Let’s hope the old saying of, “If March comes in like a lion, it will go out like a lamb” holds true.
We all knew a winter storm was coming yesterday and it would be accompanied with high winds. What wasn’t expected was the amount of snow that stuck to roadways throughout the Lehigh Valley.
West Easton appears to have survived relatively unscathed. Some tree limbs came down, but unlike some communities, we still have electrical power and I’m not aware of any major damage.
With expected daytime highs in the low 40s over the next few days, the snow on the ground this morning may be a memory by early next week.
If you were lucky enough to be at home or work during the worst of it, count your blessings.
School districts gambled they could get a day of classes in, based on weathermen predicting that snow wouldn’t stick to roadways and what would stick would be slush.
It turned out to be worse. Early dismissals came too late, with most schools recognizing that the predicted wet and slushy roads were developing into far worse.
Having to drive in it, from Easton to Saucon Valley and back, it was an opportunity to see more idiots than usual behind the wheel, though I will say that the majority of drivers and truckers seemed to understand that 40mph on Routes 33 and 78 was the limit not to be exceeded.
I got the impression that PennDot plows weren’t ready, or had even prepared. Salting and plowing began late on all the major highways. Secondary roads were worse.
Volunteerism among school bus drivers wasn’t the usual stepping forward to assist each other who had problems getting children home, even if they were able and available to pick up children not normally assigned to them.
The storm did partially solve one problem I had for the last few years.
A neighbor, who had told me when I first purchased my home that the large distressed tree with dead limbs overhanging my property would have the dead limbs removed and the tree trimmed, had nature force the issue yesterday.
One of the larger limbs came down and onto her fence, damaging not only the fence, but I expect the damage to the tree trunk will eventually kill the entire tree within 5 years, alleviating the weekly picking up of the sticks falling into my yard.
There’s always a silver lining.
UPDATE 6:00 PM: Thank you to my neighbor’s friend, who came by and removed the debris from my yard and trimmed back some of the other limbs on the tree.
Disclaimer: On January 4, 2016, the owner of WestEastonPA.com began serving on the West Easton Council following an election. Postings and all content found on this website are the opinions of Matthew A. Dees and may not necessarily represent the opinion of the governing body for The Borough of West Easton.