Winter Thread

[paultuttle]

(Roughly paraphrasing a comedian whose name I cannot remember: "What do they expect to make, when they're out of power? French toast?" Yep, peanut butter and crackers would be a much better choice. But hey, what do you expect from people who don't see much frozen precipitation their entire lives?)

If they have gas stoves and matches, anything they like. This is why I won't live in an all-electric house. Some people are pretty good with a barbecue, too.

Just because some of us live in places where snow and ice are rare doesn't mean we're complete idiots about it when it happens.

Very true! Apologies for the stereotyping.

[apl68]

Thanks, paultuttle.

About that tendency for things like bread and milk to disappear from the shelves when there's a winter (or other) storm alert.  In places where snow or ice or other especially bad weather is likely to disrupt transportation for a few days, there is a tendency for those who had planned to do their normal grocery shopping sometime in those next few days to move their shopping up a day or three.  By and large they're not making large purchases to hoard.  They're just buying what they would normally have bought.  It's a fundamentally rational reaction on their part.  But multiple days' worth of grocery shoppers are now doing their shopping all on the same day.  Since the store's daily deliveries of things like bread and milk are probably not suddenly going to expand to meet the increased demand, the result is likely to be a temporary shortage.

It is true that some people with limited familiarity with winter weather have a fear of it that seems out of proportion.  Right now forecasts here call for a dramatic plunge in temperatures from unseasonable highs.  Other parts of the state are projected to have a significant winter storm that will disrupt power and transportation.  Our region is NOT under a winter weather advisory.  We're unlikely to get anything more than a little sleet that melts the moment it touches down.  But we have a staff member right now who has spent the last two days fearfully hoping that we won't have a terrible storm that cuts power and creates hardship. 

I've been trying to figure out why she's so fearful.  She lives by herself, with no relatives nearby, in an all-electric apartment.  She's probably afraid of what could happen if she loses power when it's cold outside.  She also comes from an impoverished background and has not had an easy life in general.  It may be that when she was younger she had a traumatic experience of being stranded without power or adequate resources in one of the state's rare severe winter events. 

I tend to find her hand-wringing every time there's the slightest hint of winter precipitation a bit tiresome to listen to.  But she seems to have her reasons.  I guess a lot of people do.  I grew up in a house where the main heating was a wood-burning stove, and we could fetch water if the plumbing froze.  We could rough it during a freeze without much trouble.  When I look back, I realize that those youthful winter episodes I recall so fondly were probably a great ordeal for some people.

[FishProf]

Just because some of us live in places where snow and ice are rare doesn't mean we're complete idiots about it when it happens.

No, but to misquote Lewis' Black, "There are idiots who walk among you".

I've personally seen the snow-stupids in Albuquerque, Atlanta, Texas, Seattle, and the transplants from California ("I have 4-wheel drive, why couldn't I stop?") in Montana and Massachusetts

[apl68]

Just because some of us live in places where snow and ice are rare doesn't mean we're complete idiots about it when it happens.

No, but to misquote Lewis' Black, "There are idiots who walk among you".

I've personally seen the snow-stupids in Albuquerque, Atlanta, Texas, Seattle, and the transplants from California ("I have 4-wheel drive, why couldn't I stop?") in Montana and Massachusetts

When I lived in the big city--which also didn't get snow very often--I noticed that SUVs were the vehicles I most often saw ditched after a snow.  I don't know whether that was because SUV drivers overestimated their vehicles' ability to handle snowy road conditions, or was just a function of the sheer high proportion of SUVs on the road.  An SUV with 4WD can sometimes get you out of trouble if properly handled, but if not carefully handled is at least as likely to get into it in the first place.

In rural areas I've seldom seen vehicles get ditched, probably because most people avoid getting out during snow in the first place.  Hence that tendency to try to stock up on groceries just before the snow hits.

[FishProf]

apl68, I totally agree.

The lack of understanding about how 4wd helps you go but does not help you stop (ALL vehicles have 4-wheel brakes) is a major culprit.

I have always owned FWD manual transmission vehicles which give you options in snowy conditions.  Well, I did until I switched to my Prius, but even that has the option to use the EV equivalent o engine compression to slow down.

Most importantly, when the roads are really bad, I don't go out.  And I learned from parents an drivers ed how to slide and come out of one on icy roads.   That was the best DEd class the day we went to an empty fairgrounds parking lot and learned to handle slides. 

[AvidReader]

I've been trying to figure out why she's so fearful.  She lives by herself, with no relatives nearby, in an all-electric apartment.  She's probably afraid of what could happen if she loses power when it's cold outside. 

I grew up in a farmhouse with a woodstove, gas cooking stove, large stockpile of water, and old-school telephone line, so being out of power wasn't unpleasant for several days--in this respect my memories are probably close to yours.

Spouse and I lived in a modern, all-electric house in the upper south (climate close to yours) as newlyweds. We were quite frugal and kept the thermostat in the upper 50s at night and low 60s by day. When we lost power in a snowstorm once, I was astonished at how quickly our little house lost every ounce of heat it had. It was in the 40s indoors within two hours. We were lucky, because having moved from further north, we had lots of warm clothing, but I was shocked at how feeble our insulation was.

Might your staff member benefit from working out a worst-case plan B? Could she stay with a friend who has gas, or, barring that, relocate to a hotel (or even your library) to stay warm? In the longer term, could she save up for a medium-size generator that would let her boil water and maybe run a small heater?

AR.

[apl68]

I've been trying to figure out why she's so fearful.  She lives by herself, with no relatives nearby, in an all-electric apartment.  She's probably afraid of what could happen if she loses power when it's cold outside. 

I grew up in a farmhouse with a woodstove, gas cooking stove, large stockpile of water, and old-school telephone line, so being out of power wasn't unpleasant for several days--in this respect my memories are probably close to yours.

Spouse and I lived in a modern, all-electric house in the upper south (climate close to yours) as newlyweds. We were quite frugal and kept the thermostat in the upper 50s at night and low 60s by day. When we lost power in a snowstorm once, I was astonished at how quickly our little house lost every ounce of heat it had. It was in the 40s indoors within two hours. We were lucky, because having moved from further north, we had lots of warm clothing, but I was shocked at how feeble our insulation was.

Might your staff member benefit from working out a worst-case plan B? Could she stay with a friend who has gas, or, barring that, relocate to a hotel (or even your library) to stay warm? In the longer term, could she save up for a medium-size generator that would let her boil water and maybe run a small heater?

AR.

There are people here who would help her.  She's reluctant to ask for help.  And she seems like she has a general tendency to borrow trouble by worrying.

The fragility of electrical grids in winter weather is one reason why there's resistance to moves in some states to ban gas in new homes.  I know I'm glad to know that if I were ever to lose power during the winter I would still have gas heat.

[AmLitHist]

We're in a lull for now.  Heavy rain last evening then froze around 3 a.m.; when I woke up and looked out around 4:30, the streets and everything were shining like glass. It then turned to sleet for a few hours, with about an hour of sow after that.  Everything is closed, and nothing is moving right now. 

The real weather is supposed to start around rush hour tonight:  heavy snow overnight and into tomorrow morning or later, with 8-12" forecast.

[filologos]

There are people here who would help her.  She's reluctant to ask for help.  And she seems like she has a general tendency to borrow trouble by worrying.

The fragility of electrical grids in winter weather is one reason why there's resistance to moves in some states to ban gas in new homes.  I know I'm glad to know that if I were ever to lose power during the winter I would still have gas heat.

Yep, I'd love to run a gas line to my kitchen (not too far from the gas furnace and gas water heater) and replace my electric range with a gas one. But I don't know whether I'll stay in this house long enough to make it worth the expense.

[AvidReader]

There are people here who would help her.  She's reluctant to ask for help.  And she seems like she has a general tendency to borrow trouble by worrying.

Understood on all counts. I hope she can find someone.

I'm in your same boat with gas at the moment, filologos, but we at least have a fireplace, so loss of power in winter is just cold showers and creative cooking.

AR.

[apl68]

As forecast (By both meteorologists and Phil the groundhog), winter is back with a vengeance!  We're to have highs in the mid-30s, and we've already had hours of cold rain.  Sleet is supposedly coming tonight, but even with that and overnight lows in the 20s it's hard to see our warm, wet roads being affected too badly.  Or any kind of accumulation that would lead to widespread power outages.  Our winter-fearing staff member is still worried, but is putting on a cheerful face.

Normally I ride my bicycle downtown to the weekly Rotary Club lunch. Today I'm driving, even if it does stop raining by then.

[ab_grp]

Thankfully, our up to 6" forecast of snow has turned out to be almost nothing (as usual), and temps have not stayed solidly below freezing as they were predicted to do.  So our teen, who has no experience driving in snow or ice, should be able to actually get out of our driveway of her own volition and not just from sliding swiftly down the steep slope, across the street, and into our neighbor's yard or house, let alone trying to get back up the driveway at some point.  I am really thankful! Normal driving around here is hazardous enough.  I am keeping my fingers crossed, though.

[clean]

We can not seem to get a forecast here to be able to plan. It Might be freezing rain, it might be just a cold rain, it might be sleet, but nothing is sure yet. We seem to be on the edge of where the rain will stop, and the temperature will be close to 32, but might be just above, so IF we DO get rain, it might not freeze... but it might.... 

So I am not sure of what to do. I dont want to get into full prepper mode and fill the generator tanks or drag out the batteries and the inverters.  It takes a while to drag all of that out (and the extention cords and all) and it takes a while to put it all back after! 

The consensus seems to be that no matter what happens, after noon or 1 pm tomorrow it should be above freezing.  SO as long as the power grid survives, all should be fine by Friday afternoon and I think, through the weekend. 

[mamselle]

We rose above freezing so I was finally able to turn off the dripping taps this AM.

M.

[FishProf]

Smolt and MrsFishProf don't have school tomorrow in anticipation of freezing rain.

So much for a quiet morning to work on manuscripts (and Kitty scritches)