It’s Memorial Day weekend. Many celebrate the holiday with barbecues and cookouts — but perhaps not this year. People in Maine may have to bring their winter coats to the festivities if Saturday’s early morning snow is any indication of what is to come. Maine residents woke up to at least one-third inch of snow in many parts of the state, and that wasn’t even the worst of it. “The National Weather Service said that the town of Portage received five inches of snow,” according to ABC News affiliate WMTW.
Maine isn’t the only state contending with late spring snowfall. “Snow has been reported in at least seven states since Sunday [May 17], including Colorado, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming,” Weather.com reports. The damage ranges from four to five inches in South Dakota to a whopping 14 inches in Fairplay, Colorado. While this snowfall is minimal when compared to all-time high records of up to eight feet in Alaska, Colorado, and Utah, it is definitely unexpected for this time of year. And that can lead to snow removal complications.
The Best Options For Emergency Snow Removal
Maine, along with several other U.S. states, may need a viable backup plan, should they get more snow. Winter storms can cause billions in damages (they raked up $2.3 billion in 2014, and billions more in snow and ice-related trip, slip, and fall injuries — and these damages and serious injuries can happen at any time of year. If anything, they may be somewhat more likely in spring months, when states are ill-equipped to properly and thoroughly remove snow.
A Bobcat snow pusher attachment (also called “sno pushers”) removes hard pack snow, light dustings, and slushy, icy snow. The angled snow pusher can be quickly and conveniently attached to Bobcat trucks and equipment (that is, equipment used year-round). It is much easier to use these sorts of attachments than it is to dig out snow plows that have been retired for months at a time.
Unfortunately, it looks like states may need to look into their options — including sno pushers and Bobcat attachments — for emergency snow removal to keep roads and residents safe during spring months.
