Shedding Snow

Some years ago, a coworker excitedly asked me this one morning upon his arrival to work: “Hey, Mitch, have you ever listened to snow melting?”

“Snow melting?” I responded.  “Um, no, but I hope it’s better than watching paint dry.”  After a sufficient pause, I asked, “What are your really talking about?”

“I’m talking about snow and ice on your sidewalk.  It makes a lot of weird noises when you throw snowmelt on it.”

“Can’t say that I’ve ever heard that.”

Now, twenty-some years later, you might find me asking this: “Have you ever watched snow melting from your roof?”

Well, melting isn’t the proper term.  We need an action word here.  More like cascading from your roof.

Twelve years ago, I replaced my shingle roof with metal.  I didn’t install cleats or guards to hold the snow in place.  When temperatures climb above freezing, snow loads shed from my roof in chunks, sometimes in massive sheets that cascade into huge piles alongside the house.

It’s a pretty good show.

Yesterday afternoon, warm weather provided an opportunity for Desiree to witness sheets of snow calving from my roof.  I captured two short videos while she watched.  The last video is only three seconds long, but it’s filled with action.

 

—Mitchell Hegman