Calculate How Many Pounds Of Snow You Shoveled

By John Dodge

CHICAGO (CBS) -- My snow blower broke on Jan. 3, 2014.

Not fully understanding what was ahead of me, I stuck it in the back of the garage.

For the rest of the winter, I used my shovel.

With each pile I pushed, I wondered the same thing as Tribune reporter Matthew Walberg:

How many $&*$% pounds of snow have I shoveled this winter? (He probably didn't swear, as I am sure he is a gentleman.)

Mr. Walberg did some calculations, which I encourage you read about here, and figured out a formula to determine the total weight.

First, you need to figure out the total square footage of your shoveling area. Here is an online tool to do it.

Based on his calculations, which involved some ratios and division and multiplication, Walberg found that this winter a total 26 pounds of water fell on each square foot of area shoveled. (I realize a square foot has no height, so click on that link above for the full explanation.)

So, to figure out the total weight, multiply the square feet shoveled by 26.

I live on a corner, so I have a lot of sidewalk to shovel.

My total came to just over 64,000 pounds.

How much did you shovel? Head to our Facebook page an tell us.