#snowplow-technique

#snowplow-technique

Studded snow tires are illegal in some areas and can be very loud, causing issues for both roads and health. They are essential for extreme winter conditions.

"If you're on the water, all you hear is the wind and the waves. And if you're on the snow, you hardly hear anything-just that track spinning through the snow at incredible speeds," says Taiga Motors cofounder and CEO Sam Bruneau.

Outdoor maintenance isn't just about keeping your space looking nice, it stops high-traffic areas from becoming a major hazard during wet and cold weather.

MTA Chair Janno Lieber repeatedly laughed in the face of Old Man Winter this week, chastising other transit agencies like NJ Transit that shut down due to the snow. But his decision to keep service running represents a departure from previous MTA leaders, who were quick to close aboveground subway service during snowstorms.

After last weekend's snowstorm, streets in cities across the East Coast are crowded with dirty snow piles that squeeze pedestrians into single-file corridors and force them into gross half-frozen puddle swamps at intersections. But of the major metros, only Washington, D.C., closed its schools through Wednesday, finally reopening on Thursday with a delayed start time - all this despite receiving just six or so inches (plus, to be fair, a treacherous coating of ice on top).

There's a particular kind of winter quiet that settles in around January - a soft, heavy stillness that seems to press itself against windows that look out into a muted world of dull skies and bare branches. The idea of stepping outside feels like far more effort than it should. Inside, the air feels warmer, and my home becomes a nest made of cozy blankets, soft lamplight, and familiar corners.

A two-stage machine uses two types of augers to handle snow -- a main auger to break up and gather, and a secondary screw that throws snow to the side. These blowers are the most popular choice, as they can handle almost any driveway length and deep or heavy snow. They're also relatively affordable, with 24-inch models often costing under $1,000.

When I spoke with emergency management officials last year, they all mentioned the same frustrating scenario. People ignore storm warnings until the precipitation starts falling, then suddenly everyone rushes out at once. The roads become congested with anxious drivers, accidents spike, and stores run out of essentials just when people need them most. But here's what really gets meteorologists worked up about this pattern. Modern weather forecasting has become incredibly accurate, especially for major winter storms.

New York City on Saturday put out a call for emergency snow shovelers ahead of a powerful nor'easter bomb cyclone, requiring workers to submit multiple forms of identification - contrasting the city's election policy for most voters. For the first time in nearly a decade, a blizzard warning was issued for New York City, with expected snowfall totaling 10 to 18 inches and wind gusts up to 55 mph.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation announced the winners of its fourth annual "Name a Snowplow" contest on Dec. 19, 2025, unveiling 12 clever names for plows that will be in service during the 2025-2026 winter season. The statewide competition invites elementary and middle school students to dream up creative names for the agency's fleet, drawing entries from public school classrooms across the Commonwealth.

"I pass through this area every day, and I see a lot of people drinking, doing drugs, just hanging around," Vlad, a Coney Island resident, explained.

Sometimes I'm rather impressed by the ingenuity of those in the business of making scammy gadgets. Over the years, I've examined a wide range of products, from scam devices that claim to save you money on your power bill to a high-power USB charger filled with an unusual goo-like substance. Also: Want to cut your electric bill? Skip these scam 'power-saving' devices - and buy this instead

Residents in the Greater Toronto Area are digging themselves out and going back to their regular weekday schedules a day after a major snowstorm. About two to four centimetres of snowfall is expected throughout the region, including Peel, York and Durham, according to Environment Canada. Flurries are forecasted to start in the afternoon and end close to midnight.

Toronto is under a yellow snowfall warning with 10 centimetres of snow expected to affect the morning and evening commute on Wednesday. An Alberta clipper, a low pressure system, is forecast to bring the snow starting Wednesday morning and easing in the afternoon, Environment Canada said in the warning issued late Tuesday afternoon. Visibility could be poor at times if the snow is heavy or blowing, the agency says.

Toronto police officers issued more than $2 million in parking tickets to drivers who parked their vehicles along designated snow removal routes in the last two weeks of January, data shows. Police parking enforcement officers handed 21,508 tickets to drivers who parked on snow routes in the city from Jan. 15 to Jan. 30, with each ticket carrying a fine of $100, according to the Toronto Police Service.