With this weekend's warm temperatures, I've noticed that a lot of ice has been coming off of buildings, crashing down onto sidewalks around town. One building in particular, across the street from our office here, has the victims of a somewhat catastrophic ice release, which sent a rain gutter crashing to the sidewalk.

Short of going up on the roof with a hair dryer, I'm not sure what can be done to prevent these ice blocks from coming down, but it's certainly something to be aware of, particularly as your walking around.

Anyone with a mountaineering background knows that if you hear ice coming down from above you, it's safer to run toward the building, covering the back of your head and neck with your hands and arms, than to run away from the building, as in many cases, the ice is falling from a protruding cornice or overhang. Be careful.