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!
Hard to believe that's that much of a temperature difference just a couple of hundred miles away. We're freezing our butts off up here today. It's 25 degrees with a 10 degrees wind chill, and the wind is blowing like crazy. Thankfully, no snow though.
Central Illinois missed the 'big dump' but has blowing snow with a report of a jack-knifed semi closing westbound I-80 a few minutes ago on the scanner.
A_R
Owl, I'm in central Jersey. Weather Channel has 10-15 for today, 10-15 for tonight and then 3-5 for tomorrow. I'm thinking we may need to bump up the pace of our shoveling to going out every two hours. Local weather saying lots of accidents on the major highways. Slow down, people! Better yet, stay home.
Home of the World's largest casino
We go there about once every 3 months. The buffet id great, and we only play slots. We go when we can afford to lose what we take, which isn't much. It's a nice nite out, and we don't do much else in the way of entertainment.
Now have one lane open in white out conditions. Mile marker 100. No injuries.
A_R
Cold due here sometime in the next day or two, but nothing compared to what the folks up there are getting.
FNC is almost wall-to-wall weather. BRRRRRR!
I also have 5 loaves of whole wheat raisin bread rising in the kitchen and will get a blueberry pie or two going later. There is something about being snowed in that get's my need for carbohydrates going.
My daughters are all home and nobody needs to go anywhere. It could be fun.
Southern Tier NY. The skeeters around here, out in the rural parts anyway, are the size of Chihuahuas. Really.
The snow's tapering off at the moment. Supposedly we could get up to ten inches this evening. Don't see how. Been out to shovel twice already. It's pretty, though, and quiet :)
Nope, I guess he just likes to share them with all the neighbors!
LOL Are you in the Berkshires?? Anywhere near Otis?
My brother lives there.
Well, up here in the hills of northern Morris County, NJ, it's coming down pretty good. We have about 4 inches so far (1500 hours), and I can't wait to use my cherry Craftsman 8HP snow thrower that's been in my garage since the end of October.
We had a pretty good one back in the winter of '68-'69... but being my first year in college... I was quite oblivious to what was going on. Heh."
I remember all of those, in fact I was in MA for the one (actually two right together) in February of '69. It was my first year in college too. I was at Stonehill near the cape. For the blizzard of '78 I lucked out because down here in CT we only got about 20", :).
I lived in Brooklyn til I was 8. My Dad graduated from Brooklyn Tech in the 30's
LOL Are you in the Berkshires?? Anywhere near Otis? My brother lives there.Not that far west. On the Eastern side of the Connecticut River. The little town of Hampden.
[singing]Tech alma mater
Molder of men;
Proudly we stand
To salute you again...
Closer to me then, we are in Hatfield, tiny town lol near Northampton
If you are still familiar with the area, we are buying a home in Old Orchard. We live near Chapel and Kings Hwy now. Where did you live?
I know it well... just south of Yankee Candle ;-)
Channel 10(NBC) in Philly is reporting Phila International Airport is CLOSED....snowing at a rate of 2 inches an hour.
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