First snow of winter is here!

[washernoob]

Well Omaha got its first snow of winter today. Quite a lot in just a few short hours. Wasn't really even that cold too. Its already starting to warm up a bit. But it was fun while it lasted.

Took a few pics.

Accumulation on my parents truck. Part of it is cleared off since we moved it from under the big tree since it appeared as though it might fall! :O

 

[washernoob]

The big tree in the island that separates part of my aunts driveway from ours next door.

This tree is just gigantic, and half dead. We have been afraid it will fall soon. So each storm we move all vehicles out of the way. Or at least try. The boat... well we cant do much with it. So its in the line of fire if the tree were to fall. Which is leaning directly at the house.

This picture doesn't really show the entire tree. To the left it extends far up. The pine tree is about 1/2 as tall as the big tree. Just for reference.

 

[washernoob]

The side of the garage. I just love winter images. Too bad my phone doesn't capture the best photography.

 

[washernoob]

The side of our yard. Looks like a lot more snow with that white fence!

Its sad to see the boat covered in snow... summers long over!

 

[simpsomatic]

Tree

Why don't you spend a few bucks and have the tree removed since it is half dead and then you will not have to live in fear of it falling or the hassle of the insurance claim to replace everything it destroys?

 

[washernoob]

When we moved in my parents had an estimate on what the tree would cost to remove. Since several power lines run through the trees, it was going to be outrageous. We have been cutting off some of the larger branches near the base, but much of it still remains. Its a wonder the tree has stayed so long. A smaller tree next to it fell in a massive storm we had 2 years ago, yet the big, far worse tree remained unharmed.

Perhaps its sturdier than it looks to our eyes.

 

[simpsomatic]

Stupidity

Here in California the Edison company arrives and will remove any tree, branch or palm fron that poses such a liability to the delivery of power to it's consumers. Late model automobiles, boat and houses, price to remove tree "outrageous". Does not make sense. I certainly do not want to read your posts when the tree falls on all of your good fortune.

 

[maytagbear]

EXCUSE ME!

Simpsomatic-- you do not have all the details, so perhaps being a bit more restrained in your comments in future might be in order?

Just a thought!

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[washernoob]

Simpsomatic

Whilst I will say I did not take any offense to the post... there are other factors of insurance things, and the sheer cost of the removal of the tree would still be higher than any damage it could do to the boat. The house wont be affected too much... if at all. Maybe bust out a picture window if that. Mostly light branches would hit the house. The large limbs would graze the boat. We do plan to put a large concrete pad next to the house directly behind where it sits to put the boat when stored during the winter.

My truck usually is parked under the tree. But its older, so not as much of an issue to myself. A tree already fell on it many years ago at our old house. Our neighbors old dead tree fell over one morning all of a sudden landing on the truck, denting the top, scratching the sides and breaking the furthest most driverside window.

Not sure if our insurance even covers tree damage on anything we have. Maybe, but I honestly dont know myself.

The thing about omaha is, if it falls into your yard, its your own fault and you must clean it up. If it falls into the street the city must clean it up at their own expense. And the owners are apparently the ones who need to keep branches away from the power lines. My mom has complained to the city maaany times. The neighbors tree in the circle fell 2 years ago in the same storm I mentioned above. A large branch was hanging on the powerline, and the rest of the tree in the driveway. City wouldn't even help remove the branch from the powerline, so we did it ourselves.

 

[rapunzel]

Sometimes a penny spent may be a penny saved

My parents have a lot of trees in their backyard and many of them are over 200 ft in height. Some years back my dad had a brainfart thinking that he could cut down a borer-infested eucalypt on his own. After securing the top half of the tree with ropes and cutting it half way down the wind picked up, which he had obviously not counted on. The top half of this tree started to list in the direction of their neighbors house. The fire brigade were called and soon followed by a professional tree lopper. This happened on a Sunday and my father ended up having to pay triple rates. Worst of all, he managed to get my mother very angry, who, in her own great wisdom, had told him to get a professional to do it in the first place.

There is always the question of 'what if' and it may be economically wiser to outlay this astronomical cost than to wait and see what other worse case scenarios may unfold by doing nothing. What if one of those big, dead branches kills someone? They do fall off without warning.

 

[tolivac]

Try contacting your power company in the area-maybe they will remove the tree or its branches-and possibly at no charge to you.I would NEVER try to remove a tree or its branches that are near powerlines.Couple things on that-at medium voltage distribution voltages-trees ARE CONDUCTIVE.And if you remove the tree or branch yourself and it falls on the lines-YOU have to pay for the repairs.

 

[rp2813]

Around here, PG&E regularly trims tree branches and limbs that could interfere with high voltage lines. They contract with professionals to do the work. I must say that just recently, there has been some very unprofessional looking work done, and some trees have a huge V-shaped void cut into their canopy. It looks hideous, but usually they take a more surgical approach.

We had a lemon-scented gum at our other house that was getting into lower voltage wires and our tree guy wouldn't go near that job. I would think that in the interest of avoiding a power failure, for your situation the utility would do the necessary work to remove troublesome limbs and branches, but only where high voltage lines are involved. If the tree is only interfering with lines that serve your place and your aunt's, then they likely will not take responsibility.

Regardless, tree work is not cheap. Around here, removing a tree of that size could easily approach $5,000 depending on what the market will bear in a particular area.

Lawrence, I just clicked on your checkmark. I take issue with our mysterious Palm Springs newbie. I'd wager she'd not only read it, but also wouldn't be able to resist posting a scathing "I told you so" should a thread describing a worst case scenario appear here at some point in the future.

 

[nmassman44]

One thing you might try is calling OPPD and find out if they could trim the tree or maybe remove it. Back in the 90's we moved to Omaha and it was right after that freak snow storm in October that left the area looking like a war zone. The development that we bought a house in...Hillsborough off of Maple and 138th...has the utilities underground so we had power.
I would just call OPPD and see what happens. The most they can say is no but I dont think they would want to relive that October storm...

 

[tolivac]

Even for the LV (secondary) feeders-the power comapny or its authorized contractor will or should remove trees or branches even if near the LV lines to prevent damage to power company equipment and customer outage.The LV feeder lines to your home or building are considered power company property.

 

[frigilux]

We're getting our first snow, as well. Southwestern Minnesota is supposed to get 3-to-8 inches by the end of the day.

Sounds like the Minneapolis area will be the hardest hit; perhaps one of our members in The Twin Cities will check in with a report later today.

I'm playing my Bing Crosby Christmas album as we speak...Always love the first storm of the season. By February, not so much, LOL!

 

[appnut]

Better you than me. Snow every few years is more than enough for me.

 

[paulg]

I started my snowblower

As my snowblower repairman once told me... " Don't EVER bring that thing in here after October and expect it to be fixed by the first snow! "

 

[whirlcool]

A lot of people with dead trees don't want to pay to have them removed, they just wait for a storm to knock them down. Then their insurance company foots the bill for removal and the damages caused by the falling tree.

 

[washernoob]

October snow storm!

I was just a few years old! I remember that storm well though! VERY SCARRY!

We lived in a little one story in a highly treed old neighborhood. Our house was green and ugly. Wasn't much to it.

Well during the october snow storm a very very large tree (a single trunk even taller than the one we are dealing with now) Fully alive fell on our house crushing the roof in. We were lucky we were all in the basement because where it landed was above the kitchen, living room and my bedroom.

I remember the clean up afterwards. (of course I spent my time playing in the snow!) Our entire family was at our house helping remove the tree from the roof. I remember it took several days to get everything cleaned up and even then you could see the damage around the house. The house was repaired soon after but we moved shortly after all that.

That was a storm to remember!

 

[Unimatic1140]

While I love weather related threads but...

Weather posts normally should go into the As the Tub Turns forum. Normally I would move it but since Brandon is only 17 an does not have access to the member only forums I'll allow it to stay here this time.

We've probably had about 8" of snow fall, but since the ground is so warm yet and the temperature is above freezing only about 1" has collected on the ground. A bit more on the cars, this is an early snowfall and it should melt before the continuous snow cover season begins next month. Its is neat to see such a wet snow because its so early in the season, normally our snows are more powder like.

 

[washernoob]

Thanks Robert! I realized that yes it doesn't really fit into any of the 3 standard forums. Sorry bout that! But I thought it would be fun to show pictures.

The snow is melting pretty fast. The streets are pretty much clear. Just some snow lingering on the grass and cars. Should be gone by nighttime.

 

[maytagbear]

65F and sunny

right now in Kent, OH.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[washernoob]

That sounds nice!

My grandpa is skipping town tomorrow to go to Las Vegas and play some golf! WIsh I could accompany him!

 

[appnut]

61, sunny & clear, sunset in one hour 10 minutes. Low of 37-40. brr.

 

[mark_wpduet]

Cool pics.....thanks.......I heard a stat on GMA this morning that Minneapolis had an all time record Nov snowfall from a single storm of 7.7 inches. I was like "HUH".......All time record? Is that correct? I would think Minneapolis would have had a LOT more snow than that from a single storm in Nov in past years.....Here is Lexington I think the record Nov snowfall is 9 something inches..........Is that stat for Minneapolis correct?