***Northeast Snowstorm*** February 16-17 2003 (Official Thread)

self | self

[SamAdams76]

Moderators, please pull if a similar thread has been started. I did a search on "snow" and blizzard" and came up with nothing.

What originally looked to be primarily a mid-Atlantic snowstorm has blossomed overnight into a monster snowstorm that threatens to shut down the major cities of the Northeast for tomorrow.

Just got the latest forecasts. Washington D.C. area will see 1-2 feet. Philly will see 17-34 inches according to their local mets. NYC will see 1-2 feet. And Southern New England (including Boston), which was originally thought to be missing this storm, is now pegged to get at least 10-20 inches before all is said and done with possible blizzard conditions tomorrow night as the storm explodes ("bombogenisis") off Nantucket island during the day.

Some very impressive snowfall reports already coming in despite the fact that the storm hasn't even developed off the coast yet. Some 8 inches is on the ground in the DC area and snow is falling heavily in the Philly area and parts of New Jersey. This snow is NOT from the storm that is expected to develop off the Carolinas this afternoon, move northeast and "explode" off Nantucket Island during tomorrow.

These storms are never a sure thing until they happen because they are so unpredictable. But this storm has all the ingredients to make it a storm of historic proportions from Washington D.C. to Portland, Maine. If everything falls together just right, we could be looking at 2 feet (or more) of snow in many urban areas of the Northeast over the next 36 hours.

Please post your local reports here.

[Gabz]

We've got close to 20" here in Dover.

Everytime I've done a radio, or even a TV interview for that matter, in the past 15 years I have remembered how to do it, handle myself, watch my words, etc - but I also remembered that I much prefer being on the other side of that microphone - the side that is holding it, not facing it.

I have had a delightful day with all the snowbound FReepers today - but I am now going to call it a night!!!

God Bless, stay warm and sleep well!!!

[rwfromkansas]

I am wondering how some friends from HS are faring at PA colleges...I imagine they will get dumped on.

[Gabz]

the electric going out is all I worry about - the rest in comparison will be a piece of cake.

[Gabz]

As long as the temperature doesn't climb any higher - I can live with the winds - cause I'm not going anywhere.

But the temperature is reading 30 right now and that is what concerns me because of the possiblity of icing.

I guess I'm weird but I tend to sleep better with the TV on and wake up immediately if my husband either changes the channel or turns it off - if we lose power during the night I'll know about it right away.

[fatima]

Gabz,Heck with all of them,I have held the mike for 17 years and those of us who know should go foward and if you don't know give me a call-still snowing and you all are asleep.

[Gabz]

Thanks!!!!

Now I'm really headed for bed!!!

I'f I'm not found somewhere on FR by around 9am or so - everyone will know I lost my power!!!

Stay safe and warm everyone!!!!

Good Night.

[Joe Hadenuf]

LOL!

On a serious note, I hope all you guys weather this well and are safe.

[Unknown Freeper]

Morning wake up here (central jersey.) The guys with the plows and dump trucks are out taking care of our street. Bless them. I shoveled at about 8:00 last night as did my neighbors. You would think we never had walked outside. Guess I'll go out again at about 6:00 for the next phase. Be safe everyone.

[Unknown Freeper]

Okay, I'll talk to myself here. I just finished shoveling again. It seemed another 6-7 inches. I think the pacing myself method is going to work. I'm hoping the rest of you are still warm and toasty. The powder is relatively easy to shovel. The wind is not playing out there though. Yes, I think it will be keyword: blizzard.

[big'ol_freeper]

Woke up at 0430 to check on the snow. Got a few more inches over the night. WJZ in Baltimore saying officially 24.2 inches, just 2 inches short of local record. Should break that this morning as another 3-6 is supposed to fall. Weather map shows that end line is in sight, but just before the end line is some heavy snowfall that will cross central (Baltimore) Maryland. Governor Ehrlich (that still sounds good) lifted the restrictions on driving on state roads this morning at 0400 but, as the WJZ morning folks said, "you got no place to go" (said with disgusting Maryland gutteral accent). Will venture out in a bit to shovel out the vehicles. All this snow makes a displaced New Englander feel all warm and fuzzy inside!!!!

[SamAdams76]

It is 6:30AM and I'm about to go to work. Hopefully I'll get a few hours in before it really starts coming down. I was looking forward to today because it is one of those quasi-holidays anyhow and I get most of my catch-up work done on days like this.

Anyway, the skies outside are steel gray and the temperature rose overnight from 8 to 11 degrees. Can't get a reading on the RH yet, still too low. Based on the radar, I expect the first flakes to arrive by 11AM, probably already falling where you are. It's an incredibly slow mover. So once it starts, it looks to continue for at least 24 hours. The upped the predictions overnight to 15-25 inches in eastern MA and that is based on some of the precip coming down as sleet and freezing rain. At any rate, as soon as it starts coming down hard in my area (I'm heading to Bedford for work), I'm heading home.

[Unknown Freeper]

Sam, be safe out there. The wind chill is brutal. Cover your face. I could feel the mix of ice this morning. It's not that same soft snow as yesterday.

[tomkat]

Franklin County (southcentral), PA:
snow = 22"
wind = 20mph
drifts to 4'
forecast = 5-8" additional accumulation by evening ...

[Unknown Freeper]

[Gabz]

I am totally dreading shovelling again this morning.

[Unknown Freeper]

It's better to get out there and do some now than to wait for that ice to kick in on top. You can do it. Just have the hot cocoa supplies ready for when you get back inside.

[sarcasm]

Morning!

[Oschisms]

You're nuts, Sam.

Everyone but the maintanence crew at my job has been ordered to stay home today. Those poor SOB's gotta shovel.

[P.O.E.]

If I lived across the street, I'd be out there, too. Just the smell of baking is enough to get me motivated!

When we nodded off around 11PM last night, we still only had about 3-4 inches of snow. Right now, it looks like about 16 inches, with drifts of 2-and-a-half feet plus, and still coming down.

The main road is kinda plowed, but with the wind blowing in about 8 different directions, it covers right back over. Th

[Gabz]

Too late - it's got a lovely coating of ice on top of it already!!