Storm Hype and Updates!

[Karen]

It has certainly been amusing the amount of hype for this storm. Two days ago, before if even started, there were headlines calling it a "Historical Storm" - um, doe snot something have to take place before it becomes history?

Now there is talk of "Top 5 storms" and some folks are actually saying that is is the year's first big storm, backing down from the hype a tad. The snow started lightly about an hour ago, bit the states are already instituting travel bans - no one is allowed on the roads starting at midnight tonight except for essential personnel. And it is 9 p.m. for Connecticut. The Market Basket near us, at least, was prepared - every register was open, baggers at every one, people were restocking shelves, and I didn't even have to go down the bread aisle - I have some already, there was plenty of milk, water, eggs, etc. I already had milk, too, so my cart was not nearly the "French Toast emergency" typical cart!

The wild birds are busily eating up, and I did buy extra bird seed, and was happy that that was a shelf that was looking more empty than usual!

It is currently snowing lightly, with tiny flakes!

[phesina]

Sending along our prayers and good wishes that this isn't the big disaster that is all over the media, and however bad it is, all the people and other animals come through it all right.

Stay safe and warm and dry, everyone!

:love::love::love::love::love::love::love::love:

[Catty1]

Be safe, everyone. :love: The newscast is showing photos and it looks like a nasty one is starting.

[Karen]

So far my bank emailed me to say they will be closed tomorrow, my electric company called to say they are prepared for the storm, and with suggestions for people, my city called to say there is now a parking ban, no on-street parking, which is not a surprise, and overnight parking on the street is banned in winter months anyway, Logan Airport is shutting down and will be closed tomorrow, the governor has declared there is a travel ban in effect starting at midnight state-wide, and we are snug and warm and safe. Only an inch or so so far, but the heaviest snow will come later.

One of the reason the Blizzard of '78 was deadly is people were not prepared, and it had just been predicted as flurries, I remember that quite well.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

Prayers on the way for all in the path of this storm! We have at least one Pet Talker on Cape Cod which seems to be ground zero:love:

[Felicia's Mom]

Keeping all of you in my prayers! Keep safe everyone.

[Karen]

Prayers on the way for all in the path of this storm! We have at least one Pet Talker on Cape Cod which seems to be ground zero:love:

Most of the New England coast is under flood watch, that is probably the bigger danger of this storm and of course places like Cape Cod, Cape Ann, and Hull jut out into the ocean, they have already closed several of the roads in coastal communities that always end up with water coming over the sea walls in Nor'Easters.

Sandra is not directly on the water, so should be relatively safe from the storm surge.

[mrspunkysmom]

I am curious about the amount of snow the Northeast receives each year. It seems every year there is a storm of the year or the decade or what. I believe a nasty snowstorm is as bad as a hurricane or mid-west/southern storm system.

Does this happen every year?

Take care and be safe.

[Karen]

I am curious about the amount of snow the Northeast receives each year. It seems every year there is a storm of the year or the decade or what. I believe a nasty snowstorm is as bad as a hurricane or mid-west/southern storm system.

Does this happen every year?

Take care and be safe.

There are some years we get a lot of small storms, some years we get several big storms, and a blizzard is not a rare thing here in Massachusetts, at least! It is bitterly cold outside right now, even with gloves on, it took several minutes for my fingers to start throbbing and regain feeling, now they are still red, but almost feel normal after ten minutes. I went out to shovel what we had so far, and because of the wind, which is part of what makes a storm a blizzard, it is impossible to tell how much snow we have gotten so far, as in some spots it looked like a couple inches, in some 9, and one had to time each shovel of snow between gusts to ensure most of it went onto the snow pile, not back blown onto you!

I just check, it is currently 14°F (-10C) outside, with wind speed about 30 mph, and gusts twice that high. The wind chill drops the temperature to -4°F.

Some years we do not get a lot of snow, it really, quite honestly, varies a lot. Last winter was very snowy, and I loved it. Lots o other people did not!

[Karen]

And the funny thing is (peculiar anyway), Facebook is apparently down, as is Tinder and Instagram. But we are still here!

[Karen]

Facebook is back up. The snow is now coming down i earnest - you cannot even tell I shoveled earlier, but I am glad I did, anyway! Still impossible to gauge how much we have gotten, because of the wind and drifting!

[Freedom]

Lots of wind and so the drifts are amazing -- I can see my grass in my front yard, in the back yard I have a 5 foot drift!

It is COLD and the wind chill is currently -8F here in East Prov, RI. I haven't been out to clear the driveway yet. There is a big drift up against the door, about 4 foot high. Beyond that I can see the bare driveway.

Nantucket is hard hit, total power outage on the island, they had a 3 foot storm surge, many areas were evacuated and the high school is their shelter.

[Karen]

Still snowing lightly, we got over a foot at least, but as Sandie mentioned, drifting makes it hard to figure out how much has fallen in total!

[kaycountrygal]

Jan 27 2015
I've read your posts and also I've been watching news regarding the snow snow/blizzard. I'm hoping all of you are and will be safe and not have any difficulties re this storm/snow. Here in central NC it's to be 43 (38 right now) and is sunny and a bit breezy. You all take care... Kay

[popcornbird]

Send some of that snow here...we need a lot more snow in the Sierra mountains. We had a lot in December, but with the abnormally warm and dry January, the snow pack has reduced, and I want it to last long enough to enjoy a few more snow tubing trips! Lol! Plus we need a lot more to fix the drought.

[Karen]

Send some of that snow here...we need a lot more snow in the Sierra mountains. We had a lot in December, but with the abnormally warm and dry January, the snow pack has reduced, and I want it to last long enough to enjoy a few more snow tubing trips! Lol! Plus we need a lot more to fix the drought.

Unfortunately, kiddo - the wind is not heading in your direction - spiraling out to the east, sorry! But I think a lot of people would LOVE to send it your way!


We put a couple plates of bird seed outside our sliding glass doors - the wind was drifting the snow away from that so there just a few inches until ypu get to the edge of the building. So far, only a ton of juncos - nicknamed snowbirds - and one mooring dove have left the security of the hedges above to get some food, but my snow is now all covered with birdie footprints!

[Randi]

Your weather has been showed on TV here and in some places, it looks like you got a lot of snow! Glad you're safe, though! I guess some people will take the opportunity to have a cosy time at home, and I bet the children are happy they get the day off. :)

When I travelled to the US in 2010, I stepped out in snow reaching my knees - at 6AM, I was worried the taxi wouldn't be able to make it, but it did. The flight was an hour delayed, since they had to defrost it once more. I certainly could have used that extra hour in bed!

[cassiesmom]

And the funny thing is (peculiar anyway), Facebook is apparently down, as is Tinder and Instagram. But we are still here!

Hmmm, I couldn't get on Facebook last night. We had rain that changed over to freezing rain, which then changed to snow. So it was a slushy, icy, slippery mess.

[Karen]

Facebook went down, and came back up around 2 a.m. It is still snowing here, but there has been so much drifting I have no real idea how much we have gotten!

[Karen]

Yes, it is still snowing here - well, maybe! It is hard to tell, as the wind is whipping everything sideways, so it really is impossible to discern if it is actually new snow falling, or just snow getting blow off various surfaces to land elsewhere!

[chocolatepuppy]

I hope everyone is safe and warm!

[Karen]

Ayup (said in my best New England accent), inside and warm! Hopefully Nantucket will get its power back on soon!

[Karen]

Bright blue sky at last this morning, and the birds are busily eating up the seed I put out half an hour ago! Today I can shovel out for the final time this storm!

[cassiesmom]

Winter storm Linus could bring 6 to 10 inches of snow to the Chicago area between Saturday night and Monday morning. If it's really going to snow that much, I hope the snow comes early enough that they can get the highways and streets cleared in time for Monday morning commute. Compared to last year this has been a pretty mild winter.

[Karen]

It has been snowing all day here today, but it is what I call "air snow" - the temp is just around freezing, so it doesn't really accumulate anywhere, just looks pretty coming down. We may get another inch or so tonight, but not a big deal this go 'round! I knew not to worry because the seed I put out yesterday afternoon was not even halfway gone by midday today. If the birds don't worry, I don't!

[chocolatepuppy]

Winter storm Linus could bring 6 to 10 inches of snow to the Chicago area between Saturday night and Monday morning. If it's really going to snow that much, I hope the snow comes early enough that they can get the highways and streets cleared in time for Monday morning commute. Compared to last year this has been a pretty mild winter.

Yep, it's on the way! Might have to use my call off day Monday so I can shovel out. We'll see what happens.;)

[Felicia's Mom]

It is hard to know how much snow we have because there is so much drifting. Many churches have canceled services.

[Karen]

And here, where it is not supposed to start until this evening, some places have already called off events tomorrow, just in case!

[cassiesmom]

It's 30F (-1C). They upgraded the winter storm warning to a blizzard warning and the forecast is now 12 to 18 inches of snow. I just went out, brushed off my car, and got it out (the snow removal service was here about 6 AM and plowed everybody's cars in). The weather forecast has been revised, too - 100% chance of snow today, 50% tomorrow and Tuesday, 30% Wednesday and the rest of the week is to be cold (temps less than 20F). Wolf Road looks good with cars actually moving rather than creeping along, and I can hear the traffic on the tollway which sounds like it always does. So that tells me the roads are passable. I need to get to work tomorrow because it's the first week of the month, which is always a busy one for my team. Please be safe, friends east of me- I wish this storm would completely miss you but that doesn't look like it's gonna happen.

[phesina]

The air is filled with whiteness here... the snow is really coming down. It's supposed to keep coming until around 7am tomorrow.

Fortunately, I do not have to go out before tomorrow (and much later than 7am), at the earliest!

[Grace]

Checking in from west of phesina - Douglas is out with the snow blower - we've had at least 9 inches so far. They say it will continue until tomorrow morning. Poor birds - I keep going out and to clear a place on the ground for the ground feeders.

Our boy cats are depressed. They go out on the back porch - see the snow - head back inside for more sleep and food.

[phesina]

Good wishes to all (all species) in the storm's path.. that you can keep safe and warm, everyone!

:love::love::love::love::love::love::love::love:

[Karen]

Our projected total has been upgraded to 10-18" - we'll see what does materialize!

[chocolatepuppy]

We got something like 7-8 inches of snow. Raining now, then back to freezing this morning. At least it started raining when I went to bed, so no snow to clean out of the driveway. I spend several hours yesterday keeping up with the snow!

[Karen]

Snowing heavily at the moment, several inches already, but I can't tell how much! When I opened the blinds to see out, at least 6 mourning doves, and a few small birds flew out - they had been sheltering from the storm close to the building, in under the porch above us as far as they could get!

Honest to goodness, the forecast says "Snow. The snow could be heavy at times. Temperature falling to around 15 by 5pm. Wind chill values as low as -1. North wind 13 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph."

The funny thing is it is already colder than the predicted low. It is now 11° (-10 C) and a wind chill of 0°.

[Taz_Zoee]

I hope you all stay safe no matter what the weather brings!!

This reminds me of the "storm" we were supposed to have a couple months ago. They even closed schools here..............in CALIFORNIA!!! It was no where near the severe storm they thought it was going to be. Didn't even make a dent in the draught either.

We are supposed to get some rain later this week. But I'm sure it won't be enough........again. :(

[cassiesmom]

Winter storm Linus left Chicago with 19 inches of snow in a little over 24 hours. Just four inches shy of the record set by the Big Snowstorm of January 1967. It's now 19F (-7C), but way, way less windy than yesterday. Also bright afternoon sunshine, which I am glad to see! So I did snap a few photos (which are still in the camera) for a sunny, clear, snowy winter day.

[Karen]

Still snowing here, even colder by a whopping 1 degree, and over the course of the day, our bikes, which are resting just outside our sliding glass doors and to right, have beacon e the resting place and sheltered perch and napping spot for no less than 4 mourning doves at a time. Every once in while one will descend to the plates of seed I put out this morning, which the sparrows and juncos have been busily working on, but then back to the bikes!

The wind HAS picked up a bit, so now we are at 10°F(-12C) with a wind chill of -7F(-22C). Funny they have not update the daytime projected high of 24°F it never got anywhere near there, and from the temps to the west of us, doesn't look like it will be going up anytime soon!

[Karen]

Over a foot here, and still falling - to the point where I had to reshovel to get back in the house after doing some shoveling. My car, the Turtle, still has a bit of a snow-hawk, but could drive somewhere if need be, and I got lucky in that there is no car parked next to me, so I had a place to put some of the snow! That's one thing I miss about living out in a more rural area - having a lawn on which to pile snow! Again, there are gusts of wind, so I cannot give you any kind of exact measurement, but at least it never turned to sleet here!

[cassiesmom]

Karen, my dad said that when he looked outside this morning, their balcony rail had a good six inches of snow and the bird feeder looked like it had white frosting on it. The park district golf course offers cross-country skiing in the winter, when there is enough snow- but you have to either have your own skis and gear or arrange your own rental.