2016-17 Winter Storm thread

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Wed Dec 07, 2016 3:14 pm

Weather.com

Argos hit New York over Thanksgiving.

Blanche was last week.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Wed Dec 07, 2016 4:31 pm

Winter storm "More Fucking Snow" is anticipated to hit here on Sunday.

Exodor · Post by **Exodor** » Wed Dec 07, 2016 4:36 pm

Portland may get 1-3 inches tomorrow so we're in full SNOWPACALYPSE FREAK OUT mode.

Which ensures we get nothing.

Post by **ImLawBoy** » Wed Dec 07, 2016 4:57 pm

Can we all agree to shake our fists angrily at The Weather Channel (or whoever originated it) for this stupid fucking naming a snow storm thing?

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Wed Dec 07, 2016 6:01 pm

That ship sailed four years ago.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Wed Dec 07, 2016 6:13 pm

Help! I'm stuck under eight inches of Gregory!

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Thu Dec 08, 2016 10:57 am

ImLawBoy wrote:Can we all agree to shake our fists angrily at The Weather Channel (or whoever originated it) for this stupid fucking naming a snow storm thing?

Quick - what's the name of a memorable storm from years past (since they started with this ridiculous thing). Anyone?

Unlike cyclonic storms that cause billions in damage and sometimes thousands of lives, snow melts and cold turns warm. Those occasional big snow storms that fuck things up for days are usually remembered by the year they occurred (such as the storm of '67).

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Thu Dec 08, 2016 11:02 am

Blackhawk wrote:Help! I'm stuck under eight inches of Gregory!

Hey now, that's a little TMI for this forum.

Exodor · Post by **Exodor** » Thu Dec 08, 2016 12:16 pm

Predictions now call for 2-4" of snow followed by freezing rain. I'm very thankful our boss is letting us work from home today.

Also I'm glad the Portland Police twitter-er has a good sense of humor:

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Thu Dec 08, 2016 12:21 pm

Exodor wrote:Predictions now call for 2-4" of snow followed by freezing rain. I'm very thankful our boss is letting us work from home today.

They're predicting as much as 3" on Sunday. I'm not ready. I'll be annoyed but it's not snomageddon. We're getting the icy bone chilling dust now. blech. Still, ploughing the driveway and running back inside and double commute times is better than 90 and humid and having to do work outside. So there's that.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Thu Dec 08, 2016 12:24 pm

No snow but going to be 23 tonight then 22 next.

The Meal · Post by **The Meal** » Thu Dec 08, 2016 12:38 pm

MHS and I spent three days last week in Orlando followed by a three day cruise out to the Bahamas. We got back to Colorado for temperatures in the teens (always fun getting out of the airport when you don't bother to pack a coat). First day back to work saw single digit temperatures and the next day was our second significant snowfall of the season, with a balmy -1°F drive home that evening.

I'm just saying, and you should all show appropriate sympathy for us, that these are no conditions in which we should be recovering from sunburns.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Thu Dec 08, 2016 12:45 pm

Should have stayed hidden on the boat

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Fri Dec 09, 2016 12:13 pm

Polar Vortex

Meteorologists revealed this week the possible return of the weather phenomenon known as the polar vortex that brought temperatures in the Midwest and Northeast down to record lows in January 2014, resulting in dangerous conditions and widespread damages, Reuters reported Friday.
...
Now experts have warned that a new polar vortex had its sights set on Midwestern cities, including the region's largest metropolitan center, Chicago. The city expected temperatures next week as cold as nine degrees Fahrenheit with lows falling to three degrees. Other cities such as Minneapolis were also bracing for extreme weather.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Fri Dec 09, 2016 12:20 pm

Isgrimnur wrote:Polar Vortex

Meteorologists revealed this week the possible return of the weather phenomenon known as the polar vortex that brought temperatures in the Midwest and Northeast down to record lows in January 2014, resulting in dangerous conditions and widespread damages, Reuters reported Friday.
...
Now experts have warned that a new polar vortex had its sights set on Midwestern cities, including the region's largest metropolitan center, Chicago. The city expected temperatures next week as cold as nine degrees Fahrenheit with lows falling to three degrees. Other cities such as Minneapolis were also bracing for extreme weather.

Aw, crap. I have a day off next week and was hoping to go to the beach.

Spoiler:

Post by **ImLawBoy** » Fri Dec 09, 2016 1:31 pm

Not only do we have to give our snow storms stupid names now, but apparently cold fronts are all going to be called "Polar Vortex".

/shakes fist angrily at The Weather Channel

JSHAW · Post by **JSHAW** » Fri Dec 09, 2016 1:33 pm

To speed up the process just call it the Polar Express

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Fri Dec 09, 2016 1:35 pm

It's either bikini weather or not.

Exodor · Post by **Exodor** » Fri Dec 09, 2016 1:36 pm

I managed to survive the "brutal winter weather."

Actually it did get a bit messy - we got maybe 1" of snow before it switched over to freezing rain. I had to chip my car out of a layer of iced over snow this morning but otherwise things are fairly normal on the west side of town but Portland proper is still dealing with freezing rain and frozen roads.

It made for a nice quiet commute in to work this morning where only 4 of us bothered to come in. I guess I should have stayed home.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Fri Dec 09, 2016 1:36 pm

ImLawBoy wrote:Not only do we have to give our snow storms stupid names now, but apparently cold fronts are all going to be called "Polar Vortex".

/shakes fist angrily at The Weather Channel

(Probably) not their fault this time:

The term was popularized by meteorologist Ryan Maue and journalist Andrew Freedman.

Andrew Freedman is Mashable's Science Editor. Prior to working at Mashable, Freedman was a Senior Science writer for Climate Central. He was ranked as the most prolific climate reporter in the U.S. in 2012, and the second-most prolific in 2013. He has also worked as a reporter for Congressional Quarterly and Greenwire/E&E Daily. His writing has also appeared in the Washington Post, online at The Weather Channel, and washingtonpost.com, where he wrote a weekly climate science column for the "Capital Weather Gang" blog. He has provided commentary on climate science and policy for Sky News, CBC Radio, NPR, Al Jazeera America, Sirius XM Radio, PBS NewsHour, and other national and international outlets. He holds a Masters in Climate and Society from Columbia University, and a Masters in Law and Diplomacy from The Fletcher School at Tufts University.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Fri Dec 09, 2016 1:38 pm

All I know is that it seemed to take off after Al Roker latched onto the term. Then again, he promotes stupid winter storm names too.

Post by **ImLawBoy** » Fri Dec 09, 2016 1:40 pm

Just let me know the direction in which I should angrily shake my fist, I will shake it with a righteous anger.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Fri Dec 09, 2016 3:55 pm

Both of them are on Twitter. Feel free to vent your spleen in the 21st century manner.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Sun Dec 11, 2016 9:57 pm

First snowblow/shovel today not bad. Second snowblow a cakewalk because of first snowblow. Shoveling out where the snowblow seals me in about killed me. I have no idea what I'm going to do when I get older, like in two years... Where are the neighbor kids who want to make a buck? And I think we're only half way done. Do I set the alarm for 02:00 and wake the neighbors for round three?

Anyhoo about a foot today since sometime last night, with about two feet of sludge in front of my house.

And I'm sweatin my nuts off. I should have gone out in shorts and shirtless. I'm tempted to turn the heat off but I'd regret that in about an hour.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Sun Dec 11, 2016 10:01 pm

They say we will get 1-3" tonight followed by rain...a typical slopstorm, but since it's the first one of the season people are dutifully freaking out. Suppose I ought to exhume my snowblower and see if it will start, just in case we get a real snowstorm later on.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 10:18 am

So Saturday I go to Meijer to pick up a few things for a party we were going to that evening. There was not an empty shopping cart to be had. All of the outdoor corrals were empty and none inside. Then I notice the lines in the store. I haven't seen anything like it since I spent the holidays in the Philippines 5 years ago. All checkouts were lit (first time ever I believe) and each had a line extending halfway to the back of the store. I was probably looking at a 2 hour wait even if I had a cart to put things in.

So Saturday night we get 3-4" of snow. Sunday added about 3" more of heavy, wet snow. Total snowfall was less than we had last weekend. The difference is last weekend, the prediction was for 2-4" (we got about 8); this week, for the past 5 days every weather chip was squealing "OMG...huge storm coming! End of times snow! EVERYBODY PANIC!!!!" To which they did.

I went shopping yesterday morning to get the things I didn't get elsewhere on Saturday. Everything was normal, and the meager amount of snow didn't seem to disrupt anything.

DD* · Post by DD* » Mon Dec 12, 2016 10:35 am

I got 10+ inches north of Detroit. I happened to be out of town with my daughter at a hockey tournament in Guelph, ON. Fun ride home on Sunday morning - freeway was a one lane two track pretty much all the way into Sarnia.

Post by **ImLawBoy** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 11:15 am

We did our normal grocery shopping on Saturday morning (although we went a little bit earlier so we could make an afternoon Christmas party), and there was nothing unusual. City folk must be tougher than suburbanites.

The snow on Sunday morning was easy to shovel. Well, it would have been easier had it not been for two 2.5 year old assistants "helping" me with the shoveling. They were having a blast, though, so it was fine. The shoveling last night was heavy, but there wasn't too much. Lamest killstorm ever.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 11:27 am

Maybe another inch fell after I went to bed, maybe two. Plenty easy for me to get out of driveway but I'll still need to go over it again when I get home. The streets were... odd. There was plenty of time to plough but only like 2/3rds of the streets were cleaned. The ones that were cleaned were merely wet. The ones that weren't were like I was driving in the storm, like they weren't touched once in well over 24 hours.

Your talk about shopping now makes it clear why CostCo's was such a miserable experience on Saturday. It never dawns on me to shop before a snow storm. I suppose it's because I have plenty of pantry items. I'd be more concerned about losing power than being snowed in with power over a week or two.

Octavious · Post by **Octavious** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 12:17 pm

Little bit of snow and ice overnight. Enough for delayed opening, but otherwise not a big deal. I'm really not in the mood for dealing with winter at all anymore. I need to move somehow...

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 12:47 pm

Octavious wrote:Little bit of snow and ice overnight. Enough for delayed opening, but otherwise not a big deal. I'm really not in the mood for dealing with winter at all anymore. I need to move somehow...

I much prefer artificial heat, shoveling, and bad traffic to AC and lawn work. Of course, I'm rarely outdoors, it seems, except shovel and do lawn work. If all goes well, Nine years (or hopefully less) until retirement and then maybe I'll spend some time out of shelter, doing things like moving around instead of sitting in a chair until it's time lay down.

Octavious · Post by **Octavious** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 1:05 pm

I could live with a nice townhouse in a warmer area. I'm sure the fees wouldn't even come close to NJ property taxes anyway.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 1:07 pm

I've made the offer of Texas before. The major metro areas will let you cater your red/purple/blue leanings appropriately.

Octavious · Post by **Octavious** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 1:36 pm

My sister moved to Texas a few years ago. Seems to like it well enough, but I think that would be a gigantic change from NJ.

And I have to somehow get out of my house that is worth nothing. I wish I could go back in time and punch myself 12 years ago.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 1:41 pm

If it helps, my lawn mower has been sitting outside, unsecured, in my until-recently unlocked back yard, and no one has stolen it.

Z-Corn · Post by **Z-Corn** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 6:43 pm

I parked my work van Friday evening and didn't touch it all weekend. Who am I fooling? I didn't leave the house all weekend...

Anyway, I had about two feet of snow covering the hood and windshield. I expected that, but what I didn't expect was that after I brushed off the van I had to shovel myself out so I could leave the driveway. That pissed me off all morning...

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 8:10 pm

Isgrimnur wrote:I've made the offer of Texas before. The major metro areas will let you cater your red/purple/blue leanings appropriately.

I lived in Abilene for three months. Once I flew in and out of Dallas and thought it seemed nice, but... Abilene, no.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 8:22 pm

Abilene does not qualify as 'major'.

<-- former Lubbockite

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 8:23 pm

Holman wrote:I lived in Abilene for three months.

Did you see many visitors in town looking for a restaurant while you were living there?

I apologize for the derail, but it's so rare I can insert random nonsense that isn't related to a horribly disfiguring disease.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 8:30 pm

Smoove_B wrote:
Holman wrote:I lived in Abilene for three months.
Did you see many visitors in town looking for a restaurant while you were living there?

I apologize for the derail, but it's so rare I can insert random nonsense that isn't related to a horribly disfiguring disease.

The drive was indeed hot, dusty, and long--for me it was 18 hours from Atlanta along I-20.

Also there was the wind. It never stopped. Half the time you couldn't hold a conversation outdoors because of it.