I live in Atlanta (though I’m currently vacationing in London) and I’m keeping an eye on things. As usual for Atlanta, it will all come down to timing.
I don’t think we’re getting a lot of snow here in Michigan but the actual low temp tonight is -15F with wind chill up to -25F. The last time it got that cold, many years ago, our pipes froze. So here’s hoping they don’t.
We have been pounded with snow for at least a couple of weeks now, it’s not all falling at once but I’ve got a pile as high as my waist in the driveway from where I’ve been dumping it from shoveling, plus a bunch was blown off our roof. I haven’t seen activity like this in years.
Here in Memphis, we’re hoping that stays well south of us. It’s 100 miles away but we are on the edge of possible. I’ve got a to-do list I’m going to tackle shortly to make sure the house is ready. I’ve got to move the car from under the trees and get the windshield covered. I don’t have alternate heating sources so if the power goes out, the cats and I are going to be fucking cold. I have a box of old blankets in the car that I’ve been meaning to take to Goodwill. That’s coming back inside to use them to cover windows if necessary. I’m having the occasional anxiety attack which I’ve never had before. Getting old sucks.
Exactly, Beck. I saw a weather report on CNN that showed the storm heading right through Arkansas, and it looked to be carrying a lot of nasty stuff. Stay warm!
We get the toddler-friendly version from about pre-dawn Tue to late Thu.
Don’t wait to find a warming center where pets are welcomed(in carriers at least).
This worries me. So many people in the South still keep dogs and cats out doors all winter. We have a kennel but the beagles have an indoor place to get and it’s weather proofed. No live heat but it works for them. My garage cats have a heat source. And I will put them in the house if needed. Whatever Bear and Meeko (inside cats) say.
I always worry about people with no other heat than electric. That’s scary.
Be safe.
Public service announcement from the North for people in the south not used to ice storms. They can take power out for weeks, particularly when it is widespread and most states are dealing with their own issues and cannot spare crews to help.
Make sure you know if there is a water shut off valve, and where it is. A week without power will likely freeze your pipes. And thinking that you have natural gas, so it won’t be a problem, will likely big a big wakeup call. Without power your fans don’t run, so exhaust can’t be pushed out, so natural gas furnaces just won’t turn on. You may have to abandon your house and head to a motel for a week or so. But if you don’t turn off the water, and drain everything you can from the lowest faucet you can, you have a big threat of frozen burst pipes, which will turn into flooding when the heat comes back on.
Good info.
No kerosene heaters indoors. Please.
There are indoor safe kerosene heaters. I have one* it still has a lot of warnings about being very careful to watch the wick and making sure the flame is perfectly color and the right size etc, for perfect combustion
*I have never used it. I drove a hundred miles in shitty weather to get it after 4 days of no power/heat, and no water shut off valve. And the power company website said “no estimate yet”, and the basement temp was under 40 so I bit the bullet and got it. And of course returned to a powered and toasty warm house, meaning it came back on about 5 minutes after I left.
Forecasts seem to be settling on about 6-12” in the St. Louis area. More to the south, which is where I am, so I’m sort of expecting about 8. Which is a decent snow fall for this area, especially considering that it will stick around for a while due to the cold temps. Right now it’s 7f.
Fortunately for us, no ice.
25-ish years ago I dated a girl from Black Mountain. Lovely town.
I hope you all get through the storm ok. I know how NC people are in the weather. During grad school in Winston Salem I was the designated snow driver, since I’m from Maine.
After the week I had at work, loading exhibits on trucks etc, my back is not looking forward to shoveling snow.