The weather outside is frightful…

Hailing originally from Illinois, I have to say the one thing I sometimes miss about the Midwest is snow. Oregon has mountains so I can get my snow fix every year, but I do have very fond memories of playing in the snow…including the Midwest blizzard of ’79…

Now that was snow…but I digress…

We don’t get snow very often here in the Salem Oregon area because the clouds keep it warmer in the winter.  My son, who is 8 1/2, has been able to walk outside the house and play in the snow three times in his lifetime.

This past week was one of those times.  What people relocating from snow climates need to know about Oregon and snow…

1. I think the city of Salem owns about 2 snow plows…Don’t expect to see one of these mythical machines on our roads too often.
2. Due to this lack of snow plows…the city pretty much shuts down for  1/2″ of snow.  Yep…schools are canceled, people stay home…automatic vacation time out here.
3. Since it doesn’t snow very often, native Oregonians just don’t know how to drive in it.  You’re safer at home, not due to the roads, but the other drivers…
4. We get serious ice out here.  Since our temperatures tend to hover around freezing, we have snow then ice, then snow then ice.  In all fairness to the city of Salem and snowplows…it can be dangerous on the roads anyway.
5. The snow on the trees is breathtaking.  Unlike where I grew up in Illinois, where the snow gets dirty, the snow seems to stay pristine out here…maybe that’s because there is no one on the roads to make it all dirty?
6. Crack! Snap! Thump! is the sound that is made when a tree loses a limb due to the weight of the ice and snow.  If you hear that crack, make sure you aren’t under the tree when the limb crashes to the ground.

So now if you are thinking about relocating to the mid-Willamette valley area, here in Salem Oregon, you can expect to get snow about once every three years.  So come prepared…sleds…boots…hats…mittens…and for when it actually snows, a good book and some gourmet hot chocolate.

You’ll probably be house ridden for a while.

For other posts about Oregon Weather read my post When 47 out of 50 is good.