The second major snowstorm in five days hammered Howard County Wednesday, dumping another foot or so of snow on a county already buried under as much as three feet of snow.

The second storm began Tuesday afternoon and sent the area soaring past the seasonal snowfall record, beating the winter of 1995-96 total of 62.5 inches of snow at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.

The airport had received 60.4 inches so far this season before this week's storm.

The back-to-back storms led the Howard County Public School System to announce Tuesday that schools would be shut down for the remainder of the week, including all activities and athletic events.

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Columbia mall also shut down Wednesday, as it had Saturday. Also closed or canceled Wednesday were county libraries,courts, parks and senior centers, trash and recycling services, Howard County Animal Control, and Howard Transit and Connect-a-Ride bus services.

No major storm-related accidents were reported, but a county police spokeswoman said that by 11 a.m. Wednesday, police had responded to 32 collisions, 27 calls for motorist assistance and 40 hazards blocking roads.

County Executive Kenneth Ulman, who on Saturday had declared a state of emergency in the hopes of snaring federal funds to help pay for the cleanup, on Wednesday morning ordered many county snow crews off the roadways. The move was prompted by wind gusts of up to 40 miles per hour.

"We have stopped because of whiteouts," county spokesman Kevin Enright said, explaining that road crews remained in areas not battered by the high winds. "If the guys can't see, it just doesn't make sense."

The plowing was resumed when the winds died down.
 
Ulman had said he hoped to have all side streets plowed before the second storm hit, enabling crews to rest before the next storm. But on Tuesday, the county executive said the volume of snow kept crews from reaching all neighborhoods.

The county plows use a GPS system to indicate which roads have been cleared. But with equipment donated from other organizations, including the county school system and Columbia Association, some plowing records were entered manually and in some cases, in error, Ulman said.

Errors indicated that some roads had been plowed, when in fact they had not, he said.

Prior to last weekend’s storm, the county was already $1.3 million in the hole for snow removal, and costs from the February snowstorms continue to add up.

“This is what we do. We keep people safe; we plow the roads. We figure out how we’re going to pay for it afterwards,” Ulman said.

Officials also warned of collapsing buildings in the heavy snow.
 
Bob Frances director for the Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits, said buildings with flat roofs are especially at risk as heavy snow is compacted.

Warning signs that a wood-frame structure may be failing include a sagging roof, expanding cracks in walls and groaning, creaking or popping sounds. Doors that stop closing properly may also indicate a problem.

Frances said residents should not try to remove snow from roofs themselves.

Two county barns — in Lisbon and West Friendship — collapsed in the wake of the weekend storm.

No new collapses were reported as of late Wednesday morning.

In the weekend storm, the Columbia Association loaned some of its snow-removal arsenal to the county government, leading to delays in clearing CA-owned pathways, according to CA officials.

“We apologize for the inconvenience, but we believe that getting the community moving and helping county emergency personnel to get access to all areas in the community took precedence over clearing the pathways,” read a statement posted on the association’s Web site.

During the weekend storm, which lasted a little more than 24 hours and shuttered schools, post offices and many businesses, Elkridge saw the largest accumulation in the Baltimore region: more than 38 inches.

Clarksville reported 35 inches, north Columbia 34 inches, Glenelg and Savage 33 inches, and Ellicott City 30 inches.

Tom Kines, a meteorologist with Accu-Weather, said most of the area received between 25 and 34 inches.

Sharon Sopp, spokeswoman for Howard County General Hospital, said while the hospital’s Emergency Room was not very busy Saturday, patients did turn up with typical snow-related injuries including heart attacks and broken bones.

The storm also forced many staff members to call the hospital home for a few days.

“Some of our staff have been here since Friday night and are just getting to go home today,” Sopp said Monday.
 
Businesses cope with storm
 
Despite poor conditions on most neighborhood streets, many found their way to the Columbia mall Monday, where general manager Katie Essing reported a “healthy traffic” at midday.

“I think everyone is a bit stir crazy,” she said.
 
Essing credited work crews with making the mall’s travel lanes and parking lots passable.

“Our snow contractor did a fantastic job and they’re still working to clear the snow,” she said.

The storm led mall management to close three hours early, at 6 p.m., on Friday, Feb. 5, and remain closed Saturday.

One entrance to Macy’s was boarded up last Friday after its glass was shattered during storm preparations, Essing said.

An all-terrain vehicle was spreading salt along an elevated walkway between a parking garage and Macy’s when it bumped and shattered one of the store’s glass doorways, Essing said, adding that replacement glass is being ordered.

Mall crews will be prepared for whatever precipitation comes down the pike, Essing added.

“I’ve got to say we’re getting really good at it.”

Valentine’s Day blues

Sandra Burdette, owner of Clarksville Flower Station, said she and other florists could be in a bind this week — on what is supposed to be their briskest holiday for business.

Under normal conditions, the shop would be taking a steady stream of orders in the week before Valentine’s Day, but orders have been slow, Burdette said.

“I expected business to have really picked up by the beginning of the week,” she said Monday. “Unfortunately, Mother Nature hasn’t been kind to us.”

In mid-January, Burdette ordered about 1,700 roses from her wholesalers — an order that she already scaled down by several hundred because of the  economy and Valentine’s falling on a Sunday (when, experience dictates, flower sales are fewer than weekday Valentine’s). Now she just hopes to be able to sell those roses.

She expected her long-stemmed beauties (1,000 red and 700 in other colors) to be delivered Feb. 10, barring any complications from the snow.

Clarksville Flower Station, which relocated to Highland in early January, is relying on its advertisements and special offers (such as a free Valentine’s balloon for shoppers who opt to pick up their orders) in hopes of drumming up sales for the romantic holiday.

“It’s going to be an unusual holiday,” she said. “We’ve got to hope these guys are still going to step up to the plate for their women.”

This article has been updated.

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user comments (2)

user independent says...

Several county snow plows were seen plowing private drives at the beginning of winter. The county denied this occurred even when presented with the day, time, and location of the actiivity and the number of times it occurred. This round, however, the county has refrained from plowing the same private area. The reason for avoiding past activity may be based on the severity of the storm, or on the fear of being caught again.

Posted 7:18 AM, 02.10.10 | Permalink

user asdfgh says...

It's a conspiracy!

Posted 3:46 PM, 02.11.10 | Permalink