Friday freeze
First it snowed. Just a little bit but, since it was, below 0 and even below -2 the whole day, the snow stayed on the ground. Then it rained. The cold rain that would be freezing if not for the ground still being pretty warm. Then the rain froze and the sky started dropping tiny ice balls. I was technically hail but hail hits hard and this was just like being showered with rice but with tiny ice balls instead of rice. They were gently tapping on clothes and windows and then falling on everything to be frozen together with the rain. By 4 p.m. everything was covered by sheet of ice.
The grass was crunchy underneath the feet. The cars and other vehicles and plants and fences were all glazed. Luckily, the surface of the ice on the roads was rough (because it was made of walls) so it wasn't so bad to walk on it in my winter shoes. But I live in the hilly area and I saw a lot of car unable to drive up the hill I live on. I was afraid the same thing would happen to my bus so went home early - just after 4.
The streets were almost completely abandoned by then. There was much less people on the streets that day anyway. Everyone knew the forecast and it well was below freezing all day - the first time since I came here almost exactly 3 years ago - so there wasn't a lot of cars to start with. However, between 4 and 5 on Friday shouldn't look like middle of the night. It lasted till almost noon next day when the ice started to finally melt as the temperature got above 0.
I understand that hills + no experience driving in such weather + no winter tires means it's both scary and dangerous. Still part of me secretly laughs inside. Especially since back in Poland was once again below -10 during the day and so much snow they clear roofs on supermarkets so they don't collapse.
Just look:
[More pictures]
The days are warm now 5-8c but nights are still couple degrees below freezing so what water is left freezes all over again. And there is another freezing rain warning for tonight.
The funny part is that it's supposed to be over +20 on Tuesday and Wednesday. Even funnier - the Poland is getting similar big worm up next week - from -15 to +8 in few days. No wonder everyone is sick.
The grass was crunchy underneath the feet. The cars and other vehicles and plants and fences were all glazed. Luckily, the surface of the ice on the roads was rough (because it was made of walls) so it wasn't so bad to walk on it in my winter shoes. But I live in the hilly area and I saw a lot of car unable to drive up the hill I live on. I was afraid the same thing would happen to my bus so went home early - just after 4.
The streets were almost completely abandoned by then. There was much less people on the streets that day anyway. Everyone knew the forecast and it well was below freezing all day - the first time since I came here almost exactly 3 years ago - so there wasn't a lot of cars to start with. However, between 4 and 5 on Friday shouldn't look like middle of the night. It lasted till almost noon next day when the ice started to finally melt as the temperature got above 0.
I understand that hills + no experience driving in such weather + no winter tires means it's both scary and dangerous. Still part of me secretly laughs inside. Especially since back in Poland was once again below -10 during the day and so much snow they clear roofs on supermarkets so they don't collapse.
Just look:
[More pictures]
The days are warm now 5-8c but nights are still couple degrees below freezing so what water is left freezes all over again. And there is another freezing rain warning for tonight.
The funny part is that it's supposed to be over +20 on Tuesday and Wednesday. Even funnier - the Poland is getting similar big worm up next week - from -15 to +8 in few days. No wonder everyone is sick.