How Cities Manage Sudden, Larger Snows

摘要

In the United States, cities east of lakes, in the far north of the country, and at high elevations get the largest and, often, the most sudden or surprising snows. Some receive more than 72 inches per season or more, lake-effect snows, ice jams, and ice fogs. Both private weather forecasting services and NOAA weather radio help cities and towns plan for major storms. But forecasts are not always perfect. Areas with poor satellite coverage can present problems, for instance. Winter snow removal technology keeps changing. Most cities use heavy vehicles based on a dump-truck chassis with plow blades. Blade shapes have been varied to move more snow at a faster rate over the years. Corrosion-resistant aluminum or fiberglass and waterproofing are replacing older, less-effective steel components.