We finally got hit by the winter weather

[jtbell]

Until yesterday, the southeastern US had escaped the snow and ice that the Northeast and Midwest have been dealing with repeatedly. Now it's our turn. The college where I work first announced late yesterday afternoon that classes would start and offices would open at 10 AM today (two-hour delay). When I woke up today, they had pushed it back to noon. Now they've decided to close for the entire day, because of icy roads.

It's not as bad here as it is further west in Atlanta, where people have been stuck in traffic jams all night on the expressways, unable to move because of the ice and abandoned cars.

Stranded, cold motorists spend nights on freeways after rare snow in South (CNN.com)

 

[Drakkith]

*looks out the window*

Nope. No snow here in the Arizona desert.

 

[jtbell]

No snow here in the Arizona desert.

Just you wait!

http://www.rei.com/share/rei-blog/2011/02/even_cacti_have_had/postImages/snow_on_saguaro.img.jpg

 

[Drakkith]

Clearly that's photoshopped...

 

[ZapperZ]

Until yesterday, the southeastern US had escaped the snow and ice that the Northeast and Midwest have been dealing with repeatedly. Now it's our turn. The college where I work first announced late yesterday afternoon that classes would start and offices would open at 10 AM today (two-hour delay). When I woke up today, they had pushed it back to noon. Now they've decided to close for the entire day, because of icy roads.

It's not as bad here as it is further west in Atlanta, where people have been stuck in traffic jams all night on the expressways, unable to move because of the ice and abandoned cars.

Stranded, cold motorists spend nights on freeways after rare snow in South (CNN.com)

Welcome to our world!

A couple of days ago, we had a high of only -3 F in the Chicago area. And of course, we had been getting A LOT of snow since Thanksgiving of 2013.

And to think that the West Coast is in a drought.

Zz.

 

[D H]

Until yesterday, the southeastern US had escaped the snow and ice that the Northeast and Midwest have been dealing with repeatedly. Now it's our turn. The college where I work first announced late yesterday afternoon that classes would start and offices would open at 10 AM today (two-hour delay). When I woke up today, they had pushed it back to noon. Now they've decided to close for the entire day, because of icy roads.

Houston was hit by that storm yesterday. It was pretty much a non-event. However, Houston was pretty much shut down because the mere threat of anything remotely resembling winter weather causes the entire city to go bonkers.

*looks out the window*

Nope. No snow here in the Arizona desert.

The alliteratively named "ridiculously resilient ridge" has meant no winter weather for the southwest. The Pacific fronts that normally bring winter weather to the southwest are being diverted to the far north this winter. We are soon going to be looking at high produce bills because of this weather phenomenon.

Here's a nice snapshot of a beach at Folsom Lake:

http://www.kcra.com/image/view/-/23755560/medRes/2/-/maxh/460/maxw/620/-/1169yy1/-/folsom-lake-water-JPG.jpg

 

[jtbell]

Clearly that's photoshopped...

Well, I've seen snow in southern Arizona with my own eyes, in Tucson during Christmas vacation several years ago. Not much in town, just enough to produce a dusting on the ground. It was remarkable enough that I took some pictures... they're around here somewhere... somewhere...

There was a lot more up on Mt. Lemmon, but that's a separate microclimate!

 

[MarneMath]

I live off of the 85-75 connector in Atlanta. I got to spend 24 hours watching cars not move last night. I felt bad for those people =(.

 

[Evo]

I live off of the 85-75 connector in Atlanta. I got to spend 24 hours watching cars not move last night. I felt bad for those people =(.

I used to live in Atlanta, they are not equipped to prepare roads for even a dusting and the hills there make driving treacherous.

 

[Astronuc]

I used to live in Atlanta, they are not equipped to prepare roads for even a dusting and the hills there make driving treacherous.

The Gulf Coast states are not equipped/prepared for icy roads or snow.

 

[turbo]

The Gulf Coast states are not equipped/prepared for icy roads or snow.

Not at all. People who have to get to work are terrified of the slightest bit of snow because the traffic is screwed up by people who have no idea who to drive when conditions are slippery.

Moving farther north to Columbia, MD, I went to to work one morning for General Physics. The only person in the division was our administrative assistant. I asked her where everybody was, and she said that they were all "snowed in". She grew up in Buffalo and I grew up in Maine. There is no way that one inch of snow could have kept us from doing our jobs, but apparently in MD, the rules are different.

The purchase of snow tires can be a one-time expense in places that do not often get much snow, and they won't wear out soon. We all pay for that lack of productivity.

 

[cjl]

We're getting some winter weather here too...

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/40020825/887.jpg

 

[nsaspook]

I live off of the 85-75 connector in Atlanta. I got to spend 24 hours watching cars not move last night. I felt bad for those people =(.

and now we start the national blood sport of the ' Blame Game'.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/30/us/ice-storm-southern-united-states.html?_r=0

And on Wednesday, Mayor Kasim Reed and Gov. Nathan Deal were by turns defensive and apologetic.
“We don’t want to be accused of crying wolf,” said Mr. Deal, who pointed out that the storm had been forecast to just brush the south side of the city. If the city had been closed and the storm had been as light as some forecasters had told him it was going to be, he said, money would have been lost, and people would have complained.
“We would have shut a major city down for a day,” he said. “We can never promise that we will always be correct when it comes to deciding what Mother Nature will do.”

The PNW has been on the other side of the jet-stream, other than an early freeze we've had nothing of note until this tuesday when the monster high pressure center finally broke down. We need a massive rain/snow storm.

 

[George Jones]

Thresholds where I live:

12 cm (4.7 inches) - the minimum new snowfall for snowplows to be deployed, anything less than this means no snowplows;

-15 C (5 F) - the temperature at which students (e.g., my seven-year daughter) are kept inside at recess and lunch, anything warmer than this, and students are forced to go outside and play;

buses pulled off the streets - university closed.

Last December, we received 40 - 50 cm (16 - 20 inches) of snow during a couple of days storms. This happened during final exams at the university, but, since the buses were not pulled off the main streets, students were expected to be at their exams on schedule and on time, i.e., snow wasn't a legitimate excuse.

 

[BobG]

Thresholds where I live:

12 cm (4.7 inches) - the minimum new snowfall for snowplows to be deployed, anything less than this means no snowplows;

I was stationed at a site in Alaska. They plowed the site every Tuesday.

Couldn't care less when it snowed or how much - plowing day was on Tuesdays.

I arrived there in January and it was nearly 5 months before I found out whether the site's roads were paved or not (they actually were, which kind of surprised me).

 

[AlephZero]

Thresholds where I live:

That's the difference between weather and climate, which is the cause of most of the weather issues in the UK. Last year we had this, within a few miles of where I live:

So far this winter, no snow, and not even any overnight frosts, but rainfall for January has been the highest for more than a century.

 

[Evo]

We got a solid coating of ice last night. I'm trapped. Can't get to the main road.

 

[Drakkith]

We got a solid coating of ice last night. I'm trapped. Can't get to the main road.

Don't worry Evo, I've sent Phinds. He's on his way through the snow and ice with relief supplies. I hope you like ramen and Dr. Pepper.

 

[lisab]

Don't worry Evo, I've sent Phinds. He's on his way through the snow and ice with relief supplies. I hope you like ramen and Dr. Pepper.

 

[Drakkith]

Hmmm... Phinds has yet to return...

Anyone got any Lost Dog flyers I can put up?

 

[lendav_rott]

Ice rain's coming down here. My windshield has cm thick layer of ice on it aaaaand, it bleeding difficult to get off :/

 

[ViperSRT3g]

Ice rain's coming down here. My windshield has cm thick layer of ice on it aaaaand, it bleeding difficult to get off :/

Approximately where is "here?"

 

[lendav_rott]

Pardon me, here is in Estonia.

 

[The Dog Star]

To be fair and don't take this the wrong way I think since the accord on weather in 1887 where it was decided officially that England had the worst weather ever, and that hence they are obliged to moan about it constantly. Any other countries whining about weather seems trite.

Hell Julius Caesar came here and wrote two pages in his book about how crap the weather was, and he was trying to take over the country, and I wouldn't be surprised if he failed because the weather was crap, because he wrote less about his military accomplishments against the then Britons.

I mean who can beat, grey dank depressing and cold all over winter, and a summer that looks like a tropical zones rainy season. So long story short think on, try living in England it's crap weather all the time now and for the rest of your life, and too right we complain about it have you seen the Bahamas? Hurricanes yeah we get those too, eat your heart out. ;)

Yesterday after 24 hours of rain that left the whole south coast flooded, it hailed for 4 hours where I was and when it did let up, oh no we didn't get sunshine we got more slushy cold and annoying rain, today it was sunny but was it warm, hell no it was bloody freezing so much so that despite this weird yellow ball shining in the sky which we call sky god, no one would venture outside if he or she had any sense. I thought Emperor Ming the Merciless was going to chime in next with some fire bounded meteorites it was that terrible. ;)

I once was talking to people from Norway who said it feels less cold in Norway than it does over in England, and that is because it is wet cold rather than dry cold, and I kid you not they had -20o temperatures in Norway at the time, and it was only -2oC here but it was wet also. They were genuinely expressing the opinion that it's less cold in Norway than it is in England at the time. :(

I rest my case. :D

Rant over. :)

But try England for dire weather it's no wonder we ruled the largest empire in history, it wasn't trying to acquire goods and wealth, it was trying to get away from our God awful weather for better climes. ;)

 

[Evo]

Don't worry Evo, I've sent Phinds. He's on his way through the snow and ice with relief supplies. I hope you like ramen and Dr. Pepper.

Hmmm... Phinds has yet to return...

Anyone got any Lost Dog flyers I can put up?

Phinds got here ok, thanks for the ramen and Dr Pepper, saved my life. :!) I sent him back with booze and cookies. (Hope he's ok)

 

[Evo]

To be fair and don't take this the wrong way I think since the accord on weather in 1887 where it was decided officially that England had the worst weather ever, and that hence they are obliged to moan about it constantly. Any other countries whining about weather seems trite.

Hell Julius Caesar came here and wrote two pages in his book about how crap the weather was, and he was trying to take over the country, and I wouldn't be surprised if he failed because the weather was crap, because he wrote less about his military accomplishments against the then Britons.

I mean who can beat, grey dank depressing and cold all over winter, and a summer that looks like a tropical zones rainy season. So long story short think on, try living in England it's crap weather all the time now and for the rest of your life, and too right we complain about it have you seen the Bahamas? Hurricanes yeah we get those too, eat your heart out. ;)

Yesterday after 24 hours of rain that left the whole south coast flooded, it hailed for 4 hours where I was and when it did let up, oh no we didn't get sunshine we got more slushy cold and annoying rain, today it was sunny but was it warm, hell no it was bloody freezing so much so that despite this weird yellow ball shining in the sky which we call sky god, no one would venture outside if he or she had any sense. I thought Emperor Ming the Merciless was going to chime in next with some fire bounded meteorites it was that terrible. ;)

I once was talking to people from Norway who said it feels less cold in Norway than it does over in England, and that is because it is wet cold rather than dry cold, and I kid you not they had -20o temperatures in Norway at the time, and it was only -2oC here but it was wet also. They were genuinely expressing the opinion that it's less cold in Norway than it is in England at the time. :(

I rest my case. :D

Rant over. :)

But try England for dire weather it's no wonder we ruled the largest empire in history, it wasn't trying to acquire goods and wealth, it was trying to get away from our God awful weather for better climes. ;)

Welcome to PF The dog star, seems you'll fit right in!

 

[Enigman]

To be fair and don't take this the wrong way I think since the accord on weather in 1887 where it was decided officially that England had the worst weather ever, and that hence they are obliged to moan about it constantly. Any other countries whining about weather seems trite.

Hell Julius Caesar came here and wrote two pages in his book about how crap the weather was, and he was trying to take over the country, and I wouldn't be surprised if he failed because the weather was crap, because he wrote less about his military accomplishments against the then Britons.

I mean who can beat, grey dank depressing and cold all over winter, and a summer that looks like a tropical zones rainy season. So long story short think on, try living in England it's crap weather all the time now and for the rest of your life, and too right we complain about it have you seen the Bahamas? Hurricanes yeah we get those too, eat your heart out. ;)

Yesterday after 24 hours of rain that left the whole south coast flooded, it hailed for 4 hours where I was and when it did let up, oh no we didn't get sunshine we got more slushy cold and annoying rain, today it was sunny but was it warm, hell no it was bloody freezing so much so that despite this weird yellow ball shining in the sky which we call sky god, no one would venture outside if he or she had any sense. I thought Emperor Ming the Merciless was going to chime in next with some fire bounded meteorites it was that terrible. ;)

I once was talking to people from Norway who said it feels less cold in Norway than it does over in England, and that is because it is wet cold rather than dry cold, and I kid you not they had -20o temperatures in Norway at the time, and it was only -2oC here but it was wet also. They were genuinely expressing the opinion that it's less cold in Norway than it is in England at the time. :(

I rest my case. :D

Rant over. :)

But try England for dire weather it's no wonder we ruled the largest empire in history, it wasn't trying to acquire goods and wealth, it was trying to get away from our God awful weather for better climes. ;)

Siriusly? You seem to have the foggiest.

 

[The Dog Star]

Welcome to PF The dog star, seems you'll fit right in!

hehe thanks. :)

 

[The Dog Star]

Siriusly? You seem to have the foggiest.

The foggiest, the dullest the most rain ridden, the most depressing, the most banal, and cold rain driving into your soul, hell snow is better it's cold but it does not find every place in your person to penetrate so that you feel cold after 5 minutes even if you are inside just looking at it. :p :)I kid of course, but the English are by law allowed to complain far more vociferously about the weather than other countries, as I said it's been the law since 1887.

 

[Mmm_Pasta]

*looks out the window*

Nope. No snow here in the Arizona desert.

We have snow up here in Flagstaff. =)

 

[Drakkith]

We have snow up here in Flagstaff. =)

Lies and slander!

 

[nsaspook]

Portland finally hit by the winter weather.

 

[sourlemon]

It's hard to remember what the ground looks like here in Chicago

 

[jtbell]

It looks like the Southeast USA is going to be hit again, worse than two weeks ago because it's going to be spread out over a longer period of time. The forecast here in upstate SC calls for snow tomorrow, then sleet and freezing rain on Wednesday.

I wonder what will happen in Atlanta, where the expressways turned into overnight parking lots last time. My guess is that the city will simply close down in advance, and stay closed all day Tuesday and Wednesday.

 

[dlgoff]

I wonder what will happen in Atlanta, where the expressways turned into overnight parking lots last time. My guess is that the city will simply close down in advance, and stay closed all day Tuesday and Wednesday.

If Atlanta closes and doesn't get hit as expected, I wonder who's going to be blamed.

 

[jtbell]

It looks like the Southeast USA is going to be hit again, worse than two weeks ago because it's going to be spread out over a longer period of time. The forecast here in upstate SC calls for snow tomorrow, then sleet and freezing rain on Wednesday.

My wife got a call from our ophthalmologist today. My eye exam which was scheduled for Wednesday has been moved to next month.

No word from the college yet about tomorrow. I suspect that they expect they'll have to cancel classes on Wednesday, but are hoping not to have to do it tomorrow, too.

 

[jtbell]

Yesterday turned out OK: a couple of inches of snow, which accumulated only on the grass and not on the streets and sidewalks. It made for a pretty walk to work, with big white fluffy flakes falling.

Today is another matter. Everything's closed and we're at home. First the streets were coated with frozen sleet. Now there's about three inches of snow on top of that, and it's still falling. Later we're supposed to get maybe a quarter inch of ice.

About 50 miles to the northwest, they're expecting 8-12 inches of snow. About 50 miles to the southeast they're expecting a half inch of ice or more. We're getting some of both. We won't be surprised if the power goes out later today.

 

[Evo]

Yesterday turned out OK: a couple of inches of snow, which accumulated only on the grass and not on the streets and sidewalks. It made for a pretty walk to work, with big white fluffy flakes falling.

Today is another matter. Everything's closed and we're at home. First the streets were coated with frozen sleet. Now there's about three inches of snow on top of that, and it's still falling. Later we're supposed to get maybe a quarter inch of ice.

About 50 miles to the northwest, they're expecting 8-12 inches of snow. About 50 miles to the southeast they're expecting a half inch of ice or more. We're getting some of both. We won't be surprised if the power goes out later today.

Yikes! Stay home and stay safe, hope the electricity stays on. We used to lose electricity all of the time back at the PIT OF DOOM, problem was, it was an ALL ELECTRIC house, so even the stove/oven went out.

 

[jtbell]

We've still got power, but it's not over yet. The wind and freezing rain arrive tonight. The college will be closed for a second day tomorrow. Things are supposed to start thawing out tomorrow afternoon.

On the local TV news they were showing side-by-side pictures from Atlanta, which learned its lesson from two weeks ago, with nobody on the road there; and from Charlotte, which is looking a bit like Atlanta did two weeks ago.

And for all you folks up in the Northeast, this stuff is headed your way, but you've had plenty of practice with it by now, I suppose.

 

[jtbell]

We never lost power. The ice and freezing rain weren't as bad right here as in some other places. Everything is still closed this morning as far as I can tell from the local news reports. We still have a little bit of snow coming down, but the sun is supposed to come out this afternoon and warm things up and start melting the snow and ice.

Looking out our back window a few minutes ago:

 

[jtbell]

Yay, the sun has come out! I thought I might try to walk to the college, but after going to the mailbox to see if any mail had been delivered (no), I changed my mind. The snow on the front walk and the street has become a firm layer of compacted slush, more than an inch thick, which requires great care when walking in order to avoid slipping. I suspect it will be a solid layer of ice in the morning, except where it's been cleared off by the car tracks.

 

[Evo]

Beautiful neighborhood jt!. I had to buy a pair of "ice cleats" to slip over my shoes so I can walk on the ice.

 

[jtbell]

I suspect it will be a solid layer of ice in the morning, except where it's been cleared off by the car tracks.

And now the college has announced that classes will start and offices will open on a 2-hour delay at 10AM as a precaution. Thus endeth our second "snow vacation."

It was amusing to see all the reports on the national news about snarled traffic and abandoned cars in North Carolina, similar to what happened in Atlanta two weeks ago. We had no problems of that sort in upstate SC because people here had enough sense to stay home before the storm hit.

 

[dlgoff]

I hope we don't loose all our Mentors this winter.

Be careful. We need you.

 

[Evo]

been there, done that

 

[Astronuc]

been there, done that

Me too - just last week. My feet went out from under me when I stepped on some wet (slippery) ice. I went into a crouch as my feet were slipping and turned slightly on the way down so I didn't land so hard.

We had about 10 inches (25 cm) of snow with some sleet/freezing rain today, and we're expecting 6 to 9 inches (15 to 23 cm) by the morning (between midnight and 9 am). Right now exposed surfaces are encrusted with ice. We are having a freezing rain.

Last week, we had about 12 inches (30 cm) of snow.

Update (0430): So much for 6 to 9 inches. We have about 12 inches and it's still snowing. What we cleared yesterday is covered by about a foot or more of new snow - with a base of ice from the freezing rain and sleet we had last night. This would be perhaps more typical of winters of early last century.

Update2 (0600): Snow stopped.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/14/us/winter-storm.html

 

[jtbell]

And now the college has announced that classes will start and offices will open on a 2-hour delay at 10AM as a precaution. Thus endeth our second "snow vacation."

An hour and a half ago, the daily e-mail summary of campus events went out, with the reminder that classes and offices would open at 10 AM.

A half hour ago, as I was getting out of the shower, another e-mail and text message arrived, indicating that "upon further reconsideration," the college will remain closed today after all.

The main roads are clearing up pretty quickly now that the sun has come up, with a predicted high of 52 F this afternoon (37 F right now). However, the side streets and back roads that many faculty and staff have to use to get here are apparently still very icy, as are the parking lots on campus.

When I first came here, most faculty and staff lived in town or in the next town over, about eight miles away. It was somewhat unusual for someone to commute from a longer distance. Now it's common for people to commute here from nearby cities (or suburbs of them) 40-50 miles away in various directions, and unusual to walk to campus like my wife and I usually do.

 

[lendav_rott]

Imagine if the weather forecast started using Kelvins and then you would talk to someone not too up-to-date with things about the weather and they ask: So, how is the weather today? You would answer, not too bad not too bad, a little over 300 with some light rain :D

 

[nsaspook]

College Dorm gets hit by the winter weather:

http://www.kansascity.com/2014/02/14/4824035/big-runawaysnowball-slams-into.html

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Two math majors at Reed College lost control of a massive snowball that rolled into a dorm, knocking in part of a bedroom wall.

 

[lisab]

College Dorm gets hit by [STRIKE]the winter weather[/STRIKE] mischievous math majors:

http://www.kansascity.com/2014/02/14/4824035/big-runawaysnowball-slams-into.html

Fixed that for ya.