Plow now or wait?

[MossyDell]

By 'heavy snow' how much are you talking about?
Do you have a plow, blower, bucket, or some combination of those?

It's kind of a judgement call. Around here, if it's snowing heavy, I try and let no more than a foot accumulate before plowing. I don't have a blower. If it's windy, though, there's almost no point in plowing because the wind drifts the driveway shut again and it just makes it worse if the snow drifts from the piled up side.

If you have a blower, then you don't have the problem of making piles of snow along the drive to get drifted over higher than what you started with.

Ice is a different critter. As others have said, and you appear concerned about, if you clear the snow down to the ground, then ice falls, you'll have a skating rink until you salt it, or the sun shines, or temps warm up, or more snow falls on top of it.

I'd probably leave a few inches of snow hoping the ice would fall on top of it, then when it stops, remove it all at once.

But if it snows, then rains and turns the snow into frozen mush, you're gonna have that to deal with.

Again, it's all a judgement call based on your gut, experiences and local weather forecast accuracy. Good luck. Let's hope the forecasters get it wrong and it stays snow or rain.

Thanks all and to MossRoad. I don't think the 4 p.m. freezing rain will turn our 4+ inches to mush because it is too cold. It probably will affect the top some and make a crust.

But I lack experience removing snow so I am kind of freaking out.

 

[MossyDell]

I have a 5' front blade on my 25 hp B2601. My first use, after last snow I explained, was a real learning curve tho the rig worked pretty well.

 

[LittleBill21]

do half now, half tomorrow, leave a section you won't be affected by, and see how you do with that tomorrow to see how capable you are.

 

[MossyDell]

Also should have said my drive is asphalt and very steep. Hay Dude helped last time with advice to stay in 2WD on pavement and not plow while going uphill.

 

[RoyJackson]

4”? I drive thru that with my awd cars and snow tires.

Same here, but need to watch for a freeze-thaw-freeze

 

[MossyDell]

Can't tell how many of you are addressing my main question: timing.

I know, per the hourly forecast, that freezing rain is coming on top of 4" snow for about an hour. Then back to snow. My theory is wait till after the rain and attack.

 

[LittleBill21]

Also should have said my drive is asphalt and very steep. Hay Dude helped last time with advice to stay in 2WD on pavement and not plow while going uphill.

unless your drive is bare dry, I would be in 4x4. this is something you need to learn, you can try uphill and see how that goes as well, if it doesn't work, stop turn around and go back down.

 

[MossyDell]

If I was able to get the drive down to bare asphalt before the rain, it seems I'd create a disaster. Vs using the snow to help get rid of the ice.

 

[oldballs]

I think it's all going to melt before you decide.

Mike

 

[MossyDell]

No, Mike. It's start at 1 o'clock today and plan to go back out. Or try to get it all off at 5 p.m.

 

[RoyJackson]

Also should have said my drive is asphalt and very steep. Hay Dude helped last time with advice to stay in 2WD on pavement and not plow while going uphill.

That is a very treacherous situation...
Although using 4WD on hard pavement isn't usually a good idea, I expect a snow or ice covered drive would provide enough slippage to minimize damage to the front axle. Plus, using 4WD does help in braking (just use a low enough gear to let the engine do most of the braking).
Make sure your ROPS is up and you're using your seatbelt

 

[Hay Dude]

Patience is a virtue here.
If disaster strikes and you get real heavy snow, you have a loader and bucket.
I could move 30” of snow with your rig.

 

[LouNY]

Myself I would wait till after the rain has stopped.
You mentioned steep and paved, I'm going to guess no chains.
I have a 1/4 mile of steep driveway, I also have 10,000 pounds of tractor with chains on the rear.
Wet packing snow or freezing rain will get a driveway iced up and slick,
that you will need chains to get up it.
Good luck.

 

[MossyDell]

That is a very treacherous situation...
Although using 4WD on hard pavement isn't usually a good idea, I expect a snow or ice covered drive would provide enough slippage to minimize damage to the front axle. Plus, using 4WD does help in braking (just use a low enough gear to let the engine do most of the braking).
Make sure your ROPS is up and you're using your seatbelt

Yeah my plan is to use it before/as I plow going downhill. Then to drive back up over the plowed area in 2WD.

the problem I was having that Hay Dude addressed was losing steering control while plowing uphill in 4WD on basically cleaned pavement.

 

[MossyDell]

Myself I would wait till after the rain has stopped.
You mentioned steep and paved, I'm going to guess no chains.
I have a 1/4 mile of steep driveway, I also have 10,000 pounds of tractor with chains on the rear.
Wet packing snow or freezing rain will get a driveway iced up and slick,
that you will need chains to get up it.
Good luck.

Yep, no chains. They are rare here because heavy snow is rare. Or was. We'll have one snowy (for us) winter out of 3 or some such.

 

[Hay Dude]

Climate change!
Global cooling!

Just kiddin
Good luck, tell us how it goes and use all safety equipment!

 

[MossyDell]

I did deal with snow for 10 years in southern Ohio, a little snowier than here. All I had then was a hd Bush Hog brand box blade on my 33 hp tractor. So all snow work in reverse. Didn't bother me then but it seems beyond crazy now in my late 60s. But this is also why I have such a learning curve, never having used a front blade or even a rear blade.

 

[RoyJackson]

Yep, no chains. They are rare here because heavy snow is rare. Or was. We'll have one snowy (for us) winter out of 3 or some such.

Yeah, not surprising since Nor'Easters only hit every few years...different situation in northeast Virgina and West Virgina.
Probably be damn near impossible to get chains this late in the season anyway.

 

[Hay Dude]

We are getting a few inches of snow from 4-10PM, then ice from 11PM -12AM, then rain from 1AM - 8AM.
Ill be surprised if I ever even start the tractor.….
Probably a big mushy mess.

 

[ctgoldwing]

Not uncommon here in CT to get snow followed by rain followed by really cold temps. Our driveway is long and steep. I always wait for the end of the storm and final freeze before snow blowing.