Texting Fail

Did the Washington Post really need to text me at 6:14 a.m. to tell me that there was "light snow on the ground" and schools are delayed? I mean, text me when something unexpected happens. Like Michael Steele saying something that doesn't embarass Congressional Republicans.

Snow Days

What is it with coworkers who use snow as an excuse for not coming to work? I don't know how much snow-induced absenteeism hurts the economy but it can't be good.

DC got about 5 inches last night and this morning. Yes, snow was thick and flying as fast as acrimony at a CPAC convention but if you drove slowly and kept your wits about you you could make it. I did.

And, two words: Public Transportation. If the buses and metro are running you can get to work. If you live walking distance from the office, two other words: Snow Boots. Yes, the snow and ice can make it tough but hey, we're descended from people who got on rickety, leaky boats and sailed across an unknown sea to an unknown land. And I don't think they were serving appletinis or lattes on the way over.

Okay, if you are a parent and you suddenly have day care issues I get that. But speaking of school closings...

DC schools opened two hours late. Normally, they would have closed like all the other schools in the area. But President Obama made fun of us DC types when schools closed for "a little ice." Not wanting another presidential ribbing (come on, if Obama hadn't said that, DC schools would have been as closed as a dittohead's mind) the Mayor kept em open...and you should hear the whining of the parents who called into a local radio station. "Oh, the mayor forced our kids out on the slippery streets...they had to walk on snow! And maybe ice!"

Okay, these are the same kids who, if they were off, would be out hurtling down hills on sleds or, once enough melting happened, would be making death-defying leaps down concrete steps on their skate boards. Acrobatics on concrete, okay, walking on snow, too dangerous.

We really do need to toughen up a bit, people.

Snow in Your Nation's Capital: Panic!

UPDATE: We got probably less than an inch of snow. I biked home with the snow softly falling and it was beautiful. I've wanted to bike in a snow shower all winter and now that I've got my wish, come on spring! Of course, we're supposed to get a bit of a winter storm tonight and tomorrow and right now it's 21 degrees. Look for more panic and turmoil here tomorrow after the white stuff falls.

Everyone who lives here in DC knows we overreact to snow or the threat of snow. It's a common inside joke. And though we know we overreact we keep doing it.

The weather service has issued a snow advisory for this afternoon meaning we might, just might get snow. A whopping one to two inches.

We're one hour into the advisory period.

It has not started snowing.

But we're already losing our minds. Here's what's already been canceled (read this list and know, if terrorists really wanted to bring Washington to its knees, forget dirty bombs. Drop a couple of inches of snow on us):

MARYLAND:

» Calvert County Public Schools- No after school activities (Wednesday) » Charles County Public Schools, Charles County - No afternoon and evening activities. (Wednesday) » Charles E Smith Jewish Day School, Rockville - 2 hr. delay - All afternoon and evening activities cancelled. (Wednesday) » Montgomery County Public Schools, Montgomery County - No after school activities, evening school and community activities. Day care program will remain open as scheduled. (Wednesday) » Prince George's County Public Schools- Cancelling all after-school and evening activities. (Wednesday) » The Newport School, Silver Spring - All evening activities are cancelled. (Wednesday) » Woodstream Christian Academy, Mitchelleville - No afternoon activities and no after care. (Wednesday)

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DISTRICT:

» Naylor Road School, Washington - Closing Early - Closing at 4 p.m. No after care. (Wednesday)

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OTHER:

» Adat Shalom Torah School, Bethesda - Hebrew school cancelled. (Wednesday) » Church of the Atonement, Silver Spring - All evening activities cancelled. (Wednesday) » First Baptist Church, Upper Marlboro - All evening activities are cancelled. (Wednesday) » Har Shalom Religious School, Potomac, MD - No religious school (Wednesday) » Ironworkers Local 5 Apprenticeship School, Upper Marlboro - All evening activities are cancelled. (Wednesday) » Musical Theater Center, Rockville - No classes held tonight. (Wednesday) » Ohr Kodesh Religious School, Chevy Chase - closed - No classes. (Wednesday) » Quality Time Early Learning Center, Silver Spring - Closing Early - Closing at 5:30 p.m. (Wednesday) » Temple Sinai Religious School, Washington, D.C. - No classes this evening. (Wednesday)

Mixed Reviews

for Mayorlicious. And my street has still not been plowed, two days after the storm started.

DC Slow to Dig Out

Usually within 24 hours of a snow storm the DC mayor's office announces that all major roads and some secondary have been plowed or treated. Thus far silence from the Fenty administration.

The LTR (who drove to work this morning) said that as of 7 am Connecticut Ave. had not seen a plow. If Conn. Ave is not a major road in DC, nothing is.

This is my street, which surely most qualify as a major secondary road, connecting, as it does, DC neighborhoods Adams Morgan with Columbia Heights and Howard University. It was taken at 8 am, and as of 9:30 am still has not seen a snow truck.

UPDATE: As of 4:15, this street is still unplowed.

UPDATE: 8:45 pm. Still not plowed.

The Government Closes

It's supposed to get a little icy. Thus far, my street is covered in a slick sheet of slush. The "Winter Storm" thus far has generally done what they predicted, just a lot less of it.

Note to Mayor Fenty -- this neighborhood hasn't seen a salt truck all day.

Snow Storm Coming?

Possible significant snow is in the forecast for DC for Tuesday. The weather page at channel 7 says:

Will the snow situation be like the President Day storm of 2003?
The models are trying to zero in on the forecast.

"The models are trying to zero in on the forecast." Do you ever wonder who these models are? I did a little investigating. What I found may surprise you, but explain why the weather forecasts are so often whacky. Here are the models our weather forecasters use:

Oh the Weather Outside is

mild.

15 degrees above average and expected to rise by the weekend.

The LTR and I both want snow, but the only flakes to be seen in the nation's capitol capital are the ones at both ends of Pennsylvania Ave.