Tuesday, February 09, 2010

Icicles

An unusual/unexpected element of our weekend snow storm was the icicles.

I always thought icicles formed when the air temperature was warmer than freezing (32 degrees F) and the melting snow dripped and refroze due to chilly wind. However, icicles began forming on our house (and our neighbor's) while the air temperature was still well below freezing. How this happens, I don't know.

Here are icicles hanging off our neighbor's house. These are hanging off our house.

Here are icicles hanging outside one of the living room windows.
This is my favorite shot. Icicles hanging outside of our kitchen window.
About an hour after taking this photo, the longer one on the right fell off.

Our house is kind of like a 3-tier wedding cake. So when the icicles fall off of the 2nd and 3rd story roofs and hit the roof below, the peace and quiet of my office is suddenly interrupted by a "thud". The thuds have startled Pouncer a few times. Jordan is hard-of-hearing so she's completely unaware.

It still amazes me that anything was melting when the temperature was below freezing. Maybe the roofs are warmer because heat rises in the house and the attic is vented? I don't know.

Spouse's office was open today so he went to work. He claims to be feeling much better even though he still sounds sick.

I'm still sick too. My team (5 of us) were supposed to go to Richmond today to meet our boss and our new VP of Sales (our boss's boss). However, the roads are still not good and the DC area is expecting another snow storm tonight. We may get a few more inches here, too. So our new VP gave us the option of not coming, and the 3 of us who had not yet left stayed home. I wouldn't have gone anyway, even if the roads were fine and there was no inclement weather forecasted. I am too sick and weak to drive 5 hours, sit through a day of meetings, then drive 5 hours back home. Plus it would be rather rude for me to blow my nose and cough all over everyone. Our rain check is for next Tues.

Crush du Jour: Juan Martin del Potro

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

We've been getting a lot of snow in Minneapolis too. I'm very ready for spring!

Bob said...

When my folks lived in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, they would have six foot icicles dangling from the eaves. they were gorgeous!

truthspew said...

I doubt it's the heat rising from the house since you have insulation to stop that from happening. Instead what is at work here isn't the air temp, it's the solar radiation. That melts things down just enough.

behrmark said...

We only get water from the rain dripping from our eaves. Not quite as pretty. Sorry to hear you're not feeling well. Big Behr Hugs!

anne marie in philly said...

I'll tap today's crush!

nice killer icicles...lerve your rainbow window decorations!

YAYZ...snow day tomorrow (so says my boss)!!!!!

Larry Ohio said...

Tony's explanation is correct. Don't let your icicles get too big or they'll pull down your eavestroughs.

We got 8" last Friday and another 8" today. Yes, I'm talking about snow. Ahem.

John Going Gently said...

nice photo (crush)
and your snow pics are lovely, but I know only too well that snow is bloody IRRITATING!!!!!

Joy said...

Pretty icicles. We got some today with our latest snow.

Jeff said...

Hope you are feeling better! I am! :) You must have more snow than we do here by now! Hang in there!

Rick said...

Sorry you and the better half have been sick. I know the misery and found little comfort with over the counter meds.
Some beautiful pictures..Nothing like a snowfall before everyone pisses on it. I'm jealous to an extent.
Get well soon.

cb said...

Careful with those icicles! You could lose an eye!

J@v@JuNKo said...

wow, so pretty...yet so deadly!! lol!