NORTHEAST BLIZZARD - Live Thread - January 22-23 2005

[lepton]

Actually, there are a lot of chemical additives that you can add to rock salt to bring down it's operating temperatures.

It's purely related to the number of ions the salt breaks down into, so yes, using a salt other than sodium chloride can have some additional effect. Only a few salts are economically feasible without being significantly worse environmentally than NaCl, so they are usually used for sidewalks where the bulk cost isn't relatively important.

[Petronski]

Weekday "anchors" are being rolled out of bed early this Saturday morning as they throw on their hairpieces and head to the studios...

Some of those tonsorial appliances could not be less subtle if they had a chin strap.

[The Coopster]

I was surprised - the additive only raised our bulk price by about .80/ton.

Granted, that adds up over time, but the profit margin of salting more than makes up for it. And the performance increase was pretty impressive.

[N8VTXNinWV]

It's been snowing since about 9:00 am here in Southern West Virginia. We get little flakes then big honkin' flakes... I think we're supposed to get 1-3 inches today with an additionaly 2-4 tonight, more tomorrow. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

[nwctwx]

Real temp, got down to -13.8 here at 1300' in the NW hills. Coldest I have seen in 7 yrs.

[nwctwx]

We typically get small flakes up here, we don't have as much mixing problem as you. This arctic airmass will go a long way towards inflating snow totals. The cold is deep and not going anywhere, 1" liquid could be 20" snow in some places... pretty amazing stuff.

The coastal low is starting to get it's act together now, the fun is about to begin!!

http://www.easternuswx.com/bb/index.php?showtopic=16995

[CTGOPPER]

The very first flakes have arrived in Southeastern CT!

[Born in a Rage]

Then tomorrow (Sunday), we can sleep late and take our time shoveling out.

Easy for you to say...my kid has a paper route. I have no idea how he'll be able to deliver the morning paper. Hope his customers realize he can't deliver in a blizzard.........

[mabelkitty]

We have about 8" so far...nothing to write home about.
Lake Erie didn't freeze over yet, so we could get an actual storm out of this.

This is nothing compared to the freezing rain, sleet, ice pellets, and other garbage we've had to deal with so far this year. I am expecting a plague of locusts to us in the snowbelt before it's all over ; )

[don-o]

My water pipes are frozen solid. :(

After a couple rounds of that here in upper East Tenn (in an old house with old plumbing and drafts) I did the math and decided that an extra $20 on the water bill was a deal.

Only comes into play when the wind gets up and the chill is below zero - maybe twice a winter.

Only problem is the absent minded Mrs don-o who turns off the trickle - so I have to constantly check until she finally is asleep.

[lepton]

It amazes me how on the one hand people get ready to be snowed in for weeks and on the other hand they have enough gas to cross 5 states.

I remember getting caught at work in a big snowstorm, and traffic dropped to about 5mph on the highway. It eventually stopped in many places because people ran out of gas.

[don-o]

Batting down the hatchets

Uh, going for a new entry in the Freeper lexicon, are we???

[Petronski]

It's going to be a great game, no matter what happens, Sam, but the Pittsburgh snowfall is probably going to top off at 6-8 inches...not TOO big a deal. The real weather drama tomorrow will be in the early game. When the storm hits the ocean, snow production is supposed to explode. Philly can expect a pounding, so they say.

[lepton]

Oooooo. Exploding snow! :)

[HighWheeler]

good webcam of the points around Washington DC

http://www.trafficland.com/findacam/trafficvideo.php?uid=0&map=3

[Radix]

LOL!

Actually the pipes were accesable via the attic because the type of home style was unique to this area and is called a (I think) Front to back split. The Bathroom is upstairs and the other side of the wall is attic space.

That sounds funny though when I think about it.

[mabelkitty]

I have always surmised that weather "forecasters" also diminish and understate bad weather when events such as rib cook-offs or community festivals are taking place.

[JennysCool]

Bump for further developments.

[cyborg]

ping

[MEG33]

Thanks..I was just going to ping him!