Posted on 01/31/2011 8:40:09 PM PST by 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.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
We used to get that a lot in the lake effect areas.
I think it has to do with the wind swirling around buildings and stuff when it’s really gusty.
That occurred to me, but the house is to the north of the driveway, so the only way the wind could swirl around it would be if was a north wind. Seemed too warm for that.
Under normal circumstances, the wind comes pretty steadily out of the west. I start on the west side of the driveway, with the chute adjusted to shoot the snow east. Then I just work my way across the driveway from west to east, and there's no muss, no fuss. Not today.
It made me think of the "macrocell event" that happened back on Labor Day 1999. The wind was all over the place then, too.
Sounds like a good plan...
..
A man walks among stranded vehicles on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago February 2, 2011. A huge winter storm pummeled the United States, bringing parts of the Midwest to a standstill, delivering another wintry swipe to the Northeast and disrupting flights and other transport. Some 17 inches of snow had fallen on Chicago by early Wednesday morning and snowfalls of a foot or more recorded from Oklahoma City to Kansas City and Indianapolis. REUTERS/John Gress
It just looks like a lot of snow.. Jaaa.
I remember drifts 10 feet high and more .. ya could walk onto your roof
OH MY!!!!!
How long before they get that cleared, do you think?
Days? and maybe more in some areas , it’s a doozie of a storm..
US digs out from epic winter storm
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110202/ts_afp/usweatherstorm_20110202205809
Mira Oberman Mira Oberman Wed Feb 2, 3:57 pm ET
CHICAGO (AFP) Millions of Americans dug out from an epic winter storm Wednesday which buried more than a third of the United States in drifting snow, sleet and ice that ground air and road travel to a halt.
The storm — one of the largest since the 1950s — stretched for more than 3,000 kilometers (2,000 miles) from Texas to the northeastern state of Maine, and forecasters warned that trying to get around could be deadly.
“The extreme conditions are making it extremely difficult for rescue personnel to reach the stranded,” the National Weather Service warned.
“Before considering getting on the roads this morning, ask yourself if getting to your destination is worth risking your life.”
Blizzard, winter storm, freezing rain and wind chill warnings were issued for more than 30 of the 50 US states, and thunderstorms, tornadoes and driving rain drenched the warmer, southern end of the storm in Louisiana and Mississippi.
States of emergency were declared in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Oklahoma and the National Guard was called out to help rescue stranded motorists.
Snow drifts topped 10 feet in some areas with snowfalls topping 10 to 20 inches (25 to 41 centimeters) in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Kansas, Massachusetts, and New York.
Officials in New York city asked drivers to stay off the icy roads and bus and train travel was also affected by the freezing rain and sleet.
In Chicago - one of the hardest hit by the storm after near-hurricane force winds sucked more moisture off Lake Michigan - firefighters used a fleet of snowmobiles to navigate the city streets.
Paul and Kellee Athens relax in a hammock at the Casa Marina Resort in Key West, Florida, February 2, 2011. The Athens said they were supposed to fly home to Chicago Wednesday, but a massive winter storm forced flight cancellations, so the couple decided to extend their Florida Keys vacation. REUTERS/Rob O'Neal/Florida Keys News Bureau/Handout
There’s another storm coming up the coast Saturday.
Sorry to have to tell you.
It’s not supposed to be too bad, but time will tell. These things can be pretty hard to predict.
And the potential for another one Mon-Wed.
Sorry to have to tell you
:(
My whole barn roof just collapsed. It couldn’t take the weight of snow and ice on it. It was leaking anyway but now all our equipment is in it. What a mess!
Oh wow, that’s bad news. Is roof collapse due to snow load covered by typical homeowners insurance?
Oh gee.
I’m sorry to hear that.
Will insurance cover it?
How much snow did you get?
Nobody was hurt, I hope.
I can see where there would be a large build up of snow on the top of the roof.
Water is heavy, a little over 8 pounds per gallon.
When you think of how many gallons of water that was probably on the roof, it’s no wonder.
Your big problem is that there’s another storm on the way for Saturday and the potential for another one to form and hit on Tues.
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