Weather in Boston: Ahm, well good news and bad

[TayTay]

Well, the very early weather reports are in for next weekend. Fri-Sun look clear and to be in the low 40's. Monday may be cloudy and a tad sprinkly or perhaps some nuisance flurries. (They just serve to slow up traffic but are not a real problem.)

Ahm, this Sunday (12/4) we will get 2-4 inches of snow. (Which is no big deal.) Tuesday (12/6) we may get a pretty good sized storm. (4-8+ inches of snow.) This one kind of sucks. We have to get home from work while it's still snowing, which means traffic will suck. But after that, it looks like clear sailing but cold.

Bring boots. Even if the snow melts, it'll still be a slushy mess.

(BTW, people staying at the Park Plaza Hotel. Yes, that is a real live castle diagonally across the street from your Hotel. It has a drawbridge and everything. It used to have a dry moat around it, which was standard issue stuff for castles. Remind me and I'll tell you the bizarre reason there is a castle (complete with a tower, and stuff) right in the heart of the Back Bay. Oh, and the official Boston Christmas Tree has a very special and historic reason for being. Even at Christmas time, you can't throw a stick around here without hitting something that's historical.)

[GRLMGC]

1. What kind of boots?

I don't own boots, haha

[TayTay]

2. Whatever keeps your feet warm

and keeps you from slipping or getting your feet wet. (What size are you? Maybe we can work something out.) I have these oversized LL Bean boots that I wear with thick wool socks. (Can you say sexy? Oh yeah baby, my hubby sees those clodhoppers or me in my thick flannel jammies, and well, you know I have warm nights.)

It will be cold. That's Boston for ya in December. When it's kind of slushy, I just wear boots (even regular boots) and double socks. (I am pretty cold resistant, except for my feet. Sigh!)

Temps will be around 37 degrees or so. Just dress in layers and you'll be all right. The best thing about going on a tour is that there is always a little shop or place to get a cup of coffee or cocoa or something not too far away. If you get cold, we'll stop and warm up. It really shouldn't be too bad. The slush can be nasty though. (Hey, maybe the storm will go out to sea or stay near the Cape and the Islands. Then we don't have to worry about it.)

[GRLMGC]

3. This should be an interesting experience

I'm looking forward to it

[TayTay]

4. Remember, between the lot of us in Boston

we probably have a host of extra scarfs and gloves and stuff. And some of us are Moms and we overdressed our kids against the cold and old habits die hard. So we might just fuss over you and make sure you are warm enough to go out. Again, it's that Mom-thing, we tend to be a bit over-protective. Old habit.

[sandnsea]

19. Okay, look for Setti

He's been given a heads up and will have "his eyes peeled for the crew". lol.

This guy in the middle here:

[TayTay]

21. I think the Staff announcement today

just mentioned that Setti got a promotion!

Congratulations!

And thanks! You guys are the best.

[sandnsea]

22. Yeah I read that

Co-head of the state or something like that. I read about the coach guy too, wonder how that'll work out or if it means anything about a new plan for the office. Or whether today's statement by David Wade signals that the new coach guy is more agressive. Or who knows what.

And yeah, I know the guy the "coach guy" is kinda famous, hehe, but I follow basketball less than I do baseball.

[TayTay]

23. Sounds like they had some turnover in the Mass office

and moved to make a strong hire. His resume looks great and he has some pretty good Boston ties. Sounds like a good hire to me.

[Firespirit]

5. Regarding flights--

I assume they don't cancel or delay flights for existing ice and slush on the ground, and also that the runways are kept clear.

Hah, I have ZERO experience or knowledge of this sort of thing.... :P I just don't want to get stuck somewhere on Friday because we can't land.

[TayTay]

7. Based on current weather reports, you are fine.

So far, the weather looks great, for Boston in Dec, next weekend. Things can change. But as of now, next weekend looks to be sunny, or partly sunny, with some minor rain or slight flurries on Monday.

The thing to remember about Boston is that we are used to snow and ice. It tends to happen every winter so we are prepared. We have thousands of pieces of snow removal equipment that can be deployed in the event of a real snow threat. (If we didn't, no one would ever get to work and the economy would have fallen to bits long ago.) Logan Airport has it's own snow removal equipment that function to keep the place open, keep the runways clear and get everyone in and out without major problems.

This system breaks down only in the event of major storms. (Something over 6" of snow can become troublesome and result in delays at Logan.) That can happen, but big storms usually come after New Years. Big storm problems depend on what time of day the snow falls. If it falls at night, all those pieces of snow removal equipment are on the roads getting the snow out of the way and sanding or salting the streets and life goes on without much interruption. If the snow falls during prime commuting times, well then it gets harder to get the plows on the road, cuz cars are in the way.

The only cautionary tale so far (and the weather reports could change) for people coming in who are not used to winter weather is for that yucky slush in the streets. Slush is melting ice or snow that is more water than it is solid. You can step in this freezing water and get your feet all wet and cold and that just sucks. (Bring extra socks.)

To tell you the truth I was sweating out the weather reports. I saw an early forcast for Sat on local TV and I felt much better. It looks like the weather will cooperate (though it's still early.) It looks like Logan Airport will just be subject to the regular delays that every airport faces.

[Firespirit]

24. Ironically enough...

It appears that the biggest potential problem for me will be right at home. The place I'm flying from is forecast to have sleet for 9 hours on Thursday, followed by 6 hours of light snow Thursday night/early Friday morning, and on Friday it is not forecast to rise above freezing until I actually arrive at the airport. I.e., a foul treacherous mess to drive on.

It would figure. The first ice storm for us in about a decade, and it has to hit this weekend. Oh well, sleet won't keep me away from this. :D

[Island Blue]

6. Thanks for the weather report Tay

I wouldn't mind seeing a little snow on the ground (as long as it doesn't mess anyone's flights up). It's rare that we get enough snow to amount to anything down here, although once we did have an honest to goodness blizzard (on Christmas Eve no less)!

[whometense]

8. It's been snowing lightly

all morning. An absolutely gorgeous wintry wonderland. In the city we have a couple of inches - no big deal at all.

I hope, actually, that you guys get a chance to see Boston like this. It's at its most beautiful, in my opinion, with an inch or two of new snow.

[ginnyinWI]

9. I have a weather story to tell

We here in WI just finished having same storm system that is now heading your way. We were out shopping and had to make our way carefully home on those snowy roads, getting home about 4:30 p.m. At about 5 p.m., poof--no electricity! And it didn't come back on momentarily like it usually does.

So we got out the candles and eventually started a fire in the fireplace when the house temp. got down to 62. Our dinner was salad, cheese, applesauce and peanut butter sandwiches by candlelight--lol. Finally we called the electric company, and it turned out that a car (must have been a big one) had skidded off the road and taken out a telephone pole, the one which feeds our neighborhood its electricity.

We got a lesson in how much we use the stuff! No light, no heat, no stove, no heater for the aquarium,etc. We even had to ration water usage, because our well relies on an electric pump. Try getting through a few hours without using electicity, sometime, and you'll see what I mean. You can't even read unless you have a strong battery lantern.

After about three hours it came back on, and I'm happy to report that the fish in the aquarium made it!

[sandnsea]

13. Try it on Thanksgiving

Yep, happened to me several years ago around noon on Thanksgiving Day. Same thing, bad snow storm and somebody took out a power pole. Luckily I had a propane stove so I could keep cooking. But I also had 3 bored little kids, no football games, and had to keep them all out of the frig to keep the cold in. Power came back on around 3 or 4. I felt bad for whoever who had to go out and fix it because that family was likely grumbling too.

[GRLMGC]

10. What kind of boots should I get?

I only have tennis shoes and someone informed they would not do at all.

[TayTay]

11. Anything water-proof should do.

The latest weather report shows the storm on Tuesday will mainly hit south of Boston, so we might not have the dreaded slush. I used to wear tennis shoes (or sneakers) in the winter all the time. I just got something that repelled water (or got a spray at the store that I could use on my shoes to keep out water.) The boots idea was because most boots are waterproof. It is still a very good idea to bring extra socks. (Just in case.) If there is no melting snow, then you really just want to make sure your feet are warm. If Boston gets only 1-2" of snow, that's nothing to worry about.

Since you are a native Californian, I am a tad worried that the cold will hit you more than the other folks who are coming, as you haven't had much experience with winter temps. My biggest recommendation is to bring clothes for Sat and Sunday walking around that you can layer. (A t-shirt or a turtle-neck, with a sweater on top of that, followed by the warmest coat you have. You should wear a hat, but a lot of people hate hats.) I have plenty of warm gloves that I can lend you. (Black fleece gloves. Very warm. I can also bring in some lambswool scarves that are very soft, but very warm.) Again, tell us what you have and we can tell you if it is enough. The biggest thing really is to dress in layers. You do that, and you'll be fine.

A story, if you will about hardy New Englanders. Last week, on my way to work in the morning, we saw a teenager standing out waiting for the school bus. She had on a tee shirt and no coat. It was 32 degrees out. My husband and I couldn't believe it. Now either that kid is stupid, forgetful or incredibly tolerant to cold. (Or is it the fashion to not wear coats now as well? Stupid fashion idea if you ask me.)

[GRLMGC]

12. My mom is pretty insistent on me getting some boots

but I don't really wanna buy anything I won't really use and I wouldn't know what to get anyway. I don't own any scarves so if I could borrow one, that would be great

[TayTay]

14. If your Mom wants to get your boots, then get

something that you can wear with jeans. You might be able to use them again. (I have black boots that come up to just above my ankles. If you get something like this, they can be used both for Boston and again in CA when you have, I don't know, rain or mud. Same thing.) The biggest thing on these is making sure they are water-proof and help you from slipping on icy patches. (Or mud.)

Hmmm, get the boots. If we walk around Beacon Hill and all those cobblestoned streets, your feet will be extra insulated from the, ahm, cobblestones. Beacon Hill always struck me as being very Victorian, with those extremely narrow streets, the cobblestones, the iron lamposts with the nice lanterns at the top and the brick brownstones. At Christmas time, it looks like something out of Dickens. The old cobblestones can feel a little bumpy on your feet, so, what the heck, get the boots. Short ankle-high boots will do nicely.

The biggest danger was just wet streets and stepping in slushy puddles. (Does anyone else get the feeling that I have stepped in one too many freezing puddles and am now just over-compensating? Of all the paranoia's to get in this world, I end up with fear of slush. Sigh! I just hate having cold, wet feet. Yuck!) The danger of that is less now because the snow storm seems to be heading for The Cape and Nantucket and the Islands. I think we'll be fine.

[GRLMGC]

15. Okay cool

I'll figure it out later when I go back to LA after my final. I'm gonna tie up all loose ends then.

[Island Blue]

16. I'm not so much worried about snow in Boston

as I am about the snow they're calling for in Virginia. I have to drive to the airport in Norfolk at 2:30 a.m. on Saturday morning (I'm too cheap at this point to spring for a motel) and I don't want to be driving in any nasty stuff because unlike you NE folks, I don't know how to. Having said that, it looks like the Hampton Roads area will be about the only place in VA not hit by the snow storm so maybe I'll be okay. The only other thing that concerns me is that we are expecting to have "rumbles of thunder" here today, and there is an old wives tale that says that if it thunders in the winter, we will have snow within seven days. Since it's not officially winter, maybe we'll be okay, but it's usually very true - in the winter snow follows thunder.

[TayTay]

17. This is where I am getting my info on weather now

NOLA-Weather

The Zip is 02116 (Boston). It looks really good.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high around 39.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low near 28.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 40.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 29.
Sunday: Partly cloudy, with a high near 41.

Again, (with salt over my shoulder, knock-on-wood, fingers-crossed hope) this is really pretty good for Boston in Dec.


I entered Norfolk, VA for a site and got this for Sat.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low near 26.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 46.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 33.

I have my fingers crossed that the Thurs. night/Friday morning storm passes for you. If it does, it looks good. You'll love Manchester Airport in NH. It's incredibly easy to get in and out of (and notice the ads on the wall when you go by. There aren't that many airports with big ads for political coverage on C-Span. LOL!)

[TayTay]

18. Do you guys want to buy some cookies in Boston? Why?

Quirky stuff, but true!

http://www.kilvertandforbesbakeshop.com/history.html

Ahm did you guys know this? (I am full of quirky info.) We could go here, but I forget where the place is in Quincy Market and will have to find it again. (Mmmm, good cookies, btw.)

[GRLMGC]

20. Cookies are delicious

I heart cookies

[_dynamicdems]

25. Hmmm....I suspect that there might be more than one or two ladies here

who would love to nibble on the Senator's...cookies.

O8)

[TayTay]

26. For some reason or other, I just love the cookie business story.

From the web site for the cookie store:

Kilvert & Forbes was originally created in 1976 when Quincy Market first opened its doors as the famous food colonnade.

At the time, founder John Kerry was practicing law, which he found to be “quite predictable and very boring”. So this chocolate lover and his friend and business partner K. Dunn Gifford opened the bakery and named it after their mothers, featuring family recipes. In 1982, Lt. Governor Kerry bought his partner’s shares of the business and sold them to Stanley and Linda Klein. A few years later, he sold his own shares to the Kleins. Even though Senator Kerry is no longer at Kilvert & Forbes, we hear that he still loves chocolate!

And his Mom's recipe was really good. I used to have lunch at Faneuil Hall years ago when I worked nearby. I would get a cookie once in a while and they are really good. Obviously, someone with a sweet-tooth would appreciate those delicacies. (And on a cold, windy day, there is something nice about a hot mug of tea and a nice warm, fresh-from-the-oven cookie. mmmmmmm.)

[_dynamicdems]

27. Well, you don't have to sell *me* on chocolate chip cookies! RATS!

Now I want cookies! Evil subject. COOOOOOKIEEEEE! FEED ME SEMOUR! (Okay, so what if I mix Cookie Monster and Little Shop of Horrors?)

BRB....off to the store.