Ice Storm Cuts Power To 870,000 In Midwest

[Purveyor]

Source: Reuters

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Snow and ice storms across the U.S. Midwest knocked out power to more than 870,000 homes and businesses from Oklahoma to West Virginia on Wednesday, local utilities reported.

The band of storms, which started on Tuesday, were blamed for nearly two dozen deaths, many of them traffic-related as ice-covered roads were too dangerous to navigate.

Schools were closed in several states while airport traffic was delayed across the eastern third of the nation.

While utility crews went to work to restore power on Wednesday, some customers could be in the dark until the middle of next week, utilities said.

On Wednesday, Kentucky was the hardest hit state, with nearly 300,000 customers in the Bluegrass State without power.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSTRE50R5AX20090129

[Abq_Sarah]

1. My heart goes out to them

I'm not crazy about getting snow but it's infinitely preferable to ice storms.

[1]

2. an ice storm is the worst in my experience. no power, no heat, no water...

always followed by a huge freeze.

all due respect to all other storm survivors, i just know the next one will kill me. i almost didn't make it through the last one.

my thoughts and prayers to all suffering through this. i do know that countless individuals are working their asses off to restore life to you. god bless them.

i hope you all make it through this...

[rwheeler31]

3. Hat day

Go to bed and read.

[ConcernedCanuk]

4. Power outages seem to be getting more severe, and longer duration, so I've prepared . .

.
.
.

I keep around 100 litres of water on hand at all times

I have a generator, and around 50 litres of gasoline

I have a propane heater and stove - and 4 20# tanks of propane

I have a portapotti

I have about 2 months supply of food

and so on . . .

These items were not all acquired at once,

sorta built it up as time went on


oh yeah

have 3 inverters, and three vehicle batteries as well

much more on the list - but -

I'm getting MORE prepared for elongated power outages as time goes on

It's gonna get worse before it gets better,

and I ain't sure at all that it's going to get better in my lifetime - -

[defendandprotect]

5. Dark and cold? Until middle of next week -- !!!

[Roland99]

6. I'm one. My sister is another

Lucily, my sister and her husband got a generator today. so at least we can be decently warm and have a refrigerator running.

it goes about 5hrs before needing more gas. my turn is next. about 5am.

They're saying 7-10 days for repairs.

[texanwitch]

7. We went without power for 12 days during Ike.

I was thankful it wasn't August anymore.

Stay warm and safe.

[Roland99]

10. Ike was a mean one. Knocked us out of power for 5 days and we're 1000 miles away.

[Joanne98]

8. Mine is still on. Thank God!

[melm00se]

9. it's kind of funny

until you go thru something like this folks ask "why is the power out for so long?"

Ever try to drive on sheer ice?

As to the lines: it's not like there is one break in a line. there can be, literally, 1 break for every power pole over a 3 mile stretch of road that necessitates restringing the lines completely and that's just the mains, then you have to get into the neighborhoods and check for breaks there (almost at every house).

I have been thru 5 ice storms: 3 in the north and 2 in the south...I'd rather have a blizzard or a hurricane than an ice storm...and there is no greater relief than having your power come on.

(yes, I also have a gas generator and make sure that both vehicles are fully gassed up if there is going to be a storm)