Blizzard up and down the East Coast

[spockmaster]

Its coming down hard and fast here, we probably already have at least 3" just since like 4pm. Maybe more. And its continuing all night with hurricane-force winds.

 

[Michchamp]

man... hunker down and stay safe out there.

we're also getting blasted with the cold and wind but at least we avoided any more snow.

 

[turok]

Winter Storm Neptune: Blizzard Warnings in Eight States; Deadly Storm to Bring Heavy Snow, High Winds, Brutal Wind Chills



"Damaging wind gusts in excess of 60 mph are likely over eastern Massachusetts, including Cape Cod, Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard Sunday, especially during the daytime hours. Areas near the immediate coast could see wind gusts to 75 mph. These gusts will likely lead to significant tree damage, power outages and potentially some damage to buildings (broken windows and awnings, shingle loss from roofs cleared of snow, etc."

Holy shit.


The NWS has named this winter storm "Neptune" which I find quite appropriate, given that the planet has the highest wind speeds out of all others.

 

[zyxt9]

Its been bad enough already for Boston, but it seems like what is being projected over the next few days could shut everything down for awhile. The deep freeze is a huge issue when following those record snow falls. So much potential for ice build up. Best wishes to everyone already affected and hopefully it doesn't become a perilous situation.

And the biggest problem could be lack of emergency assistance for those in need. Have to be smart, but also hope everyone else is too because one person's mistake can easily impact many in situations where fire and rescue personnel have limited ability to respond.

 

[kalinecountry]

After a couple of times of clearing off the car last night ending at 11:00PM, this morning I get up to take an early leak at 4:45 and decide to go out and clear around my car. Few inches more, had fallen, the worst of this storm was starting to come down. Within an hour of finishing and going back to the steps leading into the building, three inches had come down in less than the hour. Back out at 9 am and it looked like another 8 or so inches had come down. After clearing the car and around it, the snow plow came for the building, shovel out the plowed snow left in front of the car, and came in a half hour ago. It is just about done. All told another 16 to 18 inches. Big problem now will be the high winds of 50 to 60 mph which will make it feel below zero into Monday morning.

Looking forward to Tuesday into Wednesday a few more inches. NOT.

With this total snow last night and Sunday, the total has climbed to about the third worst winter for snow on record from ninth place before the last 24 hours.

 

[turok]

It hit an air temp of 9 below here this am, but a couple of days ago, one of the local TV meteorologists had predicted an 8 below low, and early the next morning he seemed to be genuinely disappointed that the mercury had as yet failed to dip to even 0. He didn't bother to report what the current temperature was until ~8 o'clock, when it finally dropped to 1 below.

I told my wife that he would probably have an on-air orgasm if or when we set a record low for a date. He was pretty fucking excited to report 20-30 below wind chills for SE MI this morning, although apparently no all-time record was broken.

 

[turok]

IIRC, most grocery stores have only a 3 day inventory before they would begin to run out, this of course most likely w/o public panic purchases due to announced upcoming severe weather alerts, watches, warnings and emergencies.

Most regions of the nation probably cannot withstand repeated natural disasters or near-continuous blizzards and heavy snowstorms w/o a sufficient period of time between them to clean up and plow major arteries and roadways.

I don't know how many more snowstorms and/or blizzards that the Northeast can handle before everything might grind down to nearly a halt or standstill, but once almost every week? Where to put or plow the additional snow and ever-higher mounds. piles, and wind-blown drifts? I've read where minor roads and especially residential streets are narrow b/c of many dating back to colonial days.

When I lived in the city of Detroit back in the 60s-70s, our residential streets were never plowed, no matter how deep the snow accumulation became over a winter. This meant that "two-tracks" of ruts were made in the streets, and when two vehicles were traveling in opposite directions, you got one rut for the driver's side, and the other you HOPED would not cause your vehicle to slide into a parked car or get stuck.

There is another major problem on the West Coast with imports from overseas shipping which is predicted to cost thousands of jobs and 2B a day dinging the US economy. This could negatively affect the NE more than anywhere else, considering trucking distances across the entire US mainland and of course their ongoing inclement weather that so far hasn't shown much if any signs of letting up or thawing out anytime soon.

 

[kalinecountry]

IIRC, most grocery stores have only a 3 day inventory before they would begin to run out, this of course most likely w/o public panic purchases due to announced upcoming severe weather alerts, watches, warnings and emergencies.

Most regions of the nation probably cannot withstand repeated natural disasters or near-continuous blizzards and heavy snowstorms w/o a sufficient period of time between them to clean up and plow major arteries and roadways.

I don't know how many more snowstorms and/or blizzards that the Northeast can handle before everything might grind down to nearly a halt or standstill, but once almost every week? Where to put or plow the additional snow and ever-higher mounds. piles, and wind-blown drifts? I've read where minor roads and especially residential streets are narrow b/c of many dating back to colonial days.

When I lived in the city of Detroit back in the 60s-70s, our residential streets were never plowed, no matter how deep the snow accumulation became over a winter. This meant that "two-tracks" of ruts were made in the streets, and when two vehicles were traveling in opposite directions, you got one rut for the driver's side, and the other you HOPED would not cause your vehicle to slide into a parked car or get stuck.

There is another major problem on the West Coast with imports from overseas shipping which is predicted to cost thousands of jobs and 2B a day dinging the US economy. This could negatively affect the NE more than anywhere else, considering trucking distances across the entire US mainland and of course their ongoing inclement weather that so far hasn't shown much if any signs of letting up or thawing out anytime soon.

Doug, what I've been doing in regards to food shopping is stock up and also with the meteorologist able to forecast the when, where, what time, how much, I go a couple of days before the storms, usually early mornings and it's been lining up on my days off from the part time gig. But then too, many others have the same idea. It's been said people buy a weeks worth of food, and 2 months worth of toilet paper. For the last 25 days, it's been a major storm/blizzard 4 of them, and several smaller snow storms.

This is the reason for that ban on driving initially, to clear the major highways and roads, and also parking bans in many cities and towns. Main roads are fine now, It's the side streets in residential areas that have that one lane or one and a half lanes. It's awful and dangerous the plows don't plow and widen streets to the curbs. There are small streets to begin with around here. Where I visited an old friend in Dearborn years ago, the street his family lived on had to be 2 to 3 times as wide as where we lived next door to each other here.

People who depend on the MBTA are once again without service. The trains are old and breaking down.

 

[kalinecountry]

Several days later it's like the movie Groundhog Day. It's snowed all but 3/4 days this month. Average temperature is about 18 degrees. At this rate it will be only the second February the average temp was below 20, last time was 1934.

The artic air many of you in Michigan and other states have experienced is here. More snow this weekend, but on Sunday for the first day in ages it will be above 32 degrees and push 40. Snow will turn to rain and that is when it gets more dangerous. Many flat roofs for businesses, schools, etc. have collapsed, and with the rain added to the several feet of snow on homes and other flat roofs, there is lots of anxiety of alot of house roofs crashing through.

They were saying the snow weighs 7 pounds per cubic foot, with the rain it will be 21 pounds per cubic foot.

Residential streets are still one lane.

 

[Thumb]

Generally speaking, we have hardly had any snow here at all this winter. I plowed my driveway just the one time, the rest was just light touchups with the snowthrower. Until about Valentines day it was one of the mildest winters I have seen, then we started getting the winds and arctic blasts, this morning (Friday) at 6am the temp outside was reading -22, and the high for Friday was like 12. School has been closed all week for wind chill warnings (and Presidents Day on Monday).

Seems hard to believe baseball starts in just over 4 weeks.

 

[kalinecountry]

Well a week later and this month is coming to a close.
Set an all-time record for snow in 'any' month since records were kept. About 70 inches.
This 2014/2015 winter is the second highest amount of snow for any winter season, and is just about 5 inches less than that 1995/1996 winter where it snowed regularly every 2/3/4 days iirc from late November to the end of March, when we got a surprise April Fools day blizzard.
This month was also the second coldest on record and just the second February the average temp was less than 20 degrees. it averaged about 18.5 degrees. February 1934 was the coldest at about 17.5 degrees average each day.

Looks like those of you in Michigan and/or metro Detroit have had a frigid February too.
http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2015/02/23/february-could-top-weather-record-as-coldest-month/

.....and Sunday night we are expecting anywhere from 3 to 6 inches more.

The past couple of days watching the national weather it is unbelievable that snow storms and ice are all the way down to Texas and across the most southern states Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, the Florida panhandle, and up through Georgia and the Carolinas.
These states just don't have the equipment; the salt, or the manpower.

Hope all who read are safe and like me, can't wait for warmer temps and gradual melting of snow.

 

[elrod817]

Glad you've made it through KC, better days are ahead. Aside from the cold we've been relatively unscathed with every storm just missing us or only dropping a few inches at most, including today's storm. It's snowing steady now, but is supposed to switch over to freezing rain and then plain rain. We did have the second coldest February on record and the coldest month in just over 21 years.

I really enjoy each season and find beauty in each of them, but a winter that is as bitterly cold as this one was with no snow isn't that enjoyable to me. I wish I could have taken some of your snow from you and evened things out a bit. I'm sure you and all the others buried under it, would've gladly accepted that offer! We're supposed to hit 50 on Wednesday, hopefully you'll be seeing those temps too!

I second you in hopes that all are safe, Spring is just around the corner...

 

[kalinecountry]

Glad you've made it through KC, better days are ahead. Aside from the cold we've been relatively unscathed with every storm just missing us or only dropping a few inches at most, including today's storm. It's snowing steady now, but is supposed to switch over to freezing rain and then plain rain. We did have the second coldest February on record and the coldest month in just over 21 years.

I really enjoy each season and find beauty in each of them, but a winter that is as bitterly cold as this one was with no snow isn't that enjoyable to me. I wish I could have taken some of your snow from you and evened things out a bit. I'm sure you and all the others buried under it, would've gladly accepted that offer! We're supposed to hit 50 on Wednesday, hopefully you'll be seeing those temps too!

I second you in hopes that all are safe, Spring is just around the corner...

Thanks elrod. Better days are on their way. The snow falls are less each time now. last night and again mid week Wednesday as we get closer inch by inch to the record.
We've had winters like yours just getting the fringe amounts as the snow would go further north to newhampshire or west to worcester, or east into the Atlantic. Warmer temps are also due mid week to the weekend. Days are getting longer, and Spring Training with our Tigers in Lakeland, Florida hopefully means by the end of March most all of it will melt.

 

[zyxt9]

How well did you guys make out yesterday? In NYC area some places got 9+ inches. I was already feeling bad enough for you guys in Boston area, but the constant shoveling from yesterday really made me feel for ya even more. Like Champ, I shovel out not only my own house but neighbors, some elderly, some who just nice and we help each other out with stuff like that. I was home, so just did a circle jerk of 6 homes as by the time I'd finish it was time to start the next round. I don't like to wait for it to be done snowing, gets too heavy and tiring that way, especially wet snow.

Thankfully it looks like the year is pretty much done at this point. Next week highs are in the 40s all week, finally will have a chance to have clean roads again!!! Hopefully we won't have another major snow storm until next year.

 

[kalinecountry]

How well did you guys make out yesterday? In NYC area some places got 9+ inches. I was already feeling bad enough for you guys in Boston area, but the constant shoveling from yesterday really made me feel for ya even more. Like Champ, I shovel out not only my own house but neighbors, some elderly, some who just nice and we help each other out with stuff like that. I was home, so just did a circle jerk of 6 homes as by the time I'd finish it was time to start the next round. I don't like to wait for it to be done snowing, gets too heavy and tiring that way, especially wet snow.

Thankfully it looks like the year is pretty much done at this point. Next week highs are in the 40s all week, finally will have a chance to have clean roads again!!! Hopefully we won't have another major snow storm until next year.

We were supposed to get several inches on Thursday, but the snowline moved further down towards the Cape which got 6 inches plus.
Yesterday and today, have been warmer with near normal temps for March. Next week, the temps will bein the 40's with Wednesday possibly seeing 50. This is good, warmer and sunny, but so much melting of snow and ice is probably going to cause problems on roofs and water in houses. Anyone dealing with that, I hope all can be saved, repaired, and covered by your insurance.

 

[spockmaster]

There's going to be so much flooding.

 

[zyxt9]

Yeah, not only is the temp causing major melting, add some rain to it!

 

[kalinecountry]

After a week of melting, Boston officially surpassed those 107.6 inches recorded during the Winter of 1995-1996. About 3 inches tonight brought the total to 108.6
The city has received more snow during this 2014-2015 season than any since 1872.

 

[spockmaster]

Wow, you got 3"? It barely flurried here.

 

[zyxt9]

After a week of melting, Boston officially surpassed those 107.6 inches recorded during the Winter of 1995-1996. About 3 inches tonight brought the total to 108.6
The city has received more snow during this 2014-2015 season than any since 1872.

Well shit, if it was merely 2 inches to the record, glad to see you got it. Getting the record fills you with a bit of pride, raises your head a bit higher, and being 2 inches short is never a good thing. ;P

Glad you survived it KC!