I awoke this morning to the radio alarm and one of the first thing I heard from the announcer was him proclaiming that there is only 11 days until Spring. I don’t know about you, but when I think of Spring I think blossoming flowers and sunshine, but apparrently this year that is not the case. I awoke instead to SNOW! I woke up at 4:45 this morning and here it is 4 hours later and still snowing.  The temperature outside is reading a cool 27 degrees and to top it off the wind is blowing at a good rate of speed.

Although there might not be much snow on the ground the roads are still VERY slick. I headed out of my house in Everson at 7:15 this morning and by 8:00 I was still not even into Bellingham. The Pole Rd was extremely slick with the wind blowing all the snow off the road and leaving behind a layer of ice.  The Hannegan Rd in most places has more shelter from the wind and the roads there were covered in snow with a layer of ice below. I have studded snow tires and a front wheel drive car and the drive was not fun. There were cars sliding around everywhere. By the time I reached the Smith Rd, the traffic on the Hannegan was almost a dead stop. I opted to turn around and head back home rather than complete my drive into Fairhaven.  Should you absolutely have to leave the house today below are some winter driving tips.

1. Decrease your speed and leave yourself plenty of room to stop. You should allow at least three times more space than usual between you and the car in front of you.
2. Brake gently to avoid skidding. If your wheels start to lock up, ease off the brake.
3. Turn on your lights to increase your visibility to other motorists.
4. Keep your lights and windshield clean.
5. Use low gears to keep traction, especially on hills.
6. Don’t use cruise control or overdrive on icy roads.
7. Be especially careful on bridges, overpasses and infrequently traveled roads, which will freeze first. Even at temperatures above freezing, if the conditions are wet, you might encounter ice in shady areas or on exposed roadways like bridges.
8. Don’t pass snow plows and sanding trucks. The drivers have limited visibility, and you’re likely to find the road in front of them worse than the road behind.
9. Don’t assume your vehicle can handle all conditions. Even four-wheel and front-wheel drive vehicles can encounter trouble on winter roads.

Be safe and enjoy the snow!

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