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The perils of winter
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<blockquote data-quote="Nellisir" data-source="post: 6056506" data-attributes="member: 70"><p>I haven't studied this scientifically, but I've lived in New Hampshire and upstate New York for my entire life. I've experienced exactly one winter without snow (last winter, and we did get some, it just was never heavy and melted immediately) and it sucked.</p><p></p><p>Generally with a blizzard or heavy snow, you get 12-24 hours of heavy snow, tapering off towards the end. The amounts can vary; do some research about snowfall around Buffalo or the Tug Hill Plateau (that's north of Syracuse in upstate New York). Both get fabulous amounts of snow as a result of the moisture coming off the Great Lakes. In my experience, high snowfalls don't necessarily last longer than "short" snowfalls, it just falls faster.</p><p></p><p>Weather before a snowfall can vary, but is usually "normal". Afterwards, it's often spectacular. Crystal clear blue skies, brilliant stars or sunshine. One of the best drives I ever had was across Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio 24 hours after a monster snowstorm. It was beautiful. The plows had cleared the highways, but no one was driving and everything was shimmering white or brilliant blue.</p><p></p><p>Sometimes it warms up afterwards, sometimes it stays cold. Warm is worse, because snow isn't "wet" until it gets warm. Snow that hasn't warmed is usually looser and fluffier. Once you get into the high 20's or very low 30's, the snow gets damp, heavy, and sticky.</p><p></p><p>If you had steady warmth after the snowfall (above freezing), I'd drop the snow by 6-12" per day. Rivers and streams are going to flood extremely fast - frozen ground does not absorb water, so everything goes into the rivers. Bridges, villages, and towns will be washed away. Roads will disappear.</p><p></p><p>Over time and with more moderate warming, the snow will settle to about half of it's initial height, so a 4' snowfall would leave about 2' of snow after a week or so, as it slowly compacts.</p><p></p><p>Movement is pretty much going to stop once the snow hits 3'. If they make two miles a day in 3' of snow, that's excellent. That's without snowshoes. With snowshoes, I'd cut whatever their regular rate would be in half, and leave it at that. Trust me, however awkward snowshoes seem, they're far, far better than not having them.</p><p></p><p>Heavy snowfall will bend trees, snap limbs, and collapse houses that don't shed the snow or aren't cleared. My family's cabin collapsed a few years ago from a heavy snow - the roof went down, the walls went out, and the whole thing just pancaked. Tents will collapse if the snow isn't cleared off of them. On the upside, snow is a great insulator (actually, air is a great insulator, and snow has lots of air in it), so you can stay really cozy in a snow cave or shelter surrounded by snow. Evergreens can make great shelters, particularly blue spruce and other "christmas" trees that keep their needles low to the ground (unlike white pines, where the lower branches die off). They'll hold snow above you and often leave a dry, soft space around the trunk with a thick bed of needles. Trust me, it's one of the coziest places you'll ever find.</p><p></p><p>Exposure/getting wet is the biggest danger. Falling in water and sweating are the most common ways to get wet. Water transfers heat away from your body, making you colder. You dress in layers in the winter so you can shed them as you exert yourself, keeping your body temperature under control and keeping the clothes next to your skin dry. If the characters do get wet, it's crucial they get a fire and get warm and dry ASAP.</p><p></p><p>Oh, one other great thing about snow - after a snowfall, at night, when the sky clears - the white snow reflects light. A full moon on snow at night lights everything up. Great ambiance for a night-fight with fey or something. It also reminds me that snow blindness is a very real threat as well.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Nellisir, post: 6056506, member: 70"] I haven't studied this scientifically, but I've lived in New Hampshire and upstate New York for my entire life. I've experienced exactly one winter without snow (last winter, and we did get some, it just was never heavy and melted immediately) and it sucked. Generally with a blizzard or heavy snow, you get 12-24 hours of heavy snow, tapering off towards the end. The amounts can vary; do some research about snowfall around Buffalo or the Tug Hill Plateau (that's north of Syracuse in upstate New York). Both get fabulous amounts of snow as a result of the moisture coming off the Great Lakes. In my experience, high snowfalls don't necessarily last longer than "short" snowfalls, it just falls faster. Weather before a snowfall can vary, but is usually "normal". Afterwards, it's often spectacular. Crystal clear blue skies, brilliant stars or sunshine. One of the best drives I ever had was across Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio 24 hours after a monster snowstorm. It was beautiful. The plows had cleared the highways, but no one was driving and everything was shimmering white or brilliant blue. Sometimes it warms up afterwards, sometimes it stays cold. Warm is worse, because snow isn't "wet" until it gets warm. Snow that hasn't warmed is usually looser and fluffier. Once you get into the high 20's or very low 30's, the snow gets damp, heavy, and sticky. If you had steady warmth after the snowfall (above freezing), I'd drop the snow by 6-12" per day. Rivers and streams are going to flood extremely fast - frozen ground does not absorb water, so everything goes into the rivers. Bridges, villages, and towns will be washed away. Roads will disappear. Over time and with more moderate warming, the snow will settle to about half of it's initial height, so a 4' snowfall would leave about 2' of snow after a week or so, as it slowly compacts. Movement is pretty much going to stop once the snow hits 3'. If they make two miles a day in 3' of snow, that's excellent. That's without snowshoes. With snowshoes, I'd cut whatever their regular rate would be in half, and leave it at that. Trust me, however awkward snowshoes seem, they're far, far better than not having them. Heavy snowfall will bend trees, snap limbs, and collapse houses that don't shed the snow or aren't cleared. My family's cabin collapsed a few years ago from a heavy snow - the roof went down, the walls went out, and the whole thing just pancaked. Tents will collapse if the snow isn't cleared off of them. On the upside, snow is a great insulator (actually, air is a great insulator, and snow has lots of air in it), so you can stay really cozy in a snow cave or shelter surrounded by snow. Evergreens can make great shelters, particularly blue spruce and other "christmas" trees that keep their needles low to the ground (unlike white pines, where the lower branches die off). They'll hold snow above you and often leave a dry, soft space around the trunk with a thick bed of needles. Trust me, it's one of the coziest places you'll ever find. Exposure/getting wet is the biggest danger. Falling in water and sweating are the most common ways to get wet. Water transfers heat away from your body, making you colder. You dress in layers in the winter so you can shed them as you exert yourself, keeping your body temperature under control and keeping the clothes next to your skin dry. If the characters do get wet, it's crucial they get a fire and get warm and dry ASAP. Oh, one other great thing about snow - after a snowfall, at night, when the sky clears - the white snow reflects light. A full moon on snow at night lights everything up. Great ambiance for a night-fight with fey or something. It also reminds me that snow blindness is a very real threat as well. [/QUOTE]
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