Mid-Atlantic mountains brace for Sandy snowstorm

As megastorm Sandy battered the Mid-Atlantic coast with rain, flooding and high winds, the inland mountains braced for a nasty snowstorm. States of emergency were declared Monday in North Carolina and West Virginia.

Winter storm warnings have been posted for the southern Appalachians, from Maryland to Tennessee, through Wednesday morning. Four to 8 inches of wet snow are expected above 2,000 to 2,500 feet, and up to a foot on mountain peaks. Wind gusts of 40 mph to 65 mph are predicted.

North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue has declared a state of emergency in 24 western counties.

"People need to continue to take this storm seriously as we face flooding in the East and significant winter weather in the West," Perdue said. "I urge North Carolinians in the impacted areas to take the necessary precautions to stay safe in this storm."

Her emergency declaration also prohibits price-gouging.

Asheville city equipment is being outfitted for snow removal, a spokeswoman told the Asheville Mountain Xpress. In Boone, Watauga County, Emergency Management Director Steve Sudderth told the Associated Press that the snow was mainly sticking above 4,000 feet, where the locals are used to it. Boone gets nearly 3 feet of snowfall each winter.

"Life is good," he said.

Life's also good for the state's ski resorts.

Sugar Mountain plans to open Wednesday, the earliest in its more than 40 years, the AP says.

The mountainous areas of Kentucky, Maryland, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia are also girding for snow.

West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin declared a stateside state of emergency and activated National Guard troop as forecasters expanded a blizzard warning to at least 14 counties, with up to 3 feet of snow possible. Flooding is expected in the eastern Panhandle.

In southeastern Kentucky, the winter storm warning was in effect in Harlan, Letcher and Pike counties.

Source: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2012/10/29/hurricane-sandy-snow-western-north-carolina/1666997/

With winter on the way, now is the time to make sure you’re well prepared to operate your snowplow equipment safely and effectively. Now is a great time to get your snowplow out of storage and prepare it for the winter season. The following maintenace videos will help you to prepare you BOSS for the upcoming season. Be ready, snow is just around the corner!

With winter on the way, now is the time to make sure you’re well prepared to operate your snowplow equipment safely and effectively. Now is a great time to get your snowplow out of storage and prepare it for the winter season.

The following maintenace videos will help you to prepare your BOSS for the upcoming season.  Be ready, snow is just around the corner!

Thank a snow plow driver, they do more than you think

Ever seen a ten-wheel dump truck take a bunny hop? That's what can happen when snow plows encounter an especially hard section of an ice-packed street.

Drivers who hit the road before plows have removed snow and ice from surfaces can cause that situation by packing the precipitation down. And that has 29-year veteran Prince George's County snow plow driver Dave Howard begging drivers to stay off roads until they've been treated.

Howard recalls totaling a parked car once when his truck bunny-hopped because the plow hit packed ice. He says the car got shoved sideways onto a curb, the driver side wheels collapsed underneath it, leaving one side of the car sitting on hubcaps. And he says he was only going 15 miles an hour.

Howard is among emergency crew members preparing early for winter weather. More than 400 workers in Prince George's County participated on Friday morning in a snow and ice dry run exercise.

Snow plow trucks hit the road. Drivers became familiar with assigned routes. Supervisors huddled around a conference table coordinating the response of myriad county agencies. Clerks monitored the Automated Vehicle Locator system that tracks plow truck progress in real time, showing vehicle locations as dots on maps.

In a room, one wall is covered with a video screen that shows a selection of maps, web sites, weather reports, plow and supervisor vehicle locations, road temperatures and intersection cameras.

Cameras attached to plows and inspector's trucks also flashed on the wall occasionally and on various computer screens in the room. Those vehicle cameras are part of the multifaceted AVL system.

AVL also allows plow drivers such as Vanessa Gordon-Watson to report safety issues she encounters on her route. All she has to do is touch an icon representing, for example, downed power lines, a pothole, or a branch in the road.

That simple touch shoots a report with a GPS tagged location to the customer service center that can send an appropriate response. So, the next time you see a snow plow driver you can thank them. They're not just pushing snow - they're making roads safer other ways too.

BOSS Snowplow Cutting Edge Replacement

On every snowplow, there will be general wear items that need to be replaced from time to time.  One of those items, is the cutting edges on your snowplow.  The life cycle of a snowplow cutting edge varies depending on the amount of time the plow is used, the type and condition of the ground surface and the material grade of the cutting edge.  In general, a cutting edge needs replacing before the plow frame is exposed or rubbing occurs on the moldboard.  

All BOSS V-Plows offer a patented high performance cutting edge that features high-performance steel, curb guards and a snow catcher.  The cutting edge design delivers extended wear resistance compared to conventional cutting edges.  

Source: http://info.bossplow.com/blog

More information: http://www.levanmachine.com/truck_repair_equipment/snowplow.aspx

ODOT trucks, plows to don green safety lights this winter

The state transportation department’s salt-and-plow trucks are about to get green lights as a safety measure to prevent motorists from rear-ending them.

About one-third of the 25 trucks that scour the interstate, U.S. and state highways that run through Stark County will have the lights installed by winter as part of a state law enacted Sept. 10, according to Justin Chesnic, ODOT District 4 public information officer.

“Studies suggest that green lights are more easily detected by the human eye than other colors,” Chesnic said. “ODOT snowplow trucks are rear-ended nearly four times more than snowplow trucks in Ohio’s neighboring states. Better visibility will lead to safer roadways as the motoring public can quickly and easily identify these vehicles in adverse weather conditions.”

Ohio is the first Department of Transportation in the nation to use the green lights, according to an ODOT fact sheet. Red and yellow lights are only for police, law enforcement, firefighters and other emergency responders.

“Of the 1,700 snow plows across the state, the goal is to get about 500 installed this year,” Chesnic said.

SALT READY

The salt reserves are already full with 15,000 tons, a material made cheaper by a change in the bidding process, Chesnic said.

Salt here is costing about $37.13 a ton this year. In the past, it has cost up to $70 a ton, Chesnic said. The salt this year is supplied by Cargill Salt in Cleveland, and it is mined from under Lake Erie.

The cost reduction stems from the change in how salt companies may now bid on salt contracts, Chesnic said.

“We’ve opened the bidding up to make it more competitive,” he said.

Salt companies previously were allowed to bid only by county. Now they can also bid by county, district and region.

Last winter, ODOT sprayed the state-maintained highways with 140,195 gallons of brine and spread just under 10,000 tons of salt, Chesnic said.

Snow Plow Buyers Checklist

The leaves are changing in many parts of the country to vibrant reds and oranges and with
that comes the thought of the next season that will descend upon us - plowing season.  Whether you are responsible for removing snow from your own personal driveway or if you are a commercial snow removal contractor responsible for multiple accounts, the purchasing of snow removal equipment is on the minds of many as we prepare for the ground to turn white.

Snow removal equipment purchases, like many other purchases, offer several options to consider before making a purchase.   Here is a check list of a few questions to ask yourself before purchasing a snow plow:

1.  WHAT KIND OF SNOW PLOWING WILL YOU BE DOING?

___My own driveway

___A few residential driveways

___Contracted snow removal (parking lots, side roads, residential and business lots)

Before purchasing your next snow plow, consider how you are going to use the plow and how often.  Are you a homeowner that has a long driveway to clear, but don’t plan on doing commercial work?  In most cases, homeowners choose a 7’ or 8’ plow as this size is adequate for light residential work.  However, if you are thinking about contracted snow removal of big parking lots, side roads, long rural driveways, commercial snow removal professionals generally want a larger plow as they are focused on removing the snow quickly and efficiently in an effort to move from one job to the next.  

2.  WHAT KIND OF VEHICLE WILL YOU BE USING FOR YOUR SNOW REMOVAL?

___ Light Duty pickup/SUV

___ 1/2 ton pickup

___ 3/4 & 1 ton pickup

___ Heavy Duty pickup

___ Skid Steer, Front End Loader

___ Utility Terrian Vehicle (UTV)

The type of vehicle that you will be using for your snow removal is an important consideration when purchasing a snow plow.  Snow plow recommendations are based upon the Front Gross Axle Weight Rating (FGAWR) of the vehicle that you own.  The FGAWR is the specific weight determined by the vehicle manufacturer to be the maximum allowable weight that can be placed on the front axle.  Because the vehicles axles should never be loaded beyond the manufacturer's listed FGAWR, the type of snow plow you put on the front of your vehicle should comply with these weight recommendations.  

If you are plowing your own driveway or several small residential driveways, most 1/2 ton pickups and in some cases, even smaller pickups and UTV's will work.  If you are doing commercial snow removal, it is recommended that you use at minimum a 3/4 ton pickup truck for this type of work.  Before purchasing a blade make sure to check if the blades weight is within the FGAWR for your vehicle.

3.  WHAT TYPE OF SNOW PLOW BLADE DO YOU WANT?

___ Straight Blade

___ V-Blade

In general, either plow design will get the job done. Straight blade snowplows are still a big seller as they tend to cost a bit less than V plows. But the V-plow does have the ability to angle and direct snow – as well as “scoop” snow for stacking that straight blades simply can’t do. The v-plow also handles snow that has “frozen” overnight better than a straight blade.  When put into the “V” position, the plow’s arrowhead configuration can slice through hard snow better than the flat surface of a straight blade. That slicing action also makes the operation easier on the vehicle and the operator. 

4.  WHAT TYPE OF PLOW MATERIAL DO YOU WANT?

___ Steel

___ Poly

___ Stainless Steel

On the commercial plow side: All three materials will do the job for you, but each has its own strengths and weaknesses. Poly is the slickest material of the three, as such, snow will not stick to the blade and will slide off the blade easier and faster than it will with the other materials – as such, it is becoming the choice of more and more professionals out there. It is also extremely corrosion and scratch resistant.

Stainless Steel has visual appeal and corrosion resistance and perhaps a slight advantage in “slickness” versus mild steel, but it is also prone to denting – any rocks you hit will leave “dings” in the blade.

Mild steel has been used to manufacture plows for decades. Steel provides durability, rigidity and overall value.

One common myth to dispel: Poly plows are not lighter than their steel counterparts. In fact, they are usually heavier. Why? Because the poly material lacks the rigidity of steel, it must be “backed” or reinforced with even more steel in order to keep its shape. As such – poly plows are commonly heavier than steel plows.

There are more considerations when it comes to purchasing a plow, but this is a great starting list. Visit on-line plowing forums or Facebook pages of the snow plow brands to learn more or speak with your local snow plow dealer for help in making your purchasing decision.  

Happy Plowing!

Via: http://info.bossplow.com/Blog/bid/135001/snow-plow-buyers-checklist?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_content=629490c9-4f75-4c34-828e-1baf05346cbb