Recently, all of Portland carried out a most satisfying experiment involving snow and ice.
The storm was supposed to blow into town on Monday afternoon, dumping inches and inches of snow. Businesses closed early and everyone stocked up for the storm of the century. Local TV stations went crazy. The temperature hovered in the teens and low twenties — cold for Portland! The snow began to fall sometime after midnight, and by 6 am there were inches and inches of very dry snow. Schools closed, governments shut down, buses were slowed, businesses never opened. TV was nothing but storm coverage. And it kept snowing. Wednesday was the same story. Snow. Cold. And then the freezing rain showed. Still below freezing, the snow and ice stacked up. The weird roof of the YMCA Pool collapsed. People fell. Idiots drove while talking on their cell phones. Snow plows labored. People forgot to shovel their sidewalks. Parties were thrown. And then it began to melt. But slowly, so there was no flooding.
Two weeks later, piles of dirty snow still hide in corners, but mostly there are only fond memories of the slow week in Portland. And 40s and rain never looked so good!