Sunday, December 26, 2010

Snowmageddon...

So they're predicting ZOMG STORM OF THE WEEK MONTH YEAR DECADE CENTURY today. Weather reports indicate 18+" of snow with sustained winds, yadda yadda yadda; a basic Nor'easter dumping lots of global warming on the area. From the sheer glee of the media you'd think that this was the first snowstorm we'd received in a generation - which is pretty much par for the course for the first snow every year. It got so bad that they started running a count - ZOMG we've had X days without snow! The last time it had been this long was 2000! We stopped just short of the record (some 303 days), which disappointed them mightily, but with the impending BLIZZARD OF DOOM they've got other focus.

We've got gas in the snowblower and it has been started and run to (hopefully) avoid unpleasant surprises later in the day. Food we have in abundance, not to mention the supermarket is only a mile and a half away - and I've got snowshoes if we really need supplies. Both cars are gassed up and sleeping happily in the garage; both have 4WD and decent ground clearance (although the Ram really needs new sneakers...). Should toss some sandbags in the bed of the truck to complete our preparedness and we're good to go; and get ready to wake up early tomorrow morning to clear the driveway before the Mrs. has to get to work...

In any case, for those in the storm's path, hunker down and enjoy, and ignore the doomsayers in the media - have fun in the snow!

That is all.

11 comments:

scotaku said...

You'd think that we've never been through this before. I just got back from a fill-in-the-recipe run at the local market — I think the entire town was in there getting water, milk, eggs and bread. It's like a snowstorm makes people want to prepare French Toast. Anyway, it took me nearly 40 minutes to "dash in" and get 2 items.

From what I saw, though, I fear that if the power goes out, a lot of people will be hungry, 'cos there were a *lot* of microwave foods at the registers...

Chad said...

I'm thinking I'm glad I've got the snowmachine ready to rock and roll...

WV:butant-what you turn into if you huff a bic lighter

Irish said...

Reporting in from a recent trip to fill the gas cans... WITH everyone else... sheesh... it looked liked the 70s when we had the oil embargo

Bushwack said...

This is hilarious. We in California experience 6 days of rain, mudslides and the usual crap we have every year or two. It's WATER people... We got soaked on Tuesday, my neighbors were freaked out by the floods, one of my neighbors hill was falling because he failed to make sure his drainage canal was cleared...He asks me to give him a hand. I'm a good neighbor so I obliged. I got my gear on and went out to help... It's pouring, I am not getting wet I got my wet weather hunting gear on. They are wearing sneakers, jeans and sweatshirts complaining... IF the crap hits the fan around here these folks will be food... Idiots.

Good preparations bud, stay warm and watch for the morons suffering on the news.

Borepatch said...

It's very strange indeed that we got snow in Atlanta before you did up there in New England.

Of course, you'll get 20 times as much, but still. The irony, she is thick.

Brad_in_IL said...

Scotaku,

Knowing the storm was coming, and knowing we didn't have much in the house, my wife sent me shopping on Friday morning. Store was pretty busy with lots of folks getting lots of last minute Christmas cooking stuff, with the minions pretty much oblivious to the impending snow. At least they'll have left-overs.

I'm all set with a couple of hearty winter dishes being prepped: half a roasted turkey, beef stew, spinach lasagna, pot-o-soup, etc. Have plenty of water stored up, some firewood, gas in both cars, an extra tank of propane for the gas grill, snow shovel at the ready. The snow will be ho-hum. Maybe I'll take the day off on Tuesday and take my kid skiing. Conditins should be excellent.

- Brad

Eck! said...

Humph snow! HEY It's New England we get SNOW, it's normal. Sheesh.

As usual we are prepared, the 150ah Nicads (really) are fully charged so I can play Ham radio and listen to the emergency services, the snow tossin machine is fueled up and checked, the 5.5KW genset checked and full of fuel, the aux gas tank (12gallon) full, as is the 5 gallon portable can. Fuel status is that I'm good for 72 hours minimum at full load, with conservation 7 days. We have food and water. The log pile is full for heat. We are as they say prepared. We stay that way so we don't have to go out and watch the fools in a panic.

No all I need is a BAR and bring on the zombies!

Be prepared!

Eck!

Anonymous said...

Uhg. I had to cut short my visit with my family in NJ and dash home. I pretty much followed the front all the way back to CT, with just a light snow most of the way home. I filled up on cheap NJ gas, but skipped the cheapest places 'cause those had lines like Carter was still prez. Made decent time until the last 10 miles or so, when someone like 30cars ahead decided that even though there was no snow on the highway they should slow down to 5-10mph for every curve and hill. By the time the brake lights worked their way back to me we were coming to a dead stop. Took me like 20 minutes to go the last 5 miles home. Uhg!
The ZOMG BLIZZARD! also means my Christwas vacation gets cut short and I will need to go into work early in the AM.

Bob H said...

Here, inside the Beltway, on Friday they were predicting 6"-10" of snow. That would have been a monster. Yesterday morning they were predicting 4"-6" (very serious city closed for a day after snow stops), this morning 1"-3". We have approx ½" on the ground and radar is clear...
I'll bet the city still closes everything anyway. At least the schools are out for "Holiday Break"...

MedicMatthew said...

ZOMG, iz snowpocalypse 2010!!!1!!!eleventy!

I'm pulling a 24 at my rural, Western Maine gig and we're pretty much preparing like we do for any storm- throw a couple extra blankets in the rig, make sure the base generator is full of fuel and kick back and sleep all night.

I was more than annoyed to find earlier that the governor has preemptively declared a state of emergency for tomorrow. wtf

Jay G said...

6:30 AM Update: I just cleared about 6", tops, off my driveway, with some spots having drifts up to 12".

It's going to be interesting to see if we get another foot plus over the course of the day, but I just don't see it happening.