weather

Get Ready!

By Prince Of Petworth


photo by Néstor Sánchez Cordero

From ALERT DC:

The National Weather Service is predicting between 4 and 8” of snow to fall in and around the District beginning late Sunday afternoon. The heaviest snows are expected to fall between 7pm and midnight. District snow crews treated all roads last night as the first of two forecasted storms moved through the area.

Mayor Adrian Fenty announced this morning that a snow emergency will be in effect beginning at 4pm this afternoon. “It is important that our crews have access to the roads from curb-to-curb in order to plow the snow,” said Mayor Fenty. “This is one of the first plow events we have had this season, and we want to ensure we are able to maintain clear and safe roadways as we move into Monday morning.”

During a declared snow emergency vehicles are not allowed to park on routes identified by the red and white “Snow Emergency Route” signs. Once a snow emergency is delcared, vehicles remaining on these routes will be ticketed and towed and charged a $250 fine. A map and listing of snow emergency routes may be found on line at www.ddot.dc.gov. Click on “Snow Plan – Snow and Ice Control.”

Also, travelers should be aware taxi cab fares can be increased to 25% during a declared snow emergency. There is a button on the meters that once pushed will automatically add the increase. Passengers may ask for a receipt to see the total charge. Continues after the jump. (more…)

Sunbathing November 1st!

By Prince Of Petworth

Wow, Saturday was a beautiful day. As I was walking past Meridian Hill/Malcom X park I actually so someone sunbathing like it was July.

Ed. Note: I debated whether or not it was cool to post this picture but after consulting my attorneys and advisers they thought it’d be ok since the sunbather is not identifiable.

How’d you take advantage of the weather? You can see how I took advantage of the weather after the jump. (more…)

Flooding From Hanna

By Prince Of Petworth

Thanks to a reader for sending in the photo. The reader writes:

“This is the alley between Irving and Kenyon and 13th and 14th. WASA put in a new storm drain when the alley was redone (it really needed redoing) but I guess the drain ain’t quite up to a storm like this.”

That’s insane. Up in Petworth we pretty much got through unscathed. Although I heard some people had some flooding in their basements.

Any damage in your neighborhoods?

Was There A Mini Storm Yesterday That Only Hit Columbia Heights and Petworth?

By Prince Of Petworth

Yesterday was bizarre as hell, yeah? I went into the Giant in Columbia Heights for only 20 or so minutes. Ed. note: They are having a great sale on bud can 30 packs! When I left the store it was like all hell broke loose. There were tree limbs and trees down on a number of streets but it was no longer raining and the sun was shining. This tree down is on 7th Street near Upshur. Someone at the happy hour said they thought there may have been a tornado. Did anyone experience this?

By the by, the happy hour was great. Thanks again to all who came out and thanks to Red Derby for being such gracious hosts.

Yikes, Hope Nobody Was in the Car

By Prince Of Petworth

Thanks to a reader for sending in this incredible photo. Quite tragic, this looks like it was a majestic tree in its day. The reader writes that this is a “down tree on Madison near Georgia Ave. It makes your wonder about how deep the roots are on other trees”. Incredible photo but very sad. So can big trees like that, located near sidewalks, have enough depth for their roots?

Interesting Thoughts on Shoveling From A Reader

By Prince Of Petworth

“Now we have a semi-decent snowfall, I was wondering if you would be interested in/willing to run a post about shoveling the sidewalk.  I was doing some research online this evening to see what homeowners are obliged to do by the city (I have every intention of shoveling, but wanted to know whether I need to run out in the morning before work to buy a shovel, or whether it can wait until after work) and discovered that:

DC law requires all owners to shovel the adjacent sidewalk and steps within 8 daylight hours of the end of the snow fall (DC Code 9-601).  If the owner does not do this, the city must do it, but can sue the owner for costs and a small fine (DC Code 9-605; 9-606).  But according to this Marc Fisher article, the city does not actually go after property owners: http://blog.washingtonpost.com/rawfisher/2007/02/shovel_your_walkor_else_or_els.html

So: just as I was thinking I would buy a shovel after work tomorrow, I came across an article suggesting that in New York savvy homeowners do not shovel, and instead pay any fines they are unlucky enough to get, because, in a nutshell, if you shovel and someone slips and falls, you can be held liable for negligent shoveling, but if you do nothing, it is an open danger, and you cannot be held liable.  This made me recall my wife’s remark while walking the dog this evening that the sidewalk was slippier where someone had shoveled than where there was packed snow to walk on. I think I will chance it and shovel anyway, because I think our elderly neighbors will appreciate it, but perhaps one of your readers knows whether there are similar liability issues in DC.”

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