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 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.
Some of those tonsorial appliances could not be less subtle if they had a chin strap.
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.
Real temp, got down to -13.8 here at 1300' in the NW hills. Coldest I have seen in 7 yrs.
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
The very first flakes have arrived in Southeastern CT!
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.........
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 ; )
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.
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.
Uh, going for a new entry in the Freeper lexicon, are we???
Oooooo. Exploding snow! :)
good webcam of the points around Washington DC
http://www.trafficland.com/findacam/trafficvideo.php?uid=0&map=3
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.
Bump for further developments.
ping
Thanks..I was just going to ping him!
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