are you northeastern dwellers ready

[chuckwood]

Hoping to have the whole lake to myself ice fishing.

One of these days, I'm going back up to checkout the ice fishing scene on Lake Erie off Catawba Island up to Put-in-Bay. The place is wierd at night, the ice groans and moans and pops and cracks. When the wind makes the ice move up and down you get a special treat. I heard they had really good ice last year. What I would also like is a nice inland lake with great fish and not as much drama as the Great Lakes. Having a lake to yourself is a mixed bag after a lot of snow. You want the people before you to pack it down to make for easier going.

 

[nathon918]

It's snow, it's been happening here around this time of the year since I can remember, really not a big deal. If your are not prepared, you deserve to suffer.

all of the media coverage on this and EVERY SINGLE STORM big or small is absolutely insane, they all make it seem like its always the end of the world or the first time its ever snowed ...bunch a morons if you ask me
then there's school cancelations...I was lucky if we got school closed 3-4 days a year when I was in school, and it was decided that morning(with usually ice or 8+ inches), now they make decisions based on the weather forecast BEFORE they actually see it snowing, then we only get 1/2" and school remains closed for no reason

 

[chuckwood]

all of the media coverage on this and EVERY SINGLE STORM big or small is absolutely insane, they all make it seem like its always the end of the world or the first time its ever snowed ...bunch a morons if you ask me
then there's school cancelations...I was lucky if we got school closed 3-4 days a year when I was in school, and it was decided that morning(with usually ice or 8+ inches), now they make decisions based on the weather forecast BEFORE they actually see it snowing, then we only get 1/2" and school remains closed for no reason

Cities worry about becoming the joke of the nation, as happened some years back in Atlanta Ga. Atlanta ignored weather warnings and kept schools and businesses open. Then at the last minute, everybody realized they were about to be snowed in if they didn't get home quick. The result was everyone driving home at once. Of course, the result was traffic gridlock and wrecks and stoppages everywhere. People were abandoning their cars right and left on the freeways around the city. They were cold and decided not to sleep in their cars and try to figure out some other way of getting warm and maybe getting home.

When I was a kid, the best possible day was to wake up and find out school was cancelled. Then the plan for the day was to go outside and have fun instead of being locked up all day with some frustrated old lady who wasn't really all that happy about spending her day with
ten year - olds.

 

[Big_6]

We got about 5" total in n. nj.

 

[dave_dj1]

The only thing we got was a dusting and a lot of wind! I was set to plow some big piles too

 

[stihly dan]

34 inches here, and cold with lots a wind. The driveway took 4 hrs to snow blow. And it has to be done again.

 

[maine]

midcoast maine here.
was left very dissapointed after all the media hype.
just another snowstorm like we always get.
nothing special about it whatsoever.

 

[aarolar]

Cities worry about becoming the joke of the nation, as happened some years back in Atlanta Ga. Atlanta ignored weather warnings and kept schools and businesses open. Then at the last minute, everybody realized they were about to be snowed in if they didn't get home quick. The result was everyone driving home at once. Of course, the result was traffic gridlock and wrecks and stoppages everywhere. People were abandoning their cars right and left on the freeways around the city. They were cold and decided not to sleep in their cars and try to figure out some other way of getting warm and maybe getting home.

When I was a kid, the best possible day was to wake up and find out school was cancelled. Then the plan for the day was to go outside and have fun instead of being locked up all day with some frustrated old lady who wasn't really all that happy about spending her day with
ten year - olds.

That wasn't "some years back" that was last winter we went a week without power and there was very little snow mostly ice. And no one ignored the weather service because they didn't call it until hours before it hit.

 

[zogger]

Anyone have the Farmer's Almanac? How close were they on this latest NE storm?

 

[Stihlofadeal64]

BUMPY for more snow pics

 

[zogger]

That wasn't "some years back" that was last winter we went a week without power and there was very little snow mostly ice. And no one ignored the weather service because they didn't call it until hours before it hit.

Yep, in that instance last year the weather service and authorities (combination "they" I will use, then reported by various and sundy media) lowballed it, caused a huge problem, and they took a lot of grief over it *after the fact*. This time in the northeast they highballed it, and are now taking grief over that, too, being accused of "hype". Classic case of damned if they do, damned if they don't.

This is why I won't condemn them, as I think it is more proper, not perfect but more proper, to err on the side of caution in "big" weather events.

 

[zogger]

Copy/paste from a new article elsewhere, addressing the real versus predicted in various areas

CONNECTICUT

Thompson - Actual: 33.5 inches. Forecast: 18-24 inches.

Putnam - Actual: 30 inches. Forecast: 18-24 inches.

Lisbon - Actual: 26 inches. Forecast: 18-24 inches.



MAINE

Lewiston - Actual: 27 inches. Forecast: 18-24 inches.

South Windham - Actual: 18 inches. Forecast: 18-24 inches.

Portland - Actual: 25 inches. Forecast: 18-24 inches.


MASSACHUSETTS

Lunenburg - Actual: 36 inches. Forecast: 18-24 inches.

Auburn - Actual: 36 inche. Forecast: 18-24 inches.

Framingham - Actual: 33.5 inches. Forecast: More than 2 feet.

Boston - Actual: 27 inches. Forecast: More than 2 feet.



NEW HAMPSHIRE

Windham - Actual: 22.1 inches. Forecast: 18-24 inches.

Hudson - Actual: 32 inches. Forecast: 18-24 inches.

NEW JERSEY

Brick - Actual: 10 inches. Forecast: 18-24 inches.

Harrison - Actual: 7.5 inches. Forecast: 18-24 inches.



NEW YORK

Orient in Suffolk County - Actual: 30 inches. Forecast: 20-30 inches.

Lindenhurst in Nassau County - Actual: 21.6 inches. Forecast: 18-24 inches.

LaGuardia Airport - Actual: 11.4 inches. Forecast: 20-30 inches.

Central Park - Actual: 9.8 inches. Forecast: 20-30 inches.



PENNSYLVANIA

Washington Crossing - Actual: 5 inches. Forecast: 12-16 inches.

Philadelphia - Actual: 1.2 inches. Forecast: 12-16 inches.



RHODE ISLAND

West Glocester - Actual: 24.4 inches. Forecast: More than 2 feet.

North Providence - Actual: 17 inches. Forecast: More than 2 feet.

--conclusion..because the bulk of this storm it "missed" NYC proper, this is being called "hype". I disagree, think they are taking grief unfairly

 

[dave_dj1]

I think it all depends where you live and where you were raised. Having grown up in VT in the 70's when we actually got snow storms and no warnings. We always had plenty of food, we heated with a woodstove so that was never an issue. Our road could be closed for days at a time as well as we could be without power for days at a time. We had kerosene lanterns, candles and we would carry water from the spring at my grandparents next door. It was nothing to wake up and find 8-10" of snow, we got dressed and went and shoveled so my mom could get to work.
I think that stuff stays with you and you have an instinct to survive and be self sufficient.
Those that do not, I feel sorry for them when the $%#@ hit's the fan.

 

[X-S-FLA]

Now that's exactly what I'm talkin' 'bout. Rely only on yourself. Not 'the man'.
Down here, when a hurricane is a week away, prep now; with all the aforementioned
items. Don't wait until 2 days before. And don't count on municipalities. We know
we're in hurricane alley, so get 'er dun. The WX guys, the models, the technology; well,
that's great. But use your own effin brain; cuz no one can truly predict ma-nature.

 

[mikey517]

Highland Lakes, Sussex County, New Jersey - Forecast 18"-24", actual 3.5"

 

[lindnova]

Ok, the storm did dump some big snow, but the NE is used to big snow storms, it will get plowed and life will go on.

So much media hype.

Is it all the media or are people getting so dumb they can't plan ahead themselves anymore? I always carry some winter gear in the car just in case and if snowed in in the morning, go to work later after plowed out.

 

[zogger]

Ok, the storm did dump some big snow, but the NE is used to big snow storms, it will get plowed and life will go on.

So much media hype.

Is it all the media or are people getting so dumb they can't plan ahead themselves anymore? I always carry some winter gear in the car just in case and if snowed in in the morning, go to work later after plowed out.

According to what I have read from the weather guys themselves, they had two big models they got down to, the american one and whatever the european model is. They went with the european one because *usually* it is more accurate, plus, on a storm this size, they wanted to emphasize the worst case scenario one of the two, because of the ramifications of lowballing it, which can cause quite a disaster. So, they used the euro plus worst case model. Well, this time the american model was more accurate, and the big stuff was 50 miles east of what the euro model said, (out in the ocean) which corresponds to the reports of snowfall and big winds. They still got the winds and snowfall amounts pretty close, just it was 50 miles to the east. this was still a big whopper storm, just the bulk missed NYC and surrounding areas, which is a good thing.

Their choices were the potential to inconvenience people, or put them in danger. Turned out for most of the population in the forecast zone, it turned out to be inconvenienced, which I see as being WAY the lesser of two evils here.

 

[chuckwood]

That wasn't "some years back" that was last winter we went a week without power and there was very little snow mostly ice. And no one ignored the weather service because they didn't call it until hours before it hit.

I'm gettin' old and my memory ain't what it used to be I guess. There have been so many of these winter weather commotions that I can't keep track of them all. But I do remember the North Georgia traffic snarl commotion and freeways shut down completely being in the news a lot up here in TN. Somehow, we keep missing all this excitement. It's always either Kentucky or Georgia that seems to get hit. I've been hoping for a decent 8 or 10 inch snow here, like we use to have when I was a little kid in the 50's, and it's just not working out yet. Maybe I'll just have to give it a little more time.

 

[chuckwood]

The weather channel says two more snow storms are on the way for the Northeast this coming week, and the second one has a lot of potential.

http://www.weather.com/storms/severe/video/another-snowstorm

 

[zogger]

I'm gettin' old and my memory ain't what it used to be I guess. There have been so many of these winter weather commotions that I can't keep track of them all. But I do remember the North Georgia traffic snarl commotion and freeways shut down completely being in the news a lot up here in TN. Somehow, we keep missing all this excitement. It's always either Kentucky or Georgia that seems to get hit. I've been hoping for a decent 8 or 10 inch snow here, like we use to have when I was a little kid in the 50's, and it's just not working out yet. Maybe I'll just have to give it a little more time.

It was the slipperiest dang ice I have seen here in Georgia, and I have lived here since 84. I have seen it colder, way more snow, and other times with ice. I can't explain it but you could barely walk on the stuff. Driving, meh, I don't care if someone was the world champeen yankee redneck internet bragger "I can drive in anything" snow and ice driver, it was bad. And I have lived up north and driven in winter conditions thousands of times. This is one of those that in hindsight, you can bet the authorities would have liked to to have told everyone to have gone home real early in the day. As it was, by afternoon, too late.

I drove out early just to go three miles to the closest little store, and barely made it back, and this was well before the real nasty stuff hit.

I can't describe it better than that. It was a "shoulda stayed home" deal that thousands of people wish they had done.