2014 Portland Snow storm

It would be nice if more of these weather events happened in fall or spring, because there are already lots of holidays in winter, some having been invented to sell Russel Strovers.
The buses and cars were often slow. It was very slippery and on one February Sunday, the Weather Service recommended that everyone stay inside.
This gave hardworking and overworked Americans a reason to stay home from jobs or education. We saw Portland residents pushing buses.
Unfortunately, the storm made participating in the daily tasks of banking and grocery shopping quite difficult. Going from one MAX Station to the next MAX Station just to go to a Wells Fargo was a slippery affair.
The storm was okay and served a purpose in letting us truly appreciate the cold rather than complaining about it, even though it only lasted a week unlike for the East Coast.

The snow storm gave me the chance to get out of work with inclement weather pay and for that, I thank it!

Boy Howdy 2014 Portland Snow Storm!
Even our weather is P. A. F.
I had to work, so I was out in it every day. It was cool ish for the most part. Lot’s of smashed cars. Lot’s of abandoned vehicles. Lot’s of people having fun. And a few … driving like !!! It was cool driving in it cuz you could do what you like. I estimate, I ran 7 — 10 red lights /​signs. I don’t have chains so driving was all skill and a complete disregard for traffic law’s in general.
I was starting to wonder how far off the grid Portlandia had fallen from Old Man Winter. Every other place on earth was getting snow (Yes, Every Place!) but not here.
They said, snow. I said, I’ll believe it when I see it!
Then I saw it.
Fast forward 6 hour’s…
I still saw it…
Fast Forward 6 hour’s…
2 Day’s
3.
4. Really?
Then an Ice Storm rolled in… P. A. F.
I can’t wait for Summer!
Camping.
Fishing.
No snow!

Well, they said it was going to happen and I told them, «I’ll believe it when I see it.»
I believe.
I like snow and we don’t see it very often in the valley so it was a nice treat. It was also convenient that it happened on a weekend… well, an extended weekend. My usual 20 minute commute from home to work took almost 2 hours on Thursday. The farthest I got on Friday was to the bar. Having a bar within walking distance is essential in times like this. By Saturday night it turned to freezing rain and who likes that anyway. I’m just glad that I wasn’t one of those that got stuck. Since I didn’t venture out, I didn’t have to deal with the drivers or public transportation (learned my lesson from the last snowmegadon) I did do a lot of walking around my neighborhood and saw a lot of stuck vehicles. Along with that, I also saw a lot of strangers helping strangers and that’s nice to see.
All in all. It was awesome.

You sucked snow storm 2014. You kept me in my home. You made me take the max and walk half mile to the station. Heat bill went up. Cabin fever ensued. My car was not built for this crap!
Events were cancelled
Businesses closed.
Even the MAX shut down for a while and I was stuck!
Thank god some places were still open — bless you all.
BOOOOOOO SNOW!

Whoa wait just a minute here. I actually get to rate a snow storm? Well, hello Portland. I have had to listen to my sister, in Louisville tell me about all seven of her snow days off from work due to ice storms and snow that just keep pounding the east coast. Now, I finally have my very own snow storm to talk about and snow stories to push her face into. Gently of course, as she is my sister, after all.
First off, being from Louisville, I do on occasion miss that four season thing, not this Oregon 10 months of rain, 2 months of less rain thing. There is a season, called winter, where we would get snow every year and have fun sledding and walking in it until our jeans froze solid at the bottom. We made snow cream with vanilla and snow every year. Traditions lost when I came to Oregon.
Living on the mountain, I used to think I would be guaranteed snow every year. That is a laugh, but at least I get more satisfaction with it than I did when I lived in Portland. This last storm reached us last. I watched Gresham and other cities to the West getting more than us and felt cheated.
Well, come Saturday I felt cheated no more! It snowed so hard my son and his wife got snowed in, after a couple of hours hanging out with us and by 11pm they were shoveling out for 30 minutes, yeah I do have a very long driveway, so too bad they didn’t listen when I said park at the top. Nobody ever listens to their mother’s advice do they?
He got home and had to dig his way IN to the street he lives on, as I believe the snow plow drivers have a contest to see how many of the side roads up here they can bury and make reaching the freshly plowed highway next to impossible to reach or get off of.
Overall, Yippee and as of today, the 12^th, there is still over 8 inches in the yard despite the pouring rain.

I really wanted to love this snowstorm. Epic!
Coming a week into February, after we’d long ago given up on any dreams of a white Christmas, this storm was a hidden gem. And I’m from Portland so I KNOW authentic Portland snowstorms.
This storm went above and beyond any forecaster-​posted hours, annoying! Lololololooooooll!
–1 for cabin fever. Finally went out and got some snacks, om nom nom! Oh SO good, need I say more???

The best thing about snowstorms is the snow. The worst too. Nice mid-​dry snow (though not fluffy) for once.
The city did get around to plowing major streets sort of. Side streets are completely DIY. Neighbors have been supporting one another. City departments, like the Water Bureau, put on chains and did their duty beyond expectations helping turn off water for broken pipe neighbors. City didn’t ticket for me parked in a 15 minute time-​limited zone for 3 days. TriMet has been a little wimpy, but that is another review.
Snow 5, Water Bureau 5, City 4, Trimet 2 – 3.

I’m usually pretty cranky about snowstorms as in «oh no» and «dammit all.» But this 2014 snow storm has been a good one and I haven’t felt cranky yet. I guess it’s mostly been great because I work from home a lot, so the commute was moot, just a short walk across the street, and then nothing was going on at all. The most I had to exert myself was in spreading «ice melt’ around all the walkways where I work, and even then that was pleasant because the snow was gentle and stopped long enough every few hours in order to get things done. My employer quickly recognized that nothing was going on and gave us Friday off with pay (so very OK). I also stocked up enough to make things pleasant with no further runs for food or other supplies. A friend who has a SUV and I even went out and just drove around in the snow for fun and managed to find a place open where we were able to get hot chocolate.
I guess it’s all in the attitude (and a good deal of luck) because once I softened up and didn’t swear everything sort of evened out and was really great. This is one of the best snow day weekends I’ve had since grade school.

«A lot of people like snow. I find it to be an unnecessary freezing of water.»
Snow is fine and all, but a layer of ice on top of snow after freezing rain kinda fucks with my day.
I would like to thank this storm for:
creepy scratching noises that woke me up a few times wondering who the hell was trying to break in, a giant bruise on my ass from sliding down my iced-​over front steps, bringing out the idiots on Facebook claiming this is proof that «global warming doesn’t exist,» cabin fever, eating a whole German chocolate bar, helping me find out what a Snickers Rockin’ Nut Road is, this tray of brownies I’m making, letting me brush up on reality TV I never intended to watch, epic couch/​cuddle time and lots of fun stains on my carpet.

I haven’t been in a snow storm since I moved from Maryland when I was 14. Back then a snow day meant school was canceled so you’d spend your time wandering the streets like a pack of marauders. Thirteen years later, little has changed.
I’m lucky enough to have a job that closed early on Thursday and was completely closed on Friday. I can see how having actual obligations can make a snow storm miserable. So instead of working on Friday, we put chains on our room mate’s 4Runner, filled our thermoses with hot toddy’s, and headed to Fernhill Park.
I’ve never seen the parks in Portland so packed with people from all walks of life having so much fun. After two days of hard drinking and hard sledding, I am thoroughly exhausted and sore. I have a bruise on my knee from hitting a tree going down the street near Cathedral park. I can barely lift my arms above my head.
This has easily been the funnest weekends this winter and I would not mind at all if it became an annual event. Supplies are starting to run low though so I’m ready for it to end.

Oh the weather outside is frightful
cuz the ice aint real delightful
and we’ve got no place we can go
I hate snow! Ihate snow! I hate snow!
Oh it hasnt shown signs of stopping
and weve got no corn for popping
our spirits have dropped way down low
We hate snow! We hate snow! We hate snow!
I’ve long since run out of coffee
so my kid offered me some toffee
but caffeine crash really does blow
I hate snow! I hate snow! I hate snow!
Theres no one to kiss goodnight
And I’m not going out in the storm
Cuz the freezing rain gives me fright
I’m longing for someplace warm!
Oh! Portland shuts down in winter
like a whiny kid with a splinter
and you might as well hole up and know
It’s got to go! F the snow! F the snow!

Nice try, Snowstorm. You are amateur hour compared to IceStorm 2004.

You are like the town slut everyone likes to have fun with. You are awesome and fun for some days. You showered us with powder. The kind of powder we have wished for earlier this season. Being late is better than having not gracing us at all. We all need your presence.
You have changed so fast and become so sloppy. You are so sloppy right now that we don’t want to acknowledge your presence.
You’ve been demoted to a town skank.
We know you’ll change. We know you’ll freshen up again but we won’t welcome you until some years from now.

My neighborhood is a veritable mecca of fun in inclement weather. Until the freezing rain started it was a blast!

Day 3– supplies are diminishing.
I was reduced to consuming a white bean, shallot and chard dish lightly sauteed in a base of Franzia and somewhat sluttish olive oil.
There are only brown sprinkles left to augment dessert.
Tomorrow I will have to eat desicated potatoes from a box to survive.
The lemon pepper is gone.
I had to drink one of the cans of Hamms I bought last summer that was earmarked for killing garden slugs.
I am akin to a beast.

The storm started off with 5 stars because I was excited.
— minus 3 stars because I was worried for my kids and husband to come home (2 stars)
— minus 1 star because I went to the store and it looked like people were preparing to be locked in their homes for about 10 weeks (1 star)
— add 4 stars when my kids and husband were all home (5 stars)
— stay at five stars when school was cancelled and my husband got to work from home the next day (5 stars)
— stay at five stars when we spent the day eating soup, drinking coffee and playing in the snow (5 stars)
— minus two stars because we couldn’t make a snowman with this powdery snow (3 stars)
— add two stars when I see my dogs looking like snow bunnies frolicking in the snow (5 stars)
— minus one star when I start missing things I don’t absolutely need only but only want because I can’t go to the store. ex. cream cheese, Frank’s red hot sauce (5 stars)
— minus two stars when my kids are stir-​crazy, fighting and rolling their eyes at what I tell them. ugh. (3 stars)
— minus 2 stars when the yucky freezing rain started (1 star)
— add 3 stars for having a nice little break at home with my family and getting to experience our first real snow storm. (4 stars)
Total: 4 stars
Overall, it’s been a good experience for my family of former desert dwellers. We have a walking path behind our house, and it’s been fun to see people skiing, sledding and inner-​tubing on there. It also looked like we had a dog parade on there. Yeah, the storm has been inconvenient, but my kids and dogs had lots of fun and I got some great pictures! I can handle this once every 5 or 6 years.

Thursday — 12:30 PM: I look up from my cubicle at Portland State University and see it is snowing. «Whatever,» I tell my peers. Snow in Portland never sticks.
Thursday — 12:40 PM: PSU announces campus will close at 2 PM. So much for snow never sticks.
Thursday — 1:00 PM: Every person in Downtown Portland apparently decides to evacuate at the exact same time. Already full busses pull up to stops with 50+ freezing commuters congregating on the sidewalk like a pack of angry zombies. Nobody can get on. I decide to walk north on SW 5^th in the hope that the busses will not be full at earlier stops. After a half mile, it pays off.
Thursday — 1:45 PM: DID IT SERIOUSLY JUST TAKE ME 45 MINUTES TO GET FROM PSU TO ROSS ISLAND BRIDGE?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!
Thursday — 7:00 PM: Trader Joe’s has sold out of many staples in the produce section. I start to believe that I should have taken the suffix –pocalypse in Snowpocalypse more seriously. Clearly everybody else is.
Thursday Night: PSU closes campus of Friday. The Minnesotan in me laughs. How can they possibly already know that the weather will be that bad tomorrow? I proceed to spend the rest of the night making fun of my Northwest native friends for freaking out over an inch of snow.
Friday — 10:00 AM: A man skis by my house. The Minnesotan in me is hyperventilating.
Friday — 11:00 AM: I witness a three car accident in front of my house right where the skier was an hour ago. The severity of this storm starts to seem real.
Friday — 12:30 PM: I drive to Goodwill to buy an ugly sweater for an ugly sweater party. The Minnesotan in me is furious. Why isn’t every road cleared? Has this city never heard of salting and sanding? Is that BUS stuck getting up the hill?!
Friday — 7:30 PM: The Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony. And 5 White Russians. And some beers.
Saturday — 11:30 AM: Realization that I’m not going to be leaving the neighborhood today. Let’s walk to Kennilworth Coffee House and try to get some work done.
Now (Saturday — 10:50 PM): Okay okay, I get it. It does snow in the Pacific Northwest. The Minnesotan in me is sorry for making fun of you. This is a proper winter storm with ice and snow and wind and depression. It’s been fun. Now can we please go back to clouds and rain?

This is a damn fine snow storm. Right up there with that of the east coast! Maybe that’s why I’m not exactly a fan. I left the Boston area so I wouldn’t have to get socked in again. ever.
On the other hand, my freeloading friend has his trailer parked in my driveway, so with a bit of nagging, I got my car cleaned off — twice.
On the other hand, without the snow, I could have paid to have my freeloading friend towed out of here already;
On the other hand, I’ve had to cancel plans;
On the other hand, my friend went to the store and picked up some stuff for me;
On the other hand, she went by the liquor store and couldn’t find a spot to park in;
On the other hand, folks in St Johns have really been having fun with it — sledding and building igloos;
On the other hand, I really don’t have adequate winter gear anymore;
On the other hand — enough already!
So — Portland storm-​wise… it’s a 4. But because it’s a storm, and I’m from Boston. I’ve seen better, and that’s a 2.

I like snow. but not this snow. This snow does not realize it doesn’t need any help from the wind. It can fall all nice and fluffy without its help. But NO — it just has to think it needs the wind for its ride down. This snow is sideways from all directions including the swirly stuff. Not only that, but it hurts when you are out in it. It’s cold as ice but not in a good way.
I digress though. I should be talking about this whole storm that’s been going on way too long in my book! I mean now we have ice cometh after the storm, or during the storm.
Speaking of pauses between the storm? It was sunny, yes sunny just yesterday, for a brief wonderful warm moment. Did anything melt? NO. and then the snow dumped again. just like the last time. not pretty, not nice. but mean as hell.
It’s also keeping me from doing any restaurant reviews since I cannot get the heck out of my house to enjoy all the wonderful food out there! (I did plan for this though and have some nice Pacific NW fish waiting for me in my fridge)
Not to mention… never to mention. my local gin. oh ya. I’m drinking a martini. F*ck this sh*t!