Do I Dare??

bdhsfz6 · 2026-03-20T11:09:33-0400

First day of spring and the long range weather looks to be mild here in the northeast. Do I dare take off the chains? I've got a lot of work to do this spring and the chains have to go.
The last time I took them off this early was in 1993. Two days later, we got hit with a blizzard and 32" of snow!

Should I risk it? If I'm wrong and we get another blizzard, I'll have hordes of TBN members on my back for sure!

Bsavulis · 2026-03-20T11:18:51-0400

Took my plow and chains off yesterday. I'm in Northeastern Connecticut . Long range forecast did not show any thing major. Last "big" snow I recall this late was on April,1 1999 or 1998. About 15"

ultrarunner · 2026-03-20T11:20:05-0400

bdhsfz6 said:
First day of spring and the long range weather looks to be mild here in the northeast. Do I dare take off the chains? I've got a lot of work to do this spring and the chains have to go.
The last time I took them off this early was in 1993. Two days later, we got hit with a blizzard and 32" of snow!

Should I risk it? If I'm wrong and we get another blizzard, I'll have hordes of TBN members on my back for sure!

May 1 is when snow tires and chains come off is family lore in snow country… too often false spring followed by late snow…

Mendonsy · 2026-03-20T11:23:01-0400

I suspect that "Murphy's Law" will apply. If you take them off it will snow and if you leave them on it will not snow.

oldnslo · 2026-03-20T11:40:27-0400

Would the chains help at all for possibly being in mud or will you be on hard ground, concrete, etc. where chains are detriment? That would assist me in the darned if ya and darned if ya don’t decision.

bdhsfz6 · 2026-03-20T13:19:17-0400

oldnslo said:
Would the chains help at all for possibly being in mud or will you be on hard ground, concrete, etc. where chains are detriment? That would assist me in the darned if ya and darned if ya don’t decision.

I'll be moving around 20 tons of fill and replacing it with gravel. I have to travel on a portion of paved surface, which the cleated chains would damage.

It is possible to plow without chains, but it's difficult on the slopes with the heavy wet snow we tend to get this time of year. Maybe I'll wait another week or so before removing them.