Welcome to a New Year and Minnesota snow
Happy New Year! A new year of possibilities! A new year of fun and community activities! And, a new year of—snow! That means more skating, hockey, fishing, festivals, and shoveling! Hope Santa brought you a sturdy shovel. Paul Huttner at MPR added gut feelings to his weather data in November to forecast a colder and snowier winter for Minnesota compared to 2017; in other words, “a semi-real Minnesota winter.” Bucking all the climate prediction centers, almanacs, and computer models available, he thinks that temps will be slightly warmer than average, snowfall in the Twin Cities to hit between 50-60” (average), and overall a better winter for outdoor events. He is sure about a few things, though: that “it will get cold. It will snow. Commutes will be snarled.” With that, the best advice to ensure a happy new year’s winter is to be prepared. Know your community Snow Removal Policy, stock up on elbow grease and hot chocolate, and keep your winter gear and shovel by the door.
Northfield, like most area communities, has a plan, policy, and personnel ready for snow removal and snow emergency notification. On their website you will find their plan to keep city streets plowed, a picture of Northfield’s Snow Removal Group, and links to related information such as a city plow map, where to go to report sidewalk shoveling issues, and where to find their snow policy. Their policy, adopted in 2011, tells you everything you need to know—who does what when and where, what equipment and products are used, how residents are notified of a snow emergency, and what residents need to do to keep walks and driveways clear not only for pedestrian traffic but also for mail delivery, garbage and recycling pick-up, access to fire hydrants, and pockets open for street plow dumping. Sometimes even “the best laid plans of mice and men” go awry. If your sod or mailbox becomes a casualty of winter snow plowing, you may find information in the policy addressing these concerns as well. And concerning parking, don’t forget that street parking is banned between 2:00AM and 6:00A.M from November 15 to March 15. See the policy for more information.
That takes care of city snow removal business, but what about for you the resident or business owner? Removing the snow is only part of the job. What products if any should you use to de-ice? What is the best product for melting or adding traction and when should you use it? How do these products impact the environment and what can we do to minimize harmful effects? The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency provides suggestions and training videos to help plus tips to minimize salt use and their temperatures for effectiveness of different melting agents. The better the snow removal, the less the need for salt and that is a win-win situation for everyone.
CREDIT: MN Public Radio News
andreas weber at www.rd.com