Severe Weather

[Julio Riddols]

Last year we saw snow once all winter. This year, it is raining actual ice and has been so cold that the snow from last week is still on the ground. Wow.

[sterlingice]

And, deciding to replay last week, here's the last 3 and next 4 days:
61 72 62 34 (ice tomorrow) 44 62 74

SI

[claphamsa]

yeah, its 50 here now, and by 3pm it will freeze, then under 20 by 10PM and the morning commute will be back to the single digests.

[JAG]

Schools closed Monday again, possibly Tuesday but hasn't been decided yet. -38 wind chill, high of -8 today, wind chill warning through noon tomorrow.

[Lathum]

going to be about -10 tonight through wednesday was last I saw. I was woken up to 50 mph winds last night and tons of branches, some large, in my back yard. I have a tree that is about 100 feet high, if that thing ever came down we would be screwed. I think I'm going to have it cut out this spring.

[Thomkal]

I suggest if you have to travel to South Carolina, especially along the coast tues/wed, you should delay your visit. State is not prepared for ice or even small amounts of snow-and some areas could get a foot of snow. Here in Myrtle Beach its looking like a "wintry mix" on Tuesday crossing over into all snow Wed morning. I think I can count on one hand in my 10+ years living here we have received "significant" snowfall. So anytime we get some, the state is pretty much paralyzed.

[Ben E Lou]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

I suggest if you have to travel to South Carolina, especially along the coast tues/wed, you should delay your visit. State is not prepared for ice or even small amounts of snow-and some areas could get a foot of snow. Here in Myrtle Beach its looking like a "wintry mix" on Tuesday crossing over into all snow Wed morning. I think I can count on one hand in my 10+ years living here we have received "significant" snowfall. So anytime we get some, the state is pretty much paralyzed.

Based on the NWS briefing released in the last half hour, I may be in one of the worst possible locations: far enough from the coast for significant icing, but not far enough inland for it to fall as all snow. My locale is firmly in the "1/2 to 3/4 inches of ice on all exposed surfaces" zone of the latest maps. Ugh.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Ben E Lou

Based on the NWS briefing released in the last half hour, I may be in one of the worst possible locations: far enough from the coast for significant icing, but not far enough inland for it to fall as all snow. My locale is firmly in the "1/2 to 3/4 inches of ice on all exposed surfaces" zone of the latest maps. Ugh.

ouch

stock up on batteries.

[DanGarion]

I just love all the shitty weather. This week my job calls me to Jacksonville connecting through ATL...

Last week was driving up to Manchester, NH from Boston (fortunately I missed the storm by a day!

[Scoobz0202]

My campus just closed tonight and tomorrow due to the cold. No idea why they did tonight and tomorrow and not the couple days last week it was freezing but hey, if that means I don't need to drive to Cincinnati for clinical at Children's Hospital at 5am when it's -30 wind chill I'm not complaining.

[Ben E Lou]

From Wade's Trash-Talking Weather Savant Boy



I am a bit northwest of the "R" in "Ice Storm" on that map, inside the "Major Ice Storm" area and holding out faint hope that "6-10 inches" will move further toward the coast.

[claphamsa]

Im happy that map ends well below where I live...

[Thomkal]

Ben this is what the local news stations are forecasting:

Winter Storm to bring ice, snow to Pee Dee and Grand Strand - WBTW-TV: News, Weather, and Sports for Florence, SC

http://www.carolinalive.com/news/sto...7#.UucBRrQo5xU

Looks like the potential ice accumulation is what's going to be the real problem here in Myrtle Beach. Hope we don't lose power

[Wolfpack]

We're right on that 6" boundary line here. I've been getting the feeling that this will either be a big event or a non-event. We've always seemed to pull out "non-event" more often than not because some last minute shift in some piece of the weather would cause the snow to either not fall or fall early and not later or later and not earlier before the storm moves off. As a result, I'm in a wait-and-see view of things. Everybody seems pretty confident we'll get some decent amounts this time, though.

[RainMaker]

Supposed to get down to -18 tonight in Chicago. I can't remember a winter like this in my life. Mix of real cold weather and a lot of snow.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Scoobz0202

My campus just closed tonight and tomorrow due to the cold. No idea why they did tonight and tomorrow and not the couple days last week it was freezing but hey, if that means I don't need to drive to Cincinnati for clinical at Children's Hospital at 5am when it's -30 wind chill I'm not complaining.

Thats crazy. It is cold here but not THAT bad, plus it is very dry out.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Supposed to get down to -18 tonight in Chicago. I can't remember a winter like this in my life. Mix of real cold weather and a lot of snow.

me neither, anyone else starting to get on board with this climate change theory?

[Matthean]

Originally Posted by Scoobz0202

My campus just closed tonight and tomorrow due to the cold.

MSU closed for one and a partial day. The community college that often base when they have off on MSU took a day off. I see all of these school closing and shake my head.

[Coffee Warlord]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Supposed to get down to -18 tonight in Chicago. I can't remember a winter like this in my life. Mix of real cold weather and a lot of snow.

It's 40-50 degrees warmer in fucking Alaska than it is here right now. Fuck this.

[sterlingice]

Whereas last Friday was worse than expected, today it looks like Houston isn't going to get hit as bad as expected. There will be some freezing precipitation from 9-12 but it should warm up enough to not have trouble on either morning or evening commute, just don't go out for lunch

SI

[flere-imsaho]

Originally Posted by Lathum

me neither, anyone else starting to get on board with this climate change theory?

[lungs]

-18 isn't so bad if the wind is calm

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by lungs

-18 isn't so bad if the wind is calm

and youre elbow deep in a cows uterus.

[miked]

Preparing for the ATL shitfest that is 2" of snow.

[Ben E Lou]

Oh snap. Shit just got real up in here. Jim Cantore in town??? We're DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMED!

[Thomkal]

I heard he was going to be in South Carolina, but I didn't know where. I was ready to evacuate if it was Myrtle Beach Are you getting anything there yet Ben? Haven't been outside in a bit, but doesn't look like its doing anything here yet.

[Ben E Lou]

Cloudy, cold, and the temperature dropping. But no precipitation at all yet. We did get a little rain at around 3 AM. Schools are all my half day schedule here for today, and it was just announced that two of the three counties that comprise the bulk of the Charleston metro area are closed for tomorrow. Charleston County is deciding at 1 PM.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by Ben E Lou

Cloudy, cold, and the temperature dropping. But no precipitation at all yet. We did get a little rain at around 3 AM. Schools are all my half day schedule here for today, and it was just announced that two of the three counties that comprise the bulk of the Charleston metro area are closed for tomorrow. Charleston County is deciding at 1 PM.

Took a step outside just now, driveway is a bit wet so its been doing something. But all I felt was one tiny tiny drop of rain/sleet. Schools in Georgetown and Horry County are all closed here today as are the various colleges like Coastal Carolina. I think they could have had school today, but when they changed the winter warning bulletin from noon to 5 am here, guess they felt like they had no choice but to close. Coming from the northeast I laugh at all this of course, but better safe (and laughed at) then sorry I suppose.

[Easy Mac]

Big nothing in Greenville so far. We're only expected to get maybe an inch, but of course schools are out early.

[Ben E Lou]

Originally Posted by Ben E Lou

I am a bit northwest of the "R" in "Ice Storm" on that map, inside the "Major Ice Storm" area and holding out faint hope that "6-10 inches" will move further toward the coast.

They just cancelled the Ice Storm Warning for Charleston proper and changed it to a Winter Storm Warning. That seems to bode well for "less ice, more snow" in my area. {crossed fingers}

[ISiddiqui]

In Atlanta, we've got a half inch already and I think its supposed to continue snowing until the evening. The big fear though is icing over tonight as the city has no snow plows, IIRC.

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by Ben E Lou

They just cancelled the Ice Storm Warning for Charleston proper and changed it to a Winter Storm Warning. That seems to bode well for "less ice, more snow" in my area. {crossed fingers}

That's good news. Finally starting to rain on a regular basis here. But much more like drizzle than a downpour.

[miked]

Originally Posted by miked

Preparing for the ATL shitfest that is 2" of snow.

Took me 2 hours to go 3.5 miles home from work. Saw 3 overturned cars and another car behind me spin out in to my neighbor's yard. People drive like dolts down here in any kind of bad weather.

[chadritt]

Starting to see all the Facebook updates from friends in Atlanta. Kids being picked up from school, 3 hour trips to get home from work, and one friend who's hoping their restaurant gets any customers today/tonight.

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by chadritt

Starting to see all the Facebook updates from friends in Atlanta. Kids being picked up from school, 3 hour trips to get home from work, and one friend who's hoping their restaurant gets any customers today/tonight.

+1 My facebook is blowing up from all of my friends from school losing their mind from the snow

Of course to be fair, when I grew up in Atlanta, I lost my mind with snow too!

[Easy Mac]

Been snowing in Greenville for about an hour of so. Decent accumulation. Looking out, the top floor of the parking garage is covered. My daughter's school is still open and as far as I can tell, her swimming lessons are still going tonight.

[nilodor]

Whenever there is a cold snap in the southern US like this it always reminds me of this project I was working on. Our client was bidding out construction for these big tanks that were going to get built in the winter in northern alberta. The winner was this company out of Florida who were trying to branch into the Canadian market. They showed up with their equipment and someone (with the client) was like you can get your winter diesel over there. The contractor asked, what's winter diesel? Needless to say most of their guys had never seen snow, had actual acceptable levels of warm clothes and all of the lines on their equipment froze because they had the wrong fluids in them. I don't think I've ever seen them up here again.

It's also kinda funny when you have to explain what a block heater is.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Cherokee County (GA) schools have shut down the bus service, students stranded at school and expected to spend the night. Waited too long to start shipping 'em home and now it costs 'em.

I'll be honest, if that doesn't end up costing a superintendent his job I'd be surprised. And if not, it'll cost some school board members theirs next election.

[chadritt]

Originally Posted by Alan T

+1 My facebook is blowing up from all of my friends from school losing their mind from the snow

Of course to be fair, when I grew up in Atlanta, I lost my mind with snow too!

Yeah, I can't really judge them since I remember the hell that is driving in Atlanta snow. That and the fact I live in LA now where snow would actually be a sign of the apocalypse.

[Ben E Lou]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Cherokee County (GA) schools have shut down the bus service, students stranded at school and expected to spend the night. Waited too long to start shipping 'em home and now it costs 'em.

I'll be honest, if that doesn't end up costing a superintendent his job I'd be surprised. And if not, it'll cost some school board members theirs next election.

You've got to be kidding me. This one wasn't exactly a surprise...

[flere-imsaho]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Cherokee County (GA) schools have shut down the bus service, students stranded at school and expected to spend the night. Waited too long to start shipping 'em home and now it costs 'em.

I'll be honest, if that doesn't end up costing a superintendent his job I'd be surprised. And if not, it'll cost some school board members theirs next election.

That's ridiculous.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Ben E Lou

You've got to be kidding me. This one wasn't exactly a surprise...

Spalding and Paulding may (or may not) have similar situations. Canton was slick by 10am so how they botched this one so badly I can't imagine, hubris most likely.

Gwinnett actually stayed in full day & have only just let out.

Meanwhile 75 is at a crawl, 3.5 hours (and counting) for 30 minute trips.

[DaddyTorgo]

Jeezus. That's bonkers.

[Lathum]

Thats really poor planning, that being said, better than risking kids lives and making another mistake to go on top of the one already made.

[grdawg]

Fulton County Schools announced at 1:45 that kids were getting out at 1:45. It was a debacle, didn't know whether to go to school or wait for the bus. My son's bus dropped him off at 2:40. My wife is stuck in traffic in Atl going on almost 3 hours now. Fun times!

[stevew]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Cherokee County (GA) schools have shut down the bus service, students stranded at school and expected to spend the night. Waited too long to start shipping 'em home and now it costs 'em.

I'll be honest, if that doesn't end up costing a superintendent his job I'd be surprised. And if not, it'll cost some school board members theirs next election.

wow, talk about fucking stupid.

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Cherokee County (GA) schools have shut down the bus service, students stranded at school and expected to spend the night. Waited too long to start shipping 'em home and now it costs 'em.

I'll be honest, if that doesn't end up costing a superintendent his job I'd be surprised. And if not, it'll cost some school board members theirs next election.

Wow that's just crazy Jon-in this day and age of weather prediction and science to let that happen. He and whomever else was behind that decision should be losing their jobs I think.

[DaddyTorgo]

I mean look - I get that certain places that don't get snow/ice are ill-equipped to deal with these types of things, but have they ever you know...thought of asking for advice on what to do from states with experience (and yes I know it wouldn't be perfect advice, because states that do deal with it view this as no big deal), but they could at least say "oh gee...you're not equipped to deal with it at all...you should cancel school" or "oh gee mr. governor...you might want to tell all non-emergency personnel to stay off the roads today and close down the government"

[JonInMiddleGA]

Bartow County is apparently in a similar (not quite as bad) boat as Cherokee.
(Sounds like Paulding & Spalding may have gotten their's out)

I'm not sure how you could screw up this badly, it was a fast mover that brought more than expected to the northern 'burbs but everybody else around them somehow managed not to fuck it up. I can't say that I recall this happening pretty much ever (*Cherokee is adjacent to where I grew up so I know it well)

One FB friend of mine teaches there ... her & her MS aged son finally abandoned their car & walked the last 3 miles home. (not all teachers were assigned to stay, there's apparently a contingency plan for this sort of thing)

If my FB wall is any indication, it's a complete clusterfuck ... they'll be lucky if somebody doesn't end up with an ass kicking before this one is over.