Windstorm in DC/VA

It was a nonevent for me. The snow was heavier than I expected – at 10:30pm it was coming down in big, wet flakes at a good clip – but this morning there was just a little clinging to grassy areas and the roads/sidewalks were just wet.

Yesterday a co-worker showed me pictures from Friday’s windstorm: that morning a HUGE tree completely uprooted and fell on his house! :eek: It totally destroyed his chimney, and poked several holes in his roof. He, his wife, and their three kids were all at home, sleeping/hanging out in their rooms. Thank goodness it didn’t hit an occupied part of the house!! After the initial shock wore off, his wife joked that she wished it had hit the kitchen (she wants to remodel it). Heh.

I’m late here but our power went out 7 AM the day this thread started and came back 12:30 AM Monday morning, so almost 3 days. It got down to 50 in my house Saturday night and my wife and I decided to spend the night in a hotel. Fortunately we suffered no wind damage of any kind.

I have no idea why OPM closed the entire federal government. Certainly not all federal workplaces were affected and many workers can telework if they can’t get in their offices. What a waste of money.

Safety of people getting to/from places. Same reason the schools closed. It was dangerous to be on the roads (or walking around) with that wind.

Not if their power goes out. Plus, I think you might be overestimating the number of Government workers who actually can telework. :slight_smile:

Commuter trains weren’t running, as I understand it.

And as for telework, my agency’s policy is that on days when the government is closed due to inclement weather, employees approved for telework must telework (or take leave). In other words, closing the government doesn’t stop employees from teleworking; instead, it mandates that they do so.

If capable. :slight_smile:

Full-time employee who teleworks part-time and forgot to bring their laptop home, for example.