The Stovebolt Site Forums The Side Lot Old Dominion Stovebolt Society (MD, VA, West VA, DC, DE and PA) Snow storm

Batten down the hatches my friends.
Looks like your in for a little snow, 5 to 8 inches.

http://www.intellicast.com/Local/Weather.aspx?location=USMD0266

Stay warm and be safe!

Don

Listening to the regional news station (WTOP), they make it sound like it will be a mess. Even telling people what to do if it sounds like their roof in creaking ... could fall in. The snow is suppose to be wet and heavy. Last night's traffic around the DC area was insane. Took some people 8 hours to get home from work. Some abandoned their vehicles. Couldn't get up onto the highway and interstates because of the ice with just a little snow packed on top. When we went to bed at 10:30, traffic was still all jammed up.

We got the generator hooked up and plenty of wood. John will probably be pushing snow. So, he'll have it a lot worse than me. Our neighbors will come and keep our wood stove going. All the kids will be out playing and sleighing. One neighbor comes with his horse-drawn plow-sled which is really cool to watch. I'll try to get pictures if I see them pass. Exciting day for these folks.

Peg

At first they were calling for upwards of two feet for us down here. But now:

Friday...Snow in the afternoon. Snow accumulation around an inch. Highs in the lower 30s. Northeast winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow near 100 percent.

Friday Night...Snow in the evening...Then snow or sleet after midnight. Precipitation May be heavy at Times. Very windy with lows in the upper 20s. Northeast winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 40 mph...Increasing to 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 60 mph after midnight. Chance of precipitation near 100 percent.

Saturday...Snow or sleet. Snow May be heavy at Times in the morning. Very windy with highs in the mid 30s. Northeast winds 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 60 mph. Chance of precipitation near 100 percent.

Saturday Night...Snow. Blowing snow. Very windy with lows in the mid 20s. Chance of snow near 100 percent.

Looks like Saturday night will be the worst of it ... as of now, anyway.

Peg,
I was actually wondering this morning if John plowed their driveway The sight of a horse drawn plow moving snow must be spectacular!

The home of the Winter Classic is dead-center in the snow bullseye. They say if it's a bust, we still get 18". If we get the full potential, it could be over 30". Hoping for a bust.

George

Just watched the national news and it said 18 to 24 inches in your area.
Sounds like you and John are prepared for the blizzard.
Tell John to take his time plowing and to dress warm.
No thong tonight!
Union Suit with the back flap, is the order for tonight.

Don

I was scheduled to fly down to the Dominican tomorrow, stopping over in Phily. That flight was cancelled yesterday already.

We had a nice white layer this morning and the snow and sleet is still coming down. Not much for you guys farther up the road but for local folks here its "a sight to see". The ICE is the killer around here.

Yea, the DC news station has been all weather stuff. And it keeps changing. We have teeny tiny snow just starting to come down now. But it is cold.

The little pond has been frozen and the kids got to walk on it yesterday, with the dog and John, too ... which Payton (4) said he weighs 2,000 pounds. (Hmmm ... we'll have to work on that diet.)

One of the tree service guys just dropped off a dump truck load of wood!! Whoo-hoo! We'll share it with the neighbors. They just went by with the horses and wagon and they'll be looking after me while John's off plowing. My other neighbor already brought me some milk and John some homemade fish chowder. AND she did my dishes while she was here. Whoo-hoo!

John was scheduled to go relieve the first plowers in the early a.m. but they just called and want him there at 2:30. That way, the "main guy" can get some last minute things done before the worst of the storm begins.

Oh, ice is bad Alvin. I think the wind is going to be the scary thing here. I'm glad John will at least be home for the beginning of the worst part and thru the night. Once it's light outside and he heads off, it won't be so bad (for me). I just hope he can get to the meeting spot okay. I think he's taking Farmdawg. He's a killer. PLUS, I really don't think many people will be on the road.

It's cold back here in the HQ office. I'd better go check up on the weather.

Peg

Here's why I need John home tonight (this part scares me a bit):

Tonight...Snow. Sleet or isolated thunderstorms after midnight. Precipitation May be heavy at Times. Additional snow and sleet accumulation of 4 to 8 inches. Very windy with lows in the upper 20s. Northeast winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 45 mph... Increasing to 30 to 35 mph with gusts up to 60 mph after midnight. Chance of precipitation near 100 percent.

Peg,

You and John be careful during the storm. Wish John had a different color tractor that would clear your drive. Thinking of you guys!

Regards

Well, I've been waiting for John to come home but have not heard from him. I going to throw an extra comforter on the bed and crawl in. I'm sure he got a dinner break. Hopefully, he'll get a rest break before the heavy snows come in, which should be soon. The wind is kicking up pretty well.

So ... I am outta here. I'll check in early if we have power.

Stay safe to everyone affected.

Peg

Well, of course. I grabbed my little battery-operated lantern and got ready to curl under the covers and then I heard Farmdawg. So John is home for a few hours. He said it's COLD out there and that you could not tell where Friendship Court is!

He's gone back out now to at least do one pass in our lane to stay ahead of it. I figured our neighbors would do it in the morning but he wanted to do it. I think there will be another 8" by the time we get up ... at least that is what they say.

So, he's cold, home, safe and hungry. I'm guessing he fall asleep quickly. The dog will get a good run with him behind the tractor, too -- so that will be good!

Oh and the news people said, we are just on the beginning edge of the heavy stuff that is coming.

Oh, and all the spider webs that are between the windows and the screens look really pretty with the snow sticking to them. The front window is pretty, too. I think the glass is so cold and that's the direction the wind is blowing so it's just sticking to the window. I'd take a picture, butttt.........


Nite everyone.

Nite Peg!
Stay warm and safe!

Don

We have 6" of snow on the ground at 10pm...and the wind is picking up...temp is 24*.

Stay warm!

Mike B

We have 10" just now and still coming down heavy. Might have to shovel out the back door in the morning to reach the firewood.

Great long weekend to work on truck projects!

Grigg

Yup good weekend for the book club. Jr. what do you recommend.

I think we got about 14" so far. The bad news is that the wind wiped out all my tracks from driving the driveway yesterday. Now i have to find the driveway again. we don't have to go anyplace today, so will wait for snow to stop and then find the driveway. The good news is that electricity has not gone out at all.

I recomend anything on the lines of a factory shop manual for deep reading while hunkered down in this snow storm. Further reading while sipping scotch with a factory assembly manual is also good for the soul.

We have shoveled 23 inches off of our driveway already. Hope everyone is safe and with power.

Chris

14" in Philadelphia......more to come.

Phillip, great ideas. I think i will just substitute bourbon for the scotch but keep the reading material the same...

I am still alive; just late checking in. I have no idea what we have outside but Freja is having to jump around to "run" across the yard.

Good thing John plowed the lane last night. It was a little tricky for him to get out this morning. He headed out about 7:30.

The wind gusts are interesting. Our wind must be swirling because all the snow is blown over from the North. And coming off the roof, etc., the wind is coming from the North. I have taken some pictures from the window but I'm not sure if they'll be more screen than view. We'll see. The view is pretty and the ponds look neat with the snow on top of the ice. Shawn's pond is blue with white snow! John will have to get a picture of that. I think he has a long day today and will be pretty pooped.

Yes, we still have power which is great. The wood stove is doing great and the neighbors (mostly Eugene) are coming every time they check their greenhouse stoves. The men and the kids have been walking past the house. They are all clothed up with layers and layers.

The snow is picking up from this morning. Supposedly we have another heavy belt coming. Ohhh ... here comes the wind, too.

Peg

Our relatives in Charlottesville, VA are still getting snow.

We have bare ground in northeast NY; and, Jarvisburg, NC (our future home base) got no snow.

Nonetheless, I'll be celebrating tonight with a few nippy sweeties of single malt Scotch (and, thinking of you southerners, Philip, Peg, John, etc).

We're probably done with 13" total

We have shoveled twice since the 23" mark this morning. We are easily over 2 ft. It is now blowing, snowing harder then it was before and the plow put a nice waiste deep wall of snow in front of our driveway.

Chris

John is still out plowing and will probably be there all night. I think they say the snow will slow down at 7 pm but not stop until midnight. The wind will continue to blow it around. I don't know how that will affect their plowing. They may figure they have spent enough money and at least give them a few hours off before crack of dawn.

*I* am going to hit the hay myself and prepare for the worst again. I have been doing ATHS year end reports all afternoon and my brain hurts.

Nite.

I must have snowblowed 20 and Philadelphia is looking at round 2 tonight. And........I broke a shear pin on Mr. Simplicity. I will do the unthinkable......a thin bolt. I have no choice. I was thinking about a triple wrap of bailing wire? Comments ?

Bolt it and go.

22 here in Freddy Burg and counting. The wind is now really blowing.

Hope the power stays on, stay warm everyone!!

Joe,
I always use a nice 1/4X20 with a Teflon nut.

Joe, double or single on the coat hanger wire and call her done! It's a quick fix used by my Cindy! LOL.

I agree with Sweet and Jim...use a soft steel bolt (grade 3) the same diameter as the pin and get on with it...the bolt will shear if needed.

Mike B

Thanks for the ideas gents. Wire hanger until I clean back to the shed where 1/4 - 20's are.

Off we go !!!!! Plow on my snow pushing friends.

Grade 3 or less, less I'm thinking...they were made to shear off. What's cheaper, a transmission or a few shear pins?

Shear pins. But I can't get out of my driveway to get to Lowes or the Depot.

I'm just surprised that Joe actually does the snow removal. I at least figured he'd have Mary do it while he sipped his hot chocolate by a warm fire reading chev's of the 40's.

Shoveled off the deck because of the weight. 24 inches deep. Two Aleve and I'll be right as rain.

Not even going to touch the 450-foot driveway...sure wish I'd grabbed an old tractor this year. Oh well, add it to the stable later. Jack is having a blast with the snow, though it's up to his waist.

Never lost power, which is awesome considering. It helps that I am on the same grid as the local power co-op and live a quarter mile from the VDOT yard. Blessings this time of year.

If I can't get out, may have to take a snow personal day. I can think of worse things to do.

Glad all are well.

-Jim

The sun is now shining!

Sipping coffee before the kids and I go out to start the final cleanup and get the official decorated yardstick out. I will let everyone know what the total is.

Then I need to make sure my not-so-smart neighbor doesn't try to leave his house in his Honda Accord with bald tires and get stuck in front of my house. AGAIN

I will hang the tow chain from my mailbox as a reminder what I told him yesterday. If his Jap-Trap is in my way, I hook the Honda to the chain and move it, what happens to it and where is goes isn't my problem.......

With all said and done here, officially 33". But after clearing a path to an area where the doggies could do their business, feels like 6'!
With you guys switching off between the bourbon and scotch last night, I had trouble getting out there to do it!
Everyone be safe!

John is still hanging out on Rt. 5 waiting for the County to release him. I think he got about 4 hours sleep last night. We had gotten one of those sleeping bags that you cocoon inside. So, he said he stayed warm. I imagine he was so tired it wasn't hard to fall asleep.

The house stayed warm. I think the snow on the roof helped insulate it some. I woke up to the smell of wood in the stove - God bless our neighbors!