Quicksand Fans

Arkansas gets winter storms, just like many other U.S. states, but because of where we are, ours tend to be fewer and more ice than snow. It's a pain when you get enough sleet to clog the roads, because it isn't as friendly to drive on as snow is, and tends to be even worse after a thaw-freeze cycle. This afternoon, though, we are forecast to get the worst sort of Arkansas storm: Freezing rain. Now, if it's been warm lately, freezing rain is less of a scare, because it doesn't shut down the roads. (it hasn't been that warm, lately) If there isn't much rain, then freezing rain isn't that big a problem because it only has a short-term effect on roads, and otherwise just looks pretty. We're expecting rather a lot of rain/freezingrain/sleet/snow/etc. When all the dots line up and we get a lot of rain when it's been cold and is just below freezing, that's when a lot of ice can accumulate on the power lines and trees that overhang them, as well as on the streets. Not only does power go down, but trucks and crews cannot get to the breaks to do anything.

Nothing to do now but hope it stays too warm until after the bulk of the rain passes, or snaps too cold, so the precip comes down as sleet or snow, rather than rain. I spent some time in the Chicago area. I can drive in snow. I don't want to have to deal with another power outage.

In any case, I figure I'll get out and get to the store this morning. Gonna buy some bulk batteries and groceries. (We've been putting off shopping in favor of fun things, and are low on food, I'm not a panic shopper)

YerK wrote:Arkansas gets winter storms, just like many other U.S. states, but because of where we are, ours tend to be fewer and more ice than snow. It's a pain when you get enough sleet to clog the roads, because it isn't as friendly to drive on as snow is, and tends to be even worse after a thaw-freeze cycle. This afternoon, though, we are forecast to get the worst sort of Arkansas storm: Freezing rain. Now, if it's been warm lately, freezing rain is less of a scare, because it doesn't shut down the roads. (it hasn't been that warm, lately) If there isn't much rain, then freezing rain isn't that big a problem because it only has a short-term effect on roads, and otherwise just looks pretty. We're expecting rather a lot of rain/freezingrain/sleet/snow/etc. When all the dots line up and we get a lot of rain when it's been cold and is just below freezing, that's when a lot of ice can accumulate on the power lines and trees that overhang them, as well as on the streets. Not only does power go down, but trucks and crews cannot get to the breaks to do anything.

Nothing to do now but hope it stays too warm until after the bulk of the rain passes, or snaps too cold, so the precip comes down as sleet or snow, rather than rain. I spent some time in the Chicago area. I can drive in snow. I don't want to have to deal with another power outage.

In any case, I figure I'll get out and get to the store this morning. Gonna buy some bulk batteries and groceries. (We've been putting off shopping in favor of fun things, and are low on food, I'm not a panic shopper)

Batton down the hatches (whatever that means). About six years ago an ice storm hit the part of Arkansas where the Studio is located (and all the way to Kentucky) and the power at the Studio was off for more than a month.

"Batten down the hatches". A sailing term. Hatches were openings through which cargo was loaded/unloaded. They were covered with tarps during rain, and if a storm approached, wooden restraints were used around the edges of the hatch to keep the tarp secure during the storm.

Be very careful shoveling ice! I have to be careful over pushing myself because of my health. And I FRIGGIN hate shoveling that heavy shirt!

Middle Tennessee - Finally warmed up yesterday after being below freezing for six days in a row. About an inch of ice on everything. It's been a miserable week trying to navigate all the fools who think 4WD on no friction makes them invincible. Very similar to your situation. You have my sympathy.

Today was the first day above freezing in three weeks. You know it's been damn cold when 33 degrees feels like t shirt weather haha.

34F and dropping with sleet ticking against the screens on the windows. With luck, we won't have freezing rain. (So long as it keeps sleeting instead of raining, I'm pretty sure we will be ok, power-wise)

The Met Office is predicting a "weatherbomb" hitting UK tonight, combining high winds and subzero temperatures. Have to wait to see how much of it is hype...

Any commentary on cold and snow would just be redundant here

But, Indianapolis, was no great prize, a few inches of snow rendered the roads like something out of a bad fucking doomsday movie. Sub-zero cold was worse though, since pretty sure they unused to -20C temps.

"The cold of space smote the unprotected tip of the planet."
-Jack London, "To build a fire."

"And now the winds flow liquid,
the soul cascades to seek the sea.
And now but we are left, the few, the chosen-
but air that once was breath is metal, frozen-
where, then, are we?
-Phillip Gordon Wylie and Edwin Balmer, "After Worlds Collide" (sequel to "When Worlds Collide")