# Snow is coming for parts of the eastern US **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 18, 2009, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-is-coming-for-parts-of-the-eastern-us/521742 "2009-12-18T15:33:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-is-coming-for-parts-of-the-eastern-us/521742/1 "2009-12-18T15:33:54Z")
[A major snowstorm is coming for parts of the eastern US](http://www.weather.com/outlook/weather-news/news/articles/winter-storm-aiming-for-mid-atlantic_2009-12-17). ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-is-coming-for-parts-of-the-eastern-us/521742/2 "2009-12-18T15:50:05Z")
A’yup. Reckon so. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-is-coming-for-parts-of-the-eastern-us/521742/3 "2009-12-18T15:51:43Z")
Yikes. My baby bro is supposed to be flying out of North Carolina tommorrow. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-is-coming-for-parts-of-the-eastern-us/521742/4 "2009-12-18T16:19:47Z")
I know, that’s all they can talk about in the DC area today. Last night I had to buy milk and bread. That’s the first time in my life I’ve ever had to even think about buying such stuff before a storm. I always used to wonder about why people buy so much stuff like that. Now I know, with two little ones we go through a loaf of bread and half gallon of milk every few days. I can no longer laugh at those people any more as I am one of them. I also needed to make it to Costco for toilet paper, not going to make it now. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-is-coming-for-parts-of-the-eastern-us/521742/5 "2009-12-18T16:23:10Z")
Ah, yes, the footage of people crowding the supermarkets because “We’d better stock up before the hoarders get here!” Yes, each of the half-dozen or so major storms every damn winter means the temporary collapse of civilization. :rolleyes: I blame 24-hour cable news, which has to find things to report on and ways to keep people excited enough to watch. Let us know if something that _doesn’t_ happen every few damn weeks is about to and I’ll pay attention, ok? ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-is-coming-for-parts-of-the-eastern-us/521742/6 "2009-12-18T16:30:21Z")
Praise the weather gods, it looks like Central NY will NOT have a white Christmas. This is comforting to we who have to haul a shitload of stuff to relatives’ houses on Christmas. Though we are tough and we can do it. I’ve never been snowed in for more than two days and I am prepared ahead of time - I put a loaf of bread in the freezer, buy extra TP and cat food, and stock up on hamburg, hash, fries, coffee, and eggs, and we’re good . It’s freezing rain we all dread more than anything. An SUV is about as good on an ice rink as a Volkswagen bug. ---
**Author:** ![Ispolkom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47774/32.png) [@Ispolkom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ispolkom)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-is-coming-for-parts-of-the-eastern-us/521742/7 "2009-12-18T16:36:57Z")
> [@Edward\_The\_Head](#): > > I know, that’s all they can talk about in the DC area today. Last night I had to buy milk and bread. That’s the first time in my life I’ve ever had to even think about buying such stuff before a storm. I always used to wonder about why people buy so much stuff like that. Now I know, with two little ones we go through a loaf of bread and half gallon of milk every few days. I lived in the DC area for a decade and became convinced that locals must make French toast every time it snows, as inevitably the grocery stores would sell out of bread, milk, and eggs. I’m from North Dakota, where winter weather is a bit more common, so my preparations for a snow emergency were different: a trip to the liquor store. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-is-coming-for-parts-of-the-eastern-us/521742/8 "2009-12-18T16:42:17Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Yikes. My baby bro is supposed to be flying out of North Carolina tommorrow. Where exactly in NC, **Oakie**? Different parts of the state are getting very different forecasts. They just announced theyr’e closing the Middle School near here at noon; last forecast I caught says we will get 0-2" of snow, but points within an hour northwest of here may get up to a foot. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-is-coming-for-parts-of-the-eastern-us/521742/9 "2009-12-18T16:47:51Z")
Here in west-central WV, we are supposed to get about 2" overnight, with an additional 4-5" tomorrow during the day. Bless my baby, 9YO **mudgirl** who is, by nature, a ‘planner’. This morning when I told her of the impending storm, she immediately began making precautionary plans: “Well, you’d better buy some extra milk and bread, because if we lose electricity, we can just have peanut butter sandwiches and milk. . .we can put the milk on the back porch if we need to. . .we’ve got plenty of fresh fruit; so, lemme see, that’s grains, fruit, protein. . .what am I missing? Oh, water! Well, fill up the water pitcher tonight so we’ll have plenty of water. . .” She’s not one of those ‘worriers’, exactly, she just likes to know there’s a _plan_. 😉 Normally, on Saturdays, we go “into town” (meaning Clarksburg, which is a half-hour away) for her Saturday morning bowling league, then whatever shopping we need to do, and out to lunch. But I told her if there’s snow on the ground when we get up in the morning, and especially if it’s _still_ snowing, we will _not_ be going into town! I did, however, tell her that if we cannot go out to lunch, we can order delivery from the local diner! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-is-coming-for-parts-of-the-eastern-us/521742/10 "2009-12-18T16:50:28Z")
> [@Ispolkom](#): > > I lived in the DC area for a decade and became convinced that locals must make French toast every time it snows, as inevitably the grocery stores would sell out of bread, milk, and eggs. It’s a compulsion that those of us who grew up in the DC area get. We hear that snow is coming, something in our brains clicks on and tells us, “Buy bread, milk, and toilet paper NOW!”. I grew up there, and I’m getting the feeling “Wouldn’t hurt to buy more toilet paper,” even though I know I have plenty of toilet paper at home. I hear that Floridians experience something like this with plywood when a hurricane is coming. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-is-coming-for-parts-of-the-eastern-us/521742/11 "2009-12-18T16:50:53Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > Where exactly in NC, **Oakie**? Different parts of the state are getting very different forecasts. They just announced theyr’e closing the Middle School near here at noon; last forecast I caught says we will get 0-2" of snow, but points within an hour northwest of here may get up to a foot. He’ll be flying out of Charlotte. As long as the plane can get off the ground, his travel plans should be ok. It’s a pretty big deal for the family, as he’s getting married this Spring and this will be our last Christmas with just the four of us…also, due to health issues, it may be the last Christmas ever for our father… ---
**Author:** ![sevenwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@sevenwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sevenwood)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-is-coming-for-parts-of-the-eastern-us/521742/12 "2009-12-18T16:52:37Z")
My daughter and her fiance are supposed to land at Philadelphia airport at 5:20PM on Saturday. I’m thinking they might be just a tad late. ---
**Author:** ![TwoTrouts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9adbd/32.png) [@TwoTrouts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoTrouts)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-is-coming-for-parts-of-the-eastern-us/521742/13 "2009-12-18T17:32:20Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > Praise the weather gods, it looks like Central NY will NOT have a white Christmas. This is comforting to we who have to haul a shitload of stuff to relatives’ houses on Christmas. Though we are tough and we can do it. I’ve never been snowed in for more than two days and I am prepared ahead of time - I put a loaf of bread in the freezer, buy extra TP and cat food, and stock up on hamburg, hash, fries, coffee, and eggs, and we’re good . It’s freezing rain we all dread more than anything. An SUV is about as good on an ice rink as a Volkswagen bug. Hate to spoil the happy thoughts, but this is only the first of two major storms heading our way. The second one will be on top of your area on Christmas Day. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-is-coming-for-parts-of-the-eastern-us/521742/14 "2009-12-18T17:43:30Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > He’ll be flying out of Charlotte. As long as the plane can get off the ground, his travel plans should be ok. It’s a pretty big deal for the family, as he’s getting married this Spring and this will be our last Christmas with just the four of us…also, due to health issues, it may be the last Christmas ever for our father… Ouch! Here’s what they’re forecasting for Mecklenburg County (greater Charlotte): > [@](#): > > A mixture of rain…snow…and sleet will become heavier over the Gastonia…Charlotte…Concord Metro areas this afternoon. The precipitation is expected to change to mainly sleet and snow later this afternoon through this evening. The precipitation should then change back to rain and taper off from the southwest early Saturday. > > Storm total snow and sleet accumulations will be highly variable across the area… Most areas will see accumulations of about 1 to 2 inches. Locally higher amounts will also be possible… If he can rework it to get an earlier flight out of Charlotte, even with a longer layover, it might be worth it to you all. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-is-coming-for-parts-of-the-eastern-us/521742/15 "2009-12-18T18:06:38Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > If he can rework it to get an earlier flight out of Charlotte, even with a longer layover, it might be worth it to you all. Thanks for the info. He’s trying to work something out now. I told him if he doesn’t make it home, I’ll eat his share of our mother’s cooking. He says he’ll be there, one way or another. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![fizzestothetop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e79b87/32.png) [@fizzestothetop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fizzestothetop)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-is-coming-for-parts-of-the-eastern-us/521742/16 "2009-12-18T19:09:21Z")
They’re calling for at least a foot of snow here in Roanoke, VA and I’m so excited I might just pee my pants. We haven’t had snow like this since like, 96! We’ve barely gotten 2-3 inches the past few years so this is exciting! ---
**Author:** ![Emily\_Litella](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emily_litella/32/3370_2.png) [@Emily\_Litella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emily_Litella)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-is-coming-for-parts-of-the-eastern-us/521742/17 "2009-12-18T19:16:08Z")
I think that sometimes the weather forcasters predict the worst just to cover their asses. It’s better to be pleasantly surprised that we didn’t get as much snow as they said we would than to get an extra foot and a half that we didn’t expect. We’ll probably get just an inch or two of snow. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-is-coming-for-parts-of-the-eastern-us/521742/18 "2009-12-18T19:18:37Z")
> [@Ispolkom](#): > > I lived in the DC area for a decade and became convinced that locals must make French toast every time it snows, as inevitably the grocery stores would sell out of bread, milk, and eggs. I never understood it before. I do remember once or twice running low on milk and wanting to get some anyway. But now with the kids we go through two loafs of bread a week. I don’t know how two little kids can eat so much bread but they do. We were almost out last night so I went. I’m just glad I don’t have to go tonight and look stupid. This Saturday I was supposed to hit Costco, for TP, paper towels, juice, and other stuff, guess I might not be getting to that. And I’m sure not going to the store just for TP and look like an idiot. I wonder what the local “bread-o-meter” is calling for. The local CBS station likes to make fun of what us DCers do and they have a “bread-o-meter”, as in how much bread you need to get. Looking for it I couldn’t find it, but now they are calling for 12-24 inches. :eek: Looks like I’ll need more bread. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-is-coming-for-parts-of-the-eastern-us/521742/19 "2009-12-18T19:24:05Z")
> [@Emily\_Litella](#): > > I think that sometimes the weather forcasters predict the worst just to cover their asses. It’s better to be pleasantly surprised that we didn’t get as much snow as they said we would than to get an extra foot and a half that we didn’t expect. We’ll probably get just an inch or two of snow. Around here, the rule is: take the low end of the snow forecast, and make that the high end. The new low end is half of the old low end. So, a forecast of six to twelve inches of snow is really a forecast of three to six. And even that is usually way, way too high. Last week there was a forecast of 5 to 13 inches of snow, and we got less than half an inch. I’ve always said that Buffalo weather forecasters are killing the city. People hear, “Oh, Buffalo is supposed to get two feet of snow” and think the city is being buried every winter. Actually, where I live in Erie County, we have had less than an inch of snow total so far this year, despite dire predictions. Buffalo doesn’t even make the top ten snowiest cities in America, and to be honest I kind of wish there was more snow here. It certainly seemed to be snowier in central PA when I lived there. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-is-coming-for-parts-of-the-eastern-us/521742/20 "2009-12-18T19:31:23Z")
6-12 inches being called for here. Bleah! I hate snow. Also, it ruins my christmas party plans for tomorrow night. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snow-is-coming-for-parts-of-the-eastern-us/521742.md?page=2)