Umm..., are you aware a major weather disaster is about to hit the Northeast?

[hedgehog]

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-20127218/octsnowber-fall-snow-storm-threatens-northeast/

I've seen two much smaller episodes like this in Upstate New York: heavy wet snow lands on trees still covered with leaves. Thousands of trees crack in half from the weight, taking down every single power line while blocking the roads.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Storm_%22Aphid%22

The area effected was maybe 20 square miles, but it took hundreds of power crews to put things back together - you should have seen the convoys on the Thruway!


We took a generator down to my Mom and Dad after the Buffalo storm - it was a week later before power was restored.

My husband and I and five college age kids spent two entire days clearing my folk's small suburban lot and a great uncle's city lot of debris.


Use a long pole to knock down the snow and save your trees if you can, but be aware of the hazard of falling limbs. (that's limbs, not branches.)

Watch out for low hanging wires - don't assume that a low wire or a wire on the ground is dead! Be careful driving after the storm- low hanging wires and falling trees.

Fill the cars with gas TODAY - the service stations will be closed until power is restored.

Get that chain saw ready today.

NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO LEARN TO USE A CHAIN SAW!

Be aware that if you try to cut a broken limb, it may be under tension and spring back at you.

Run all the laundry today - it may be your last chance for a while.

Get any needed prescriptions filled now.

Make sure you have batteries, kerosene for laterns, propane for laterns, etc.

Fill the bathtub with clean water if you're on a well.

Be sure that if you use a generator of grill, it's properly vented.

If you have relatives outside the area - you might want to bunk with them a few days after the storm - especially if you are elderly or have small children.

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. And it is still October. Good luck, all, and be safe -

if I remember correctly, the long range winter weather forecast was calling for a rough one in the northern half of the country - and now it seems to be coming quickly.

[peacebird]

2. Very good advice!

[Worship Money]

3. I sincerely wish to move from this area

I despise the snow, I do not care how pretty it looks or how many crappy songs it inspires. It kills people and actually causes physical pain during the 6 1/2 month legit, brutal winters we get. Do not want.

Too bad I'm poor and stuck here for the time being.

[MannyGoldstein]

7. Where do you live? nt

[ChandlerJr]

4. AccuWeather is saying it may be the worst October snow storm since

the Civil War!

How appropriate is that?

[WilliamPitt]

5. Funny...it's my immediate instinct to make fun of you.

I'm a New Englander, been through more blizzards than I have fingers and toes x2...and I see posts like this, and just want to be all blustery and confident and nonchalant. Been there, done that, got the shovel, what else ya got?

But I had the exact same feelings when the hurricane came this way this past summer, and here in Boston, it was a great source of hilarity to look back on the hysterics that took place before the storm hit, because the storm was a big fat nothing here in the city...

...but they're still dealing with it in Vermont, and you better believe I felt like a brass-bound asshole after making fun of a storm that wound up doing so much tremendous damage.

So.

Thank you for the heads up. This storm does look like a bastard, and any time we get snow in October means we're in for a dragon of a winter.

We're all set here.

:hug:

:toast:

[hedgehog]

9. I'm from the Snowbelt - grew up in Buffalo, living now north

of Syracuse. Locals know Syracuse doesn't get the real snow; it us folks up in Oswego County!

I'm generally nonchalant about snow - the worst that usually happens is that you get to stay home a day until the roads are plowed. But heavy wet snow on leaf covered trees is a major, major problem. It's hard to convey in a photograph, but imagine every single tree on your street snapped at the crown.

For comparison,
"In affected areas, wet, heavy lake effect snow with a snow-water equivalent (SWE) ratio of between 6:1 and 12:1 (in comparison, the "powder" so prized by skiers is 25:1)"

If the ratio ois 6:1, that's 10 lbs per square foot if a foot of snow falls.

[WilliamPitt]

11. This is unique

Normally, you worry about all the things that come with a blizzard. But it's October, and the ground isn't frozen yet, so no matter how much comes down, it's going to be gone in 72 hours, especially because the forecast calls for piles of sun all week afterwards.

But.

The trees are still laden with leaves, and this snow will be heavy and wet, which means branches (if not whole trees) may come down from the weight of the weather. That, by itself, is reason for caution.

:hug:

[RoccoR5955]

6. Most of the weak trees were taken down by the hurricane

a few months ago. I don't think that it will be all that bad. The winds that came after the hurricane, and its 10 inches of rain took down all of the weak trees here near Kingston, NY.
The National Weather Service has to cover their butt, so they have to put out this kind of warning.
We'll find out Sunday, for sure.

[hedgehog]

12. I hope this storm misses you , but if you get hit, say good by to the rest of the trees!

http://www.buffalonews.com/weather/article588082.ece/BINARY/w620/LOCAL+OCTOBER+SNOWSTORM+GEE.jpg

[RoccoR5955]

20. Was that this current storm?

Oh no! We got a Noachian Deluge and The Wind From Hell this past summer. I don't want Snomageddon this early in the season!

[MADem]

8. Yes. It's going to be troublesome. Heavy snow and lots of it. nt

[HipChick]

10. For once...I hit the Home Depot first

before everyone else got there

[Lugnut]

13. We're ready.

The generator is ready to go and the vehicles have full gas tanks. We have plenty of food and essentials and the gas grill has a full tank of gas. The generator will power the furnace, well pump, upright freezer, both refrigerators, the microwave, a 13" TV and a few lights. Lessons that are hard learned are well learned.

[Tx4obama]

14. Here's a LIST ....

it's geared towards a summertime power outage, but can be adapted to wintertime

LIST: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1816752

p.s. And there are a lot of useful tips in the comments too on the link above.

[Historic NY]

15. I am were in the direct path and it not upstate its 60 miles north of NYC.

ORANGE AND PUTNAM COUNTIES.

* HAZARD TYPES...HEAVY WET SNOW.

* ACCUMULATIONS...8 TO 12 INCHES OF SNOW...HIGHEST AMOUNTS ACROSS HIGHER ELEVATIONS.

* WINDS...NORTHEAST 15 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH. HIGHEST GUSTS WILL BE SATURDAY EVENING THROUGH EARLY SUNDAY MORNING.

* TEMPERATURES...IN THE LOWER TO MID 30S.

* VISIBILITIES...LESS THAN 1/2 MILE AT TIMES.

* TIMING...LIGHT SNOW WILL BEGIN AFTER DAYBREAK SATURDAY...THEN BECOME MODERATE TO HEAVY IN INTENSITY LATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON INTO SATURDAY EVENING. THE SNOW WILL THEN TAPER OFF LATER SATURDAY NIGHT.

* IMPACTS...WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS DUE TO REDUCED VISIBILITIES AND SNOW COVERED ROADS. THE COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS AND HEAVY WET SNOW WILL RESULT IN DOWNED TREES...TREE LIMBS AND POWER LINES. THE DAMAGE COULD BE QUITE EXTENSIVE WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR AN AREA OF WIDESPREAD POWER OUTAGES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. ONLY TRAVEL IN AN EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT...FOOD... AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.


We still haven't dried out from the August & Sept rain totaling more than 24 inches. I expect to have damage since my deck canvas awnings are still up.

[hedgehog]

16. Any chance you can roll those awnings up? If they get loaded with snow,

I think you'll lose them.

[Historic NY]

18. Thanks I guess wishful thinking helped my guy showed up....

he is rushing around.

[RoccoR5955]

21. roll up those awnings!

still nothing here near New Paltz.

[gateley]

17. Boy, we've seemed to be in a constant battle with the weather

lately. Unrelenting. :(

Take care, all. Heed the great advice from these wonderful DUers!

:grouphug:

[lonestarnot]

19. Wow. Stay safe peeps.

[customerserviceguy]

22. And we were sweating just five weeks ago

Autumn was very, very short this year. As I recall, spring was, too.