This weather is awful!! 2008-2021

[samclem]

Wow! There still are such things? I can't even remember the last time I saw one of those in a car. They've been just "power outlets" for so long, and even if you had one left over from the old days it wouldn't work in a modern car's outlet.

"Modern car?" Ha!
Anyway, I had a whole hangar's worth of junk (120VAC, a fairly good battery, wire, steel wool, some diesel fuel)--I would have made a fire or blown myself up trying.

 

[jollystomper]

I noticed the store was more crowded than usual today so I'm glad I made the grocery run today. It'll be crazy by Thursday afternoon and a madhouse Friday morning.

I live within the storm path (MD) and went out yesterday to the stores - no real crowds and lots of stores have salt, shovels, snowblowers, etc. They haven't yet announced any snow totals beyond "potentially a foot or more". I think once they announce specific forecast totals (probably today) The Great Store Toilet Paper Rush will begin.

I was wondering if we would get through January without any snow accumulation. Guess not.

 

[Nodak]

MeteoEarth shows the storm hitting New York City about noon on Saturday and lasting through most of Sunday.

 

[Nodak]

Wow! There still are such things? I can't even remember the last time I saw one of those in a car. They've been just "power outlets" for so long, and even if you had one left over from the old days it wouldn't work in a modern car's outlet.

Now the car manufacturers charge about $40 for the smokers package which puts a lighter in one of the power points and an ash tray in one of the cup holders

 

[MRG]

I was out yesterday night working in an unheated airplane hangar, it was about 5 deg F and I was the only soul on the airfield. I decided to pack up and realized that my small radiant heater had almost run out of propane. Well, the car was quite cold by then, cranked slowly, didn't start. Now I'm starting to get concerned. Decided to re-light the heater--nope, it was too cold now for my butane lighter to function. Fingers starting to ache and not work real well. Ruh - roh. I tried the car again and it started. Woo-hoo! My cell phone, my only way to get help, was also cold, I'm sure those batteries would also quit at some temp. It wouldn't have been life threatening: There was a heated storage room in an outbuilding I could have broken into, and I could have built a fire (or lit the heater) using the cigarette lighter in the car to start some paper aflame. But it reminded me to not take for granted that everything will work, to think things through . . . and have some old-fashioned matches on hand. Lots of ways to get in trouble in the cold when just one or two things go wrong--and 5 deg F is not >really< cold.

My first job(early 70s) was with my brother, we had an old sawmill. All our equipment was 20-40 years old and not in prime condition.
We had nothing so if the saw wasn't turning we didn't eat. Many days we spent the 6+ hours getting all the equipment running in below 0 F weather. Next day start all over. I did learn a lot, mostly stuff no one in their right mind would ever do. Setting a fire under a gasoline engine was pretty stupid in retrospect.

Of course when you did get equipment running in severe cold funny things would happen. Cold steel can do odd things because of cold and stress.

 

[38Chevy454]

I live within the storm path (MD) and went out yesterday to the stores - no real crowds and lots of stores have salt, shovels, snowblowers, etc. They haven't yet announced any snow totals beyond "potentially a foot or more". I think once they announce specific forecast totals (probably today) The Great Store Toilet Paper Rush will begin.

I was wondering if we would get through January without any snow accumulation. Guess not.

Around here it is the "milk, eggs, bread and beer" stock up beofre the storm. Had about 2 ft in the area right after Christmas, 20 inches at my house, and it is still not melted off yet in the yard. This week has finally started the warm up and getting temps in the low 40's.

 

[unclemick]

OK, it's on live TV - - they just opened the Bonnet Carre Spillway for the first time since 2011. This is just upstream from New Orleans. It's so impressive to watch all that water being diverted away from the usual Mississippi River channel, through other routes to the Gulf of Mexico in order to lower the river height down here in New Orleans.

That will help but the big one is the Morganza Floodwy which is much more rarely opened; I suspect they will need to open it soon as well, given the flooding going on further north.

I don't remember when exactly but post 1979 I learned the hard way Bonnet Carre Spillway and Pirogue when I had to buy two to reach my front steps of the camp when my 400 foot driveway went under water from several weeks of open spillway.

Make groceries at Winn Dixie, hwy 90 was my neutral ground, untie the pirogue from the power pole and paddle to the 12 foot stairway to the front door.

Ah the memories.

I cross the Missouri a lot in my travels around here but old timers tell me high but not near like 93. The last really high water in Kansas City.

heh heh heh - Not that I'm gun shy but I deliberately picked a house on a hill post New Orleans and Katrina.

 

[W2R]

UncleMick, I would buy on a hill too, if we had them here. Oh well, I'm at 2.9 feet below sea level so it could be worse. I'm not worried right now.

With the Bonnet Carre partly open they have kept the river level three inches below 17' which I believe is flood stage. Anyway, they do not expect any flooding here and eventually the river level will go down. No need for the Morganza. Technically we still have flood warnings but it just isn't going to happen.

 

[Calico]

Around here it is the "milk, eggs, bread and beer" stock up beofre the storm. Had about 2 ft in the area right after Christmas, 20 inches at my house, and it is still not melted off yet in the yard. This week has finally started the warm up and getting temps in the low 40's.

Around here it seems to be:

1. Beer
2. Beer
3. Beer
4. Chips

Did I mention I live in a college town?

 

[jazz4cash]

I live within the storm path (MD) and went out yesterday to the stores - no real crowds and lots of stores have salt, shovels, snowblowers, etc. They haven't yet announced any snow totals beyond "potentially a foot or more". I think once they announce specific forecast totals (probably today) The Great Store Toilet Paper Rush will begin.

I was wondering if we would get through January without any snow accumulation. Guess not.

I made my run today and it was the same...no crowds but the grocery store had their supply of snow stuff up by the entrance. When I got home the afternoon news was playing scenes of havoc at the hardware store right up the road from me.

Do people realize you can save snow shovels from year to year? Around here they always run out when we get a major storm. "Snow Melt".....people think they can't survive without it. I never use it.
Oh, crap...forgot to stock up on beer. Now there's an emergency. Tomorrow I will make sure the snowblower is ready.

 

[Walt34]

Oh, crap...forgot to stock up on beer. Now there's an emergency.

Ha, gotcha. I did remember to buy extra wine. Same here tomorrow with the snow thrower, bring it up from the shed to the garage. One year I panicked - 2 feet of snow and it wouldn't start, even with the plug-in electric starter. Then I found it helps if I turn the fuel valve on.

 

[pullmyfinger]

I was shocked a while back when this was used on the weather channel'
Welcome to Cavalier

That looks like a really cute town! I especially like the cinema which is cash only. When I was a kid we used to drive out to Jamestown to visit family (a different part of the state I know) and as an adult I am nostalgic for small towns in the midwest. Maybe they are not as charming as I imagine, but one of these days I will do a road trip.

 

[Nodak]

That looks like a really cute town! I especially like the cinema which is cash only. When I was a kid we used to drive out to Jamestown to visit family (a different part of the state I know) and as an adult I am nostalgic for small towns in the midwest. Maybe they are not as charming as I imagine, but one of these days I will do a road trip.

I think the cost to get into the movie is $6.00; I worked for them from the age of 12 to 18 and now have a lifetime pass. The last time I paid for a movie there it was 25 cents.

 

[Nodak]

Here is more advice

 

[EastWest Gal]

I made my run today and it was the same...no crowds but the grocery store had their supply of snow stuff up by the entrance. When I got home the afternoon news was playing scenes of havoc at the hardware store right up the road from me.

Do people realize you can save snow shovels from year to year? Around here they always run out when we get a major storm. "Snow Melt".....people think they can't survive without it. I never use it.
Oh, crap...forgot to stock up on beer. Now there's an emergency. Tomorrow I will make sure the snowblower is ready.

Last year our snow blower failed. This year it's fixed and ready to go.

Around here, everyone makes French toast when it snows-they buy milk, bread and eggs. One of the local TV weather guys rates each storm by recommending which ingredients to buy--usually he just recommends bread.

In 2003 we got 2 feet overnight. It took us until 1PM to find the driveway. We were out and about by evening.


Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum

 

[Nodak]

I remember living in Rio de Janeiro. I would take the bus to w*rk in the morning and marvel at all the folks I saw wearing down jackets and even parkas when the temperature got down to single digits (C) or the mid 40s (F). I was usually wearing just a heavy shirt or maybe a light sweater in those temps.

The first 40 degree spring day here will see people in shirt sleeves driving around with the windows down.

 

[Nodak]

Here are a couple of pictures from the worst blizzard I ever saw. I was a freshman in college in March 1966; the storm lasted 3 days and we got about 24 inches of snow with a 30 mph wind that piled up huge drifts.

 

[Walt34]

Not sure whether to post this here or in the funny joke thread. Now the forecast is for up to 30 inches. We are in the "15 cases" zone so I'd better get some more. Sigh.

 

[MichaelB]

I feel for y'all and won't complain about how cold it's been here in S Fl (mid 60's).

 

[Bigdawg]

This weather is awful!!-Toilet paper

I am not a prepper but at any given moment I will have 15-20 rolls of toilet paper, a half gallon of milk, at least 8-10 eggs and a half loaf of bread on hand. Since I was old enough to shovel the driveway in northern WI (about 5 yrs old) I have always had one or two snow shovels and maybe an ice chipper on hand to attack the snow/ice.

Basically I am confused about the running to the store for milk, eggs, bread and toilet paper. Do people use the restroom more during a storm?

I have never been stranded from a storm for more then a day or two.

I top off the gas tank in the truck and ensure all electronics are fully charged. That's it.

 

[Walt34]

Basically I am confused about the running to the store for milk, eggs, bread and toilet paper. Do people use the restroom more during a storm?

I have never been stranded from a storm for more then a day or two.

Neither have I (been stranded). But the difference, if one is retired or has the option of staying home, is that by stocking up one doesn't have to go out. During one such storm we stocked up on food & movies and didn't leave the house for at least a week. The 4WD pickup will go in 2 1/2 feet of snow (I've done it) but the difference is not having to. And I don't want to.

 

[Meadbh]

I am not a prepper but at any given moment I will have 15-20 rolls of toilet paper, a half gallon of milk, at least 8-10 eggs and a half loaf of bread on hand. Since I was old enough to shovel the driveway in northern WI (about 5 yrs old) I have always had one or two snow shovels and maybe an ice chipper on hand to attack the snow/ice.

Basically I am confused about the running to the store for milk, eggs, bread and toilet paper. Do people use the restroom more during a storm?

I have never been stranded from a storm for more then a day or two.

I top off the gas tank in the truck and ensure all electronics are fully charged. That's it.

It's just a different approach: you believe in stocking up on inventory, while others go for "just in time" supply management. Both have pros and cons.

 

[Bigdawg]

It's just a different approach: you believe in stocking up on inventory, while others go for "just in time" supply management. Both have pros and cons.

I don't consider 8-10 eggs, a half loaf of bread, and a half gallon of milk "stocking up on inventory." That short list of items will easily last me a week or two. (along with the other usual items I have in the pantry at any given moment)

On another note I drive 45-50 mph in a 55 zone during a rain storm. Not 20 mph like most of my neighbors. Maybe I'm just a big risk taker. Hmm?

 

[ls99]

The weather underground site I ususally look at seems overrun by viewers, can't connect to it except after a long wait.

It is fun to read the the description of upcoming winter storm designed for the usual public viewer.

The short version for us, we'll be in the 20F range snow will begin this afternoon.

excerpt from long discussion:

"Blizzard Warnings are posted for Washington, D.C. and surrounding areas beginning this afternoon and lasting into Sunday morning. Upwards of 2 feet of snow will be possible in the Capitol, while up to 30 inches of snow are possible its western suburbs.

Meanwhile, several inches of snow may fall as far north as New York City, creating even more traffic issues heading into the weekend. As the storm moves off the coast, flooding may become a problem along the Jersey Shore as strong wind pushes ocean water inland. "

Then switch to the Scientific Forecast version.

An excerpt from a very long dicussion:

"Temperatures have started off very cold due to overnight clearing.
However...increasing high and middle-level clouds ahead of the system
advancing northeastward toward our area should mean viewing of the
sun will be at a premium today. However...temperatures should
climb solidly into the 20s...which is actually warmer than we have
been any time recently. Fries "

Who says scientists don't have a sense of humor?
Bold is my doing.

 

[Nodak]

When I was w*rking there was a sort of game we would play, it was called "let's scare the new comers about winter."