From a condo association in Rochester Hills today:
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning that includes all of us in Southern Michigan regarding a major snow storm with forecasted snow totals up to 12”. This storm will begin affecting our area sometime tonight. It will continue until sometime late Sunday p. m. or sometime Monday a.m. It’s very possible snow totals could go even higher. Blowing and drifting ground & roof snow will become an additional issue. We urge all TCLA clients along with the public to take this snow storm very seriously. It has now been well advertised.
In addition to this, forecasted low temperatures for the next several days after this snowfall will match or create new historical records. Be advised sodium deicer products will not work at these extreme temperatures. Calcium chloride deicing products will struggle to work at these temperatures. If melting is achieved in a short period of time it will change to ice creating additional hazard conditions. Hard-packed snow is a more favorable condition to negotiate on than iced-over conditions. Proper footwear and adjusted travel is highly recommended.
Based on what we all witnessed this past Wednesday/Thursday the municipalities, by design, limit service to our public road system due to their own budget restraints. They do the best that they can but the results were not good with this past snow we just received. This storm is likely to bring us 3-4 times the amount of snow we all just dealt with. Travel on roads should be very limited to all. Venturing out will be of high risk. Low-profile and light 2-wheel drive vehicles will not be able to negotiate safely. Unless your business is vital in nature, or is of a public service or emergency service we highly suggest considering whether or not you must be out at all during this Sunday and Monday timeframe. We’re confident schools, airports, public and private transportation along with many other businesses will not be able to function until every public and private snow removal business has had ample opportunity to clear and service all hard surfaces.
We will do our very best to complete our work in its entirety once the snowfall is over. Our efforts in this Sunday/Monday timeframe will be concentrated on public and private road systems, residential, medical and access to the most vital and critical businesses with repeated plowing and sidewalk services. We will be performing service to all properties during this timeframe, with a final clean up to begin once the snow has subsided. Due to this amount of snowfall we will be creating huge piles of snow, not seen in years, on all properties based on allowable and accessible storage areas to pile into. It will be a challenge, if not impossible to achieve bare pavement until the snowfall is over and air temperatures allow deicing products to be within their affective range. Ground temperatures are just as important, if not more critical than air temperature in the performance of deicing products. Neither is favorable at the current time, nor will they be for an extended period of time.
Please be prepared, and please take extra measures in safety if you do choose to venture outside into these elements.
It’s best to avoid being stuck in your vehicle, in a ditch or on the road, or in a parking lot. Consider putting yourself in a position where you may find yourself in an emergency situation.
Safety first!
Troy Clogg Snow Operations Team
About Tom and Ann Gendich