Winter Storm Hercules: Flights Cancelled as US East Coast Prepares for Freezing

[Psalm 51:17]

Winter Storm Hercules: Flights Cancelled as US East Coast Prepares for Freezing Snow Blast
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/winter-storm-hercules-flights-cancelled-us-east-coast-164607267.html#WcQfsWQ
1/2/14

Airlines have begun to cancel flights to the east coast of the US ahead of winter storm Hercules, the first to hit the northwest of the country this year.

Hercules is expected to dump up to 14 inches of snow on Boston and a further 10 inches on New York, with freezing temperatures and strong winds predicted.

Speaking to the New York Post, AccuWeather meteorologist Mark Paquette said: "It's going to be right around freezing on Thursday but that's going to feel mild compared with Friday. You get the snow, then you get the cold and the wind, making it really miserable."

Snow has already started falling over New York and New England, with the full force of the storm expected to hit tomorrow (3 January) and into the weekend.

Hugh Johnson, a meteorologist with the weather service, said: "There will be travel problems."

Flights from London to New York and Boston have been cancelled, with services run by Virgin Atlantic and British Airways currently affected.

Hundreds of flights into and out of Chicago's O'Hare International Airport have been cancelled, while New Jersey's Newark Liberty Airport has been badly affected.

Some schools in New England and New York have been closed pre-emptively or have planned early dismissals. Homeless shelters are also preparing to work at full capacity.

"In addition to the snow threat, there should be some coastal flooding at high tide for the east coast of New England due to strong onshore winds."

The severe weather has already been responsible for one death after a truck driver died when he crashed into a bus on a snow-covered highway in Rolling Praire.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo suggested people take public transport to work rather than drive as a safety precaution. "We are looking at a serious storm situation," he said.

The Weather Channel said a blizzard warning was in place for Long Island, the south shore of Massachusetts, and Cape Cod: "An initial band of light-moderate snow Thursday from New York state and northern Pennsylvania to New England will give way to a more expansive area of snow by Thursday afternoon and evening over much of the Northeast from West Virginia and Maryland to southern Maine," it said.

"Given widespread temperatures in the teens and 20s, this will be a relatively dry, powdery snow with an added 'fluff factor' – meaning deeper snow accumulations than you'd see from a wetter, gloppier snow. Toward the later stages of this snow event, temperatures will plunge even further on Friday, possibly flirting with zero in areas away from the immediate coast.

"In addition to the snow threat, there should be some coastal flooding at high tide for the east coast of New England due to strong onshore winds Thursday and Friday. Beach erosion and flooding of vulnerable coastal roads can be anticipated along with freezing spray from breaking waves."

[Psalm 51:17]

Snowpocalypse 2014: Hercules claims first victim as man is crushed to death by 100ft salt pile and meteorologists warn it will get so cold exposed skin will freeze in fifteen minutes

Cities from New York to Washington, D.C., are bracing for up to 18 inches of snow
Plummeting temperatures and wind chills below zero could freeze exposed skin within 15 minutes

In New York, Long Island Expressway, I-87 South and I-84 will close at midnight until 5am Friday
'Ready for whatever hits us': New NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio remained confidant while facing his first test just a day after taking office

In Massachusetts 10-14 inches of snow are predicted, along with moderate coastal flooding
Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick announced that state's government would close completely on Friday

2,000 flights had been canceled before snow even hit the East Coast
Meteorologists say three low pressure systems from the south and east have caused the snow storm

By Alex Ward and Michael Zennie and Associated Press

PUBLISHED: 06:02 EST, 2 January 2014  | UPDATED: 20:15 EST, 2 January 2014


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2532566/Freezing-cold-blizzards-grip-Northeast-Canada-records-temperatures-cold-Mars.html#ixzz2pCwX4k66
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

[Psalm 51:17]

http://www.weather.com/news/winter-storm-hercules-state-state-impacts-20140101
Winter Storm Hercules State-By-State Impacts: 2014's First Big Storm Slams Northeast
1/3/14

Winter Storm Hercules unleashed more heavy snow, ferocious winds and crippling cold in the Northeast and New England Friday morning, refusing to take it easy on the highly-populated I-95 corridor. At least nine people have died and thousands have lost power to their homes and businesses.

"Each of our named storms has its own personality," said Tom Niziol, winter weather expert for The Weather Channel. "With Hercules, if you live in New England, you can feel the power. It's not only the snow, but it's the wind and the cold, too."

Even though the heart of Hercules is forecast to exit the East Coast of New England later Friday, impressive snowfall totals were recorded in several states. The National Weather Service said 21 inches of snow had fallen in Boxford, just north of Boston, by Thursday night, while other parts of the state had 17 or 18 inches.

The storm has impacted more than 100 million people in the Midwest and Northeast combined. New York and New Jersey were both under a state of emergency, while the governor of Massachusetts has closed state government Friday. U.S. airlines canceled thousands of flights nationwide due to Hercules' effects.

Below is a breakdown of the impacts from Winter Storm Hercules, as told state-by-state.

more

[Psalm 51:17]

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2014/01/03/22138792-killer-storm-13-deaths-blamed-on-winter-blast-as-snow-piles-up?lite
1/3/14
Killer storm: 13 deaths blamed on winter blast as snow piles up

A massive winter storm dumped snow across the Northeast and ushered in dangerously cold temperatures Friday, leaving travelers stranded and cutting a deadly trail across several states.

The treacherous conditions have led to at least 13 deaths in the eastern United States, according to The Associated Press.

Fatal traffic accidents occurred in New York, Michigan, Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois. Authorities said a woman suffering from Alzheimer's disease froze to death after she wandered away from her rural western New York home.

And in suburban Philadelphia, as the storm approached, a worker at a salt storage facility was killed when a 100-foot-tall pile of road salt fell and crushed him. Falls Township police said the man was trapped while operating a backhoe.

more

[Psalm 51:17]

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/dangerously-cold-arctic-air-mass-161521015.html
A Dangerously Cold Arctic Air Mass Is Going To Hit Green Bay During The Packers-49ers Game
1/3/14

The NFL playoff game between the Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers could be one of the coldest games ever played, and forecasts continue to get more severe.

The high temperature is going to be -5 degrees on Sunday, according to the Weather Channel, with temperatures dipping in the second half.

According to the National Weather Service a "dangerously cold" arctic air mass is expected to move into the region on Sunday night, just as the game is ending. From the NWS:

***Dangerously Cold Air Expected Sunday Night through Tuesday***

"An intense arctic air mass will move into the Great Lakes region Sunday night and remain over Wisconsin through Tuesday. This air mass has the potential to produce the coldest temperatures across northeast Wisconsin since February 1996. Bitterly cold wind chill readings of 30 to 50 below zero will be widespread across the region. Low temperatures may fall to 30 below over north-central portions of Wisconsin and to 20 below over the Fox Valley Monday and Tuesday morning. If you plan on being outside, be sure to dress warm using layered clothing if possible, as frost bite can occur in as little as 10 minutes in these conditions."

The worst temperatures aren't supposed to hit until Tuesday. But let's hope the game doesn't go to overtime, because it's going to get insanely cold late Sunday night:



The wind chills are severe:



Here's what Packers fans can expect through the game, according to NBC26. The team still has a few hundred tickets to sell before 4:40 p.m. this afternoon to avoid a local TV blackout, which is understandable:

[Psalm 51:17]

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2014/01/04/22164040-out-of-the-blizzard-into-the-icebox-low-temperature-records-may-be-shattered?lite
1/4/14
Out of the blizzard, into the icebox; low temperature records may be shattered

Frigid temperatures generated by what one meteorologist labeled a “polar vortex" took hold across a wide swath of the Midwest and Northeast on Saturday, as the regions dug out from a deadly snow storm and braced for another blast of dangerous winter weather.

The frigid air is coming from the North Pole and — due to a jet stream — will be intense and mobile, Ryan Maue, a meteorologist for Weather Bell, told The Associated Press. Forecasters said record lows could be eclipsed.

"All the ingredients are there for a near-record or historic cold outbreak," Maue said. "If you're under 40, you've not seen this stuff before."

Because of the winds, “It may feel as cold as negative 50 to negative 60 on Sunday night over sections of the north-central states," the National Weather Service said. In those conditions, frostbite can set in on exposed skin within five minutes, forecasters warned.

The High Plains region was already feeling the chill Saturday, with North Dakota at minus-6 in the afternoon and temperatures in the negative 20s expected overnight.

While temperatures in the Northeast were expected to rise by the end of the weekend, New York and New England were frigid Saturday morning. Saturday started off with wind chills in the negative 20s, but temperatures were expected to climb back into the 40s on Sunday and then finish the roller coaster in the low teens on Monday.

“The snow may have stopped, but we are not out of the woods,” New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Friday night. The city enacted its Cold Weather Emergency Procedure to protect the homeless through Saturday.

A temperature of minus-9 degrees in Hartford, Conn., early Saturday broke the record for the date and was the lowest recorded in the county since February 2009, according to NBC Connecticut.


“It’s the mother-lode of cold air,” Weather Channel coordinating meteorologist Tom Moore said. “On the heels of what will be the coldest air of the season, will be dangerous, life-threatening winds.”

more

[Psalm 51:17]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2534166/Canada-cold-experiencing-frost-quakes.html
Canada is so cold residents are experiencing loud booms caused by 'frost quakes'
1/5/14

While America collectively freaks out over their impending 'polar vortex', Canada is changing the game when it comes to cold weather phenomenon as reports of 'frost quakes' emerge from around Toronto and across Ontario.

Indeed, as temperatures drop overnight to around -4f around the city hundreds of people are being startled by hearing large booms - causing them to think their homes are being broken into or gunshots are being fired.

In fact, they are merely hearing the after-effects of the frost quakes - or cryoseism - which are more commonly found on a glacier in the polar regions.

The phenomenon is caused when rain and ice seep down into the soil and then freeze when the temperature drops.

'Water expands when it freezes and when it expands in frozen soil it literally puts a lot of stress on that dirt and will release that energy all of a sudden, very much like an earthquake releases that energy and shifts the ground,' said meteorologist Natasha Ramsahai to City News.

Most frost quakes occur after a heavy rainfall or snow fall when there is a large amount of moisture on the ground.

'We had the ice storm or freezing rain event, then we had warm temperatures, or just about freezing at the surface. Then the temperatures plummeted after that,' said Dayna Vettese, a meteorologist with the Weather Network.

'That's why we've seen a couple of these events between the ice storm and the beginning of 2014.'

Around Toronto just after Christmas there was a thaw after some heavy snow fall that allowed ice to accumulate under the soil.

The subsequent deep freeze has turned that water to ice and caused the booms as giant chunks of the ground tear apart.

'It's almost like an earthquake because it's very close to the surface. You will feel a little bit of shaking, maybe if you're sitting in a chair and it happened, or you're lying in bed, or some of your dishes might rattle,' said Vettese.

Social media lit up over the weekend as hundreds of people experienced the rattles, bangs and grumbles caused by the frost quakes.

However, while unusual for southern Canada, frost quakes are definitely the norm in the north of the notoriously cold nation.

[Psalm 51:17]

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2014/01/06/22198103-jetblue-halts-flights-at-4-airports-as-deep-freeze-bears-down-on-northeast?lite
1/6/14
JetBlue halts flights at 4 airports as deep freeze bears down on Northeast

JetBlue Airways, recovering from heavy weekend delays and getting ready for a deep freeze overnight in the Northeast, took the extraordinary step Monday of grounding flights for 17 hours at four of the busiest airports in the country.

The shutdown, which covers the three major New York airports and Boston's Logan International, was to take effect at 5 p.m. ET Monday, the airline said in a statement. JetBlue said it would ramp up service again at 10 a.m. ET Tuesday and expects to be fully operational again by 3 p.m.

"We regret the impact to our customers," the airline said.

Bad weather over the weekend forced thousands of delays and cancellations for major airlines.

By 7 p.m. ET, almost 4,000 flights into and out of U.S. airports had been canceled Monday — more than 1,600 of them at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport alone. Almost 300 had been canceled at Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport.

A churning mass of record-breaking, life-threatening arctic air is pushing across the country, so broad that every state except Hawaii is expected to see freezing temperatures by Tuesday.

Temperatures in the 20s and 30s below zero spread over much of the Upper Midwest on Monday morning. Twenty-six states were under warnings or watches for severe wind chill as the result of a weather phenomenon known as a polar vortex — essentially an arctic cyclone that normally sits near the North Pole but has pushed unusually far south.

In northern Minnesota, the towns of Embarrass, Babbitt and Brimson all reached minus-40, Gov. Mark Dayton ordered schools across the state closed because — the first time that has happened in 17 years.

"These are some temperatures that we haven't seen in decades," said Jen Carfagna, a forecaster for The Weather Channel.

Kevin Roth, a lead meteorologist for The Weather Channel, warned that anyone venturing outside without wrapping up risked frostbite in a matter of minutes or even seconds.

"It's tough on all of us. You can't stay out here real long," said George Sipus of Indianapolis Power and Light, which was still working Monday night to restore power to 22,000 customers.

"It takes time to get stuff up and get the trees off and get the wires back up," Sipus told NBC station WTHR of Indianapolis. "It's just going to  be a slow process. But we're gaining on it, absolutely."

Monday is already the most depressing day of the year, according to a British study that blamed the return to work for many people, the hangover from holiday spending and busted New Year's resolutions.

The cold simply added to the misery. Examples were everywhere:
•Indiana Gov. Mike Pence declared a state of disaster emergency for 29 counties, and Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard declared a level-red travel emergency, making it illegal for anyone to drive except in emergencies or to get to shelter. It was the first time that has happened since 1978.
•Along Interstate 57 in Illinois, the Southern Illinois University men's basketball team, traveling home by bus after a loss at Illinois State, got stuck in the snow. The team wound up sleeping on the floor of a church in the city of Tuscola.
•It was so cold overnight that both engines froze on an Amtrak train from Detroit to Chicago, stranding passengers for nine hours just past Kalamazoo, Mich., until another train arrived to tug it the rest of the way home. The heat stayed on, but the episode tested patience. "Not exactly in the best of spirits," Valerie King, a journalism student at Northwestern University, posted to Twitter from inside the train. Finally in Chicago, she snapped a photo of the train's outside, which looked freezer-burned.

•In Florida, citrus growers crossed their fingers. A spokesman for Florida Citrus Mutual, an industry group, told the AP that the danger zone was 28 degrees for four hours straight — and suggesting that it was going to be a close call. Overnight lows were expected to be near freezing in central Florida, according to Weather.com.
•In Lexington, Ky., temperatures fell 55 degrees in less than 24 hours, with wind chills at minus-20 Monday. A car lost control on a patch of black ice Monday morning on Interstate 75 in Laurel County, causing a two-vehicle crash that killed the driver, NBC station WLEX of Lexington reported.
•An elderly man was found dead from the cold in Christian County, Ill., just a few feet from safety, the sheriff's office said. The man tried to walk home after his car broke down about a mile away; his body was found in his driveway Monday morning. His identity wasn't immediately released.
•It was so cold that in Clarksville, Iowa, that firefighters were tagging in and out like wrestlers as they battled a house fire, only to find their hoses were frozen. Almost five hours after it started Monday morning, the fire was still burning, and the house was totaled, NBC station KWWL of Waterloo reported.

By Wednesday, the big chill should be on its way out, and by Thursday, highs in much of the Great Lakes and the Northeast will climb all the way into the 20s and the 30s, forecasters said.

[Psalm 51:17]

http://news.yahoo.com/39-polar-vortex-39-creates-huge-temperature-difference-174437108.html
'Polar Vortex' Creates Huge Temperature Difference Across US
1/6/14

A blast of Arctic air pushing south as far as Atlanta has caused air temperatures across the United States to plunge, creating a massive 140-degree Fahrenheit (77 degrees Celsius) temperature difference between the chilly Dakotas and balmy Florida yesterday (Jan. 5).

The pulse of frigid air, called a polar vortex, whirled into the United States this weekend on the heels of a major winter storm. But unlike that storm, the polar vortex won't bring heavy snowfall. (The snowstorm dropped nearly 2 feet, or 60 centimeters, of snow in Boston last week.) Instead, the National Weather Service is forecasting dangerous cold and windchills. The cold temperatures are expected to last through Wednesday, the NWS forecasts.

The polar vortex is a low-pressure system that circulates from west to east in the Arctic during winter. Late last week, a high-pressure system — called an atmospheric block — situated over northeastern Canada and Greenland stopped this circulation pattern, pushing the cold air into the United States. On Sunday afternoon, temperatures ranged from minus 55 F to 85 F (minus 48 C to 29 C), according to NWS weather data.

On Monday morning, air temperatures in North Dakota and South Florida were still more than 100 F apart. Chicago set a new record low of minus 16 F (minus 27 C) Monday morning, and Tulsa, Okla., broke a 102-year record with a new low of minus 1 F (minus 18 C) recorded at 7:14 a.m. local time, the NWS said.

[Psalm 51:17]

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/cold-weather-2D11872365?ocid=msnhp&pos=2

Deep freeze puts $5 billion chill on economy

Steve James,  NBC News contributor

23 hours ago

The record cold spell that has half the country in the deep freeze could cost the U.S. economy up to $5 billion.

That's because millions of Americans haven't been able to drive to work, fly or take a train to business meetings or vacations, go to the shopping mall or take the kids out for a movie and a meal. And they may also have to pay more just to keep warm.

The huddled masses are huddling at home until an easing of the extreme temperatures that have been colder in some parts of the country than at the South Pole.

"We think that the problem will be short-lived, but we estimate it will cost about $5 billion because of the sheer size of the population affected — about 200 million people in the eastern two-thirds of the country," said Evan Gold, senior vice president at business weather intelligence company Planalytics.

He said the cold's impact would be apparent in lost productivity, lack of consumer spending and higher heating bills. "A similar situation in 2010 lasted a week, with back-to-back storms with snow and ice. We calculated that cost $25 billion to $30 billion.

"But that one lingered. This one is just very cold, so it should be a two- or three-day event," he said.

Nariman Behravesh, chief economist for IHS Global, said the cold spell would at most reduce GDP growth by 0.1 percent to 0.2 percent in the first quarter, "and it will probably all be gained back in the second quarter.

"There is no question there will be winners and losers," he said, noting companies like airlines and restaurants will be affected by customers staying at home. About 7,000 flights total were canceled Monday and Tuesday. Amtrak operated a restricted service in the Northeast.

Chris Wadaga, co-owner of Wild Blue Frozen Yogurt in Grand Haven, Mich., where it was a brisk 10 degrees Tuesday, mulled closing because the schools were shuttered.

"We decided to just open anyway and I’ve had maybe three customers today so far," she said. One of those was a woman who had received a Christmas gift card, so she stopped by only because she was due a free yogurt, she said.

"We’re a frozen yogurt store and people don’t want to go out and have frozen yogurt at this time," said Wadaga, who counted 50 customers on Monday — down from an average of 200.

Goldman Sachs analyst Kris Dawsey said the cold weather could even affect this Friday's jobs report. Construction employment, for example, is hurt by cold weather. December auto sales — which came in weaker than expected — may have been another victim of the temperature, he said.

"We expect that colder-than-normal weather during the survey period for the December payroll report probably pushed employment growth below its recent trend," he wrote, noting his preliminary forecast is for a 175,000 gain in total payrolls to be released this Friday.

It's not all a cold, dark cloud, however. Planalytics' Gold said that, as in many disasters, some businesses benefit from the situation.

"There are some winners, when people are home-bound. Online retailers, for example. There was some $30 million in gift cards sold at Christmas and, if I am stuck at home, I will go online to buy that coat or sweater. And revenue is not recorded for the store until the card is redeemed," he said.

Gold said food delivery companies and on-demand cable services for movies should flourish with a house-bound audience.

Natural gas prices in New York City rose by nearly $60 per million BTUs on Monday as the record cold snap has driven demand for the heating fuel in the northeastern U.S. to an expected 5-year high.

The spike will hit consumers with hefty bills, which likely will put a damper on their discretionary spending for the next month or so — or longer if the bitter weather returns. "There will be a negative impact on spending in February," said Gold.

But for Heli Wiener, a stay-at-home mom of three kids, aged 5, 3 and 1, in Deerfield, Ill., where it was zero degrees Tuesday, it's all about keeping the family warm and fed.

"They’ve had a couple of play dates, where we’ve bundled them head to toe just to run them across the street, but that’s as far as it’s gone." The children go to school and pre-school, but it’s been canceled for the past two days.

"It’s been stressful – they have cabin fever so I try to keep it exciting with art projects, watching TV, a lot of movie days," said Wiener. "For me, my biggest outlet is exercise so while they’ve been napping or temporarily busy, I will go down to the basement and run on my treadmill and that gives me a little relief."

[Psalm 51:17]

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2014/01/08/22232176-water-supply-freezes-in-ohio-threatening-tens-of-thousands?lite
1/8/14

Water supply freezes in Ohio, threatening tens of thousands
By Daniel Arkin, Staff Writer, NBC News

Tens of thousands of customers in several counties in Ohio are facing a dramatic water shortage after the intake valves at a key plant that draws water from Lake Erie apparently froze amid the wild winter weather.

Officials at Avon Lake Municipal Utilities west of Cleveland said Wednesday that the valves at the plant are caked in ice. Although they are still able to draw water, the rate is below typical demands — which means several surrounding cities could be hit by a veritable drought.

In a message on the city of Avon's official website, officials called on residents to hold off on doing anything that uses a lot of water.

Avon Mayor Bryan Jensen sent out an emergency messages to locals asking them to hold off on laundry, baths and showers, according to Cleveland.com.

"€œWe even ask people to refrain from flushing toilets as often as they used to until this can be resolved,"€� Jensen said.

The plant website said it provides water to over 200,000 people living in a 680-square-mile area made up of seven counties — including Lorain, Cuyahoga, Medina, Erie, Huron, Ashland and Wayne.

[Psalm 51:17]

The Polar Vortex returns next week
1/17/14
http://news.msn.com/us/the-polar-vortex-returns-next-week

Currently a weakened Polar Vortex is sitting still over the Hudson Bay, just above Quebec, minding its own business and causing some mild snowstorms.

Meteorologists are starting to see signs of an impending Polar Vortex sequel that could send the country plunging into a deep freeze.

If you miss the frigid weather from the beginning of January and the fun we had, with the peeing and the supersoakers and the injuries, then you're in luck. Because the Polar Vortex is back. According to the Washington Post's Wes Junker, starting around Tuesday, January 21, and continuing through the end of the month, the weather tea leaves point towards another shot of arctic air creeping down to the U.S. through Canada and engulfing the country in cold.

Currently a weakened Polar Vortex is sitting still over the Hudson Bay, just above Quebec, minding its own business and causing some mild snowstorms. But the Vortex will start moving south at the beginning of next week, and a combination of air systems will create the kind of cold air that bothered much of the U.S. at the beginning of January. Accuweather's Alex Sosnowski explains:

However, during the third and fourth weeks of January, some changes will take place. The high amplitude pattern is forecast to get more extreme. The polar vortex will move farther south and get stronger. The pattern will gradually change the current mixture of Pacific and Arctic air in the Canada Prairies and the North Central U.S. to all Arctic air. The air will get significantly colder over the Canada Prairies and the much of the eastern half of the nation as a result.

If the early forecasts are right the sequel will be even worse, just like at the movies. "Temperatures may get colder than they were during the initial polar vortex event," writes The Houston Chronicle's Alex Sosnowski. These frigid temperatures are not a sure thing just yet. Predicting the weather is not a perfect science, especially when guessing so far away. But we know that Tuesday will be very, very cold, and all of the patterns point towards another Polar Vortex-type deep freeze.

We still don't know how far south the Vortex will travel. For now, most expect the Vortex to affect the Mid-West and north eastern parts of the country.

What makes this Polar Vortex sequel even more fun dangerous than the last one is the increased possibility of snowstorms. "This is the most favorable pattern for snow that we’ve had all winter and it’s occurring right at the beginning of the period when snowstorms are most frequent climatologically," says the Post. "But it still is not a perfect pattern." Someone get a pot of boiling water ready.

[Psalm 51:17]

http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-TV/2014/01/21/Bastardi-Arctic-Outbreak-with-Multiple-Storms-to-Last-10-15-Days-Has-Power-Grid-Concerns
1/21/14
Bastardi: Arctic Outbreak with Multiple Storms to Last 10-15 Days, Has Power Grid Concerns

On Sean Hannity’s radio show on Tuesday, Weatherbell Analytics meteorologist Joe Bastardi predicted today’s severe winter weather is just the beginning of a 10 to 15 day outbreak to hit the Midwest, the Great Lakes region and the Northeast.

 “I think this is blizzard conditions on [Long Island] tonight, coastal New Jersey, southeastern New England,” Bastardi said. “Severe and extreme cold developing at the tail end of this storm. And this is the beginning of a siege that I’m very concerned is going to have an immense impact on the country economically. I’m very concerned, and I hope I’m wrong, about the power grid. That Arctic outbreak that came for three to four days earlier in the month, led to blackouts. We’ve got 10 to 15 days of this coming now, where one shot after another comes in and more storms are coming. And you know, this is not trying to be doom and gloom. You don’t need to hype the weather. It will hype itself naturally.”

[Kilika]

And officials with an agenda will likely impose "no burn" during these cold snaps like they tend to do here in the Phoenix area. The last few years here, they have enacted a no burn during New Years and Xmas. What are the odds that the air quality is bad on THOSE days? The claim is always that wood fires add pollution. But just how many fireplaces are there in this area? Not many I'd say. It's a desert.

[Mark]

NH Thieves Raiding Woodpiles For Firewood

 Janine Richardson couldn’t believe it when she and her husband went to bring in some firewood to heat their home and it was all gone.

“We don’t use oil at all,” said Richardson. “We heat by wood solely so it was cold, it was cold that night, luckily we had little scraps around so we burnt that for the night.”

Police in Candia New Hampshire says it’s happened at least twice this month. Heavy piles of firewood have been stolen from people’s property.

“I haven’t seen that in this area,” said Candia Police Chief Mike McGillen. “I can’t recall having many investigations like this.”

A cord of wood can be worth up to $250, and police are not sure if the wood is being stolen by people who want to sell it, or if they need the wood to keep warm.

“If someone was desperate and needed the wood they could just come to the town,” said Chief McGillen. “There’s a lot of good people here who would give out wood, give out oil, give assistance in a heartbeat, they don’t need to go around taking it.”

A cord of wood is about eight feet long, four feet wide, and four feet tall.

For Janine Richardson, it’s not about the money. It’s the principle that someone stole from her home. And that all of her hard work was wasted.

“So obviously we’re angry because we cut all our wood and I’m the one who splits it with the log splitter my husband built me,” said Richardson.

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2014/01/21/nh-thieves-raiding-woodpiles-for-firewood/

[Christian40]