Sunday's snowstorm cleanup: Was it easier to clean yesterday, or to wait until this morning?
Yesterday's snowstorm ended with a mix of sleet and freezing rain. Today we're digging out, but do people who started the job yesterday have it easier or was it better to wait?
Yesterday’s storm wasn’t our typical noreaster. It started with temperatures in the low teens, which is unusually cold for a snowstorm, and then transitioned into sleet and eventually freezing rain in some neighborhoods.
For many, the first instinct was to get ahead on Sunday and clear the car out before the snow turned into ice, but others took a wait-and-see approach and decided to leave things be until the storm ended.
Drivers who cleared their cars yesterday evening up to a glaze of ice on their cars and untreated sidewalks. While the ice can be cleared off by warming the car, the sleet has to be brushed off, which isn't easy because it's like glue on the windshield.
In contrast, those who waited have a foot or more of snow on their cars, but a lot less ice. The ice accumulated on top of the snow which is a lot easier to remove.
Very limited snow melt ahead
Looking ahead, the cleanup process isn’t getting much help from the forecast. Temperatures, even in the afternoon, will remain below freezing for most of the week. The snow is not going anywhere. The glaze of ice on your car might if it's parked in plenty of sunshine. Any snow melt that happens from sunshine will refreeze into ice as soon as the sunsets.
Remove snow completely
Give yourself plenty of time to remove the snow properly. In New York State, drivers are legally required to clear snow and ice from their vehicles before hitting the road. State law mandates that snow and ice must not obstruct the driver’s view or pose a hazard to others. That includes clearing windows, mirrors, lights, and accumulated snow that could slide or blow off the roof while driving.
