Freezing rain on top of packed snow in my little neighborhood. The temperature is predicted to stay above freezing and move into the forties tomorrow, so this will all be melting soon.
Of course, the local media is in high alert, WHOOP! WHOOP! WHOOP! Danger Will Robinson! The airport is closed, and I swear people are being terrorized by the media coverage. Last night, the gossip mongers at KIRO7 were riding up and down the I-5 with their little cameras pointing through the windshield, preempting programming to breathlessly “report” the driving conditions. Mind you, this is after the State Patrol asked everyone who did not NEED to travel, to STAY OFF THE ROADS.
It would be a lot more useful if anyone in this club of dimwitted “journalists” (all local media is equally guilty) would actually feature a scientist to seriously discuss the behavior of snow at different temperatures, maybe an engineer to talk a little about the traction characteristics of vehicles in various kinds of snow, or even to invite a tire expert on to explain what difference an extra $50 per tire can make in grip and handling.
But no. The “coverage” last night was Billy Bob with a jug in his 4×4, crowing, “Lookee! Lookee! Duh, Gawdang! Sho’ is slipp’ry!” It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. 1
1. Macbeth Act 5, scene 5, 19–28
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