After the long, cold winter we’ve had so far in New York State, there are a few lessons and takeaways. For those of us responsible for clearing the driveway at home, there’s one thing we hope every driver learns.

Another Arctic Blast For New York State

As we head into the first full weekend of February, the forecast is calling for another blast of Arctic air across New York. A severe cold temperature watch is in place for much of the region, with wind chills expected to dip close to 30 below zero. On top of that, some areas are also expected to see significant snowfall.

Now is the time to make sure your home is ready for another round of extreme cold and snow.

Help Those Who Clear The Snow

For those of us tasked with clearing the driveway, here’s a friendly reminder for anyone pulling in: if possible, please let us clear the snow before you drive your car or truck over it.

Related: The THREE FOOT Snow Law in New York State

When vehicles drive over fresh snow, it compacts and turns into a thick snow pack that’s incredibly difficult to remove. Packed snow can practically weld itself to pavement or concrete, making snow blowing and shoveling much more time-consuming and physically demanding.

An Exception

The one exception? Stone driveways. Driving over snow on a stone driveway can actually help by packing it down and preventing stones from getting caught and launched by the snowblower.

This might sound like a small or even unnecessary complaint. However, after spending extra time this week chipping away at ice and hardened snow pack, it felt worth sharing. A little awareness can save a lot of extra work and frustration for the person behind the shovel or snowblower.

Wait For A Thaw?

Some friends have pointed out that a warm-up is expected next week and suggest letting Mother Nature take care of the snow pack. One friend even asked why I’d waste the energy if it’s going to melt anyway. It’s a fair point. But there’s something satisfying about coming home to a smooth, clear driveway—and knowing the next time you fire up the snowblower, you’re not battling frozen mounds of packed snow.

I don’t mind clearing the snow. It’s just the extra work from packed-down tire tracks that gets frustrating.

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Gallery Credit: Clay Moden