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

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The discussion centers around varying winter weather experiences across different regions. An Arctic cold front is expected to bring severe conditions, including strong winds and potential blizzard-like conditions, leading to dangerously low wind chills in some areas. Participants share personal weather updates, with some experiencing significant snowfall while others report mild conditions. Notably, areas in the Midwest and parts of the UK are facing heavy snow, while regions like Western Washington and parts of Florida are seeing typical winter temperatures without snow. Concerns about the impact of cold weather on crops, infrastructure challenges in handling snow, and personal anecdotes about coping with the cold are prevalent. The conversation also touches on the contrasting experiences of those in warmer climates, highlighting the diverse impacts of winter weather across the globe.
  • #501
The snow has started here.
 
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  • #502
Evo said:
The snow has started here.
It's been snowing all day, lady. Did you just find your glasses? :biggrin:
 
  • #503
It's as cold as a rat's a[/color]ss when h[/color]ell freezes over on a cold day in July when the sun don't shine centigrade, which is 17 fahrenheit.
 
  • #504
We missed out on the latest storm here in SC. It's been sunny and chilly the last few days and today. But the next storm is projected to dust us with an inch of so of snow tonight before heading up the East Coast. Get your shovels ready again!
 
  • #505
jtbell said:
We missed out on the latest storm here in SC. It's been sunny and chilly the last few days and today. But the next storm is projected to dust us with an inch of so of snow tonight before heading up the East Coast. Get your shovels ready again!

No need to shovel 1" - break out the leaf blower - it's more fun.
 
  • #506
Jimmy Snyder said:
It's as cold as a rat's a[/color]ss when h[/color]ell freezes over on a cold day in July when the sun don't shine centigrade, which is 17 fahrenheit.
Cold day in July? South of the Great Circle? Patagonia?
 
  • #507
I was referring to the folks up north needing to get their shovels ready. I don't even have a snow shovel, or a leaf blower for that matter. When it snows here, it usually melts within a day or two, and in the meantime I just slog through it.

The big storm the second week of January was an exception. The college shut down for two and a half days and my wife and I stayed at home. By the third day (when I finally had to walk to campus to teach an afternoon lab) the snow had partially melted and re-frozen a couple of times, turning our deck, walk and driveway into sheets of ice. I had to use a garden shovel to whack away the ice.
 
  • #508
Everything is frozen rock-solid here. We might hit a day-time high of 20 degrees, but we're not there yet. Anybody who didn't clean up the wet stuff from yesterday is now stuck with what they've got until the next extended thaw. The only one who is excited about the freeze is Duke. He loves climbing the frozen snowbanks, and not sinking in.
 
  • #509
Yea! 50s forecasted for next week. Melt baby melt.
 
  • #510
We've had a number of collapsed structures in the region. In CT, there are apparently 300+ structures which collapsed due to the snow.

Yesterday, near where I work, I passed a house at which the front porch had collapsed due to the snow. It was a mess! It looked like a giant had swiped the front of the house - shearing the roof of the porch from the house and splintering it. Many of the houses on the street date from the late 1800's, and many have porches and gables.
 
  • #511
Wow... the snow here is no longer snow... it's depleted snowranium. :-p I don't think I could clear what's already there with a pickax.

One thing I noticed today, now that the snow berms are no longer obscuring all views; the amount of salt and sand that had to be used... has STRIPPED almost every street sign! A yield sign that was quite vivid weeks ago is now just a triangle. You can also start to see the profound damage done to the roads by plows, but even more by flexing and freezing.

Oh... and the wind is howling from west, but... oh well.

Astronuc: 300+... kind of makes you wonder about how many years this has taken off the life of infrastructure such as highway overhangs...
 
  • #512
Very warm and wet today. It is exactly 32 deg right now, and the rain is freezing on contact with the pavement. My wife got me up early this morning to tell me that she had skidded off the road and into a snowbank. We waited for a plow-truck to pass through, spreading salted sand, and then I drove her down to her car and returned home to get my tractor. I dug her car out as best I could and dragged it out of the ditch with the tractor. Luckily, she had only gotten a couple of miles from home, because by the time she was out and on her way to work and I had gotten back home I was chilled to the bone by the freezing rain. No cab and no heater. Maybe I should have paid a little extra.
 
  • #513
turbo-1 said:
Very warm and wet today. It is exactly 32 deg right now, and the rain is freezing on contact with the pavement. My wife got me up early this morning to tell me that she had skidded off the road and into a snowbank. We waited for a plow-truck to pass through, spreading salted sand, and then I drove her down to her car and returned home to get my tractor. I dug her car out as best I could and dragged it out of the ditch with the tractor. Luckily, she had only gotten a couple of miles from home, because by the time she was out and on her way to work and I had gotten back home I was chilled to the bone by the freezing rain. No cab and no heater. Maybe I should have paid a little extra.
I'm glad she was alright. Be careful going out in the cold like that. There were some buried cars in NY City during one of thoes big snow storms. They apparently recently found a body in one of the buried cars - after the snow melted.

One March morning many years ago, we had icy rain and the roads got covered. The main road was closed due to accidents and ice. I took a side road to by-pass the closed portion of the main road. I got to a point though where there was a little rise, and the only way to get up the rise was to be going fast enough to get to the top without needing traction! The car in front me didn't make it, so I had to stop half way up. Meanwhile some idiot wasn't paying attention to the situation and got close behind me. I got out of the car and started slipping on the ice. I told the car behind to back up, because I was concerned my car would slide downhill into his. He backed up. I then backup while turning so that the rear of the car went into a snow bank. Then I actually slid the front of my car around to point down hill! I ended up taking the side road further south.

It did occur to me that if I had had a shovel, I could have simply chopped through the ice to the pavement. The ice layer was about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick, and it was on a thin layer of compacted snow. If I could break through the ice, I could have moved it off the pavement and gotten traction. But I didn't have a shovel.

Anyway, it's 49 F today, so more melting. It was in the mid-50's yesterday. However, it's supposed to cool off again over the next several days.
 
  • #514
Astronuc said:
I'm glad she was alright. Be careful going out in the cold like that. There were some buried cars in NY City during one of thoes big snow storms. They apparently recently found a body in one of the buried cars - after the snow melted.
Thanks. Apparently, she had an exciting ride, since she ended up pointing opposite her direction of travel, and her car was thoroughly buried in the ditch. There is very little solid stuff to hook onto with modern cars, so I dug out her car as best I could before towing her out of there. The Legacy is a nice little car and the last thing I'd want to to is bend a critical structural member by applying too much force. She took only main roads all the way to work and called me once she got there. Most people at her place of work live much closer than she does, but she ALWAYS makes it to work, even in the worst conditions.
 
  • #515
I couldn't believe it got up to 75 yesterday. I hope that doesn't make the trees bud too early because next week is suppose to be back to winter temps.
 
  • #516
turbo-1 said:
Thanks. Apparently, she had an exciting ride, since she ended up pointing opposite her direction of travel, and her car was thoroughly buried in the ditch
Those driving conditions would have been a good reason for me not to go to work. Glad she and you are okay.
 
  • #517
dlgoff said:
I couldn't believe it got up to 75 yesterday. I hope that doesn't make the trees bud too early because next week is suppose to be back to winter temps.
We had an unseasonable warm-up early last spring, and that took my apple trees out of dormancy before I had gotten a chance to prune them. NOT good. I've got a double-dose of pruning to do this year, with some suckers that are already 2 years old. The weather is showing us some pretty wild swings the last few years, and that's making gardening, apple-growing, etc, a bit problematic.
 
  • #518
dlgoff said:
Those driving conditions would have been a good reason for me not to go to work. Glad she and you are okay.
Thanks. It's a point of pride and diligence that she refuses to miss work due to normal weather fluctuations. In this case, she lost control on a steep hill that is shaded all day long from the sun and stays frozen all winter, with some impressive frost-heaves.

Our neighbor's daughter called the school-bus driver who told her that she had tried to get out onto this back road and found 4 vehicles off the road, and conditions so slippery that she refused to make her run until the road crew had salted and sanded the roads enough to make them safe for "her kids".

Part of the delay was probably due to the fact that we have a new plow-truck driver this year, and he was unprepared for conditions, including needing time to put chains on the truck.
 
  • #519
turbo-1 said:
Thanks. It's a point of pride and diligence that she refuses to miss work due to normal weather fluctuations. In this case, she lost control on a steep hill that is shaded all day long from the sun and stays frozen all winter, with some impressive frost-heaves.

Our neighbor's daughter called the school-bus driver who told her that she had tried to get out onto this back road and found 4 vehicles off the road, and conditions so slippery that she refused to make her run until the road crew had salted and sanded the roads enough to make them safe for "her kids".

Part of the delay was probably due to the fact that we have a new plow-truck driver this year, and he was unprepared for conditions, including needing time to put chains on the truck.

:bugeye: Wow... losing control on a steep hill... FUN! Your's is the only state I've ever skidded-out in. :-p
 
  • #520
turbo-1 said:
Thanks. Apparently, she had an exciting ride, since she ended up pointing opposite her direction of travel, and her car was thoroughly buried in the ditch. There is very little solid stuff to hook onto with modern cars, so I dug out her car as best I could before towing her out of there. The Legacy is a nice little car and the last thing I'd want to to is bend a critical structural member by applying too much force. She took only main roads all the way to work and called me once she got there. Most people at her place of work live much closer than she does, but she ALWAYS makes it to work, even in the worst conditions.
I spun out one time between two lanes of cars and ended up going backwards on the shoulder. I hit some ice or slush on the road while going ~ 50 mph. The traffic ahead was stopped! My rear started sliding around and I lost traction. I was lucky.

Another time, I spun out on a curved exit ramp when I hit ice. I then proceeded to slide down the ramp backwards. Fortunately, I did not slide out into the intersection and crossing traffic. I stopped at the bottom of the ramp. Exciting way to start the day. :rolleyes:
 
  • #521
Turbo, glad your wife is ok. Driving on icy roads scares me, it's also the reason that after I moved north I switched from a stick to an auto transmission. Sitting on icy hills with a stick was just too scary. Some people say they prefer a stick in that situation, I just feel like I have less control trying to move forward when I'm sliding backwards.
 
  • #522
Evo said:
Turbo, glad your wife is ok. Driving on icy roads scares me, it's also the reason that after I moved north I switched from a stick to an auto transmission. Sitting on icy hills with a stick was just too scary. Some people say they prefer a stick in that situation, I just feel like I have less control trying to move forward when I'm sliding backwards.
Thanks. That's one reason that she insists on a standard transmission, though. Control of shift-points. I was thinking about maybe getting her a new Legacy last year, but Subaru had gone to larger wheels, AND a 6-speed tranny (more shifting and clutching). We'll wait a bit and see what shakes out. I'd like to buy a 2nd automatic Forester for her, like mine, but she's more comfortable in the Legacy. I must admit that with aggressive snow-tires and studs it handles much better than my Forester in winter conditions.
 
  • #523
Astronuc said:
I spun out one time between two lanes of cars and ended up going backwards on the shoulder. I hit some ice or slush on the road while going ~ 50 mph. The traffic ahead was stopped! My rear started sliding around and I lost traction. I was lucky.

No... You're... UNBREAKABLE! :wink: ... and yes... I just referenced an M. Night Shamalamadingdong movie.

Astronuc said:
Another time, I spun out on a curved exit ramp when I hit ice. I then proceeded to slide down the ramp backwards. Fortunately, I did not slide out into the intersection and crossing traffic. I stopped at the bottom of the ramp. Exciting way to start the day. :rolleyes:

:bugeye:

Um... have you ever considered a treaded vehicle?! Please stay alive...
 
  • #524
nismaratwork said:
No... You're... UNBREAKABLE! :wink: ... and yes... I just referenced an M. Night Shamalamadingdong movie.
:bugeye:

Um... have you ever considered a treaded vehicle?! Please stay alive...
You might be confusing Mr. Astro with Chuck Norris. There are similarities...
 
  • #525
turbo-1 said:
Thanks. That's one reason that she insists on a standard transmission, though. Control of shift-points. I was thinking about maybe getting her a new Legacy last year, but Subaru had gone to larger wheels, AND a 6-speed tranny (more shifting and clutching). We'll wait a bit and see what shakes out. I'd like to buy a 2nd automatic Forester for her, like mine, but she's more comfortable in the Legacy. I must admit that with aggressive snow-tires and studs it handles much better than my Forester in winter conditions.

So help me, I've still never driven stick in my life, and given my age I have no excuse. Seriously though, having been to Maine in winter, I find it hard to imagine anything short of those monsters they ride around McMurdo station would help. I would guess it's all driver skill and knowing the roads, and the limits of whatever vehicle you're driving.

You need to ride IVAN! (not Seeking, don't worry). http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/04/Ivan_the_Terra_Bus.JPG
 
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  • #526
turbo-1 said:
You might be confusing Mr. Astro with Chuck Norris. There are similarities...

:smile:
 
  • #527
nismaratwork said:
:smile:
You should spend a bit of time with Astro. He can eat more food than Chuck Norris, and then ask if there is anything else. Not kidding!
 
  • #528
turbo-1 said:
You should spend a bit of time with Astro. He can eat more food than Chuck Norris, and then ask if there is anything else. Not kidding!

I believe it, I've seen the pic! He looks like a good dog.
 
  • #529
nismaratwork said:
I believe it, I've seen the pic! He looks like a good dog.
Astro is not the dog. That's Duke. Astro can out-eat Duke on his best day. Guaranteed! And Astro's son can rival him in capacity. Couple of skinny guys who can put away more food than you'd ever expect.
 
  • #530
turbo-1 said:
Astro is not the dog. That's Duke. Astro can out-eat Duke on his best day. Guaranteed! And Astro's son can rival him in capacity. Couple of skinny guys who can put away more food than you'd ever expect.

OOOOOH ASTRO-NUC. :blushing:

Sheesh... did I mention that names and dates are more than a small weaness?!

Sorry Astronuc, I did NOT intend to call you a dog... although I consider "good dog" to be the highest compliment... it's the best for a dog. Heh...

So Astro can put it away eh? DEFINITELY Kabanosy... maybe a whole spread with some cheese and mustard. You can eat the Kabanosy, AND make soup with it... and it sounds like that last is needded just to fill belly-space!

It's always the skinny ones...

edit: It just registered: Astronuc can out-eat DUKE?! Whoa...
 
  • #531
turbo-1 said:
Thanks. Apparently, she had an exciting ride, since she ended up pointing opposite her direction of travel, and her car was thoroughly buried in the ditch. There is very little solid stuff to hook onto with modern cars, so I dug out her car as best I could before towing her out of there. The Legacy is a nice little car and the last thing I'd want to to is bend a critical structural member by applying too much force. She took only main roads all the way to work and called me once she got there. Most people at her place of work live much closer than she does, but she ALWAYS makes it to work, even in the worst conditions.

turbo,

Just read your post, glad to hear it was nothing serious, and that you were able to get her car out of the ditch, and I can imagine trying to hook onto the front or rear tow hooks must be a real challenge when the car is buried in snow. I see you and nismara are bonding with your confusing dog eating habit stories so I will bow (wow) out for now. Glad you are ALL OK.

Rhody... :redface:
 
  • #532
Astronuc said:
I spun out one time between two lanes of cars and ended up going backwards on the shoulder. I hit some ice or slush on the road while going ~ 50 mph. The traffic ahead was stopped! My rear started sliding around and I lost traction. I was lucky.

I once saw somebody do the ultimate version of that trick in the UK on a 4-lane road with a center crash barrier. It was still snowing, the traffic was keeping one lane clear but the other lane was covered in snow and slush.

I was the last of two or three cars driving along the clear lane at a boring but safe 30 mph. Somebody came up behind is traveling at the around the speed limit (70) and changed lanes to overtake. This caused a slow 360 degree spin. He overtook me and the other cars traveling backwards up the outside lane, and having finished the spin disappeared into the distance accelerating back up to 70.

A nice demonstration of Newton's laws of motion, unless you were of a nervous disposition :rolleyes:
 
  • #533
turbo-1 said:
You might be confusing Mr. Astro with Chuck Norris. There are similarities...
Oh Yea. I've seen some of his profile pictures over the years.
 
  • #534
AlephZero said:
I once saw somebody do the ultimate version of that trick in the UK on a 4-lane road with a center crash barrier. It was still snowing, the traffic was keeping one lane clear but the other lane was covered in snow and slush.

I was the last of two or three cars driving along the clear lane at a boring but safe 30 mph. Somebody came up behind is traveling at the around the speed limit (70) and changed lanes to overtake. This caused a slow 360 degree spin. He overtook me and the other cars traveling backwards up the outside lane, and having finished the spin disappeared into the distance accelerating back up to 70.

A nice demonstration of Newton's laws of motion, unless you were of a nervous disposition :rolleyes:
That must have been something to witness.

Right now the wind is roaring in the trees on the hill behind the house. We're expecting 40+ mph winds with gusts up to 55 mph.
 
  • #535
Astronuc said:
That must have been something to witness.

Right now the wind is roaring in the trees on the hill behind the house. We're expecting 40+ mph winds with gusts up to 55 mph.

Same here... with possible light hail, and torrential rain, moving east. Astronuc... do we live in the same area?! (if so, don't say so here, PM or not at all please)
 
  • #536
Astronuc said:
Right now the wind is roaring in the trees on the hill behind the house. We're expecting 40+ mph winds with gusts up to 55 mph.
Please! May this be the first piece of storm-crap to miss us in a while. We seem to be in the target of everything that happens in the south.
 
  • #537
nismaratwork said:
Same here... with possible light hail, and torrential rain, moving east. Astronuc... do we live in the same area?! (if so, don't say so here, PM or not at all please)
We're in the same region. I'm west of you. Same system.
 
  • #538
Astronuc said:
We're in the same region. I'm west of you. Same system.

Oh! In that case... Holy explative deleted... it's really getting quite interesting isn't it?
 
  • #539
nismaratwork said:
Oh! In that case... Holy explative deleted... it's really getting quite interesting isn't it?
It sucks to be us...
 
  • #540
turbo-1 said:
It sucks to be us...

Oh you love it too... admit it. :smile:
 
  • #541
nismaratwork said:
Oh! In that case... Holy explative deleted... it's really getting quite interesting isn't it?
I'll be quite happy and relieved in the morning not to find one of my trees on top of my neighbor's cars. Their cars are downwind from my trees. I'll be taking them down soon.
 
  • #542
Astronuc said:
I'll be quite happy and relieved in the morning not to find one of my trees on top of my neighbor's cars. Their cars are downwind from my trees. I'll be taking them down soon.

Oh yes... that's always such a joy. *groan*
 
  • #543
8 inches of snow today, now tonight its turned into freezing rain. Its one nasty mess here in Michigan!
 
  • #544
My red bud is in bloom and the ice cream man came by yesterday and today. WInter is done.
 
  • #545
I have my bedroom window open.
 
  • #546
Bet you'll close it by morning Evo. My forecast show 24F by morning. With tomorrows high @ 37F.
 
  • #547
dlgoff said:
Bet you'll close it by morning Evo. My forecast show 24F by morning. With tomorrows high @ 37F.
I know the temperature is going to drop like crazy, I'm sure I'll close it before I go to bed.
 
  • #548
12 deg and dropping like a stone here. I'll take all the cold (and heating expenses) winter can toss at me, if we can break out of the cycle of a snow-storm every 3-4 days. It's getting really sickening. Plus, the ice-storm Thursday/Friday was a real pain in the butt. I'm glad my wife didn't get hurt spinning out and plowing into a deep show-filled ditch. Secondarily, I'm glad that she only got a couple of miles from home. Driving an open tractor that far in driving freezing rain (and back) is NOT fun. I got her car out gently with no damage and saved a $100+ towing bill. Perhaps I should have had her call a towing service, and gone back to bed. :rolleyes:

It all turned out well. A neighbor followed me to the "crash site" and then went back home and brought back a really nice chain sling that allowed me to hook onto her car and pull it out gently, with even tension side-to-side. My wife made him a from-scratch chocolate-cream pie yesterday (his favorite) and when I took it down to him he said "She can run off the road anytime. I'll be there to help!" His wife doesn't cook, and they live on prepared foods and trips to restaurants. It's pretty sad.
 
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  • #549
Evo said:
I know the temperature is going to drop like crazy, I'm sure I'll close it before I go to bed.

Ooooh, famous last words before waking up in the middle of the night, freezing your tuckus off. :biggrin:
 
  • #550
nismaratwork said:
Ooooh, famous last words before waking up in the middle of the night, freezing your tuckus off. :biggrin:
It's just so nice to have fresh air after months of recirculated central heating.

You're right, I don't want to close the window, but I have the heat on. :rolleyes:
 

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