Polar Vortex wtf???

[Beebs]

Looks to be just about done but been going for over 30 hours straight at this point. We usually get a lot of heavy stuff but every storm this year has been beautiful powder. My kind of winter.

[Smitty]

Winter's always been my favorite season, but I've come to fucking hate the cold weather.

[Zip City]

GO HOME, WINTER, YOU'RE DRUNK

[Iowan]

It's seriously gotten to the point where 10 degrees feels really, really nice.

Here's my little slice of Hoth


It's hard to tell in the picture, but those snow piles are over 5 feet high if you're standing in the street.

[Zip City]

Hey, that looks just like my street! Same fucking piles of snow, too!

[Iowan]

Hey, that looks just like my street! Same fucking piles of snow, too!

It was a blast when that trench in the foreground (aka my sidewalk) drifted in for 20 feet.

[Clams]

Expecting another 1-3 inches of vortex this afternoon, then another storm Weds-Thurs.

[Iowan]

High of -2 tomorrow. Yay.

The worst part is that our 10 day forecast keeps telling us that in a week were supposed to be up in the 40s, but that always changes within 3 or 4 days of that date.

[beantownbubba]

I figured we could use some counterpoint to all the whining about the weather in the homecoming thread (I hasten to add that the whining is well earned and that I'm as guilty as anyone).

Today's the kind of day that I suspect you southerners just don't get about the great white north. There's a brilliant blue cloudless sky, gorgeous bright sunshine and barely a breeze. The temp's in the high 20's and it feels much warmer directly in the sun. The air is crisp and clean like it must have been in pre-industrial days (more or less, give me some room here). Yeah, the streets look ugly w/ the slush and the dirty leftovers of the last storm, but if i walk across the street to the conservation area, the trails have been tamped down by walkers before me so it's almost as if they're paved and the non-trail expanses are pure white and beautiful. It's a perfect day for skiing if one were so inclined. In fact, it's the kind of day that western skiers always brag about because we never have 'em in the east. Skiing isn't on my agenda, but a long walk w/ a very happy dog who loves running and rolling in the snow really hit the spot. If I weren't still worried about getting to Athens and if i weren't totally bummed for those who had to cancel or are significantly delayed, I'd say it's pretty much of a perfect day.

[dogstar]

Thew Polar Vortex is fucking us over in the UK too. The jet stream is basically picking up the storms you guys are experiencing and delivering them to us about 2 days later. Difference is by the time it gets to us it's warmed up and picked a whole load of water up from the Atlantic. It's been raining here almost constantly since Christmas; the forecast for tomorrow is rainfall equivalent to what we'd normally have in the whole of February and hurricane force gusts. The whole of the southwest of the country is flooded and the Thames river which runs through London is flooding too.

Here's today's report from the BBC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26153889

[tinnitus photography]

I picked a good year to get a season pass for skiing.

[Beebs]

The jet stream is basically picking up the storms you guys are experiencing and delivering them to us about 2 days later.

slushy seconds

you're welcome

[one belt loop]

a long walk w/ a very happy dog who loves running and rolling in the snow really hit the spot.

WWOP



Also, it's sleety here right now and very slippery for walking and driving, but it's going to be in the 40s tomorrow (40 Atlanta, 42 in Athens) so i feel hopeful for you travelers.

[Iowan]

It is 23 degrees here today.

I'm running around in jeans and a sweatshirt. It's been about a 40 degree swing in the past 2 days.

[Beebs]

My thermometer says a low of -12F last night. Hit 19F today.

I'll be sleeping out of doors all weekend too. Bring it.

[Iowan]

I figured we could use some counterpoint to all the whining about the weather in the homecoming thread (I hasten to add that the whining is well earned and that I'm as guilty as anyone).

Today's the kind of day that I suspect you southerners just don't get about the great white north. There's a brilliant blue cloudless sky, gorgeous bright sunshine and barely a breeze. The temp's in the high 20's and it feels much warmer directly in the sun. The air is crisp and clean like it must have been in pre-industrial days (more or less, give me some room here). Yeah, the streets look ugly w/ the slush and the dirty leftovers of the last storm, but if i walk across the street to the conservation area, the trails have been tamped down by walkers before me so it's almost as if they're paved and the non-trail expanses are pure white and beautiful. It's a perfect day for skiing if one were so inclined. In fact, it's the kind of day that western skiers always brag about because we never have 'em in the east. Skiing isn't on my agenda, but a long walk w/ a very happy dog who loves running and rolling in the snow really hit the spot. If I weren't still worried about getting to Athens and if i weren't totally bummed for those who had to cancel or are significantly delayed, I'd say it's pretty much of a perfect day.

Those are the best kind of winter days, and we're definitely having one of those here. I get to spend my afternoon/evening shoveling out snowbound fire hydrants (joined the volunteer FD back in July) but there's beer and tavern burgers at the end.

Winter isn't a wholly awful season. It's just that a month of subzero temps will wear anyone down.

[dogstar]

Some of our friends over here who used to work in mountain rescue used to say there's no such thing as bad weather just the wrong clothing.

[RolanK]

Some of our friends over here who used to work in mountain rescue used to say there's no such thing as bad weather just the wrong clothing.

In Norwegian that's actually rhyming
Wheater = vær
Clothing = klær

[Kudzu Guillotine]

The scene on Glenwood Avenue in Raleigh this afternoon.

[tinnitus photography]

Jesus how does a car catch on fire when two inches of snow falls?

[Kudzu Guillotine]

Jesus how does a car catch on fire when two inches of snow falls?

This a quote from the woman that took the picture. More on how it's taken on a life of it's own here.

“As soon as we got on top of the hill, we could see the conditions. So many of the cars were off the road. People were trying to weave their way up the hill, people were getting out and pushing other people’s cars, or just walking around," she said.

“People were trying to push it, and the wheels were spinning. Then, smoke started to come from the hood. At first, you’re thinking, 'Well, that car’s not going anywhere.' But then the hood lit up, and it was no time before that car was on fire,” she added.

[grapico]

It's 52 here today in the lower Alabam. Suck it Yankees.

[Clams]

Close to a foot of wet, heavy snow this morning. Now raining to make it extra heavy. More due tonight. Vortexed again. Motherfuckers!

[Iowan]

Roads got real slick around here with things warming up and the wind picking up.

Got called out to a flipped over semi full of cattle this morning. Truck was laying on it's side in the ditch, and at least half the cows died in the crash. There was blood and shit everywhere. It took two giant end loaders just to pull the damn thing out of the ditch. We just had another call out to a rolled pick up, but they had more than enough guys headed out there by the time I got to the station.

[bovine knievel]

I'm fuckin glad I don't have to put up with all that bullshit. I feel bad being glad for the much needed precip Cali has been blessed with this last week.

[tinnitus photography]

It's 52 here today in the lower Alabam. Suck it Yankees.

This yankee is enjoying immensely. The chair lift is a six minute walk away.

[beantownbubba]

Snowing. Again.

Well, at least the predictions are for temps in the 40's, maybe as high as 50, over the next few days.

[Kudzu Guillotine]

It's supposed to hit the mid-70's here on Friday but the weather folks are saying severe weather will return next week. Imma take advantage of the warm temps while I can.

[beantownbubba]

Fuck winter. Fuck polar. Fuck vortex.

The chip in the windshield we had repaired a month or so ago? It's now become a crack. My wife had to drive that car anyway (see below). That crack has now become a huge gash from one side of the windshield to the other. Earliest replacement appt? Monday.

During the winter we park all 3 cars in our driveway, which slopes down from the street. We've shoveled out the drive, of course. But it's iced over and the other 2 cars are stuck, no traction at all. Triple AAA will show up some time today.

[Iowan]

Snow piling higher than the bed/sidewall of my truck.

It's been warm (over 30) yesterday and today, but we're looking at anywhere between 4-10" if the forecasts are to be believed tomorrow. Throw in some rain early to give a good sheet of ice, and then top it off with 40-50 MPH prairie winds. Joy.

Oh, to top it off, we're looking at highs in the teens again next week.