Winter Weather in CLT

[WCT]

Its called sarcasm. You would have to live around here to understand what kind of panic the word "snow" in a weather forecast causes. There was one time a few years ago when the weather man said we were in for a blizzard. No way it could miss us. Chance of snow 100%. We should get upwards of a foot of snow. They started canceling schools and closing businesses and gov't offices the night before the "storm of the century". The next day not a single flake fell. No snow what so ever. Then you have the local weather remotes. Like they did yesterday they sent out dozens of reporters in various locations looking for snow or ice. They were hard pressed to find anything frozen.

Who is responsible for snow removal on the ramp? The airport or USAirways.

Damn, I wish they would schedule cancellations for the exact extreme in PHX?? Heat! It will be appox. 120 tomorrow, with a chance of heat exhaustion or stroke!!! No one can leave an unconditoned place for 24hours. My gosh. :blink:

 

[PA18]

There was one time a few years ago when the weather man said we were in for a blizzard. No way it could miss us. Chance of snow 100%. We should get upwards of a foot of snow. They started canceling schools and closing businesses and gov't offices the night before the "storm of the century". The next day not a single flake fell. No snow what so ever.

If it's the same storm I'm thinking of, there was a Panthers game scheduled for that Sunday, and the team (or league) hired snow removal equipment from hundreds of miles away and other states to be ready to clear the field. I seem to recall it was sunny and quite pleasant for the entire game.

The milk, bread and beer runs are a whole other story. Its actually quite humorous. Most have never been "snowed in" a day in their life.

It's not just Southerners who do this. The same thing happens in New England, where people should know better. The store shelves are completely empty of bread, milk, batteries, and water. Then, the very next day after the storm, the roads are bare and dry, and the shopping center parking lots are full once again.

 

[BuffaloJoe]

Does CLT have snow removal equipment? I drove to FLA back in the late 70's and it snowed, no plows or anything. I-95 was a disaster area.
Sae thing happens in California when the first rain comes, accidents galore. But theree is alot of oil on the road to help that. Global Warming is good for 1 thing, lower Winter Heating Bills!

 

[FlightChic]

Its called sarcasm. You would have to live around here to understand what kind of panic the word "snow" in a weather forecast causes. There was one time a few years ago when the weather man said we were in for a blizzard. No way it could miss us. Chance of snow 100%. We should get upwards of a foot of snow. They started canceling schools and closing businesses and gov't offices the night before the "storm of the century". The next day not a single flake fell. No snow what so ever. Then you have the local weather remotes. Like they did yesterday they sent out dozens of reporters in various locations looking for snow or ice. They were hard pressed to find anything frozen.

The weathermen/women always do that and then 9 times out of 10 we don't get snow even though they are so sure we will. It is so hilarious watching everyone run to the store and buy bread and milk. The other Wednesday I had to go grocery shopping for real (not because of snow, I just needed some stuff for dinner because I had been out of town and had no food at home to eat) and the grocery store was packed. I could have died of embarrassment! We did get several inches of snow, but we didn't get any on Saturday like they said we were going to. I woke up and there was nothing on the ground and the weatherman said it would come later in the morning or by noon and at noon there was nothing and then they said it would come later and by the end of the day all that I saw was some rain and a little snow mixed in. They really hyped it up too!

I remember one day in January 2004 I went shopping on a warm Sunday afternoon. It was around 60 degrees and sunny and everyone was in shorts and t-shirts. I went shopping and bought a lot of clothes and was having so much fun. Then a friend called me and told me there was an ice storm coming. I was like yeah right it is 60 degrees and warm and sunny. She was like yeah, that's part of the storm that is moving through. Well, sure enough that night a huge ice storm came and I was out of school for a whole week. Most people were without power. Luckily I wasn't. There were several inches of ice on the ground. Then a few weeks later I got up one morning and went to school but nobody was there except for a few teachers. I went to the teacher's workroom and asked what was going on. They said that they had cancelled school because of snow. I laughed like crazy and looked around and asked "What snow?" We were all laughing. I stayed at school to get credit for the workday and by 10am the ground was covered and by 11am it was up to my knees (I'm short) and so we all left. Well, let me tell you, I only lived three miles from school and it took me an hour to get home because of all the snow and traffic. It was bumper to bumper and it was slow, especially trying to get through intersections and making turns. We didn't have people out scraping the roads like up North. Ugh! We ended up with 17 inches of snow in Southeast Charlotte which is a lot for the South.

Most of the time the weather forecast is wrong though. I can't tell you how many times I was hoping and praying that we would get snow so I could get out of school. It was all over the news that we would get snow or ice storm and everyone would run to the store like maniacs and prepare. It was a really big deal. Guess what, those times it never happened, not even once. We went two years where they were predicting snow in CLT and we didn't get a flake. Of course now that I am flying again I dread seeing it because it means I will be called out to work and it won't be pretty. I guess there are a few times they are right but usually not. I don't even pay attention anymore. It's like the boy who cried wolf.

 

[BuffaloJoe]

The weathermen/women always do that and then 9 times out of 10 we don't get snow even though they are so sure we will. It is so hilarious watching everyone run to the store and buy bread and milk. The other Wednesday I had to go grocery shopping for real (not because of snow, I just needed some stuff for dinner because I had been out of town and had no food at home to eat) and the grocery store was packed. I could have died of embarrassment! We did get several inches of snow, but we didn't get any on Saturday like they said we were going to. I woke up and there was nothing on the ground and the weatherman said it would come later in the morning or by noon and at noon there was nothing and then they said it would come later and by the end of the day all that I saw was some rain and a little snow mixed in. They really hyped it up too!

I remember one day in January 2004 I went shopping on a warm Sunday afternoon. It was around 60 degrees and sunny and everyone was in shorts and t-shirts. I went shopping and bought a lot of clothes and was having so much fun. Then a friend called me and told me there was an ice storm coming. I was like yeah right it is 60 degrees and warm and sunny. She was like yeah, that's part of the storm that is moving through. Well, sure enough that night a huge ice storm came and I was out of school for a whole week. Most people were without power. Luckily I wasn't. There were several inches of ice on the ground. Then a few weeks later I got up one morning and went to school but nobody was there except for a few teachers. I went to the teacher's workroom and asked what was going on. They said that they had cancelled school because of snow. I laughed like crazy and looked around and asked "What snow?" We were all laughing. I stayed at school to get credit for the workday and by 10am the ground was covered and by 11am it was up to my knees (I'm short) and so we all left. Well, let me tell you, I only lived three miles from school and it took me an hour to get home because of all the snow and traffic. It was bumper to bumper and it was slow, especially trying to get through intersections and making turns. We didn't have people out scraping the roads like up North. Ugh! We ended up with 17 inches of snow in Southeast Charlotte which is a lot for the South.

Most of the time the weather forecast is wrong though. I can't tell you how many times I was hoping and praying that we would get snow so I could get out of school. It was all over the news that we would get snow or ice storm and everyone would run to the store like maniacs and prepare. It was a really big deal. Guess what, those times it never happened, not even once. We went two years where they were predicting snow in CLT and we didn't get a flake. Of course now that I am flying again I dread seeing it because it means I will be called out to work and it won't be pretty. I guess there are a few times they are right but usually not. I don't even pay attention anymore. It's like the boy who cried wolf.

Weathermen/Women are like Politicians, they are both full of BS!

 

[SS255]

Well, we never handle weather of any sort well here in CLT, so good luck to everyone having to pass through here, and please, please bring me starbucks. D concourse. Cinnamon Dolce Latte.
It's going to be a long night.

Too bad I didn't log into Aviation on Saturday. If I had seen this post, I certainly would have swung by to bring you a Cinnamon Dolce Latte after my flight to GSO got cancelled. 🙄

 

[john john]

Just remember a 50% chance of snow really means "It might snow or it might not"

What are the chances of this flight canceling?
50/50

 

[BuffaloJoe]

Just remember a 50% chance of snow really means "It might snow or it might not"

That's the US method of operating the airline 50/50. If their rankings are around the 50% mark they know they aren't pizzing all the travelers off. If it goes below 50%, they just do a fare sale and how quickly the ma and pa kittles will forget what happened just as long as they got a low fare, they don't care what US has to offer, or not has to offer.

 

[signals]

Hadenough,
The city does the main ramp in the alleys and at the end of the concourse where the taxi lines are,
although rarely have I ever seen them do that, they are usually to overwhelmed with runways/taxiways

UsAirways is responsible for the gate areas.

Depends where you live I guess. At my airport, airlines aren't responsible for any snow removal. AP Operations work runways, main roads, sidewalks, and even the ramps. Private company does the gates.

Let's just say it varies depending where you are and who runs the show.

 

[signals]

Just remember a 50% chance of snow really means "It might snow or it might not"

In my area if they call for any snow, it will snow. We try to find who gets a dusting and who gets a few feet!

Operations has a state of the art snow tracking weather channel. If it says the snow will arrive at the airport at 11:05 pm, I have to brush my car off when I get out at 11:30.