This weather is awful!! 2008-2021

[REWahoo]

Another unpleasant byproduct of our "rolling" blackouts is a gasoline supply interruption. If a station has power it is overwhelmed and quickly runs out and who knows when they will be resupplied. My generator burned through the extra 12 gallons I had in reserve and I learned about the problem first hand when I went to refill my gas cans. The only station l found with both gas and power is a small mom and pop place that had a line of 30+ cars waiting to get to the pumps.

Gonna get cold in the house tonight...

 

[aja8888]

My daughter's power came on after 36 hours off. Her water pipes are frozen. Great!

 

[Koolau]

Another unpleasant byproduct of our "rolling" blackouts is a gasoline supply interruption. If a station has power it is overwhelmed and quickly runs out and who knows when they will be resupplied. My generator burned through the extra 12 gallons I had in reserve and I learned about the problem first hand when I went to refill my gas cans. The only station l found with both gas and power is a small mom and pop place that had a line of 30+ cars waiting to get to the pumps.

Gonna get cold in the house tonight...

Do you still have a car old enough you can siphon gas out of it? If you have a CO detector, you could sleep (outside the garage) in the warm car and pray nothing freezes inside. YMMV

 

[aboatguy]

I will put in a plug for the locals: Kohler, and Briggs and Stratton. Also Honda (not local, obvi).

Don't forget Cummins (they now own Onan too) so their generator range runs the gamut from small hand carried sizes to those large enough to power a small community



Mike

 

[REWahoo]

Do you still have a car old enough you can siphon gas out of it? If you have a CO detector, you could sleep (outside the garage) in the warm car and pray nothing freezes inside. YMMV

No, and no. I'd rather wake up cold tomorrow than risk not waking up at all.

 

[Aerides]

Another unpleasant byproduct of our "rolling" blackouts is a gasoline supply interruption. If a station has power it is overwhelmed and quickly runs out and who knows when they will be resupplied. My generator burned through the extra 12 gallons I had in reserve and I learned about the problem first hand when I went to refill my gas cans. The only station l found with both gas and power is a small mom and pop place that had a line of 30+ cars waiting to get to the pumps.

Gonna get cold in the house tonight...

After hurricane wilma (2005) in Fl, gas stations learned that lesson the hard way. Can't pump gas when you have no power. Almost every station in the state now has their own back up generator power.

 

[JoeWras]

The Chicago area received upwards of 12 inches of snow yesterday and overnight. Our governor declared a state of emergency for some reason, although we have had many larger snow falls. The very next story on the news was that the bakeries in the Chicago area were reporting record sales of Packzi's (filled doughnuts) this morning for Fat Tuesday celebrations. Apparently people were able to travel to the bakery.

Guess what? My sister in the Chicago area just texted me that it was damn the torpedoes, because she was going out for Packzis!

So, this is one case where the news is real, not fake.

 

[Ronstar]

The Chicago area received upwards of 12 inches of snow yesterday and overnight. Our governor declared a state of emergency for some reason, although we have had many larger snow falls. The very next story on the news was that the bakeries in the Chicago area were reporting record sales of Packzi's (filled doughnuts) this morning for Fat Tuesday celebrations. Apparently people were able to travel to the bakery.

We are 60 miles sw of Chicago and got about 7". I shoveled and plowed for 7 hours today. My driveway was previously walled in by plowed snow and I had nowhere to push snow to the side. So spent a lot of time creating spaces to put the new snow.

We're fortunate that we only have the snow problem, and don't have the power outages that the Texas folks have.

I forgot about Packzi's today. Hopefully they will have some tomorrow.

 

[audreyh1]

Aye, aye, aye...

RVs have such poor insulation that the inside temperature would be equalized with the outdoor in no time, if there's no heating or cooling. You are sheltered from the wind, snow, and rain, and that's about all.

Aye, aye, aye...


PS. RV'ers can crank up their generators to recharge the batteries to run the furnace that burns from their propane tank. They are in trouble only if their propane tank runs empty. In that respect, they may do better than home owners.

We could have handled it for a few days with a half full water tank and and some fuel. Generator, inverter, diesel furnace. Boondocking for a while.

 

[aja8888]

For you folks in California who are thinking of moving to Texas!

Please read this....


https://babylonbee.com/news/people-...finally-feeling-at-home-now-that-power-is-out

AUSTIN, TX—Thousands of people who escaped the desolate wasteland of California have found new opportunities by moving to Texas. To help them feel right at home, even the weather is extending some Texas hospitality by knocking out power stations-- giving the former Californians a taste of the blackouts they're used to.

"Ah... just like old Gavin Newsom used to do back in Cali," said local resident Alice Muggins while lighting candles around the house. "I just wasn't used to having electrical power all the time and it felt really weird. Now, it feels a little more like home!"

 

[Lsbcal]

Please read this....


https://babylonbee.com/news/people-...finally-feeling-at-home-now-that-power-is-out

OK it's fun to have a little competition between states and some humor is appreciated ... IF it is seen as non-policitical. But also let's all remember we are Americans first and foremost. Let's just pull together and be good citizens.

Wishing everyone who is having difficulties with this terrible weather system the best!

 

[audreyh1]

Went to HEB this afternoon when temps had climbed just above 40. Drove by packed gas stations with police cruisers directing traffic. Apparently many stations had no power so others were crowded.

Crowded parking lot at HEB. In store we saw that many refrigerated shelves were empty. They were restocking some of them. I finally realized they must have been out of power earlier.

So we only got a few things on our list. Waited to pick up some shrimp since no tuna. And, darn, power went out! After a minute or so backup power came on, but only enough to power lights and the checkout registers. No shrimp today! We just took what we had and checked out.

Lots of folks with very full carts.

No ever quite experienced this.

We’ve been very lucky, we still have power and water although the water pressure is about 1/2 normal.

No freeze forecast tonight thank goodness.

 

[aja8888]

OK it's fun to have a little competition between states and some humor is appreciated ... IF it is seen as non-policitical. But also let's all remember we are Americans first and foremost. Let's just pull together and be good citizens.

Wishing everyone who is having difficulties with this terrible weather system the best!

Yes, that was for fun!

 

[W2R]

It was above freezing for two hours today, but just 33F most of that time. The official high was 34F but that was for about five minutes. And now it's 30F and dropping like a rock.
Brrrr.....

At least my house is warm, and I've got power and water.

 

[Montecfo]

We are supposed to get snow/freezing rain Thursday.

But we have heat and power unlike some of our friends and family in Texas.

Counting our blessings.

 

[Poopycat]

Stay close enough to the ocean and it never gets that cold out here on the West Coast. Come on out!

Believe me, I want to! I grew up on the west coast and there’s no place on earth with better weather IMO. I’d love to live on the central coast of CA or San Diego but I fear that I may be priced out of the market so am leaning towards Vegas as Plan B so I can at least visit the coast.

I do know for certain that I never want to live somewhere that gets this miserable freezing, snowy weather. Our high today was 11 degrees. It was -2 when I got up

 

[Poopycat]

Went to HEB this afternoon when temps had climbed just above 40. Drove by packed gas stations with police cruisers directing traffic. Apparently many stations had no power so others were crowded.

Crowded parking lot at HEB. In store we saw that many refrigerated shelves were empty. They were restocking some of them. I finally realized they must have been out of power earlier.

So we only got a few things on our list. Waited to pick up some shrimp since no tuna. And, darn, power went out! After a minute or so backup power came on, but only enough to power lights and the checkout registers. No shrimp today! We just took what we had and checked out.

Lots of folks with very full carts.

No ever quite experienced this.

We’ve been very lucky, we still have power and water although the water pressure is about 1/2 normal.

No freeze forecast tonight thank goodness.

Mmmm...HEB...I miss that store. I love the tortillas.

 

[Telly]

Well, we made it through another day without having our power cut. Not far away, it is dark, no power. Did some shoveling and ice scraping off the driveway incline, as more snow and maybe a thin layer of ice is expected tonight and through tomorrow. Was 0 degrees this (Tuesday) morning.

I watched ERCOT today, and saw the MegaWatts of generation from morning, building to a peak about 2 PM, then sliding downwards to yesterday's numbers by evening. A lot of that buildup, about 2,000 MW worth, was due to solar generation. There was also some wind generation. From looking through the ERCOT charts, the thermal generation (coal, natural gas, nuclear) didn't increase squat today. So, at the end of the day (really!), the grid supply was back to were it was Monday night. Millions of customer accounts without power.

Much has been repeated, about the "unprecedented" demand due to the cold. But that demand, which is not being supplied!, is less than that of a hot July afternoon.

A local TV station, WFAA ch. 8 in DFW, had an interview with the CEO of ERCOT, the Texas grid operator. The CEO really danced around the issue when he was asked about the 34,000 MW of generation that was off-line Monday, had increased to 45,000 MW off-line Tuesday, and didn't that look like the situation was getting worse?

ERCOT's official position on the shortage that has caused blackouts, now days for some, is that they have no idea when it will end, maybe the weather will get better. Now there's a confidence-building statement!

In fairness, it isn't ERCOT's job to make sure that power plants do what they should do as far as winterizing and maintenance. That is the power generation companies responsibility. But I don't know if that is ever really going to be fixed, it hasn't so far, this is the third time a mess has happened in winter due to it. It seems it will take governmental requirements for them to do so, doing it on their own isn't cutting it. Will probably have to be through federal level. Already on the state level, it's on it's way to becoming political, as there are some who are pro-coal, and think that leaving more coal plants open, or building more, is the answer to the present problem. Conveniently turning a blind eye to coal plants that are part of the problem now!

For our Texas viewers, here's two links to WFAA stories on the issue, no politics in either link:

https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/l...-end/287-6fb9564b-fd08-4ec6-acf5-a022971720ad

https://www.wfaa.com/article/weathe...ates/287-0f232a42-8ad9-4596-86e7-55f70f549089

 

[DrRoy]

A good 2 stage snow thrower is nice too.

 

[ERObjd]

Even yesterday when it was in the -20's all morning yesterday here in Lincoln Ne, I still saw a few people wearing shorts and T shirts and a few wearing flip flops at gas stations and in grocery stores. God forbid if those expensive arm and ankle tattoos are not visible to the world. SMH!

 

[street]

^ isn't that the truth!! I do feel for all involved in this weather event.

 

[Montecfo]

Well, we made it through another day without having our power cut. Not far away, it is dark, no power. Did some shoveling and ice scraping off the driveway incline, as more snow and maybe a thin layer of ice is expected tonight and through tomorrow. Was 0 degrees this (Tuesday) morning.

I watched ERCOT today, and saw the MegaWatts of generation from morning, building to a peak about 2 PM, then sliding downwards to yesterday's numbers by evening. A lot of that buildup, about 2,000 MW worth, was due to solar generation. There was also some wind generation. From looking through the ERCOT charts, the thermal generation (coal, natural gas, nuclear) didn't increase squat today. So, at the end of the day (really!), the grid supply was back to were it was Monday night. Millions of customer accounts without power.

Much has been repeated, about the "unprecedented" demand due to the cold. But that demand, which is not being supplied!, is less than that of a hot July afternoon.

A local TV station, WFAA ch. 8 in DFW, had an interview with the CEO of ERCOT, the Texas grid operator. The CEO really danced around the issue when he was asked about the 34,000 MW of generation that was off-line Monday, had increased to 45,000 MW off-line Tuesday, and didn't that look like the situation was getting worse?

ERCOT's official position on the shortage that has caused blackouts, now days for some, is that they have no idea when it will end, maybe the weather will get better. Now there's a confidence-building statement!

In fairness, it isn't ERCOT's job to make sure that power plants do what they should do as far as winterizing and maintenance. That is the power generation companies responsibility. But I don't know if that is ever really going to be fixed, it hasn't so far, this is the third time a mess has happened in winter due to it. It seems it will take governmental requirements for them to do so, doing it on their own isn't cutting it. Will probably have to be through federal level. Already on the state level, it's on it's way to becoming political, as there are some who are pro-coal, and think that leaving more coal plants open, or building more, is the answer to the present problem. Conveniently turning a blind eye to coal plants that are part of the problem now!

For our Texas viewers, here's two links to WFAA stories on the issue, no politics in either link:

https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/l...-end/287-6fb9564b-fd08-4ec6-acf5-a022971720ad

https://www.wfaa.com/article/weathe...ates/287-0f232a42-8ad9-4596-86e7-55f70f549089

As you point out the issue seems to be more supply than demand.

Much has been made about wind generation being offline (frozen) but coal and gas plants offline also.

It seems like we have stopped prioritizing making the grid resilient. Capacity that goes down when needed is useless. Certainly this is fixable. The Midwest manages. Texas surely got caught flat-footed by the unusually cold weather. But losing lives to it is not acceptable.

 

[Car-Guy]

Even yesterday when it was in the -20's all morning yesterday here in Lincoln Ne, I still saw a few people wearing shorts and T shirts and a few wearing flip flops at gas stations and in grocery stores.

I can believe it, and I don't have any tattoos... Yesterday afternoon, during one of our rolling blackouts, I had to go outside to crank up our generator (about 50 feet away)... I went out there in my short sleeved shirt, cutoffs and flip-flops... The sun was shining (clear skies) and there was no wind. It was in the mid 20's and it didn't feel that cold at all. Almost comfortable... Of course I was only out there 5 minutes.

 

[MRG]

It's down to zero this morning, the lake is giving off a lot of thermal energy. The road is a solid sheet of ice going across the dam and wherever there's been vehicles traveling on the roadway. I managed to get DW'S Wrangler in a full drift at 6mph.

 

[aja8888]

Today

North of Houston, TX - raining here and freezing at 32 F. Make tough roads on top of the ice/snow of the other day. Everything is closed around here too.