And it keeps coming down...

And it keeps coming down... a video by dtk_guy on Flickr.

This was the scene outside my apartment yesterday afternoon. It started coming down around lunchtime. Michael and I had gone to Kappa Sushi and it had been sunny that morning but overcast and cloudy by the time we sat down. About 10 minutes later I looked out the window and the scene outside was like a blizzard! Needless to say the bike ride back home was entertaining. No spills or falls though.

Anyways, I got to witness the city's road sprinkler system in action. They have pipes set into the main roads with sprinkler heads flush with the road surface. The system serves to keep the snow from accumulating on the streets. Although I still wonder about the danger of the whole darn mess being turned into a massive skating rink.

Most parking lots also have sprinkler systems to clear off the snow with. As for individual households and small businesses: there's always the soaker hose. Yes, those hoses which people in North America use to sprinkle water onto their flower beds are used to keep driveways and sidewalks clear of snow in Yonezawa. I know there are companies advertising driveway and parking spot heating systems but I haven't seen any evidence of any in use so far...