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!
"...snow underground" - make that "snow on the ground" - it's early for me!
I'm in central NJ (Trenton forecast). We're only expected to get about 6-10 inches, and winds are predicted to be about 10 mph.
Frankly, I'm annoyed! I -love- a good blizzard. Philly's supposed to get 18 inches, NY is getting 2 feet, and smack in the middle of 'em we're gonna get a freakin' lousy 6 inches of snow? Grrrrrr! I can't tell you how often that happens here.
Qwinn
Also...especialy if it's a heavy snow..you're gonna see a lot of roofs collapsing..
Blizzard of '78. I had the fun of driving around Brockton, MA about a week after it hit. Tons of snow still blocking line of site at intersections. Folks jumping out of the 2d and 3d floor windows of the barracks at Ft Devens to snow only a few feet below their windows.
And then I got to enjoy the full effect of the Blizzard of '79 i Washington.
Ah, yes. And global cooling was all the rage at the time.
Its 7:45 and 0 here in the mountains of northern columbia county PA.Looks like Ill need my old dodge 4 wheeler.
I'm considering moving to Portland, ME - good to know there's one other conservative that lives there.
Link to Mount Holly, NJ Long Range Base Refectivity -- http://weather.noaa.gov/radar/latest/DS.p20-r/si.kdix.shtml
No plowing has been done yet, but you can still get down the road, albeit very carefully. I just returned from trying to go to the grocery store - I got about halfway there and concluded there was a pretty good chance I'd get stuck, so I turned around and came home. There was nothing we really needed, but the missus had a hankering for shredded wheat; well, she's just going to have to settle for oatmeal this morning ;)
I'll go shovel again in a couple of hours, then one more time this evening; that ought to about do it. Other than that, I'm going to enjoy a nice quiet day inside with my honey with plenty to read, good food, and very few worries.
Both games will NOW be worth watching!
All bets off?
Thanks, for the reply tscislaw.
Wow!
If you know Buffalo, You know snow!!!!!
If it is too cold to look out the window, then you can come here and find out what is happening out doors.
Stay warm and be safe.
If I have sunshine again, I will not gloat, I promise.
I'm up in Waukegan, about a mile off the lakefront...we got plenty and it's beautiful! Our neighborhood has lots of trees hanging over the streets and they make a wonderful arch with the snow falling...I'll get some pics when it's more daylight.
G
Looks like a COLD Pats-Steelers game tomorrow with lots of snowbanks on the sidelines. I wonder how they plan to get all that snow out of those seats in time for the game? Last year, a snowstorm hit just before a Pats-Dolphins game and the fans had to literally shovel their own seats out! I remember a radio announcement telling fans to bring their own shovels to the stadium!
It got to -6 and it's now -4 and we have no water. Frozen pipes? I'm in the NY, NJ, PA area. Live close to where all 3 states meet in the Delaware River.
Both outdoor stadiums. They seem to build indoor stadiums where they need them the least. Houston, New Orleans, etc.
Feeling for you down in Texas.
Dallas
Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed
53 40 56 65 66
21 27 41 43 42
I'd also bring some of those Thermal Care thingies to heat assorted portions of my anatomy :)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.