2015/16 Winter for North East: Disappointing

Here in central PA we got a 3 foot blizzard last month. It sucked. Hope it never happens again.

I'm pretty happy with the winter we had. I wouldn't care if it ever snowed again. It just makes my job miserable for days and days. I'd rather it rain and be done with it

I could live without winter in my opinion. I love to cut split and stack wood. I hate burning wood for the pure fact that means it is cold. Storms mean 16 plus hour days for me, and you never have power outages when it is 75 and sunny. The only thing I will agree with is if it is going to snow I want to see some snow three to four feet plus, but that does nothing but just make a big mess. I love looking at 25 plus cords of firewood sitting getting ready for the burning season when it is 80 plus degrees out. If it never got used it wouldn't hurt my feelings I know not everyone feels that way but after last year and the year before this winter was a nice break. Unfortunately there is next year and after a mild winter like this I'm sure we will pay for it.

Heavy hammer-Same here, I work for a utility and 16 hr days, 40mph wind, close to zero temps and 3-4 hours sleep. I'll take this break of a winter.

Are you a lineman?

heavy hammer said:

Are you a lineman?

Click to expand...

Nope, line clearance. Deal with the trees around the power lines.

I'm with the OP, Nordic Splitter, on this. I like snow. I never got out my snowshoes or xc skis this year. Maybe next year.

After last winter, which seemed to never end, I'm happy for the break this year. Being my first full season at my home, it helped me save wood, and get ahead for next winter. For every mild winter we get 2 terrible ones, I'm sure next year will be a bear. I only used my snowblower twice this year lol.

Jason763 you know what I'm talking about then work hand in hand with you guys all the time long days short nights if not working those to. Anyways I'll take an easy winter.

Old Red said:

I'm with the OP, Nordic Splitter, on this. I like snow. I never got out my snowshoes or xc skis this year. Maybe next year.

Click to expand...

I am too, I love winter, the more snow and colder the better. And no I don't sit in front of my stove looking out the window, I'm out everyday and ski and snow shoe on weekends. That said I love spring and dusting off the golf clubs, seasons in seasons.

I, for one, am happy with the winter. Tho having spent 5 continuous days at work, firefighter, during the blizzard was an unhappy experience.

Jay106n said:

After last winter, which seemed to never end, I'm happy for the break this year. Being my first full season at my home, it helped me save wood, and get ahead for next winter. For every mild winter we get 2 terrible ones, I'm sure next year will be a bear. I only used my snowblower twice this year lol.

Click to expand...

Yes, pretty much this. After the last two frigid snowy winters this was a blessing. I have a lot of wood left over; not too much money spent on oil; One mega-blizzard was enough. They play havoc with getting to work, and I don't like excessive cold or ice on the ground for weeks on end. The great thing was sidewalks were mostly clear, and it was easy to get exercise, go for runs, go bike riding most of the winter.
Sure we'll pay for it sometime in the next few years with another cold one.

After the winter we had last year, it was nice to take a breather this year. You all can thank me for buying a brand-new snow blower last fall. It's got 0.7 hours on it right now...

Some of you can keep it. I love winter until Mid-January, then I am done. I walked out on the back porch with some coffee 10 minutes ago and heard my first gobble of the year. HELLO spring!

Plus I have half a cord left over.

Like everybody else here, I spend lots of man hours in the summer to prepare for the winter, and this year it never came. After the last two brutal winters I was prepared more than ever for this winter, new furnace, plenty of wood, put a snow fence up for those huge drifts, new winch rope for the plow......I burned maybe 3 cord, and there was no snow for the fence to catch or to plow.

I barely touched my wood shed, so I'm already ready for next winter. The negative side of El Nino is the snowshoes and tip ups weren't touched. But the deer population should be way up after no winter kill.

Not a good ski year for me. That's what I care about. But I burned less than half the wood I burned last year. So for me it was a bad and good winter.

xman23 said:

Not a good ski year for me. That's what I care about. But I burned less than half the wood I burned last year. So for me it was a bad and good winter.

Click to expand...

I'm not a skier, but here in Idaho the first week of the season had almost every ski slope open and running. It lasted the whole season - a season to remember for skiers. Storm after storm, week after week with more snow each time. Some of the best conditions they've had for quite a while. Maybe I should take up skying. Oh yeah, I tried once and the instructor sent me to the bunny slope with all of the little kids!

This was a good winter in central Indiana. Normally winter is more like purgatory. Wet, sloppy, nasty. Normally there are constant freeze thaw cycles all winter long that never allow for some of the more fun winter sports.

At least this year the ground stayed dry enough that I could get out in the woods and cut. And it was warm enough that once I got started many days I would take off my jacket. I never did break out my insulated cover-alls.

The nice thing about this winter is that it forced me to have a 4 year plan instead of a 3 year plan, didn't really burn a lot of wood this year, I love all 4 seasons, in the winter I primarily ski, ice fish, and play in the snow with the quads, this year was kind of a dud, but it was nice to have an easy winter because the last 3 were to cold and to long lasting.
I went skiing yesterday and the coverage wasn't all that bad, I'm thinking that they will be closing up shop next week if we get temps in the 60's all week, I've got trout season in 4 weeks so i'm looking forward to spring.

I'm not totally against winter I love being outside. Just working at excessive heights and on steel structures all day long it just makes for long cold days. And once above the tree line there is no way to stay warm or out of the wind. Spring and summer just makes everything easier warmer longer days. Just easier to get things done. Good thing about winter is that it's mother natures way of cleaning things up kills a lot of bugs gives everything a fresh start. Winter has its positives and negatives, just more negatives in my opinion.

Hey it could be worse. I haven't seen anything but a dusting of snow in 2 years
Oh well maybe next year. We get a good one or two every couple years

heavy hammer said:

Jason763 you know what I'm talking about then work hand in hand with you guys all the time long days short nights if not working those to. Anyways I'll take an easy winter.

Click to expand...

On the flip side at the cabin...

That's what I'm talking about much nicer to do work like that when weather is warmer.

It is what it is . . . no matter what I think . . . whether it be a disappointing winter from the standpoint of not doing much snowmobiling or a great year from the standpoint it looks like an early Spring and not using as much wood. I take things as they come when it comes to Mother Nature.