Will the Arctic Cold Front Cause Severe Weather and Damage to Crops?

[Astronuc]

Are the salt trucks out? People just don't realize how dangerous this slushy stuff can be.

The plows have been out once. In our area, they've declared a state of emergency, so folks are supposed to stay home. The objective is to prevent accidents and keep the roads clean. The roads are very bad because they are above freezing and the air temp is only 30F. The snow was a heavy wet snow for about 5 hrs, then is turned to a granular, powdery snow or sleet, and now it's back to small flakes, and the snowfall is not as heavy.

They may wait until the snow stops to plow again.

We've got about 8 inches, and about 15 miles north of us, they have 11 inches. Lots of trees are down, and about 85,000 people are without power, which is not fun at night, and without heat.

 

[DoggerDan]

Why is every normal variation in the weather these days a "national state of emergency?"

When I was young, it snowed, we shoveled. It rained and flooded, we sandbagged. We had multiple days above 100, power outages, water outages, thunderstorms, gust fronts, hurricanes, and tornadoes.

When it subsided, we cleaned up and moved on.

A couple of things we did and didn't do: We didn't build on a flood plain, or if we did, we built on stilts. If we built in tornado alley, we had an underground shelter, and didn't put tons of money into the house. In hurricane country, we chopped down any trees which posed a threat to the house, and kept our cars garaged.

We stockpiled water in jugs. Food in cans. We had a gas-powered chainsaw, and a block and tackle for clearing debris. Some of us had a generator, and we'd sometimes gather in one person's house for comfort because they could run A/C. We'd bring food and water as a way of saying "thank you." We'd work at night if the heat during the day was too much.

I recall one summer during a power outage we merely stayed wet in cotton clothing just to beat the daytime heat for three days until power was restored. In the old days, they did the same thing, but simply sweated into their clothing.

Every variation in the weather is normal. It's happened millions of times over the billions of years. Since when did normal become a crisis or a disaster? "Disasters" are normal. If people aren't prepared, it's Darwin's fault.

Back to the question: Since when did normal become a crisis or a disaster? Since media became involved? Since people lost the skill/art of basic human survival? Since people figured out how to scam the government for big bucks to cover what they were too lazy to prevent with a few simple and cost-effective measures ahead of time?

Call me stupid, but when I couldn't afford a tree guy, I watched one for two days then bought a pair of spurs and cut my own. "Sacrilege!" you say. Guess what his training was? He watched a guy for a day or two, and started doing the same.

Have we lost the basic survival skilled called "self-sufficiency?"

What's going on, here?

 

[Borek]

What's going on, here?

Welcome to the 21^st Century.

 

[DoggerDan]

Welcome to the 21^st Century.

So everyone needs their hand held these days?

 

[lisab]

So everyone needs their hand held these days?

Stick with your buddy, and hold hands as you cross the street.

 

[Evo]

Supposed to snow tonight and tomorrow morning.

 

[Astronuc]

Local towns have opened up fields where folks can dump branches, and I saw lots of people hauling branches in pickup trucks and/or on trailers. I even saw branches/trees on power lines - still - after 6 days. And there are still people without power. Most of the snow has melted. I've go a bit of cleaning up to do myself. Two of our trees lost one or more branches.

It's been below freezing the last several nights, but 40s or 50s during the day, and it's supposed to warm up to the 60s during the next couple of days.

 

[turbo]

I finally got my garlic in the ground today. I didn't want to wait any longer in case we got more wild/cold weather. There are still too many leaves on my fruit trees to make pruning them viable (visibility problems), but that has to be done soon, in part to address storm damage and properly balance the trees before winter. Lost branches due to the heavy wet snow.

Central Maine Power sent line-crews to NH to help restore power, and now they are headed to CT to help out there. As of Friday, there were still over 300K customers without power in CT. CMP is volunteering 30 two-man repair trucks with buckets, so that should help.

 

[Astronuc]

I saw an out-of-territory crew in our area this morning. I couldn't tell if they were from out of state, or just a neighboring utility.

There is still a lot of work to do around our area.

 

[dlgoff]

I saw an out-of-territory crew in our area this morning. I couldn't tell if they were from out of state, or just a neighboring utility.

There is still a lot of work to do around our area.

I believe that there was a crew form Kansas City that went there; KCPL.

 

[dlgoff]

It's not cold, but cool enough for rain. YEA! It's been so long since I've heard thunder.

 

[Evo]

It's not cold, but cool enough for rain. YEA! It's been so long since I've heard thunder.

You've got thunder?? No fair, I've just got rain.

Make sure our chicken child, Roger, stays warm and dry.

 

[dlgoff]

You've got thunder?? No fair, I've just got rain.

Make sure our chicken child, Roger, stays warm and dry.

Well, only three of four lightning bolts ... wait, there's another.

I closed Rogers windows, put in a higher wattage bulb, and adjusted the lights timer about a week ago when the temps starting to dipping to freezing. When it starts to get really cold, she'll have a heat lamp and a water heater in her house.

A happy Roger will give us good eggs.

 

[Evo]

Well, only three of four lightning bolts ... wait, there's another.

I closed Rogers windows, put in a higher wattage bulb, and adjusted the lights timer about a week ago when the temps starting to dipping to freezing. When it starts to get really cold, she'll have a heat lamp and a water heater in her house.

A happy Roger will give us good eggs.

:!) You are so good to her!

I can not thank you enough for the delivery of Roger eggs! I have been eating grits and Roger eggs every day. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

 

[dlgoff]

I have been eating grits and Roger eggs every day.

How have you been preparing them? Lately I've been using my steamer and poaching two, covering with salsa and having with wheat toast. YUM

 

[Evo]

How have you been preparing them? Lately I've been using my steamer and poaching two, covering with salsa and having with wheat toast. YUM

Over easy in butter. I wish I had some salsa.

I think I'm going to make a quiche.

I wish I had asked you to include a feather. I've never had a chicken before. I'm pretty excited.

 

[dlgoff]

I wish I had asked you to include a feather. I've never had a chicken before. I'm pretty excited.

I've haven't seen her shed a feather since the encounter with the fox. And since there's no roosters, she's slick and shinny.

BTW. This was a little while ago for Roger and I.

 

[Evo]

I've haven't seen her shed a feather since the encounter with the fox. And since there's no roosters, she's slick and shinny.

BTW. This was a little while ago for Roger and I.

Good grief, hope she's not afraid of thunder!

Looks like that won't get here until 9pm.

 

[Borek]

White roofs in the morning, but they are wet and steaming now.

 

[George Jones]

Wednesday night and yesterday morning, 15 cm (6 inches) of snow fell here. This morning, I had a 25 minute walk at -16 C ( 3 F).

 

[Evo]

Wednesday night and yesterday morning, 15 cm (6 inches) of snow fell here. This morning, I had a 25 minute walk at -16 C ( 3 F).

Brrrrrrr!

 

[turbo]

My truck was all white with frost this morning. In the "heat of the day" we have climbed all the way up to 42 deg.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Sunny and 46 F here. Perfect for raking leaves.

 

[Evo]

Ok, it's going to get up to 70F here today, but with 40-50 MPH winds.

Don - make sure roger is wearing her lead booties if she goes out, don't want her being blown away.

 

[dlgoff]

Ok, it's going to get up to 70F here today, but with 40-50 MPH winds.

Don - make sure roger is wearing her lead booties if she goes out, don't want her being blown away.

Will do. I might get a wind detached feather for you. She did shed a tail feather that I kept but I'm waiting for a nice long red wing feather.

The small wind generator I'm making will be used to provide Roger with some of the comforts of home. This wind is perfect for it's initial test.

 

[Evo]

Will do. I might get a wind detached feather for you. She did shed a tail feather that I kept but I'm waiting for a nice long red wing feather.

The small wind generator I'm making will be used to provide Roger with some of the comforts of home. This wind is perfect for it's initial test.

Oooh, you're wonderful! An electric fireplace (for safety), flat screen tv, music system. I heard mellow music encourages egg laying.

 

[turbo]

We're in line to get 8-12" of snow starting later tonight and into tomorrow. I'm as ready as I can expect to be, given the circumstances, but there is still stuff that I'd like to get done.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

We're expecting snow in Maine down here too, but nothing locally. I know for you the first 3 inches don't count, but it looks like you're in for more than twice that. Did you get that snowblower with the heated cabin?

 

[turbo]

I have a walk-behind snow-blower for the light stuff (maybe 6-10 inches) with no cabin at all, and a tractor with a bucket in case the snow is really deep and/or wet. We can never tell with these early storms.

 

[OCR]

Wednesday night and yesterday morning, 15 cm (6 inches) of snow fell here. This morning, I had a 25 minute walk at -16 C ( 3 F).

Here in eastern Montana, on Thursday night November 17, the low was -2° F ( -18.9° C ).

I didn't have to go for a walk, though... lol

We have about the same amount of snow as you do, also... typical weather for this time of year.Just for some fun information, if anybody would like to reply... what's the lowest temperature you've ever experienced?

It was -52° F ( -46.7° C ) here, for a couple of days... think it was 1986, or there about, I don't remember the month.

OCR

 

[Evo]

Here in eastern Montana, on Thursday night November 17, the low was -2° F ( -18.9° C ).

I didn't have to go for a walk, though... lol

We have about the same amount of snow as you do, also... typical weather for this time of year.


Just for some fun information, if anybody would like to reply... what's the lowest temperature you've ever experienced?

It was -52° F ( -46.7° C ) here, for a couple of days... think it was 1986, or there about, I don't remember the month.




OCR

With wind chill 63F below zero, Upstate, NY. The most uncomfortable was Steamboat Springs, CO. You would inhale through your nose and your nose hair would instantly ice up and crackle.

 

[lisab]

Here in eastern Montana, on Thursday night November 17, the low was -2° F ( -18.9° C ).

I didn't have to go for a walk, though... lol

We have about the same amount of snow as you do, also... typical weather for this time of year.


Just for some fun information, if anybody would like to reply... what's the lowest temperature you've ever experienced?

It was -52° F ( -46.7° C ) here, for a couple of days... think it was 1986, or there about, I don't remember the month.




OCR

Sounds close to what I experienced for several days when I lived in Fairbanks, AK. It was bumping around between -45 and -50 C.

The year after I moved away from Alaska, they had record-breaking cold. The thermometers at Eielson Air Force Base only went to -70 F and I heard they were pegged out. Brrrr, I'm glad I missed it!

 

[Pythagorean]

right when it hit -30 F here, the water heater element burned out and the upstairs registers got airlocked. It happened to be a weekend too. All's well now, though.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

This brings me to mind of the winter of aught five. Well sonny, it was so cold that we emptied out the freezer and got inside to warm up. It was plenty below, but it kept dropping. We had to push the house down the street to jump start the furnace. That's when it really started to get chilly. We went to milk the cows and got ice cream instead. It still fell lower. It was colder than a snowball on a rat's #$@ in hell on a cold day in July when the sun don't shine. But lower it went. Flashers would merely describe themselves. But then it got really cold. I had to button up my vest.

 

[Evo]

This brings me to mind of the winter of aught five. Well sonny, it was so cold that we emptied out the freezer and got inside to warm up. It was plenty below, but it kept dropping. We had to push the house down the street to jump start the furnace. That's when it really started to get chilly. We went to milk the cows and got ice cream instead. It still fell lower. It was colder than a snowball on a rat's #$@ in hell on a cold day in July when the sun don't shine. But lower it went. Flashers would merely describe themselves. But then it got really cold. I had to button up my vest.

 

[turbo]

This brings me to mind of the winter of aught five. Well sonny, it was so cold that we emptied out the freezer and got inside to warm up. It was plenty below, but it kept dropping. We had to push the house down the street to jump start the furnace. That's when it really started to get chilly. We went to milk the cows and got ice cream instead. It still fell lower. It was colder than a snowball on a rat's #$@ in hell on a cold day in July when the sun don't shine. But lower it went. Flashers would merely describe themselves. But then it got really cold. I had to button up my vest.

I hate when that happens.

 

[Andre]

Just for some fun information, if anybody would like to reply... what's the lowest temperature you've ever experienced?

OCR

-63C in Resolute, NWT, Canada in February 1989

The station temperature was a bit higher but we were in a shallow valley, where the coldest air tends to accumulate.

So why be in a valley anyway? because that's where enough snow accumulates to build yourself an igloo. We were practicing arctic survival, hosted by the Canadian Armed Forces.

Actually the thermometer minimum was -60C so we had to estimate the length of the fluid column. So that challenges Mark Twain's hypothesis:

“Cold! If the thermometer had been an inch longer we'd have frozen to death.”

 

[turbo]

We have about 4" on the ground, so it's just starting to actually snow. The breeze is out of the E-NE, so this one could last a while. If the wind was stronger, we could hope for it to move on soon. Not happening.

 

[chaoseverlasting]

Thats such a contrast from where I am at the moment. Its the most unusual feeling being in a temperate city where its still 25-35C outside in NOVEMBER! I almost can't believe it. I recently went back home and brought a load of warm clothes with me, but I don't use them :p

 

[turbo]

Look around you, chaos. What are other people wearing? When I was doing consulting work in south GA, I'd fly into Tallahassee because air-fares to there were very cheap. I'd be dressed in jeans and a T-shirt in winter when I got out of the terminal, and so many of the people around me were wearing sweats and down vests/jackets. When the daytime temps plummet to ~60F there, out comes the winter gear. It's pretty crazy.

 

[turbo]

Duke and I took a run to the nearest large town today. Normally a 20-minute drive at most, but today it took almost 45 minutes because people were freaked out by the snow. It's the first time that the dog-limo Honda pickup truck has been out in the snow, and it performed beautifully. Gotta love the Ridgeline for this climate.

The temp has been vacillating around freezing for the last couple of hours, so I'll have my hands full tomorrow. Maybe a bit of shoveling and a lot of Kubota.

 

[D H]

It's not cold here yet in Houston, but wow, the fall foliage is absolutely fantastic this year compared to normal thanks to the prolonged drought last spring/summer/fall.

 

[turbo]

Getting whip-sawed today. The temp is not bad, but the winds have been scary. We have lost power at least twice today, and I don't think it's over yet. My wife called during her lunch break, and I was walking around with the cordless hand-set and saw heavy rain coming down diagonally driven by an east wind, looking out the back door. A few minutes later there was equally-heavy rain coming down diagonally driven by a west wind. Just nuts!

 

[D H]

We have lost power at least twice today ...

We too lost power at the Johnson Space Center, a couple of days ago. Some idiot in a pickup truck ran way, way off the road and into one of the towers that support the high tension power lines that feed the center.Edit
It is getting a bit chilly outside here. Tomorrow's high is only going to be 58°F, almost ten degrees below average. Finally. It's been a warm fall here.

 

[Ryan_m_b]

So this morning whilst I was pleasantly dreaming a scrapping sound started to enter my dream. After a while it woke me to a lucid state and I idly wondered what it was, I concluded it was someone simply scraping ice off of their windscreen outside. But after it had gone on for a while I realized it sounded less like a scraper and more like a shovel. I jumped out of bed, drew my curtains and found...

SNOW! None was predicted but we had several inches, Christmas has started.

 

[Evo]

I love the weather forecsters, who else can be completely wrong most of the time and keep their jobs?

Nice picture!

 

[turbo]

I love the weather forecsters, who else can be completely wrong most of the time and keep their jobs?

Nice picture!

It's an enviable career, for sure.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Best I can make out, there are probably no windows at the weather bureau.

 

[turbo]

Years back, we had a radio DJ whose "forecasts" consisted of looking out the studio windows. "Wow! Look at it snow out there. It will probably keep up for a while, although it could turn to rain..." The guy was a hoot!

Actually, if you were allowed to listen to the radio when at work in your windowless cubby, his "forecasts" could really be useful when planning your commute home.

 

[Ryan_m_b]

I love the weather forecsters, who else can be completely wrong most of the time and keep their jobs?

Nice picture!

Cheers On the news just now there was a reporter interviewing someone from the Met Office. They asked about some of the incorrect predictions and he said something like "well we knew it was either going to be A, B, or C and we had to pick one"