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!
The drifts are so high that our back deck is invisible. About 3 or 4 feet in front of the house we can see pavement but it's blowing like crazy. I'm reporting from Scituate.
Howdy neighbor - I'm in the next town over, right off of 115.
Heading up your way to Rte 101 later this afternoon.
Stay warm!
OMG I can't believe the storm started up again. *LOL* I jinxed it!
Light snow here. About 5-7" accumulation overnight. Street is plowed. Snow still coming down light, windy, and cold (5 degrees F). Mighty dangerous out there. (Windham - just north of Portland, Maine)
Looks like 12-14" here in York, PA, and the 35-40mph winds are really making the powdery stuff drift.
Only 10°F out there, with wind chills around -18°F; sure feels colder than that.
I'll be leaving before 12noon, to pick up an employee who'll help me get the 20ac garden center & nursery complex dug out. My GC&N equipment can easily handle this mess, but it's going to be the brutal cold which will take its toll on us as the day wears on.
An update for you - just heard on TV that Logan has going to be closed for the whole day. The can't even plow because of zero visibility. Most airlines have cancelled all flights.
I wokd up to a blizzard *lol* Maybe it heard me and felt insulted hehehe.
Our guys were in Chelmsford yesterday morning for a wrestling meet, Sam. Last outing! We got about 18 inches overnight, and it's still coming hard. Still that fine silvery stuff, no big humongo flakes, though I guess at some point that might happen, too. Thank heavens our dog is big.
Madam, you have no idea how much trouble I get into, here on FreeRepublic, when I am respectful towards ladies.
Elle Bee you are cruel to show Bill Clinton Basking in the Sun, when we have patriots freezing in the Northeast. :-)
Sam, Looks like we are close to being over the worse. Heavy snow should be over in our area by 10:30 or so. The good news is Boston is going to get blasted for quite a while, so we may have a record.
The winds have shifted to the north starting around 5 Am. This will save Scituate from flooding. If it had stayed NE we would be flooded downtown.(and probably Fosters)
The wave height at the bf buoy NE of the harbor was 28 feet,at 7 AM, it is down to 24 feet now.
8 AM buoy report: wind steady 43kts gusts to 52 kts. Water temp 39 degrees. - Tom
That will make my husband feel a little better.
Can't remember snow like this since I was a kid on L.I. The drift outside our back door will probably melt by June.
Bayville has a flood warning. The snow is pretty bad right now IMHO.
Bayville, Long Island?
Frank, as an Oklahoma State fan, I have to say that your politness always was the most annoying thing about you.
I just called my son who in the Perfect Storm had 2 feet of water in the house. No signs of water at his house. as of 9:55 AM.
Still we got a few mre hours of pounding.
Nowcast as of 9:14 am EST on January 23, 2005 Now
Widespread coastal flooding is expected along eastern Massachusetts shore roads until at least noon. Due to snow and ice chunks blocking drains...some shore roads may remain flooded well into the afternoon. Reports of coastal flooding have been received from Marshfield and Hull. As of 9 am...Atlantic Avenue in Hull was reported to be under 3 to 4 feet of water...and water was reported to be 2 feet deep at some spots in the Brant Rock section of Marshfield.
In addition to flooding of roadways...waves of 25 to 35 feet just offshore will bring dangerously large breakers to the shoreline...and likely result in damage to some vulnerable structures. High tide occurs around 10 am along most of east coastal Massachusetts...except around 11 am on Nantucket.
Communities expected to experience coastal flooding include Revere... Winthrop...Boston...Quincy...Hull...Scituate...Marshfield... Duxbury...Plymouth...Chatham and Nantucket. Heavy snow and wind gusts approaching hurricane force will cause blizzard conditions at times through this morning along the coast.
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Mike Seidel (Weather Channel) is on now reporting in from the stadium at Philadelphia. He says they are almost done clearing the snow and that the first tailgaters have started to arrive.
I hope the guys clearing that snow get some rest today and those tailgaters have lots of warm food. It's going to be a long day.
Weather Channel also reporting that Logan Airport is closed with 19 inches of snow. I hope you guys up north stay warm and dry.
We lived right up the street from Atlantic Ave. in Hull. I remember the Halloween storm where the ocean swept right over Rocky Beach toward Forest Ave. It was just amazing.
The wind has really picked up and we're just hoping we don't lose our power.
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