This is the longest that snow has stayed in recent memory. Our solar panels were inactive for 17 days. There was more than a half a foot of snow stuck to them starting on Jan. 25. Finally, one corner of the array melted off on Feb. 11 and the electricity started to trickle. All it takes is one small area of the black panels to absorb the heat of the sun and pretty quickly most of the snow slides off in a big sheet. I bought a roll of the heater wire that prevents ice dams from forming on your roof. The power needed to operate it long enough to start the melting will be well worth the trouble next time. Of course, there won’t be a next time for years.
It’s the same deal with driveways. Just one small patch exposed to the sun starts the process of clearing off the whole thing. That’s fine for pavement. Dirt driveways on the other hand just become a muddy mess. And with the very cold nights that we’ve been having, the ground beneath is staying frozen which keeps the water from draining down. A layer of mud on top of ice can confound any tire tread. The only way to get through the worst parts is with a running start.
The folks who have been maintaining snow blowers and plows for years are finally getting a payback. Every weekend since the first big snow fall we’ve been teased by the weather service that another half foot is about to arrive. A couple of times we were promised a foot and a half! Luckily for some, none has materialized so far. Too bad for the snow plows but the big joke was where to put it.
Many years ago and for many winters, Gerry Jeffers plowed the Chappy main road. His windshield would become covered with snow thrown into the air by the plow blade. He kept one porthole open right above the steering wheel by reaching around with a piece of wood. He said that’s all that he needed to stay on course, that he could feel the edge of the grass. He would give a big grin and add that when he started to feel mailboxes he knew that he was too far over.
This article appears in February 20, 2026.