This weather is awful!! 2008-2021

[Ronstar]

Oops - saw this while taking DW to work

 

[W2R]

What an attention-grabbing forecast for New Orleans!

[...]SNOW AMOUNTS OF ONE TO TWO INCHES AND POSSIBLY HIGHER IN SNOW BANDS AS WELL AS SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN ACCUMULATIONS OF A QUARTER INCH TO A HALF INCH ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA. TRAVEL CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME DIFFICULT DUE TO ICY ROADS AND BRIDGES DURING THE DAY ON TUESDAY. IN AREAS WHERE SIGNIFICANT FREEZING RAIN OCCURS...SPORADIC POWER OUTAGES ARE POSSIBLE. THE HIGHEST POTENTIAL FOR FREEZING RAIN WILL BE ACROSS SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA SOUTH OF LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN INCLUDING THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS.

(emphasis mine)
National Weather Service Watch Warning Advisory Summary

Pretty exciting! It has been years since we had anything like this. Sounds like tomorrow might be a good day to just stay home. We aren't used to this kind of wintry mix, and even though F knows how to drive in it, the other drivers can't and create an extremely hazardous situation. We have zero snow/ice removal equipment here.

Meanwhile, right now, it is 63F outside.... Simply amazing!

 

[Calico]

What an attention-grabbing forecast for New Orleans!

(emphasis mine)
National Weather Service Watch Warning Advisory Summary

Pretty exciting! It has been years since we had anything like this. Sounds like tomorrow might be a good day to just stay home. We aren't used to this kind of wintry mix, and even though F knows how to drive in it, the other drivers can't and create an extremely hazardous situation. We have zero snow/ice removal equipment here.

Meanwhile, right now, it is 63F outside.... Simply amazing!

That weather system is headed our way tomorrow night. Right now it's in the mid-50's. No snow removal equipment here either - hoping w*rk will have to shut down for a day or two.

 

[Bestwifeever]

We have hit our high temp for the day. 0.

 

[Chuckanut]

I heard an interesting interview with a guy who studies insects. One advantage of this cold weather is that is should drive down the numbers of certain species of the insects that have been killing trees and other plants.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/09/n...p-freeze-as-a-killer-of-invasive-insects.html

 

[W2R]

That weather system is headed our way tomorrow night. Right now it's in the mid-50's. No snow removal equipment here either - hoping w*rk will have to shut down for a day or two.

Good luck on that!

I have no idea what to expect. On the one hand, most universities, schools, and goverment offices in the metro area have already announced that they will be closed on Tuesday. On the other hand, when something like this front affects the whole country, it seems like local forecasters exaggerate the effect here sometimes.

It is SO nice to be retired at times like this. I would be very stressed out if I thought I had to drive to work in this wintry mix. Yes, I am one of those who never learned to drive in snow, but at least I recognize that fact and don't even try any more (after performing a spectacular multiple spin-out in Virginia back in 1976).

 

[Walt34]

It is SO nice to be retired at times like this. I would be very stressed out if I thought I had to drive to work in this wintry mix.

This sounds like DW, even though she used to drive in all sorts of weather without a thought. I liked working in snow, at least on midnight shifts when anyone with any brains stayed home. Well, unless they also had to go to work. The ones who did go out could be entertaining.

Of course there were a few factors in my favor to lessen the stress if I got stuck:

A. It wasn't my car.
B. I could call a tow truck on the radio.
C. Someone else would come pick me up within 20 minutes, I'd get another car, and continue on.

But it still doesn't bother me driving in it until it gets over a foot and a half or so.

 

[ls99]

Tonights scheduled weather for SW PA

Mainly cloudy. Low -7F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph.

 

[Ronstar]

I heard an interesting interview with a guy who studies insects. One advantage of this cold weather is that is should drive down the numbers of certain species of the insects that have been killing trees and other plants.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/09/n...p-freeze-as-a-killer-of-invasive-insects.html

Thanks for posting. Lots of talk around here that the emerald ash borer beetle infestation here in Illinois could be over due to the cold wiping them out

 

[kgtest]

Thanks for posting. Lots of talk around here that the emerald ash borer beetle infestation here in Illinois could be over due to the cold wiping them out

I heard in Minnesota that it still won't be enough to get rid of the buggers.

School is closed for a 5th day in MN due to cold. I am sooo glad I left and moved to Maui this year!

 

[Helen]

I know we need rain, but the Oregon Coast was just beautiful yesterday. 60 degrees, sunny and no wind - that's better than most summer days on the coast.

 

[Calico]

Good luck on that!

I have no idea what to expect. On the one hand, most universities, schools, and goverment offices in the metro area have already announced that they will be closed on Tuesday. On the other hand, when something like this front affects the whole country, it seems like local forecasters exaggerate the effect here sometimes.........

Thanks! Fingers crossed..........

 

[Accidental Retiree]

I know we need rain, but the Oregon Coast was just beautiful yesterday. 60 degrees, sunny and no wind - that's better than most summer days on the coast.

I know Oregon is also experiencing a drought, but your needing rain is a very tough concept for me to grasp!

We are supposed to have a little rain on the way this week.

 

[F4mandolin]

I know Oregon is also experiencing a drought, but your needing rain is a very tough concept for me to grasp!

We are supposed to have a little rain on the way this week.

It's only partially rain the NW needs. More than anything....we need SNOW. Snow in the mountains keeps all the rivers etc full during the summer. Less snow also means we are likely to have a bugger of a fire season this summer....which California is already having.

 

[NW-Bound]

Salvatore Adamo - Tombe la neige - YouTube

Tombe La Neige (1963) by Adamo

Tombe la neige / Snow falls
Tu ne viendras pas ce soir / You will not come tonight
Tombe la neige / Snow falls
Et mon cœur s'habille de noir/ And my heart is dressed in black
Ce soyeux cortège / This silky procession
Tout en larmes blanches / All in white tears
L'oiseau sur la branche / The bird on the branch
Pleure le sortilège / Weeps a magic spell​

​

 

[tulak]

It's only partially rain the NW needs. More than anything....we need SNOW. Snow in the mountains keeps all the rivers etc full during the summer. Less snow also means we are likely to have a bugger of a fire season this summer....which California is already having.

+1 for the snow. This winter has been very mild. I feel for the skiers, since this shaping up to be one of the worst seasons in a while.

 

[W2R]

I have no idea what to expect. On the one hand, most universities, schools, and goverment offices in the metro area have already announced that they will be closed on Tuesday. On the other hand, when something like this front affects the whole country, it seems like local forecasters exaggerate the effect here sometimes.

Well, my suspicions were right, and the forecasters were wrong AGAIN. It is 36F outside right now and that was our low last night. Last I heard, water doesn't freeze at 36. Meanwhile, there is a banner across the bottom of the TV listing all the closed schools and businesses. The entire area is pretty much shut down. Pretty ridiculous, if you ask me.

We still have winter storm warnings and they are still saying it will be down to 31 by noon. I seriously doubt it but we'll see. If so, then maybe they were right after all. [edited at noon to add: it got down to 33, so I guess they were at least partially right]. [edited at 5:20 PM to add: we have accumulations of sleet and ice pellets. Very slippery looking outside. 30F and interstates into and out of New Orleans are all closed, so we are essentially the Island of New Orleans this afternoon. Mea culpa; closing things down was probably the right thing to do, here, today.] Meanwhile, no point in going anywhere because nothing is open. So, we still plan to stay home.

 

[eytonxav]

This sums it up pretty well:

 

[Dimsumkid]

Got so cold here in Chicago, the furnace temp set for 68 and it was only 65. Supposedly got to -39 to -49 last night w/wind chill. My old furnace is having issues, got an estimate of $1400+ for repairs (2 pressure switches, inducer motor and control board). Furnace is 19 yrs old, new 95% furnace is $3800 w/$300 util. rebate. The 80% furnace costs a little more since there's no util. rebate, makes no sense picking the 80% furnace. Installers are here replacing it now, hope to have it back on soon. It's -1 outside, feels like -20.

 

[antmary]

+1 for the snow. This winter has been very mild. I feel for the skiers, since this shaping up to be one of the worst seasons in a while.

I read (somewhere) that this may be a 500 year drought event. Everyone I know is concerned - from the grocery stores to close friends. The conversation about the drought is a constant hum. We do, indeed, live in very interesting times.

 

[Ronstar]

A brisk morning in Southwest Chicagoland

 

[antmary]

Got so cold here in Chicago, the furnace temp set for 68 and it was only 65. Supposedly got to -39 to -49 last night w/wind chill. My old furnace is having issues, got an estimate of $1400+ for repairs (2 pressure switches, inducer motor and control board). Furnace is 19 yrs old, new 95% furnace is $3800 w/$300 util. rebate. The 80% furnace costs a little more since there's no util. rebate, makes no sense picking the 80% furnace. Installers are here replacing it now, hope to have it back on soon. It's -1 outside, feels like -20.

All I can say is that it looks like you have experienced a double hit: below freezing temps, and money out the door as well. I remember a winter I experienced in PA in the 1970's. Unspeakably cold!!! But, this winter is definitely over the top cold-wise (east of the Mississippi).

 

[Nodak]

.

 

[ls99]

Just as an aside, wind chill has zero effects on inanimate objects.

Our low this morning was -14F.

My winter beater truck parked outside started after 3 seconds of cranking. The Y was nearly empty.

 

[NW-Bound]

Gasoline can evaporate at -14F, so it should not be a problem.

I just learned something from reading about the difficulty that an RV'er had up in Saskatchewan trying to stay warm with the RV furnace running off propane. It turned out that the liquid propane that we fill our BBQ tank with has a certain percentage of butane. While propane will evaporate at temperatures down to -44F (-42C), butane evaporation temperature is at a relatively warm water freezing point!

So, this Canadian RV'er was not able to use up the entire tank; the propane portion would vaporize and leave the liquid butane behind. And with the tank not completely empty, with the partial refills you will have more and more butane left in the tank. Talk about getting stuck frozen to the bones while you have a filled tank of liquid combustible butane that will not vaporize!