jetta passed
me too! I didn't see if he had the 4matic or not. I tried to see if I
could match those other guy's speed, but I soon gave up, saying those
guys have got to be nuts, or they have better winter tires than me.
 
YKhan said:
Well, 80 kph was driveable. Remember, I *had* slowed right down, from
120. However, that didn't prevent people from passing me at a pretty
good clip (i.e. 20kph higher than me). Someone in a Jeep Liberty passed
me, which was possibly believable. Then somebody in a VW Jetta passed
me too! I didn't see if he had the 4matic or not. I tried to see if I
could match those other guy's speed, but I soon gave up, saying those
guys have got to be nuts, or they have better winter tires than me.
Click to expand...

I don't know about that Liberty, they seem to squirrelly for me. My
nephew's wife drives one and spun out several times last winter.
 
YKhan said:
Well, 80 kph was driveable. Remember, I *had* slowed right down, from
120. However, that didn't prevent people from passing me at a pretty
good clip (i.e. 20kph higher than me). Someone in a Jeep Liberty passed
me, which was possibly believable. Then somebody in a VW Jetta passed
me too! I didn't see if he had the 4matic or not. I tried to see if I
could match those other guy's speed, but I soon gave up, saying those
guys have got to be nuts, or they have better winter tires than me.
Click to expand...
Don't pay him any mind-- 80kph is plenty slow in my book. You have to
remember most people are not good snow drivers and so they therefore assume
anybody going fast in the snow is a danger.
 
We used to see them every winter. I was stationed at a small USAF
communication site in the mountains of southern Italy. Our site had a
fabulous view of the bay of Naples & Mt Vesuvius. We were the tallest
peak around, and had several 60' billboard antennas. I guess they
acted as giant lightning attractors. It was very scary to be going
between buildings and have lightning and thunder around you. Snow,
wind, and cold was so bad in the winter that we had ropes tied between
the buildings to hold onto. When you left one building, you had to
call your destination building and let them know you were coming, and
when you got there, you had to call the building you left. It was the
best way to make sure no one was stuck out in the elements.
 
what's "Victoria"?


Or, if you get really sick of it, move to Victoria! We got a whopping 1
inch of snow this winter.

Mind you, the average house price is just over half a mil, but HEY!
It's worth it!!. ;)

Grrrarrrgghh....
Click to expand...
 
what's "Victoria"?

Ummm.. A city in Western Canada? Capital of British Columbia... close
to Vancouver....
 
BD said:
Ummm.. A city in Western Canada? Capital of British Columbia... close
to Vancouver....
Click to expand...

Ummm... a generic US cop car, more commonly
known as a Crown Vic....
 
But a generic US cop car ain't normally a place to go to avoid snow.
Maybe to plow through it...

What else...

Some old Brit royal from way back?
 
Doing 40 on a highway might be more dangerous then 80........at 40kph you
take a great risk, you better stop than!
 
vic said:
Yet Montreal is the best city in Canada overall
Click to expand...

That depends.. when someone's about to jump off a bridge are people in
Montreal mortified and shouting at him not to, or do they stand at the
bottom like vultures and chant, "jump, jump, jump, jump?"

If so, then Montreal is no better than Victoria. If not, then I'll entertain
your comment. :)
 

Members online

No members online now.
Total: 85 (members: 0, guests: 85)

Forum statistics

Threads
14,461
Messages
68,955
Members
8,002
Latest member
Stuart R

Latest Threads

Back
Top