Pocono Talk

Next Wednesday and Thursday March 10th and 11th the Greater Pocono  Chamber of Commerce will be holding its annual Business Expo at the Koehler Fieldhouse at East Stroudsburg University.

Wednesday March 10th it will be open from 2:30-7pm and Thursday March 11th it will be open from 12noon to 7pm.  There is an admission cost of a few dollars but plenty of free pens and promotional materials to get from vendors when you’re there.  The expo was held in May last year and it was a bit slow so I’m hoping having it earlier this year will get some more people out.  If you’re bored and have cabin fever be sure to stop by and check out the local businesses in the area.

It’s a great place to get a lot of information from a lot of different companies all at once.  Whether you’re looking for a bank, home improvement opportunities, website design(shameless plug for my company  www.webleaps.com who will be there), you can meet a variety of vendors and get information all at once.

I’ve seen people in the past stopping by booths looking for jobs – this isn’t really the place you’d find job opportunities – but if you’re scouting out companies in general it may help to at least get some information.  A better place to seek career opportunities would be one of the many job fairs that run throughout the year like PA Careerlink – you can reach hundreds of employers all at once that are all looking to hire – definitely beats flipping through the paper.

Last week my son got out of school early on Tuesday due to the weather.  That night and into Wed we got about a foot of snow.  Over the next few days we had snow showers then another storm hit on Friday and ended up with 2+ feet for the week.  With the snow drifts there were some spots in our yard measuring up to 3+ feet while parts of the driveway the snow was blown away to barely an inch.

It was definitely a snowy week and although it has warmed up over the weekend to allow a bit of the snow to melt(which is good because the roads are 100% clear), there are still mounds of snow left.

Down in the Stroudsburg area they only received a few inches – as we traveled up past Mount Pocono today you could see areas where it looked like a good 3-4 feet total were cut out.  With the heavy wind causing drifts I doubt anywhere got more then 3 feet total, but it sure looks like it is more.

Spring is right around the corner but I’m not totally counting out another snow storm before the winter is done.  It is usually pretty chilly well into April so we still have at least another month and a half to go before we can seriously start thinking about Spring.

To clear up any confusion, if you are looking for Caesars Pocono Resorts (famous for their heart shaped tubs and champagne whirlpools) they recently changed hands so rather then being Caesars Pocono they are Cove Haven Pocono Resorts. Caesars aka Cove Haven is a perfect honeymoon getaway or for a romantic Poconos weekend. There are 3 locations – Paradise Stream in Mount Pocono, Pocono Palace in East Stroudsburg and Cove Haven in Lakeville. If you are looking for a resort in the Poconos it is a great option as a couple – if you are looking for a more family friendly atmosphere I would try somewhere like Great Wolf Lodge.

I had to mention the lack of snow didn’t I? I’ve been online to get work done the past few weeks but that’s about it due to a series of illnesses that my kids and I had – hopefully we’re in the clear now.

Last night we were expected to get 1-4 inches of snow – we ended up getting 11-12 inches – the largest amount we’ve gotten in a storm this winter. I swear, the weather people can not possibly be more off – the first large storm that hit the Philly region and dumped 12+ inches we were expected to get a large amount from that as well..and literally got a dusting if that.

So with a storm expected to start tonight at midnight and last through noon on Friday, it is quite possible that we might actually get some snow again.

Tuesday my son was dismissed early from school, he had off today(Wednesday) and has off tomorrow as well. The way that it looks like it is going I don’t expect him to be going back to school until Monday so he’s got an unexpected but welcomed winter break.

If you are planning on visiting the Poconos this weekend be sure to check the weather – I would assume the roads should be fine by Saturday but Friday looks sketchy as of now.

Please take your time if you’re out and about – yesterday I saw a car “parked” into a rock on the side of the road(luckily it was nothing serious).

From the Weather Channel:

WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO NOON EST FRIDAY…

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW… SLEET… AND ICE ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.

Snow at Night in the Poconos

The snow started late last night (around 12am) and it hasn’t stopped since.  After a series of disappointing storms where we received next to no snow it feels great to finally get a big storm!  I almost forgot what the ground looked like covered in snow.  Although its been a pretty dull snow season in the Poconos just a few hours south in Philadelphia with this most recent storm they officially have had their snowiest season on record.

Between the snow and the wind it was not a good day to be out and traveling – out West a bit near Pittsburg there was a 50 car pile up which prompted PA Governor Ed Rendell to shut down many Interstates.  Needless to say if you didn’t HAVE to be out today then you definitely should not have been.  Schools were closed, businesses were closed so everyone I talked to was home from work and enjoying the day off.

The snow is expected to end around midnight tonight, although looking out the window now it already appears to have tapered off.  The Poconos are pretty good with plowing – at least on the main roads, so tomorrow it will be back to business as usual.  I hope everyone enjoyed their day off and if you’re looking to come visit the Poconos this weekend to hit the slopes it is bound to be great weather!

There are about 10-11 inches of snow so far so my dog Rocket (a beagle / jack russel mix) does a little bunny hop through the snow every time he runs out to the bathroom.  This is him leaping back onto the patio out of a snow pile.  He is so low to the ground that if he tried to walk through the snow his belly would be hitting the snow constantly, I’ll try to get his bunny hop on video sometime, it’s pretty amusing but for now a picture will suffice:

My Dog Rocket in the Snow

Weather Map Snow Coming February 2010 Snow

After a VERY uneventful winter so far we look like we might actually be getting some REAL snow accumulations.

We had 2 maybe 3 storms that actual required a bit of snow clearing – besides that it was some light shoveling but that was about it.

There have been a few what they’re calling “coastal storms” that have passed by just to our South.  Typically The Poconos is where snow hits pretty hard in PA, Philly might get some, out West gets a bit, but the Poconos is typically a sure thing for some decent snow accumulations.

This year it has been the exact opposite – my parents live in Philly(though they’re moving this year) and have gotten 2 HUGE storms recently with over 20+ inches each storm.  The last storm that hit this past weekend we literally got a dusting – it wasn’t even enough to cover the ground.  But a few hours South Philadelphia got their 2nd biggest snow storm EVER!

How there can be such a HUGE difference I’m not sure, and how the ‘flop’ has occurred this year I’m not sure of either.

Like most people this time of year I’m in an antsy stage.  I love snow, love the winter but going long periods of time with no snow to make it feel like winter but having the cold dreariness…it doesn’t make for sunny times.  A lot of people I talk to are more then ready for the winter to be over.  Unfortunately we still have cold spells well into April – if you’re planning a spring wedding in the Poconos and are looking for warm weather be sure to do your homework.

So as I post this there is the occasional snowflake passing – it is suppose to start snowing heavily in the next couple of hours and continue until midnight tomorrow night.

Working from home has it’s advantages for sure – not having to shovel out the car tomorrow is definitely one of them.  We had some meetings today, caught up on work projects and were able to pick up some last minute items.  Tomorrow if it snows like it should, it will be a great day to work – there’s something calming and seems like I have the extra ability to focus as I glance outside and see all that snow.  Well, at least I hope I get to see “all that snow” – there was a big storm predicted not too long ago that didn’t even drop a flake.

I’d like to know from a meteorologists point of view how difficult it really is.  I understand it can be an iffy thing and it is not an exact science, but they’re wrong enough…really really wrong enough that people don’t even hold them accountable.  Can you imagine that in any other business?  “Your car will be ready tomorrow”.  “Nope, not today maybe the next day…”  People would be out of business!

Ah well, if you have to weather the storm tomorrow(pun intended) please be extra safe and take your time traveling.  If you’re home tomorrow then enjoy the day!

Starting today(Monday Feb 1st) through this Friday(Feb 5th) Shawnee mountain is having their “Take your Son or Daughter to the Slopes Week”.

If you have a child under the age of 18 they will receive a free lift ticket when you purchase a full price daily ticket for yourself.

You will need to download their coupon and bring it with you to be eligible.

You can get the coupon here:  http://www.shawneemt.com/coupons/takedaughter_sontosnowweek.pdf

We got some much needed snow at the end of this week so it finally actually looks like winter again in the Poconos!  The temperatures have dropped as well so it is a perfect weekend to hit the slopes.

I’d take advantage of the cold and snow while we still have it – although I’m sure there’s still plenty of winter left to be expected – I’d get out there and do any winter activities now because before we know it Spring will be here.
I am hoping that we will get a storm soon that will bring at least a couple of inches so I can get the kids out sledding.  There is enough snow right now to cover the ground but not really enough to go sledding.  Our youngest is 15 months and a little daredevil – don’t ask me how he manages to get in as much trouble as he does but if there something to knock over, a way to fall down, something to run into he’s sure to be there.  I know sledding would be right up his alley, I think snowtubing is past his age and tolerance limit to be outdoors but that’s something to look forward to in the coming years.

If you’ve gone skiing, boarding or tubing this year be sure to leave a comment and let us know about your experiences and how you’d rate where you went

There is a local Poconos TV Show called ComputerWise that  discusses computer related topics from software and hardware to general computer news and knowledge.

I’ll be on the show tonight, January 27th at 7pm to talk about the basics of Facebook.  So if you’re bored tonight tune and in let me know what you thought!  It airs on Blue Ridge TV Cable Channel 13.

The consensus from everyone I’ve talked to is a resounding “ugh” regarding the weather recently.  The Poconos is known for snow and winter fun – not lukewarm weather and flooding in January.  The ski resorts are closed(except one) due to the weather – I can’t imagine that the Pocono businesses that thrive on the winter weather are happy at all.  For the businesses that rely on nicer weather even though it’s warmer out between the mud and the rain I can’t imagine anyone wants to be outside doing outdoor activities or ducking in and out of stores in the rain.

When the warmer weather hits there is definitely a feeling of “welcome spring!” and if it stayed warm I really don’t think many people would  mind.  But it never stays warm – it will drift back into the cold and we’ll end up with a messy in between of ice and sleet at some point.  For those that would love for it to stay cold, mainly those interested in winter sports – it’s bound to get cold again, but ice really doesn’t match any outdoor activity (well maybe ice skating? lol).

So as we wait to see what the weather does (it was around 50 today but tomorrow snow showers are in the forecast) – take advantage of this time to do some web surfing to plan out those last rounds of winter activities before spring hits and a list of great places you want to visit this summer.  Personally I NEED to get to Bushkill Falls this year – somehow I have missed the opportunity every year but I think I’m going to break down, book a babysitter(aka one of the grandmas) and get out for some outdoor summer fun with my husband(they wouldn’t do too well with the terrain).

Is there any place you’ve been meaning to get to in the Poconos but just haven’t?  If you have any thoughts on places you want to visit – or that you’ve already visited and are a MUST SEE be sure to let us know!