Western Railroad Discussion > Snow on Tehacapai and fooothills of Sierra

Coldest storm of the season in the form of a modified ARCTIC front will sweep south thru Oregon late Sunday and over Nor. Calif. Monday and early Tuesday and down to Sou. Cal. Tuesday night and Wednesday. Snow levels will be the lowest in two years and around 500 to 1000 ft, Nor. Call. 1500 feet Cent. Cal. and 2000 ft. Sou. Calif. Heaviest snowfall will actually be in Sou. Calif. and in the Tehacapais. This means light snow at Auburn and other foothill locations. Snow in the Antelope Valley and Cajon, and Beaumont Pass. Mike Pechner, AKA UP Norden Weatherman

This is only happening because I spent most of the afternoon washing and detailing my truck. : (

RPM

I hope the rail-cam is up and running by then, since it be located near the summit, at the 3948' foot level.
Bill, Insane Diego

This morning the Hanford NWS moved the chance of snow in the Kern Deserts (elevation 2360') where I live to Wednesday. However the high for Tuesday is forecast to be within 2 deg of Wednesday and the Tuesday forecast is for rain. Who knows. If it snows, traffic will be a nightmare, the CHP WILL close 58, and if it gets enough snow, 14 south of Palmdale. Not to mention 138, I15 in Cajon, I5 over the Grapevine...

If you're planning to railfan in the snow, check road conditions prior to leaving home.

Be Safe,
Jeff, in Rosamond

This all sounds like the front page of the Omaha Herald, Weather Channels says 60-70 per cent chance for
Sunday, NWS says 1-3 inches and the other forecast is for 2-4 inches. The article then goes on to discuss
the fact that the two high dollar consulting agencies called for big snow right before Christmas and the city
put most of the road people on overtime. Half patched potholes, half went home and of course it didn't snow.
Damn, wish I could be right 30% of the time, not get sued and in fact get paid!!

Sorry folks, no camera for Tehachapi. Our system died in Tehachapi the other day and the new camera will not be installed until middle to late next month. The VFW has to do some work for us, we have to order DSL and we have to move the system.

Todd Clark
Canyon Country, CA
Trainorders.com

Weather forecasting and hyperbole go hand in hand!

(Me: laughing at some people in CA who feel as though driving in 1-3 inches of snow nessesaites the closing of major roads - while I plow thru 12inches routinely here back east and kids don't even get a snow day)

No, no, PJ, you don't understand. In California with 1 - 3 inches of snow the roads are self-closing!! Same for Reno. I mean
have the decency to go fast enough that when you spin at least you'll get off (hopefully far) the road. I remember driving over
44 between Redding and Reno and seeing a car like 100 feet off the road, rear end shoved in and not a trace of tire tracks
between the highway and the car. Now that's considerate crashing!!

rehunn Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> No, no, PJ, you don't understand. In California
> with 1 - 3 inches of snow the roads are
> self-closing!! Same for Reno. I mean
> have the decency to go fast enough that when you
> spin at least you'll get off (hopefully far) the
> road. I remember driving over
> 44 between Redding and Reno and seeing a car like
> 100 feet off the road, rear end shoved in and not
> a trace of tire tracks
> between the highway and the car. Now that's
> considerate crashing!!

Think it was the Jolly Green Giant giving 'em the boot?

I lived in Maine for a few years, they have more then their share of stupid drivers there also. Once going south on I95 in powder snow before the plows got out, I had tons of cars and semi's blowing past me. 10 - 20 miles later there was the biggest mess, cars, semi's in between the lanes, off the sides and even up in the trees. It was a area known for gusty winds and as fast as these people were going, it only took one good gust.

Where were you the other day. This was posted one day before your post. I admit not in the clear though, so all could see. Yes it looks to be a cold system.

http://www.opc.ncep.noaa.gov/shtml/P_brief.shtml
Check out the charts #1, 5,6,8,& 12 and No this is not for you Guys with Crayons please put them away.

Pj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> (Me: laughing at some people in CA who feel as
> though driving in 1-3 inches of snow nessesaites
> the closing of major roads - while I plow thru
> 12inches routinely here back east and kids don't
> even get a snow day)


A lot of people out here can't drive straight on a bright sunny day, let alone putting a dusting of white on the road. But then again, some people see a dusting of white and it goes up their nose.

And talking/text msg on their cell phones. I know, let's not go there.

Yes, but do the west coast drivers have what we have here? It comes standard on our vehicles:

-The four way flasher traction control system-

If you didn't know, when it snows, you put your four ways on and it magically makes your driving ability 100% better, and the tires grip that much better!

I for one, pass these 10mph slow pokes out in 2WD as they cause more accidents than they prevent.

Usually seen on the Lexus's and BMW class vehicles....on their sides in a ditch...with the tracton control system still active :)

Is Rusty Jones still a option at the car dealerships back east? Of course in Philly, Boston or DC, chances are the fine roads will total your car in less then 5 years anyway, before it'll rust out. I hit a pothole that was down to the rebar driving a Toyota 4x4 Pickup on US1 in Bensalem, PA once, had to replace both front tires from rim cuts and get the rims straightened. Then throw in the wonderful drivers, slush and ice, some wind and..., well some people should ride the bus or train and forget driving. Ever.