33 states affected, 10,000 flights cancelled - we're in for a whopper!

[Bike Writer]

Zoom-Zoom, limewave and beccaB - fellow Michiganders sounds like the mid and western part of the state got hit harder. Our actual snowfalls were far short of the predictions and after seeing pictures of out west, Chicago, Indiana, Illinois and hearing the tales of Massachusetts here on this forum I am very glad we did not get what was predicted. The freezing rain and ice storms are awful just like those huge accumulations of snow. Well it's one wintery winter.

I'm just north of Ann Arbor but about 20 miles north of where I live the snowfalls were much higher.

Thoughts go out to all of you who are suffering from this and for enduring the ordeal.

It will be interesting to see the economic impact from this when the numbers start coming in. It's going to be very high.

Link to an online article with photos of abandoned vehicles on Lakeshore Drive in Chicago. Yikes! http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110202/..._on_lake_shore

Stay safe and warm!

[zoom-zoom]

Yep, my brother lives IN Chicago...in the middle of the city they measured 22 official inches...with 9 foot drifts. We measured 13" over the course of 24 hours. A lot of snow, for sure, but not the sort of event that will be all that memorable (I think I have seen at least one 16+" storm since I've lived in West MI). What is memorable is how it slammed so many other areas.

[Bike Writer]

How does your community keep going? I mean, can you go to the grocery store? Are the clerks there to check you out? And is an $18/hour job really worth risking life and limb to get to? I'm sure emergency personnel have to be where they have to be, but the less critical jobs -- I have to think the malls, libraries, non-critical medical centers/doctors' offices, movie theaters, restaurants, and so on, are all shut down for the duration, aren't they?

Roxy

In the northern wintery states people become accustomed to it, I feel worse for those who live in the states that usually don't see any snow because they are not equipped to deal with it, either with actual snow removal equipment or mentally they are just not prepared to deal with it either. It takes a different attitude, a kind of slow down and not be in such a hurry and the ability to suddenly change your plans and not let that rock your world. That plus not having warm coats, hats, boots etc. makes it more of a struggle. Of course those in the warmer climes have their own claim to fame with sunny year round mild temps and year round biking weather.

Me, I spent time on the trainer today made a pot of split pea soup and cornbread, read a bit and enjoyed being indoors and watching the weather from a nice warm place.

[jessmarimba]

Just reporting that all four of the outdoor cats survived the -19 temps last night. I'm leaving the door open for tonight too, just in case.

[Tri Girl]

In the northern wintery states people become accustomed to it, I feel worse for those who live in the states that usually don't see any snow because they are not equipped to deal with it, either with actual snow removal equipment or mentally they are just not prepared to deal with it either. It takes a different attitude, a kind of slow down and not be in such a hurry and the ability to suddenly change your plans and not let that rock your world.

That's just it. And I feel bad for places like Dallas where snow is even more rare. 12" to Chicago is no big deal, but to us Okies, 12" is completely devastating. We usually get a couple snowstorms of 2-3 inches a year (and at least one ice event). A foot of snow is world-rocking.

Most businesses were closed for the last 2 days. Schools will be out for 4 days this week. They sent my hubs home from work (he's a postal carrier) at noon on the day of the blizzard for safety reasons- in 18 years at the Post Office, that's NEVER happened.

We just can't handle it. Even the streets that are emergency snow routes aren't clear. With 60 plows, we can't take care of the 600 sq. miles of the city.

I lived in Chicago for a few years and the attitude about it is totally different. People know how to drive safely in it, how to take their time and react sooner. Not so much here. I admire Northeners for their mental toughness through the long winters. I live south for a reason... but when storms like this come through I wish I were even further south- like in the middle of the Caribbean.

[Crankin]

I find that in the greater Boston area, it feels like people have become less "hardy" as compared to when I was a kid. I remember several horrific rides home on a school bus, in blizzards, because school wasn't cancelled, then they decided to let us out early. We used to sled down the street for at least a day after a storm, because it wasn't plowed that well. I am pretty sure it's due to better weather forecasting. This year, the forecasts have been extremely accurate. People get to prepare and schools make decisions earlier. The roads are plowed rather quickly, at least in the areas where I drive. Of course, right now, we are just running out of room to put the snow.
Learning to drive in the snow at age 37 was perhaps one of the scariest things I've done. I used to work 40 miles from home at one point, and I had many horrible drives that took 2 hours. I don't drive in the snow, unless I really have to. I cancelled my clients on Tuesday; no one would come to begin with, and Wednesday, the clinic was closed. Even though i have had an AWD car since 1992, and I know what to do, I avoid it if I can.

[indysteel]

I'm glad everyone surviving. That article about Lake Shore Drive blew my mind. I have to say that Central Indiana got off relatively easy. Some areas got a bit more freezing rain/sleet than others, but all in all, we did not have the widespread power outages and property loss that was first predicted. It really would have sucked to have been without power in this.

I have, however, worked from home the last three days. I live 25 miles south of my office. Even when the roads are relatively navigable, but really slow, I often just opt to stay home. I get more done than I would with an hour and a half to two-hour commute. We were basically closed yesterday and part of Tuesday anyway. So, it's been kind of vacation like in some ways. I haven't even had to shovel, because we got so little actual snow. My house is melting at the moment. Well, not literally, but it looks that way from my office window. It would be pretty if it weren't so darn cold. The kitties and are I enjoyed the squirrels and birds whom we made a point of feeding.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I didn't want to drive, so I walked 3 miles round trip to the grocery store today. I needed a few things for dinner, but would much rather walk than drive with all the loony drivers out.
It was 8 degrees with a wind chill of -12F. It was chilly, but I dressed warmly and actually was a little too warm. 4 layers on my head, 4 on top, 2 on bottom and 3 pairs of socks (most all layers were wool).
It was actually fun! I kinda felt like a pioneer woman- walking in snow to get my food.

I love to trek down to town in the blizzards too. My round trip is only a mile, but there's a big long 1/4 hill up to our house. you know the saying- No such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes. I've got enough real wool layers for tackling the North Pole.
Yesterday I bundled up and went down for 'supplies'- stuff like fresh spinach, 1/2 & 1/2, dark chocolate.... lol! Most of the stores were closed even though we only got about 6", but on top of what was there before.
Lots of snow around now, but thankfully no wind or ice storm.

[GLC1968]

In the northern wintery states people become accustomed to it, I feel worse for those who live in the states that usually don't see any snow because they are not equipped to deal with it, either with actual snow removal equipment or mentally they are just not prepared to deal with it either. It takes a different attitude, a kind of slow down and not be in such a hurry and the ability to suddenly change your plans and not let that rock your world. That plus not having warm coats, hats, boots etc. makes it more of a struggle. Of course those in the warmer climes have their own claim to fame with sunny year round mild temps and year round biking weather.

This is so true. I grew up in the north and I have lived through some horrific winters. When we moved here (far north, but it rarely snows because the ocean keeps us temperate) I didn't expect to see much but rain in the winter. The first year we were here, there was an odd weather pattern and we got snow on top of snow, on top of snow. There are no plows (or not many). No one knows how to drive in it. Around here, they normally just wait for it to melt, but that year, it wasn't melting! Schools were closed for over a week, mail stopped running (a week before Christmas!), it was a nightmare. And OMG, talk about bad roads! I've never seen roads in conditions like they were here. Take 8" of snow, don't plow it, let cars drive over it when temps are near 32F during the day and then wait as it freezes into 8" ruts overnight and then snows 5" again on top of it. It was like something out of a movie scene!! This was on the main roads too...the secondary roads were actually better because there was less traffic on them to mess them up.

Like I said, I'm a northern girl who learned to drive in the snow the very first time I got behind a wheel. Even I give up when it snows here. It's just not worth it! In fact, it's one the main reasons we have a well-stocked pantry and a wood-stove. No need to go out when things get that bad!

[Tri Girl]

Hmmm. Anyone want to meet south of the snow-line for a ride?

Yes! I think to escape the snow we're going to have to meet in the Virgin Islands.

[Owlie]

We actually didn't get all that much. We were supposed to get about a foot. Where I am (a couple miles from downtown Cleveland), we got about 6 inches. I wouldn't be surprised if the "snow belt" further out got more. We did get freezing rain, though.

My parents got more freezing rain than snow, though, and a few dorms at my sister's university lost power. They got two days off due to ice--apparently various parts of the campus are all connected by stairs, and they are terrible at keeping them salted. Cleveland actually clears all the roads around campus because of the hospital, so DBF still had classes!

[Bike Writer]

Trigirl, I have to say your post about pioneer trekking through the snow to buy food cracked me up.

As others have posted you do get used to driving in snow and it does take a different skill set that is devleoped over time. As evidenced by the 1st snowfall of the year. Dosen't matter how long some people live in the snow country some of them seem to forget from year to year and the first inch or two of snow produce hundreds of accidents until people relearn or remember what it's like and then it's all good again.

However when it comes to ice and freezing rain, forget it, there are NO driving skills that can help because in a true ice storm you can't move by will,power or skill you just slide all over.

Bike in the Virgin Islands....where do I sign up?

[azfiddle]

Wow- my sympathy for everyone dealing with these storms! No snow here, but the dip in the jet stream is really affecting temperatures in S. Arizona . By far the the coldest nights in 30 years. Two nights Into the teens, - and our infrastructure isn't up to it. Lots of water leaks everywhere. A natural gas outage in parts of Tucson left the school (and community) I teach in without heat today and schools are closed for tomorrow.

[Triskeliongirl]

Wow, there is snow on the ground that stuck in my neighborhood in San Antonio. Its only around an inch, but first time I've seen real snow that stuck since moving here 17 years ago! Bitter cold to (teens), first that's happened here since I've lived here too. Thank goodness for the Wool Weenies thread!!! You'll all laugh but we've had power outages for days since there isn't enough power to heat homes. Most heating systems (heat pumps) aren't even designed for weather below 40.

[Mr. Bloom]

I HATE SNOW! Now we are expecting an inch tomorrow, 3 to 5 inches on Sunday/Monday...by itself, not much, but on top of snow that still hasn't melted from December, it's a pain in the neck