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NORTHEAST BLIZZARD - Live Thread - January 22-23 2005

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!


TOPICS: Announcements; US: Maine; Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: blizzard; umeanweesagonnadie; weather
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To: tom paine 2

Honestly hate to give advice like that (but I'll do it anyway). The airport as reported on WJAR 2 minutes ago is closed till later this afternoon. Last time this happened it took at least 24 hours to clean up the backlog of flights.


841 posted on 01/23/2005 5:00:21 AM PST by ProudVet77 (Survivor (?) of the great blizzard of aught five)
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To: ProudVet77

Wow! Looks like the worst is yet to come.

I can't remember the last time I've read winter storm info like this.

Stay safe folks!

...BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EST THIS EVENING...

AN EXTREME SITUATION IS OCCURRING IN EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS. FOUR INCHES OF SNOW HAS BEEN REPORTED IN 25 MINUTES AT CHELMSFORD MASSACHUSETTS AS THE LAST EXCESSIVE BAND OF POWDERY SNOW SWINGSSOUTHWARD. THE NORTH SHORE IS BEING BLITZED BY SNOWFALL RATES OF ALMOST 8 INCHES
PER HOUR. IT MAY LAST ONLY AN HOUR OR TWO BUT ITS PROBABLY A COMPLETE SHORT TERM PARALYZER.

IT WILL ARRIVE IN BOSTON BETWEEN 830 AND 930 M...CONTINUING THERE UNTIL AT LEAST 11 AM. IT WILL ARRIVE ON THE SOUTH SHORE DURINGMIDDAY. FINAL BLIZZARD TOTALS FOR MOST OF EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS WILL RANGE BETWEEN 28 AND 38 INCHES SETTING A NEW SINGLE STORM RECORD FOR BOSTON...SURPASSING THE AMOUNT FROM THE GREAT BLIZZARD OF 78 AND THE
PRESIDENTS DAY STORM OF 2003.

ISOLATED TOTALS OF 40 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE. VULNERABLE LOCATIONS FOR NEARLY 40 INCH STORM TOTALS ARE ESSEX...MIDDLESEX...PLYMOUTH...NORFOLK AND BARNSTABLE COUNTIES IN MASSACHUSETTS.

EVEN IF THIS STORM COMES UP SLIGHTLY SHORT OF RECORD...IT IS A DANGEROUS STORM WITH THE WORST OCCURRING NOW INTO EARLY THIS AFTERNOON AS WINDS STRENGTHEN AND TEMPERATURES FALL TO NEAR 10 ABOVE. NANTUCKET MAY END UP WITH ONLY 12 TO 22 INCHES...BUT BLIZZARD CONDITIONS WILL DESCEND ON THAT ISLAND BY LATER THIS MORNING OR THISAFTERNOON.
NORTHERLY WINDS WILL BE GUSTING AROUND 75 OR 80 MPH ON BARNSTABLE AND NANTUCKET COUNTIES. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS LIFE THREATENING STORM BECAUSE OF SEVERE BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF THE NEWLY FALLEN SNOW AND TUMBLING TEMPERATURES.

SCATTERED POWER OUTAGES HAVE OCCURRED THIS MORNING AS WINDS ALL ALONG THE COAST GUST BETWEEN 55 AND 65 MPH ON BOSTONS NORTH AND SOUTH SHORES AND EVEN ON NARRAGANSETT BAY. A 78 MPH WIND GUST WAS REPORTED IN EAST FALMOUTH BY A SPOTTER. PROVIDENCE REPORTED A 60 MPH WIND GUST AT 722 AM. PLYMOUTH HAS REPORTED 58 MPH WITH 67 MPH AT PROVINCETOWN...ALL SINCE 7AM.

THERE HAS BEEN ISOLATED DAMAGE REPORTED TO THE NATIONAL WEATHERSERVICE.

POWER OUTAGES MAY BECOME WIDESPREAD THIS AFTERNOON ON THE CAPE AND NANTUCKET WHEN THE BRUNT OF WIND HITS HERE...AGAIN...BETWEEN 75 AND 80 MPH. THATS HURRICANE FORCE!

DRIFTS OF AT LEAST 6 FEET ARE OCCURRING. OVER CAPE COD...NANTUCKET AND MARTHAS VINEYARD...THE SNOW HAS BEEN
OF A WETTER CONSISTENCY EARLY TODAY AND THERE HAS BEEN SOME RAIN ON NANTUCKET. THIS RAISES THE ANTE FOR POWER OUTAGES IN EXTREME SOUTHEAST NEW ENGLAND WITH THE SNOW CLINGING TO WIRES AND BRANCHES. ALL THE HEAVY SNOW WILL TAPER TO SNOW SHOWERS LATER THIS AFTERNOON OR EVENING...BUT CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND DRIFTING WILL PERSIST INTO LATE THIS EVENING ACROSS EXPOSED AREAS.

THERE IS A CHANCE OF BLIZZARD CONDITIONS CONTINUING ON PARTS OF CAPE COD INTO EARLY TONIGHT AS HEAVY SNOW SQUALLS POUND PARTS OF THE CAPE.


842 posted on 01/23/2005 5:01:38 AM PST by Milwaukee_Guy (Don't hit them between the eyes. Hit them right -in- the eyes!)
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To: Milwaukee_Guy
"FOUR INCHES OF SNOW HAS BEEN REPORTED IN 25 MINUTES AT CHELMSFORD MASSACHUSETTS"
I can see that out my window right now. It's piling up fast! Sam lives in Chelmsford, I'm about 10 miles south of there.
843 posted on 01/23/2005 5:04:19 AM PST by ProudVet77 (Survivor (?) of the great blizzard of aught five)
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To: kittymyrib

I'll be outside later taking a bunch more pics, and I'll freepmail their address to you, if you like...


844 posted on 01/23/2005 5:04:48 AM PST by bikepacker67 ("This is the best election night in history." -- DNC chairman Terry McAuliffe 11/2/04 8pm)
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To: Milwaukee_Guy
Man-O-Man!

Can you imagine... if the Jets weren't such chokers, Foxboro would be hosting the AFC Championship - and it would likely have been CANCELLED!

845 posted on 01/23/2005 5:07:46 AM PST by bikepacker67 ("This is the best election night in history." -- DNC chairman Terry McAuliffe 11/2/04 8pm)
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To: bikepacker67

Not a chance. Foxboro would never cancel!!


846 posted on 01/23/2005 5:10:02 AM PST by ProudVet77 (Survivor (?) of the great blizzard of aught five)
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To: bikepacker67
Image #1

Image #2

Image #3

Image #4

Image #5

Pics from NorthEastern IL, the snow stopped about 4pm yesterday afternoon. Lake effect snow bands came in from noon Sat with snow awesome whiteout conditions. Winds gusting to 35 mph, whipped the dry powder all over my nice cleaned out driveway and sidewalk... 7 degrees this morning but SUNNY and bright! You guys take care out there, stay off the streets! G

847 posted on 01/23/2005 5:11:10 AM PST by GRRRRR (Somehow, this country must eradicate the stupid.)
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To: GRRRRR
SE Mass here. (6 NM 315 mag 1B9) Barometer 29.05, some pretty good wind gusts~50 or so.

Snow is over the tops of the tires of my white Taurus, which is becoming invisible.

As long as the power stays on I don't care. However, for a Road-Runner scenario..I have...haha..an electric snowblower.

848 posted on 01/23/2005 5:16:47 AM PST by Gorzaloon
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To: GRRRRR; All
Having gone through bootcamp at GLakes in the winter that pic is almost balmy. :)
All - You might want to consider a prayer for the fishermen that are out in the storm. They had an interview with someone on the USCG Cutter Escanaba, which is on station 10 miles west of Provincetown MA, and they reported 70 fishing boats out there right now. Seas 12 feet, winds 36kts steady, gusts at better than 50kts.
849 posted on 01/23/2005 5:17:43 AM PST by ProudVet77 (Survivor (?) of the great blizzard of aught five)
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To: SamAdams76; All
Shalom!

Good Morning Everybody,

Vell...The Snow is here, however, Not as Bad as it was in 1996....Yet!

Will have to wait and see.

Just sitting here Thanking GOD that we have a warm house to live in, food to eat and that we are Safe.

PRAYING FOR ALL: State Troopers, Police, Firemen, EMS and Rescue workers, Hospital Staff; Federal, State and Local government officials, Utility workers, Bus, Train and Truck Drivers and also for those who are Plowing and Digging us out.

GOD BLESS AND KEEP THEM ALL.

Amen ~ and ~ Amen.

850 posted on 01/23/2005 5:20:00 AM PST by Simcha7 ((The Plumb - Line has been Drawn, T'shuvah/Return for The Kingdom of HaShem is at hand!))
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To: ProudVet77
I have never seen it snowing so hard before and there are unofficial reports of it snowing EIGHT inches in an hour in these parts! The roof for my garage is below the window on my second floor computer room and my window is now half covered with snow. There has to be four solid feet of drifted snow on that roof right now. If it wasn't so light and fluffy, I'd be concerned about the weight of it but I think much of it will blow off as the winds shift later today.

The air temperature is 7 degrees (never got above 10 degrees during the duration of the storm) after being -11 yesterday morning (before the storm hit). This is the coldest snowstorm I can remember. So the snow out there is not conducive to making snowmen and it will be difficult to shovel because it is so light, it will blow right back in your face when you pick it up.

In a couple of hours, I am going to try to get out there to shovel it. I'd like to have most of my shoveling done before the football games start!

851 posted on 01/23/2005 5:21:51 AM PST by SamAdams76 (iPod Shuffle Is A Gateway Drug)
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To: bikepacker67
Checkin' in from Cape Cod. Started about 4:30 pm yesterday in the form of light snow showers and by 8:00pm it was coming down sideways. Right now temp is 28 degrees and it's blowing so hard that it is impossible to tell if it's snowing or just blowing. They say we have between 15 and 22" so far here on the Cape and it's supposed to continue through the entire day and into tonight not ending until tomorrow morning sometime.

I'm 62 years old and lived in the northeast my entire life and have never seen anything like this. I only barely remember the blizzard of 1948 (maybe 1947) when we had about 36" of snow.

My German Shepherd who loves the snow and can't wait to roll around in it and put her nose down and just run, she looks like a plow. Anyway I opened the garage door this a.m. to let her out and she put her ears down and didn't know quite what to do. I had to go out with her to get her leave the garage.
852 posted on 01/23/2005 5:22:44 AM PST by JoeV1 (The Democrats-The unlawful and corrupt leading the uneducated and blind)
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To: ProudVet77

Will do ProudVet, I worked on a snapper boat when I was a teenager in FLA one summer. We got hit by a nasty nasty storm off shore. By the time we were done, we ran out of fuel and had to be towed by the CG back into port. I never realized how scared I could be and when that CG boat showed up how thankful I could be!

G


853 posted on 01/23/2005 5:25:08 AM PST by GRRRRR (Somehow, this country must eradicate the stupid.)
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To: brooklin

About 3 inches here too and +1 F. Its snowing but not very hard as the snow is fine, though it does seem to be picking up as is the wind. Not much of a "blizzard", at least not yet.

Game starts at 6:30 PM. In the meantime, since church was cancelled, its a day for hot coffe or tea and a good book. I can't decide between a new book on King Philip's War or a collection of sremons of Jonathan Edwards called "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"! :)

Stay dry down there. No day to find yourself with a lee shore!


854 posted on 01/23/2005 5:26:00 AM PST by Kolokotronis (Nuke the Cube!)
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To: SamAdams76
Visibility is so bad that I can barely see across the street. Near total whiteout

Just about the same here. I opened the garage door to find 3 to 5 foot drifts in the driveway and piles of snow in front of the house up to more than 8 feet tall.

Anecdote: The plow drivers always come thru and leave a big berm of snow in front of the driveway so I had a camera on a tripod in the garage when he came through this morning. For the first time ever and for some strange reason, he cleaned it out.

855 posted on 01/23/2005 5:29:21 AM PST by pt17
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To: ProudVet77

What we have here is a winter hurricane.


856 posted on 01/23/2005 5:30:10 AM PST by JoeV1 (The Democrats-The unlawful and corrupt leading the uneducated and blind)
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To: GRRRRR

Northeastern IL? I lived in Mundelein about 30 years ago. I remember one winter day when the HIGH temp was 3 below, we had 50-60 mph gusts and I swear I heard thunder.


857 posted on 01/23/2005 5:36:47 AM PST by muir_redwoods
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To: ProudVet77
"FOUR INCHES OF SNOW HAS BEEN REPORTED IN 25 MINUTES AT CHELMSFORD MASSACHUSETTS" I can see that out my window right now. It's piling up fast! Sam lives in Chelmsford, I'm about 10 miles south of there.

Yikes!

Let me offer a few tips I learned while participating as an amateur radio operator during a Blizzard Net here in Milwaukee a few years ago,

- Go outside only to keep snow drifts off of your natural gas meter. Little known is that there is a small round vent which usually has a wire screen in the opening. If this gets clogged with snow you may lose your gas furnace.

- High winds can blow out older pilot lights in your furnace. Do -not- crack any windows in your basement for ventilation. This can create a downward draft in your chimney which will blow out your furnace.

- Power failures are likely. I would run my thermostat up to about 80F in anticipation of that. May buy you some time until service is restored.

- Collect water now in case outages effect your water treatment facility. Water quality or supply may be effected. Not a good time to get sick from contaminated water supplies.

- Get your emergency supplies organized now.

- In the case of an extended outage consider a small "safe room". In a worst case scenario with all services knocked out, you need a small room to shelter in and retain heat.

- No open fires period. Keep a fire extinguisher handy.


Keep us posted and thanks for the updates.

Best of Luck!
858 posted on 01/23/2005 5:39:54 AM PST by Milwaukee_Guy (Don't hit them between the eyes. Hit them right -in- the eyes!)
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To: SamAdams76
Sam, I'm in South Windsor, about 10 miles east of Hartford. There is zero visibility right now, I can't see my own cars in the driveway. It appears that there is about a foot of snow but that's a guess since I can't see anything to gage it by.

Yesterday I made five loaves of whole wheat raisin bread and two pies (worked my way through college as a baker) Today I have a pot of black coffee and 1000's of calories worth of carbohydrates. Breakfast is a leisurely affair (pie is a traditional New England breakfast food)and I also have good intentions about getting plowed out. More later
859 posted on 01/23/2005 5:44:51 AM PST by muir_redwoods
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To: SamAdams76

Cranston, RI here - reporting in with close to a foot of snow, with drifts of a foot and a half - two feet.

Still snowing lightly, but with a wicked wind. Not too cold though - mid teens.

Roads are passable, but not very well. Having some coffee, preparing for a little "home church" since services were cancelled.

My Grandmother's 75th birthday is today, and we're still going to have her party this afternoon. We've got a lot of money, time, and people invested in the celebration, so it'll most certainly continue as planned. Wish us well.

IOTN


860 posted on 01/23/2005 5:46:32 AM PST by ItsOurTimeNow (Be Thou my wisdom and Thou my true word)
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