SE TE'ers: the ice storm cometh

[sundial]

Okay, this weather alert is for the Texas panhandle, OK, MO bootheel, NW AR, NW TN, KY, and a few other unlucky states. The NWS states there is a significant snow and ice event to include 1/4" of ice and 6"-12" of snow. So check your stock of batteries, flashlights, propane, gas, oil (for the generator), radios, De-Ice, and of course food for both you and the fur kids.

Good luck, stay warm, and snuggle in for a long weekend.

[sundial]

New Mexico--you're first in line. :eek:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EL PASO TX/SANTA TERESA NM
543 AM MST TUE JAN 26 2010

...ANOTHER WINTER STORM SYSTEM TO DUMP HEAVY SNOW OVER THE SOUTH
CENTRAL MOUNTAINS OF NEW MEXICO...

.ANOTHER PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE OVER NEW MEXICO LATE
WEDNESDAY AND SLOWLY MOVE THROUGH THE STATE THURSDAY BEFORE
EXITING EARLY FRIDAY. THIS UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM WILL INTRODUCE DEEP
MOISTURE AND STRONG INSTABILITY LEADING TO ANOTHER WIDESPREAD
PRECIPITATION EVENT ACROSS SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO AND FAR WEST TEXAS.
WARM TEMPERATURES AHEAD OF THE SYSTEM WILL INITIALLY KEEP SNOW
LEVELS HIGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT BUT A BACKDOOR COLD FRONT WILL BARREL
INTO THE REGION FROM THE NORTHEAST ON THURSDAY COOLING
TEMPERATURES AND LOWERING SNOW LEVELS OVER THE SACRAMENTO
MOUNTAINS. THE SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS OF THE GILA REGION WILL ALSO
RECEIVE SOME HIGH ELEVATION SNOWS...BUT WITH SNOW LEVELS STAYING
RELATIVELY HIGH...MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN OVER SNOWPACK WILL POSE
A FLOODING POTENTIAL OUT WEST. OVER THE SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS
UPSLOPE FLOW AND STRONG UPPER DYNAMICS WILL PRODUCE AREAS OF
HEAVY SNOW LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT. THE SYSTEM
WILL PULL AWAY FROM THE AREA EARLY FRIDAY. PRECIPITATION WILL
END FOR ALL...WITH A FEW LINGERING LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS POSSIBLE
FRIDAY OVER THE SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS.

NMZ025-262300-
/O.NEW.KEPZ.WS.A.0003.100128T0800Z-100129T1400Z/
SOUTHERN SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MESCALERO...CLOUDCROFT...TIMBERON
543 AM MST TUE JAN 26 2010

...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH
FRIDAY MORNING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN EL PASO TX/SANTA TERESA HAS
ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM LATE
WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING.

* TIMING...SNOWFALL WILL BEGIN OVER THE HIGH MOUNTAINS OF THE GILA
WEDNESDAY EVENING. THESE SHOWER WILL SPREAD EAST WITH LIGHT SNOW
SHOWERS EXPECTED TO BEGIN OVER THE SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS AROUND
MIDNIGHT WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THE HEAVIEST SNOW IS EXPECTED TO
DEVELOP EARLY THURSDAY AS A COLD FRONT PUSHES IN FROM THE EAST.
SNOWFALL WILL DIMINISH THURSDAY NIGHT WITH SOME LINGERING LIGHT
SNOW SHOWERS LASTING INTO FRIDAY MORNING.

* SNOW LEVELS...INITIAL SNOW LEVELS WILL BE AROUND 7500 FEET
WEDNESDAY NIGHT. SNOW LEVELS WILL FALL TO 4500 FEET AFTER MIDDAY
THURSDAY BEHIND A STRONG COLD FRONT.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...THE HEAVIEST SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ARE
EXPECTED OVER THE EAST SLOPES OF THE SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS. OUT
WEST GENERALLY LIGHT SNOW OVER THE SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS OF THE
GILA REGION WITH 2-4 INCHES AT ELEVATIONS ABOVE 7000 FEET. IN
THE SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS 3-5 INCHES BELOW 6000 FEET WITH 7-15
INCHES POSSIBLE OVER THE HIGHER EAST SLOPES.

* IMPACTS...ROADWAYS WILL BECOME SNOW PACKED. HAZARDOUS DRIVING
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED. VISIBILITIES IN HEAVY SNOW MAY FALL
BELOW ONE HALF MILE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT
SNOW...SLEET...OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL.
CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.

And for the Midsouth:

Event: Special Weather Statement
Alert:
...WINTER STORM EXPECTED THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY...WITH SIGNIFICANT
ICE AND SNOW ACCUMULATIONS POSSIBLE...

A POWERFUL STORM SYSTEM MOVING ALONG THE GULF COAST WILL BRING
MOISTURE INTO THE MIDSOUTH LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND ON THURSDAY.
AN ARCTIC AIR MASS WILL ALSO DROP SOUTH INTO NORTHERN PORTIONS OF
THE MIDSOUTH THURSDAY EVENING...CHANGING RAIN OVER TO A MIXTURE OF
FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET. THE SHALLOW ARCTIC AIR MASS WILL ADVANCE
SOUTH THURSDAY NIGHT...CHANGING RAIN TO A MIXTURE OF SLEET AND
FREEZING RAIN ACROSS CENTRAL COUNTIES OF THE MIDSOUTH BY FRIDAY
MORNING. AREAS ALONG THE MISSOURI AND KENTUCKY BORDERS WILL LIKELY
SEE A CHANGEOVER TO SNOW BY FRIDAY MORNING. SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW
WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE MIDSOUTH. CONFIDENCE
IS HIGH THAT THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE MIDSOUTH WILL SEE SOME
WINTRY PRECIPITATION. HOWEVER CURRENT CONFIDENCE IS MUCH LOWER
OVER SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE MIDSOUTH.
THERE STILL REMAINS SOME UNCERTAINTY WITH THE EVOLUTION OF THIS
POTENTIAL WINTER STORM SYSTEM. SMALL DEVIATIONS IN THE SPEED AND
STRENGTH OF THE DEVELOPING SYSTEM WILL DETERMINE THE SOUTHERN
EXTENT OF THE ARCTIC AIR. THESE INFLUENCES WILL GREATLY IMPACT
PRECIPITATION TYPES AND AMOUNTS.
STRONG WINDS WILL ACCOMPANY THE STORM. SHOULD SIGNIFICANT ICE AND
SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OCCUR...THE STRONG WINDS COULD HELP BRING DOWN
TREE LIMBS...WHICH COULD CAUSE POWER OUTAGES.
THE WINTER STORM SHOULD CLEAR THE MIDSOUTH BY THE WEEKEND...WITH
BITTER COLD ARCTIC AIR USHERING IN BEHIND THE DEPARTING STORM
SYSTEM.
PERSONS IN THE MIDSOUTH ARE ENCOURAGED TO PLAN AHEAD FOR THE POTENTIAL
OF SNOW AND ICE ACCUMULATIONS AND POSSIBLE POWER OUTAGES...FOLLOWED
BY MUCH COLDER TEMPERATURES PERSISTING INTO THE WEEKEND.

[SadieKate]

The worst weather I ever flew in was a flight out of Amarillo in the dark in the middle of an ice storm in a tiny little commuter prop-job.

I lay across the back bench and moaned* as quietly as possible all the way to Dallas.

Everyone, stay safe.

*I should clarify this. I wasn't scared so much of the weather as throwing up. I'm banned from LAX for life for too many childhood incidents (when flying home from Amarillo).

[tulip]

Sundial's weather reports rock!! Thanks, Sundial. I've been waiting for the weather reports to start up again. :)

[Bike Chick]

Thanks Sundial! We've been hearing that it's heading this way but they don't know how much we will get yet. Let's hope it's the snow and not the ice..... Looks like I'll be on the trainer this weekend:(

[Tri Girl]

I KNOW! :( :mad:

I don't mind the snow (like the 14" we had for Christmas), but the ice just bites. We lose power when any ice accumulates. 2 years ago we lost power for week. Oh well. If all else fails, I'll go sleep in my classroom (the school never loses power).

I really don't think we'll get as much as they're sensationalizing, but I'm sure we'll get some. I just hope it's not a lot. Went to the store to get some food, but the parking lot was FULL so I just went home. I'll just make do with the canned goods I have in the fridge. ;)

Stay safe everyone!!

[Selkie]

On the news last night, the meteorologist said it might be a significant storm for the southeast (it was in California then and expected to get more moisture over the Gulf of Mexico). Didn't think the DC area was going to get hit hard by it, as the worst of it is supposed to stay south (Eastern Shore of MD might get hit, though). We might get a couple inches here in the DC metro area Friday night into Saturday but no ice.

Sun---Are Nicki and Kali snow lovers? You'll have to get some pictures of them romping in it and post them.

[tulip]

It's supposed to snow in Richmond on Friday and Saturday, but I don't know how much.

[Cataboo]

I'd love snow in the DC area.

There were flurries yesterday afternoon.

[sfa]

I'm bummed. When the weather geeks were first watching this storm, they were predicting a more northern route, so I was looking forward to eight or twelve inches of snow in Maryland this weekend! Now we'll be lucky to get a dusting.

Sarah

[Tuckervill]

They're already hedging for my area. I don't think it's going to be so bad. (Unless you're in Oklahoma.)

Karen

[Blueberry]

They're predicting anything between a half an inch of ice and 8 inches of snow for us. Makes it hard to plan. And my poor grandma is supposed to be transferred from the hospital to a rehabilitation facility in the middle of this (she had a knee replacement). I love snow usually, but right now - ugh!

[Bike Chick]

It's already starting here...sleet and snow mixed but the ground is still too warm for it to do anything significant. The temp is hovering at 32.......and this wasn't supposed to start until tomorrow!!

[Tri Girl]

Where are you at bike chick?
Some districts have already canceled school for tomorrow and Friday and it's bone dry here right now. Ice shouldn't start until mid-morning tomorrow.
Personally, I think they're jumping the gun a little.
I still don't think it's going to be nearly as bad as they're predicting. I hope I'm right.

[Grits]

It is headed to NC. Tomorrow it is supposed to be 61 degrees and sunny. I am going for a ride with a friend. Saturday is supposed to be a high of 29 with ice and/or snow!

[Bike Chick]

Where are you at bike chick?

I'm in the very southern tip of Illinois, Tri Girl, and I guess last night wasn't the beginning. It sure took everyone by surprise though. It started sleeting right before I got off work, continued to sleet and snow for a couple hours then moved on through. We thought the storm was starting early. We were wrong!

We are under a winter storm watch from midnight tonight until midnight tomorrow night. The original forecast has been downgraded a bit and we are just on the north edge of this one---only supposed to get 1-3 inches of snow. Whew!

It looks like you could be right in the middle of it, Tri Girl, depending on where you live. Sounds like everyone panics there too. Our local weatherman gets so excited when there is a "major weather event" that it's comical. I hope you are right and it's not as bad for you as they think. The ice is nasty!

[Tuckervill]

Nothing here, yet, but I see it's already got Tri-Girl in its grip, and I hope my husband decides to come home from Tulsa in the next couple of hours, because it is bearing down on him right now.

They've downgraded us a bit, but Wal-Mart was crazy and the generator traffic at Lowe's yesterday was incredible. I just went in to get a 5-gal can of kerosene, just in case.

Karen

[skhill]

I'm in central KY, and it looks like the storm's going just south of us (thank goodness). It's just about exactly one year since our last big ice storm, and we really don't need another one...

The grocery store was a lot busier than usual, anyway. We don't trust our forecasters, ever since the notorious day in the late 90's when the predicted "dusting of snow" turned into about 10 inches...

[Tri Girl]

I hope your husband makes it home soon, Karen.
It's icing out there right now, and my power line is starting to moan a little.
I'm sure we'll be OK. If not, I'm sure I'll make it. :p I would just rather it start snowing and stop icing is all. I never worried about power going out when we got 14" of snow- but just a little ice is scary on those lines.

[tulip]

It's in the 50s and sunny and absolutely marvelous here! But it's supposed to turn bad tomorrow and be in the 20s with snow all weekend. I'm going out to gather kindling for the woodstove.

[Tuckervill]

Drizzle and hovering around freezing right now. DH did make it home and it was barely even wet until he got closer to the state line.

I sent him out to cut a limb off the plum tree when he got here. This limb bent almost in half last year, right over the top of the power line that goes from the pole to the house. It never broke. I see that limb from the bedroom window every morning and think of how close it came to busting that line. No chance of it this year, though!

Lots of schools and such are taking it seriously. They closed the schools about 45 minutes early today. Don't understand it, because the driving was easy. Still is.

I made the BEST pot of chili, and some rolls. Now mah belly is full!

Karen

[Tri Girl]

Glad your DH made it home safely. Looks like it's heading your way. Here are some ice pics.

[Tuckervill]

Yikes. I'm not ready.

I was going to go out to Wal-Mart just to get out of the house before it's all locked up, but the windshields were already covered. :P So I made The Pioneer Woman's apple cake (http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/09/apple-cake-in-an-iron-skillet/) in a cast iron skillet instead. It was DELISH.

Karen

[Bike Chick]

Oh my gosh, Tri Girl! Great pics. I hope your power stays on.

[ny biker]

It's in the 50s and sunny and absolutely marvelous here! But it's supposed to turn bad tomorrow and be in the 20s with snow all weekend. I'm going out to gather kindling for the woodstove.

Yes I'm hearing that we'll get very little in the immediate metro-DC area but down by you will be very white. Stay warm and be careful!

[arielmoon]

This was from our long cold snap 2 weeks or so ago.

http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc94/arielmoondance/FrozenFlamingos.jpg

We actually had a little snow too one morning!

[Tuckervill]

Half an inch of ice, and about 2 inches of snow and still falling. No trees snapping or anything like that. We got out in the Element and braved the elements. Dropped the boys off for sledding at "hospital hill" and went to Wal-Mart for entertainment. Everything is "open" except the mom-n-pop businesses. Roads passable but there's always that thing with the people who follow to close and don't leave enough stopping room. Scary.

Karen

[Tuckervill]

Tri-Girl, check in when your power comes back on!! ;)

Karen

[Tri Girl]

Oh, I didn't lose power. WOO HOO!!! The lines are thick with it, but for once they didn't go down. :D The electric company trimmed (butchered- but I don't care) a bunch of our trees this summer. I now suspect those are the culprits that have always caused our power to go out.
I just may have to cut all those trees down, even tho it pains me deeply to do it. :(

[Tuckervill]

I'm so glad you're warm! The snow is still falling. :)

Karen

[ASammy1]

We are supposed to get something like 9"-13" here in VB... I'll believe it when I see it, but just in case, DH and I went to the grocery store tonight (it was packed!) and stocked up for a few days.

[Bike Chick]

It's heading your way, Sammy. We were on the north edge of the storm and have 6"........Looks like my run will be on the dreadmill today.

[ny biker]

It started around 9 am in the DC suburbs, which is earlier than they originally forecast. They're expecting up to 5 inches here. I just cancelled my lunch plans because it will probably take a few more hours before they plow the roads around here.

[Bike Chick]

We had a precursor to the storm the day before. It snowed and sleeted for a couple hours, everyone thought the forecast was wrong, then it quit. The actual storm didn't hit here until about 6 last night and snowed for about 12 hours. Maybe that's the case with you, ny biker.

I got out of the house and got a few pics of the snow while it was still untouched. It's really pretty

[ASammy1]

This was as of 7:30 this morning, but there's definitely about 4 inches now! I'm really hoping we do not get 9 more...

[Zen]

I'm about 45 minutes north of you and it started around 11 AM. The prediction is for a dusting but it's already that.

[Bike Chick]

This was as of 7:30 this morning, but there's definitely about 4 inches now! I'm really hoping we do not get 9 more...

Can't blame you, Sammy. 13" would really shut things down around here.

[ASammy1]

Can't blame you, Sammy. 13" would really shut things down around here.

VB is already shut down. 13" would be disastrous since we don't have the resources to deal with it... In cases like this, I really miss the midwest where they did have those resources!

[Cataboo]

I'm about 45 minutes north of you and it started around 11 AM. The prediction is for a dusting but it's already that.

break your skis out, I'm gonna, I think.

[Selkie]

It started around 9 am in the DC suburbs, which is earlier than they originally forecast. They're expecting up to 5 inches here. I just cancelled my lunch plans because it will probably take a few more hours before they plow the roads around here.

I got home from the pool just as it was starting (8:30ish) and my DH was out doing errands all morning. He said Arlington County was doing a good job with the primary roads but he saw wrecks on 395 (Alexandria) and some fender benders here and there. It was getting worse as time went on. Luckily, he managed to pick up my new Isis from the bike shop, where it was assembled and given pedals/new tires (will be awhile before it sees some action---I won't ride it until the roads are free of salt/chemicals).

No plows/salt/sand through our neighborhood yet, but that's to be expected. Road is now covered. Hopefully, this will be the last measurable snow of the season. We are long overdue for an early spring.....

[ny biker]

Looking outside I'd guess there's almost 4 inches on my balcony railing right now. What worries me is that it doesn't look like they plowed the road back there, which is a main road and a big hill.

Since it's so cold outside I decided today would be a good day to put the insulating styrofoam in the electrical outlets on my exterior walls. I bought these things months ago but never put them in because the previous owner painted over all the outlet and light switch covers so it was going to be a project to remove them and put the insulation behind them. It took a utility knife, 3 screwdrivers and two skinned knuckles, but I managed to get it done. I don't know how much good it will do but it can't hurt.

[owlice]

I thought about biking to the grocery store; put the panniers on the bike and decided to do a little test run on my street to see whether this was a good idea or a boneheaded one. I was okay going downhill (very slowly... brakes on the whole way) and okay going uphill, but I needed goggles or glasses or something to keep the snowflakes from hitting my eyes.

So I drove to the store instead. Kind of wish my neighbor across the street wouldn't park directly opposite my steep driveway when the weather is snowy or icy, and today, it was looking likely that he'd be wishing the same thing. I tried to get my car up my driveway, slid down several times (which could have been thrilling were it not for the very real possibility of smacking into my neighbor's vehicle), and finally gave up.

Later, I was walking down my driveway to retrieve cookies (!) that I might have left in the car, slipped, fell, and landed hard on my tailbone. I think this means I'll not be riding for at least a few days.

Damn Mint Milanos.

(I want them still.)

[sfa]

We ended up getting six inches of "dusting." Yay Mr. Foot (http://www.footsforecast.org/) for calling it right!

Sarah

[Tri Girl]

6 inches of *dusting* huh? If that's a dusting- I'd hate to see a real storm. :rolleyes::p

Hope everyone is staying warm and being safe out there!!!

[ASammy1]

In my area of VB we got about 6 inches. In central VB, they saw 9"-11." We didn't get a much because it turned to sleet the last few hours. The sleet packed down the 6 inches we got and added a nice layer of ice on top. Spring? Spring? Where are you?

[ny biker]

I'm trying to convince myself that I really do want to go outside and clear off my car. It's only 23F right now with a wind chill of 13.

[Selkie]

Better to get it out of the way. With that sun beating down, it'll be a sheet of ice tomorrow morning if you don't clean it off today. DH cleaned our cars, walk ways, stoops, etc, this morning and he said it was light & fluffy.

BTW, the plow has been through at least TWICE and put down chemicals/salt in its wake. The street is pretty much clear and is definitely passable. Remarkable, since our street is not even considered a secondary road on the county plow map.

DH went out this morning and reported that the roads were in good shape (he was driving in Arlington and DC).

[tulip]

Got a foot. It's beautiful. I swear, I'm going to get XC skis. I didn't think I would be able to use them in Richmond, but this is the third major snow we've had since I moved here. We had one huge snow last March, one in December, and now this one, and it's not even February yet. XC skiing today would be marvelous!

[Tri Girl]

I swear I wouldn't mind the snow if it didn't always have to come with 1/4"- 3/4" of ice first. *sigh* :rolleyes:
If it would just snow and then melt, it wouldn't be so bad. It's the neighborhoods that stay icy for weeks that drives me nuts (since they never plow/ice/sand neighborhood streets.

[ASammy1]

All the schools are closed tomorrow and I'm supposed to have a job interview tomorrow. I'm definitely calling to make sure that it is still on before I venture out 20 miles on the ice...