Mrs. Rannous
Footballguy
Last time that happened to me, I was in Chicago.Forecast 1-4 inches here. Last time that forecast happened, people woke up to 18" of snow in 1985.
Last time that happened to me, I was in Chicago.Forecast 1-4 inches here. Last time that forecast happened, people woke up to 18" of snow in 1985.
Sorry, I embellished.Mrs. Rannous said:Last time that happened to me, I was in Chicago.
Are you really in Dallas? I don't see any precip on the radar.Just got back from the grocery store. We usually shop Sunday morning but the news showed the panicked run on groceries so we thought we'd better try and grab a few things. Had to buy a few pints of milk because that's all that was available, No napkins. Everything else seemed ok. Checkout lines definitely slammed. Came out to earlier than expected rain and a car covered with ice. New record for lowest high temp ever for the day. Good times. Looking forward to not needing the house until Tuesday, if then (everything may be shut down).
I’m from Michigan and have also lived in Chicago for years. Currently in Austin and the panic and worry is quite evident. This weather doesn’t faze me, but I understand that lifelong Texans aren’t at all used to it.The difference is, we just aren't used to it here in South Texas, nor equipped to handle it. San Antonio will close down if there is ice. We just don't have a way to keep roads open and the Dallas accident is exactly what happens if the city doesn't close. The other big worry is electric usage, which is expected to shatter records. Our little ol' heat pumps will struggle to heat a home, and if emergency heat kicks on, you can sit and watch the meter spin. I'd kill to have my Northern blood back, but it has long ago thinned out due to the Texas heat. I no longer tolerate the cold well.
Edit: I should probably bookmark this so I can remind myself come August when I'm complaining about the 30th straight day of 100+ heat.
He's in San Antonio.Are you really in Dallas? I don't see any precip on the radar.
Northeast Ohio here. 6-10 comming through tomorrow. Might leave 15 minutes earlier for work Tuesday morning. We have a warehouse in Atlanta and we tease one of the guys there that a dusting of snow shuts the city down. The reality is that up here our roads are treated pretty much all winter. In the southern states, not so much. I understand why they freak out when they get a big storm. Not only are they not used to driving in it, but due to the lack of equipment and supplies the roads will be treacherous. A couple inches of snow without proper road equipment to treat and remove is deadly. Of course being from Michigan you know exactly what I'm talking about. Stay safe down there.I’m from Michigan and have also lived in Chicago for years. Currently in Austin and the panic and worry is quite evident. This weather doesn’t faze me, but I understand that lifelong Texans aren’t at all used to it.
Roads can be really slippery here when it rains too. The extra oil and dirt build up due to lack of rain. It surprised me.I understand why they freak out when they get a big storm. Not only are they not used to driving in it, but due to the lack of equipment and supplies the roads will be treacherous. A couple inches of snow without proper road equipment to treat and remove is deadly. Of course being from Michigan you know exactly what I'm talking about. Stay safe down there.
Jerry's World Superbowl was 10 years ago, a couple inches almost shutdown the game.Northeast Ohio here. 6-10 comming through tomorrow. Might leave 15 minutes earlier for work Tuesday morning. We have a warehouse in Atlanta and we tease one of the guys there that a dusting of snow shuts the city down. The reality is that up here our roads are treated pretty much all winter. In the southern states, not so much. I understand why they freak out when they get a big storm. Not only are they not used to driving in it, but due to the lack of equipment and supplies the roads will be treacherous. A couple inches of snow without proper road equipment to treat and remove is deadly. Of course being from Michigan you know exactly what I'm talking about. Stay safe down there.I’m from Michigan and have also lived in Chicago for years. Currently in Austin and the panic and worry is quite evident. This weather doesn’t faze me, but I understand that lifelong Texans aren’t at all used to it.
Homes in TX aren't built for it. The further south, the bigger the problem.I’m from Michigan and have also lived in Chicago for years. Currently in Austin and the panic and worry is quite evident. This weather doesn’t faze me, but I understand that lifelong Texans aren’t at all used to it.
Woke up to around 4" of snow yesterday, single digits and sunny out, really easy to shovel. Thinking of using the leaf blower to clear off the cars today, high of -2. For shoveling I will take 10" of that over 3" of the wet stuff. For getting the kids outside to tire themselves out I will take 3" of the wet stuff and a yard full of snow men and forts over the super light and fluffy stuff.I will say this about the lack of wind. I was dreading going out to shovel for the 7th time this winter (new record). But despite it being 3 degrees out, it's actually "pleasant" due to the lack of wind. The cold for sure helps keep the snow a nice light powder.
My pecan and oaks seem to be holding up pretty well, but everything else is dropping branches like snowflakes in Minnesota. Have you had power outages? We've been off more than on since Thursday and tonight's snow probably going to make it worse.make that Thursday
I've left indoor faucets on but never outdoor. I always wrapped those to try and protect them. Am I doing it wrong? Actually, I wrapped then with thick towels and then put freezer bags over them to keep them from getting soaking wet from the mixed precip.got my outdoor faucets dripping. tonight is gonna be the worst of it I think.
Outside faucets get wrapped up if they cannot be shut off and drained individually.I've left indoor faucets on but never outdoor. I always wrapped those to try and protect them. Am I doing it wrong? Actually, I wrapped then with thick towels and then put freezer bags over them to keep them from getting soaking wet from the mixed precip.
p.s. I am freezing my #### off. I am jut not used to this. They say we already broke the record for most consecutive hours below freezing, and we're nowhere near done. Already got the phone alert for highways closing down at 3 p.m. (over ah hour ago) and a call from CPS (electric) begging folks to conserve power due to the record demand. If we lose power, I'm a dead man. A Macsicle.
Ah, ok. No, i cannot shut them off. I wrapped them and any exposed pipes (one half of one water heater pipe and the water softener pipes) in the garage. That's about all I can do.Outside faucets get wrapped up if they cannot be shut off and drained individually.
You can survive this. People camp in colder weather all the time (with the proper gear of course).If we lose power, I'm a dead man. A Macsicle.
Individual shutoffs are something you see in areas that freeze regularly. Not Texas...GLGBAh, ok. No, i cannot shut them off. I wrapped them and any exposed pipes (one half of one water heater pipe and the water softener pipes) in the garage. That's about all I can do.
If the weather here in Houston is anything to go by, I doubt you're going anywhere tomorrow either.It is actively snowing. Thank god tomorrow is a day off. No way my usual flight would get out this evening.
I can, I'll just be miserable, I'll live upstairs. Our house is totally unbalanced. It's 74 upstairs and 68 down, proving heat rises. I've spent most the day upstairs but feel bad because the wife is downstairs. Makes me feel guilty since it is V-Day. We'll see what happens when the temp drops near 10 the next two days. Not sure how my unit will handle it. Luckily I just replaced it and can honestly say I have one of the biggest units in the neighborhood!You can survive this. People camp in colder weather all the time (with the proper gear of course).
That's code, isn't it?I can, I'll just be miserable, I'll live upstairs. Our house is totally unbalanced. It's 74 upstairs and 68 down, proving heat rises. I've spent most the day upstairs but feel bad because the wife is downstairs. Makes me feel guilty since it is V-Day. We'll see what happens when the temp drops near 10 the next two days. Not sure how my unit will handle it. Luckily I just replaced it and can honestly say I have one of the biggest units in the neighborhood!
I hope we can get out by Wednesday. It won't be above freezing until then so they aren't expecting tonight's wintery mix to melt off before then. If it doesn't, I'll miss another 2nd COVID vaccine and will be at the five week point since shot number 1.If the weather here in Houston is anything to go by, I doubt you're going anywhere tomorrow either.
Heat pump, like most people here.That's code, isn't it?
I take it you have an electric heater.
We do love our gas fireplace. We stay nice and toasty. It helps that our house is pretty new and well-insulated.Heat pump, like most people here.
Edit to add, I'd kill for gas heat or a fireplace right now.
Does your thermostat have Emergency Heat on it? Switch it to that and your heat pump will go offline and you’ll get all electic heat strips.Heat pump, like most people here.
Edit to add, I'd kill for gas heat or a fireplace right now
Yea, trying to avoid that. We plan to watch a movie tonight, I got her to agree we'll just watch it upstairs. My sis lived in Dallas and said she used to do that any time it got below 30. She'd have $300-$400 electric bills! But Mon/Tue, we may need too.Does your thermostat have Emergency Heat on it? Switch it to that and your heat pump will go offline and you’ll get all electic heat strips.
Assuming you have those. Downside is your electric bill will be large. But it might help with your warmness factor.
no outages yet. I’m actually out in Cedar Park. Hearing there could be some rolling blackouts tonight or tomorrow though.My pecan and oaks seem to be holding up pretty well, but everything else is dropping branches like snowflakes in Minnesota. Have you had power outages? We've been off more than on since Thursday and tonight's snow probably going to make it worse.
That is something I never really thought of before this thread. Being up north I assumed all houses had shutoffs for the outside faucets. Ever winter I disconnect my garden hoses and turn off the shut offs inside. I had one freeze a couple years ago. That sucked when it burst. I had a pipe freeze up inside the house one year. Had to strategically place a space heater to get that thawed. It did get down to like -20 below zero that year.Homes in TX aren't built for it. The further south, the bigger the problem.
Do y'all have generators and stuff for these sort of winter outages? I assume they aren't real rare up there?no outages yet. I’m actually out in Cedar Park. Hearing there could be some rolling blackouts tonight or tomorrow though.
Just one master shutoff out front, that's it. Though admittedly the house I had before this one did have individual shutoffs. Loved it just for the convenience. I didn't even think about freezing.That is something I never really thought of before this thread. Being up north I assumed all houses had shutoffs for the outside faucets. Ever winter I disconnect my garden hoses and turn off the shut offs inside. I had one freeze a couple years ago. That sucked when it burst. I had a pipe freeze up inside the house one year. Had to strategically place a space heater to get that thawed. It did get down to like -20 below zero that year.
I know this is actually serious business when it gets that cold in TX (heck, it is here in MN too), but I chuckle just a little because it hasn't been above -5 here since Wednesday afternoon and probably won't be until Tuesday afternoon. I've got some friends in Warroad MB (on the Canadian border) and according to the weather channel the last time they were above zero was February 5 (even then it was only 2 degrees).There is a 25% chance we get to -5 tomorrow.
Negative
#######
Five
How's MN gonna deal with the next 140 MPH Cat 4 Hurricane bearing down on it? Each area has it's ####ty weather cross to bear. Extreme cold ain't TX's.I know this is actually serious business when it gets that cold in TX (heck, it is here in MN too), but I chuckle just a little because it hasn't been above -5 here since Wednesday afternoon and probably won't be until Tuesday afternoon. I've got some friends in Warroad MB (on the Canadian border) and according to the weather channel the last time they were above zero was February 5 (even then it was only 2 degrees).
There were a ton of people at the mall today because what else are you going to do when it's this cold. Currently it's 10 below outside and I'm sitting here with the fireplace on while wearing two pair of socks but otherwise nice and cozy. You can laugh at me when I melt when it gets above 90, 95.
Substitute Tornados for NTX, and CA invasion for CTX.How's MN gonna deal with the next 140 MPH Cat 4 Hurricane bearing down on it? Each area has it's ####ty weather cross to bear. Extreme cold ain't TX's.
Um, no need to get hostile (sorry if I'm reading that wrong). I acknowledged that this is a big deal for TX. I completely understand how the south just isn't prepared for extreme cold.How's MN gonna deal with the next 140 MPH Cat 4 Hurricane bearing down on it? Each area has it's ####ty weather cross to bear. Extreme cold ain't TX's.
I'm at the point now where if there's any news tomorrow I'll just do a remote week. Not the worst outcome I guess.If the weather here in Houston is anything to go by, I doubt you're going anywhere tomorrow either.
So jealous. Amazingly enough, my house was plumbed for gas. The builder put in a gas stove. Water heater? Electric. Heat? Electric. Fireplace? Nope. Only bough the house because it was close to work and my wife's father, who is in a home. As soon as he passes, we're outta here.There were a ton of people at the mall today because what else are you going to do when it's this cold. Currently it's 10 below outside and I'm sitting here with the fireplace on while wearing two pair of socks but otherwise nice and cozy. You can laugh at me when I melt when it gets above 90, 95.
your power is cut off in 15-30 minute increments every 4/5 hours.Rolling blackouts?
Someone explain this to me like I'm 5.
Right, but why?your power is cut off in 15-30 minute increments every 4/5 hours.
And 90% or more of homes have electric heat.grid has capacity X. Demand is Y.
Y > X
We had the same question. MrR looked up the answer. It seems that nowadays, electric heaters are more energy efficient. They don't have to vent to the outside- no energy waste.So jealous. Amazingly enough, my house was plumbed for gas. The builder put in a gas stove. Water heater? Electric. Heat? Electric. Fireplace? Nope. Only bough the house because it was close to work and my wife's father, who is in a home. As soon as he passes, we're outta here.
Part of the problem here is that people tend not to garage their cars. They also don't have anti-freeze as a usual thing. Nor the right grade of motor oil, for that matter. We garage our car, so it will be fine; but not everyone does or can.I know this is actually serious business when it gets that cold in TX (heck, it is here in MN too), but I chuckle just a little because it hasn't been above -5 here since Wednesday afternoon and probably won't be until Tuesday afternoon. I've got some friends in Warroad MB (on the Canadian border) and according to the weather channel the last time they were above zero was February 5 (even then it was only 2 degrees).
It’s been interesting to me, since this is really only my 2nd “winter” in Texas, how unprepared everyone is. Clearly because it’s rare to have to be. Not a slight at all.And yes, everything that everyone has said is true. That is what makes it so bad, we are not prepared and can not prepare for this. Once in a 50 year thing, and it had been almost 4 years since DFW had measurable snow.
Lucky for us we've got 2 jeeps in the family so we can get around town w/o much of an issue, but amazed at people thinking they can just drive normally.