Posted on 01/22/2005 4:04:20 AM PST by SamAdams76
Well all the stops have officially been pulled out by the weather prognosticators. They are on a "war footing." The Northeast is getting a true BLIZZARD this weekend. Not a "nor'easter". Not just your basic snowstorm dumping 6-10 inches in Boston and New York with a mix and changeover to rain along the coast. No! We are talking 20-30 inches of windblown powdery snow in many locations with no chance of a mix with or change to rain whatsoever.
The temperatures are currently running zero or below zero across most of the Northeast this morning so the cold air is in place and fully entrenched. With the high winds expected with this storm, This will be a true BLIZZARD.
So as I sit in the epicenter of it all (my area is expecting over two feet of snow), I thought I'd start this thead so that Freepers can give us reports of how conditions are in there area. And you don't have to be in the Northeast to participate as this storm is currently affecting Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and West Virginia as it heads to the East Coast where it is expected to undergo what the weather nuts call "bombogenesis" and literally explode into a superstorm as energy is transferred over the comparatively milder Atlantic Ocean.
So there you have it. Even in areas where plenty of snow falls this time of year, you have people running to the supermarket early this morning to "stock up", as if somehow a few feet of snow is going to stop all commerce and transportation for the forseeable future (the reality is that we should be all shoveled and plowed out by Monday morning no matter how bad things get).
The local TV stations around here have gone absolutely bonkers, as they are wont to do. It's even more extreme this year because TV "broadcast" stations are struggling to maintain their relevancy in a high world of internet, satellite radio and many other distractions that consumers have these days.
Weekday "anchors" are being rolled out of bed early this Saturday morning as they throw on their hairpieces and head to the studios for all-day "wall-to-wall" coverage of this blizzard. Seasoned reporters are being sent to Home Depots where people are already nervously buying shovels (even though they likely have 7 or 8 shovels in their garage already) and supermarkets where silly old ladies are buying gallons of milk (that they normally never drink) and loaves of bread (that they will never eat and end up throwing to the birds). Other reporters will be sent into the streets to do interviews with snow-plow drivers and "public safety" officials. More junior reporters are being sent to the sides of highways for liveshots where absolutely nothing is going on presently. But they will stand there nevertheless, filming the traffic going by and commenting on "how dangerous" this highway will be in just a few more hours. Then when the storm hits, these same reporters will retreat to rest areas where they will continue their liveshots as their cameramen instruct them to "sway in the wind" and "hold on to their hats" to help convince the viewers at home that the storm is severe indeed.
Yes, it's going to be a fun weekend in New England and the Northeast in general. But the beauty of this is that is is on a weekend. If we are going to get a true blizzard, the timing just couldn't be much better. We are able to get our normal errands done on Saturday morning and then in the afternoon, we can retreat to our homes and stoke up the fireplace as the snow moves in. Then tomorrow (Sunday), we can sleep late and take our time shoveling out. Then we have a perfect excuse to sit around the warm house all afternoon watching football as THREE out of the four teams still playing are all in the snow-bound Northeast. The ratings ought to be phenomenal, provided the power doesn't go out.
So post conditions in your area here.
Outside my home (approx 30 miles northwest of Boston near the NH border), it is -11 degrees! It is daybreak and the skies are mostly clear with some high clouds. It is COLD out there, almost too cold for snow. But it's coming, at least that's what they tell me!
It's supposedly 2 degrees F, but it's much much colder than that. Being out there for a few minutes took my breath away, and I had to run back inside.
Wind chill about -35 degress. 45 miles north of Bangor.
Typical Maine winter! It's been worse!
"Typical Maine winter! It's been worse!"
A lot worse!
My guess is 3 inches or less (plus a little ice) south of route 66, 3-6 north, but a lot more along the border with PA and N and E of Baltimore.
I have some stupid questions for you guys who live in places where it snows all the time. When I lived up north, I was a dirt-poor student, but I was fortunate that the landlords shoveled the sidewalk for me (They claimed the city had a law & you would get ticketed if you didn't clear it). But I had to shovel a path to the car, and the car itself, with a dustpan because I didn't have a shovel and didn't have the money to hire it done. It took all day. I don't think I've ever cursed that much, before or since. Anyway...
-Is it true that cities have laws/ordinances that require you to keep the sidewalk in front of your house shoveled? If it belongs to the city, why aren't they officially responsible for it? What if you're out of town or something? If there are laws to such effect, I guess I understand the reasoning -- a lot of people used the sidewalks where I lived and you would have to walk on the street if the snow wasn't cleared. But do they actually enforce it?!
-What do elderly or handicapped people do if they can't get out & shovel the snow?
-What if they can't afford to pay someone to do it? Then what?
These are obviously not important questions if you're sitting there with something to do, but if anyone is bored, I would be interested in hearing from you. :-)
Thanks!
It's snowing pretty good here in east central IL. We've had a couple of inches, now that I can see the light of day. Still going. God bless you easterners - time to kick back and enjoy inside pleasures. Bring that wood in and have a wonderful fire in the fireplace!
This is a great example (for newbies) of a good vanity. Thanks for the thread!
Oh my gosh. I couldn't even imagine having to shovel THAT much! Great photo.
What do elderly or handicapped people do if they can't get out & shovel the snow?
-What if they can't afford to pay someone to do it? Then what?
Usually, emphasis on usually there is a good family member(I did it for my grandparents) or neighbor or someone from the disability, senior citizen community service facility will clear it or out source snow clearing
Insert Ted Baxter sound effect here
Aw c'mon, -you missed an inside joke mewzilla, but the original poster will get it.
I can't walk you through the steps, but I assure you, there -is- a comedic aspect to all of this. No harm intended, just keepin' it light.
Insert Ted Baxter sound effect here
Aw c'mon, -you missed an inside joke mewzilla, but the original poster will get it.
I can't walk you through the steps, but I assure you, there -is- a comedic aspect to all of this. No harm intended, just keepin' it light.
All around us in Fairfax County they are getting 12 inches of snow.
Ice Pellets?
Anyone have any idea what those might be?
Here in WI, we have 9 inches on the ground this morning with 4 more to come. All the talk about people stocking up is so silly. For the first storm several weeks ago, people were going wild- acting like they wouldn't be able to leave their homes for a month. We got a whopping 1 inch of snow in that storm. But for this one? Not near the panic. It's all driven by how much the media plays it up. As for me, I will be going about my normal errands and activities today- I have a haircut appointment and then need to drive the kids to piano lessons. No biggie. I'll just allow more time to travel.
This blizzard is actually 2 weeks late - the PA Farm Show is over!
I'm in the Upper Ohio Valley, a bit west of you (Pittsburgh area). We got about one inch of snow overnight, then some sort of sleet/freezing rain mix for a few hours that left tiny little ice pellets on our window sills and slicked up all the road surfaces and car windows. Right now - fluffy snowflakes coming down like mad.
One time however, a woman wouldn't let my ex make a call from her phone. Our car had konked out in a drift, right in front of her house. The roads had become impassable.
Some dude in a Suburban finally came along and drove us the short distance to our house.
Looking back... I could understand her hesitation to let us use her phone... but it WAS a bad situation for us. Go figure.
We were way over in Indiana looking for a house in Martinsville and found a guy with full-scale Llamas. Funny looking barn.
If they'd let me, I'd have a couple of alpacas, and some gunacos wondering around the HOA commons.
I just hate this stuff. It must have gotten to 80 degrees yesterday where I live in Palestine, Texas. Send me some of that weather, won't you.
lol! I guess everything is out sourced nowadays. ;-) Thanks for your answer.
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