Monster Winter Storm Takes Aim at One-Third of U.S. (Live Thread)

FOXNews.com ^ | January 31, 2011 | | Associated Press

[metmom]

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- A monster winter storm took aim at a third of the nation Monday, threatening to lay a potentially deadly path of heavy snow and ice from the Rockies to New England, followed by a wave of bitter, bone-rattling cold that could affect tens of millions of people.

Cities including St. Louis, Kansas City and Milwaukee could be hardest hit, with expected midweek snowfalls of up to 2 feet and drifts piled 5 to 10 feet. Even hardy Chicago could be in for its third-worst blizzard since record-keeping began.

"I wouldn't want to be on the road in open areas tomorrow night," said forecaster Tom Skilling of Chicago television station WGN. "I don't think I'd want to be driving in the city either. The fact is people die in these things. They skid off the road and go wandering around in whiteout conditions."

Warmer areas were not safe, either. The system could spawn tornadoes in parts of the South.

[metmom]

Cool map, but what do the different colors mean?

The legend isn’t very helpful.

[trisham]

I’ll bet. This is money to them. :)

[metmom]

Never mind. I figured out how to work the legend.

[trisham]

The colours indicate traffic speed, and the little “ ! “ icons are interactive. You can click on them to see what is holding up traffic.

[nutmeg]

Check out the traffic map:

Wow, what a mess!

[trisham]

You can change the location to check out traffic in your area, too.

[blondee123]

I heard that with the winds, Lake Shore Drive may flood too! Crazy Global Warming is all I have to say!

[metmom]

Our area is not an offered option.

[DJ MacWoW]

It isn’t good out there!

[DJ MacWoW]

I dragged the map down, and the NYC area appears to be having its share of problems as well.

The office asked him if he could make it into the city in an hour. He said "Have you looked outside lately?!" LOL

[Lady Jag]

Dolly, I just came in from clearing off and filling bird feeders and discovered that I followed your instructions before reading them.

Most interesting about doing the feeders is I didn't have to reach up for them. Means I was standing on about 2 feet of white stuff while heavy snow falls.

By tomorrow night, we could go from #4 to #3 snowiest winter in Massachusetts recorded history!

[DJ MacWoW]

Hey, I DO wish the worst for all the Islamic radicals in the world! ;-)

Yes. And may their camels find bags of marshmallows!

[trisham]

If you change the area to the nearest city to you, you can then right click, bring up the little hand and move the screen so that it shows your area. Right now it’s focused on Boston, but you can choose all other areas of the country as well.

[trisham]

LOL! I can only imagine!

[Lady Jag]

That’s too warm.

[chris_bdba]

Am here in SE Ohio and it stopped raining about 2 hours ago and the temps are dropping.Looking at the weather map though the worst looks like it is yet to hit.I think we are under a storm watch until sometime tomorrow night.

[chris_bdba]

Am here in SE Ohio and it stopped raining about 2 hours ago and the temps are dropping.Looking at the weather map though the worst looks like it is yet to hit.I think we are under a storm watch until sometime tomorrow night.

[trisham]

It’s really something, isn’t it?

[DJ MacWoW]

I’ve fed my stray kitties and the birds this morning. Will be going back out for refills soon.

[FourPeas]

I’ll be sure to let my neighbor from Florida know. She’s trying to figure out how she’s going to afford her heating bill this month.