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BumRushDaShow

(129,876 posts)
Fri Dec 23, 2022, 01:18 PM Dec 2022

Factbox: Over a million without power on U.S. East Coast and Texas due to winter storms

Source: Reuters

Dec 23 (Reuters) - More than a million homes and businesses were without power on the U.S. East Coast, Midwest and Texas on Friday as winter storms battered much of the country, according to data from PowerOutage.us.

Most outages were in North Carolina, with over 164,000 customers without power, followed by Virginia with over 92,000 and Connecticut with more than 89,000. More than a dozen other states east of the Mississippi River plus Oregon, Washington state, Missouri, Louisiana and Arkansas west of the Mississippi River each have more than 10,000 customers facing outages due to winter storms.

Leading into the holiday weekend, the storm is expected to bring blizzard conditions to the Great Lakes region, heavy rains followed by a flash freeze on the East Coast, wind gusts of 60 miles per hour (100 km per hour) and bitter cold as far south as the U.S.-Mexico border.

Georgia joined North Carolina and Kentucky this week in declaring states of emergency. Temperatures in northern Georgia were forecast to hit just 10 degrees Fahrenheit (-12 Celsius) with subzero wind chills.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/over-300000-without-power-us-east-coast-texas-due-winter-storms-2022-12-23/



It just started snowing here in Philly as the arctic cold front has come through and is changing the rain we have been having to sleet and snow.
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Factbox: Over a million without power on U.S. East Coast and Texas due to winter storms (Original Post) BumRushDaShow Dec 2022 OP
eep. AllaN01Bear Dec 2022 #1
Screenshot shows today's outages on the map FakeNoose Dec 2022 #21
The accumulating snow looks to be moving out of mid-Michigan, but it is still VERY windy Siwsan Dec 2022 #2
Consumers has done a great job over the last 4 years here in Mid-Michigan. multigraincracker Dec 2022 #6
Definitely Siwsan Dec 2022 #15
I'm the 6 or so years I've lived here, multigraincracker Dec 2022 #18
In the early 80's we had a horrendous ice storm tavernier Dec 2022 #33
after a certain fire in which the pg and e was found guilty of , AllaN01Bear Dec 2022 #22
Yesterday, Texas governor Greg Abbott Dr. T Dec 2022 #3
Looks like several state governors screwed up. jimfields33 Dec 2022 #5
The governor in NC is a wonderful Democrat. Lines are down because of high winds. yardwork Dec 2022 #32
We never lose power in Florida. Our line are underground. jimfields33 Dec 2022 #34
It's not up to the governor to decide that. yardwork Dec 2022 #35
Ok. jimfields33 Dec 2022 #36
Lol that is not true at all obamanut2012 Dec 2022 #40
I am off grid Texaswitchy Dec 2022 #8
Awesome! Dr. T Dec 2022 #10
Not easy to start Texaswitchy Dec 2022 #11
Right. I would trust his lying ass past my nose. ananda Dec 2022 #13
No power loss here LeftInTX Dec 2022 #27
It felt weird outside in Houston yesterday. Igel Dec 2022 #4
Usually the cabbages are okay with it BumRushDaShow Dec 2022 #9
We a big plastic tunnel green house, Texaswitchy Dec 2022 #12
Sounds like a great setup! BumRushDaShow Dec 2022 #14
It is. Texaswitchy Dec 2022 #16
Took ten minutes for the storm to knock out our power in Western NY EarthFirst Dec 2022 #7
I'm in western NY. Around noon today, wnylib Dec 2022 #29
Can someone in Florida turn off the power to Mar-A-Lago? ificandream Dec 2022 #17
"due to winter storms" CloudWatcher Dec 2022 #19
Has Ted Cruz been spotted in Cancun yet? 11 Bravo Dec 2022 #20
no, but i heard that mtg has run away . AllaN01Bear Dec 2022 #23
costa rica subject Dec 2022 #41
fairly uneventful in NYC IbogaProject Dec 2022 #24
They are doing a good job around the Jacksonville NC area cutting limbs. Dysfunctional Dec 2022 #25
We lost power here in Northeastern New York this afternoon because of high winds, and it was raining Rhiannon12866 Dec 2022 #26
So, where is Ted Cruz going this time? LudwigPastorius Dec 2022 #28
Mine flashed off & on in NE Ohio JohnnyRingo Dec 2022 #30
I am hoping the best for all of you. twodogsbarking Dec 2022 #31
We've been having rolling blackouts in middle TN Lars39 Dec 2022 #37
I did not expect to lose power here in the capital city of Michigan, DemocraticPatriot Dec 2022 #38
Duke Energy in NC went to rolling blackouts mnhtnbb Dec 2022 #39

Siwsan

(26,315 posts)
2. The accumulating snow looks to be moving out of mid-Michigan, but it is still VERY windy
Fri Dec 23, 2022, 01:33 PM
Dec 2022

It looks like we will have some snow showers, through tomorrow, but nothing significant. It's hard to tell how much fell because the wind is blowing so hard but it's a far cry from the 7+ inches that were in the forecast.

I just checked the Consumer Energy outage page and it doesn't look as if the wind is doing much damage to power lines. Maybe that strong storm, this summer, removed the vulnerable trees and limbs.

The temperatures are brutal. It's 7 in Flint, right now, with a -14 wind chill factor.

multigraincracker

(32,744 posts)
6. Consumers has done a great job over the last 4 years here in Mid-Michigan.
Fri Dec 23, 2022, 01:39 PM
Dec 2022

They have been cutting limbs and clearing right of ways like crazy. It has paid off.

Siwsan

(26,315 posts)
15. Definitely
Fri Dec 23, 2022, 02:15 PM
Dec 2022

They made a big improvement in Flint Township after the 2013 ice storm. That was a 6 day outage. The one this Summer lasted 23 hours, for me, and there was a whole lot of damage in the area.

I think they did some tree trimming in my brother's back yard, earlier in the week. Good timing.

multigraincracker

(32,744 posts)
18. I'm the 6 or so years I've lived here,
Fri Dec 23, 2022, 03:13 PM
Dec 2022

I’ve never had more than 1/2 hour. Pretty rare for all the weather we get.

tavernier

(12,410 posts)
33. In the early 80's we had a horrendous ice storm
Sat Dec 24, 2022, 08:38 AM
Dec 2022

in Jackson Michigan. We were without power for two weeks. Fireplace soot and candle wax drippings all over the house. Two months later we moved to Florida full time.

AllaN01Bear

(18,669 posts)
22. after a certain fire in which the pg and e was found guilty of ,
Fri Dec 23, 2022, 05:56 PM
Dec 2022

the pg and e is clearing row and it should be the utilities issue. good on the coustomers though.

Dr. T

(97 posts)
3. Yesterday, Texas governor Greg Abbott
Fri Dec 23, 2022, 01:34 PM
Dec 2022

assured Texans that the Texas power grid is in robust condition and they have nothing to fear. If you're in Texas, be afraid, be very afraid.

jimfields33

(16,070 posts)
5. Looks like several state governors screwed up.
Fri Dec 23, 2022, 01:38 PM
Dec 2022

One of the Main job is keep lights on. Big fail all over the country.

yardwork

(61,748 posts)
32. The governor in NC is a wonderful Democrat. Lines are down because of high winds.
Sat Dec 24, 2022, 08:23 AM
Dec 2022

Most of us here in NC are served by Duke Energy. It's not like Texas's system. When the front came through yesterday, after days of rain softening the ground, trees came down. That tore down power lines. I know the folks at Duke Energy are working around the clock in very cold temperatures to get the lines back up.

Blaming this on our governor would be like blaming Biden for this storm.

jimfields33

(16,070 posts)
34. We never lose power in Florida. Our line are underground.
Sat Dec 24, 2022, 08:44 AM
Dec 2022

That’s really how all states should run the lines. Saves tons of money. Maybe someday they will.

Texaswitchy

(2,962 posts)
11. Not easy to start
Fri Dec 23, 2022, 02:01 PM
Dec 2022

Now it is much easier now .

Worth every dime.

You have to think about as a investment.

Igel

(35,383 posts)
4. It felt weird outside in Houston yesterday.
Fri Dec 23, 2022, 01:38 PM
Dec 2022

Shifting winds, sort of like before a hurricane. The winds picked up later afternoon. Around sundown the temperature started to drop really fast. I spent the day harvesting the greens in my garden--edible chrysanthemum, bok choy, tatsai, napa cabbage. (They're all frost hardy and like the weather this time of year.)

They all needed a couple more weeks, vortices usually head this way mid-January to mid-February, not mid-late December. Not done blanching them all yet. Yuck. (Hoping the turnips and Korean radishes pull through.)

BumRushDaShow

(129,876 posts)
9. Usually the cabbages are okay with it
Fri Dec 23, 2022, 01:44 PM
Dec 2022

but then your area is under a Hard Freeze Warning and that could generate some mush (unless you have some heavy frost blankets to give you a few degrees of protection.

Texaswitchy

(2,962 posts)
12. We a big plastic tunnel green house,
Fri Dec 23, 2022, 02:05 PM
Dec 2022

Solar and wind running the heaters and light.

So far the vegetables are ok


Texaswitchy

(2,962 posts)
16. It is.
Fri Dec 23, 2022, 02:19 PM
Dec 2022

Being tested right now.


It is warm in the tunnel.



Some wild birds are in the tunnel..


Left them bird seed and water ..

Must have got in yesterday.

EarthFirst

(2,905 posts)
7. Took ten minutes for the storm to knock out our power in Western NY
Fri Dec 23, 2022, 01:42 PM
Dec 2022

Thankfully the standby crews were ready to address the outage and had things working again within the hour…

We had one surge since then; so far so good.

I worry for my wife as I’m a contractor charged with snow/ice removal; so I’m away most times during these difficult weather events.

She’s a superhero tending to the homestead while I’m away; I couldn’t do it without her!

A quick check in; and I’m back at it again…

Be safe out there!


wnylib

(21,731 posts)
29. I'm in western NY. Around noon today,
Sat Dec 24, 2022, 01:08 AM
Dec 2022

the lights blinked 4 times within 5 minutes and I thought the power would go off, but fortunately it didn't. My city has its own radio stations but they are too conservative for me to listen to most of the time. So I tune in to Buffalo NPR for news and weather since I'm close enough to Buffalo to pick it up. But NPR went off the air here for a while. I wonder if that was the power outage you mentioned.

CloudWatcher

(1,851 posts)
19. "due to winter storms"
Fri Dec 23, 2022, 03:35 PM
Dec 2022

[rant on]... due to winter storms AND really crappy & cheap power distribution networks. [rant off]

Sorry but the power going out is entirely expected when you build a cheap network. Don't just blame it on the weather like there's nothing that could be done differently.

Edit to add some context ... putting power lines underground for protection:

One article, https://www.anelectricalengineer.com/underground-power-distribution-system/

This procedure is normally performed for aesthetic purposes but it also serves some additional significant purpose of making the electric power lines less susceptible to outages during the high wind thunderstorm, the heavy snow or ice storms in the local area.

IbogaProject

(2,853 posts)
24. fairly uneventful in NYC
Fri Dec 23, 2022, 06:33 PM
Dec 2022

I'm in Manhattan at least 60 feet above sea-level, the Mrs got a notify about flooding on FDR highway by 111st uptown. rain mostly dried b4 it dropped below freezing. there are some puddles so that will be frozen awhile.
I hope my Mom's house by Philly has power. I'd hopefully hear from one neighbor if there are blackouts.

Rhiannon12866

(206,594 posts)
26. We lost power here in Northeastern New York this afternoon because of high winds, and it was raining
Fri Dec 23, 2022, 09:26 PM
Dec 2022

But now, the temperatures are rapidly dropping and there are still high winds. It's unusual in these parts because the wires are underground - I think the last time we lost power here was during Hurricane Irene in September 2011 which caused power outages and devastating damage here in Northern New York and Vermont much more than Hurricane Sandy ever did.

DemocraticPatriot

(4,500 posts)
38. I did not expect to lose power here in the capital city of Michigan,
Sat Dec 24, 2022, 07:38 PM
Dec 2022

(our power is pretty reliable),
but none-the-less I recharged my deep-cycle batteries,
(which I own for another purpose altogether, lol),
and put fresh batteries into my little lanterns...

(I already had some water stored),
and turned up the thermostat in the house, so that it would take longer to get cold if power did go out

(I am in the habit of running the heat very low in the winter, and just dressing more warmly in the house, to save money on natural gas...)

cleaning out the driveway was a bitch, I finished it today, but it is still snowing.
Luckily today the temperature came up to 18 degrees, from 6 yesterday.... but it is still bad to catch the snow in your face from the wind


Merry Christmas all!

mnhtnbb

(31,411 posts)
39. Duke Energy in NC went to rolling blackouts
Sun Dec 25, 2022, 01:00 PM
Dec 2022

unannounced on Saturday.

I'm in Durham, NC. Saturday am I was having coffee at 6:15 am, thanking my lucky stars that I was in a new development with underground power when my power went out. WTF? We'd had wind gusts of 40-50 mph on Friday and the wind was about 15 mph when the power went out Saturday.

About two hours later we began to hear about the unannounced rolling blackouts. Mine lasted three hours. After the power came back on, 45 minutes later my furnace stopped working. At least half a dozen of my neighbors experienced the same thing. Turned out to be insufficiently insulated condensation lines in our attics running from the furnace, which had frozen. One of my neighbor's put a sensor in his attic which registered 16 degrees on Saturday. Outside it was 10 degrees.

I'll be calling my HVAC guy on Tuesday to set up an appointment to come remedy that problem, no thanks to the builder since I'm past the builder's one year warranty.

It was so windy here Friday that it blew over a wrought iron glider love seat on my covered porch!

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