Jump to content

Winter Storm 2021


august948

Recommended Posts

8 minutes ago, Twinsanity02 said:

I've been through nasty winters in Ohio and Kansas, not to mention Dec 1983 and Dec 1989 here in Houston. I fear icy roads a great deal. 

My most distinct memory of the 1989 deep freeze is driving very carefully through the Rice Village/Med Center area on my way to pick up my GF's sister from work, and realizing while stopped at a stop sign that the car was slowly but inexorably sliding toward the curb on a thin layer of ice.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, hindesky said:

 I was born in Duluth and lived through several winters in Chicago. I also recall the '89 freeze, where I worked every single water pipe broke.

Duluth Minnesota. Isn't that around 120 miles southeast of International Falls a.k.a the icebox of the nation.  I suspect the 120 miles miles south doesn't make a great difference in temperature.

44 minutes ago, august948 said:

You haven't truly lived unless you've been in Atlanta during an ice storm.

Why is that?Is it the driving or the hills?

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Twinsanity02 said:

Duluth Minnesota. Isn't that around 120 miles southeast of International Falls a.k.a the icebox of the nation.  I suspect the 120 miles miles south doesn't make a great difference in temperature.

Why is that?Is it the driving or the hills?

 

Both.  The roads all twist and turn and go up and down.  Plus, people in Atlanta aren't used to driving on ice and like to speed.  When I lived there I just stayed off the roads when conditions were icy.  Safer that way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I live in Cleveland, OH for a few years.  -18 was the coldest I had to endure.  

Friends in the energy biz are saying that CenterPoint is going to have to have widespread blackouts starting at 6 pm today.  All the power for sale has been bought today and the grid in TX is running out.  Lots of frozen windmills (although the ones that didn't freeze are cranking out lots of power).  Get your phones charged and download some movies before 6 pm.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know why but I've been super lucky that I haven't lost power in my part of Montrose at all. I know lots of my neighboring neighborhoods have been out for many many hours. I have done my part by keeping my heater at 67º all day, not using the oven and bundling up. Centerpoint's outage tracking website has been down most of the day but is back up.

http://gis.centerpointenergy.com/outagetracker/index.html

VvX65Ka.jpg

dZFQRaH.png

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, BeerNut said:

Haven't lost power or water in Third Ward at all...

I could see from S. MacGregor that there was still power north of the bayou. We lost power Monday morning and got it back briefly Tuesday night before going back out Wednesday morning and coming back in that night. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, august948 said:

We lost power around 5am and just got it back about an hour ago.  Haven't had running water since Monday night.

My aunt from Wisconsin is poking fun at how we can't handle an average Upper Midwest Tuesday.😄

we were without power most of yesterday during the day. which was fine I guess, I'd have rather been comfortable working, than cold and reading a book.

anyway, I recall the winter I lived in Wyoming, I was there long enough to know it wasn't for me. but there were many mornings I would look out the window at the bank building across the street, their sign read numbers lower than -20 many of the days I was there. got up and did the daily thing just like I would have if it was 75 and sunny, albeit with more layers.

I'll be happy if there is an announcement that the power plants have the remainder of the year to fix their equipment to work sufficiently in the winter, and have some inspections to prove it, or be fined double the amount it would cost to fix the equipment to handle cold temps. if you are only 'working towards compliance then the fine is only what it might cost to fix the equipment to handle cold temps. after this year inspections once a year to ensure ongoing compliance.

yes, this will end up actually being something we pay for through our energy costs, but even if it only happens once every 3 decades, it's a big enough deal that they need to prepare. we prepare for hurricanes even though we only get a bad one every 2 decades or so, so this should be no different.

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lost power late Monday/early Tuesday, probably around 1:00-2:00 am. Came back on at 11:00 pm Tuesday night for three hours before going out again. Back on again Wednesday afternoon around 4:00 and so far holding steady. It was 43 inside the house according to the thermostat when power was restored - definitely one of the downsides of a 75 year old pier-and-beam house with a lot of large, single-glazed windows. 

I think this was probably worse than a week-long post-hurricane power outage in August, and I've lived through a couple of those. But I'm sure those who grew up in the North might have a different opinion.  

  • Like 2
  • Sad 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We live along a canal of Lake Houston. Lost power Monday through Tuesday for 23 hrs. Drained the pipes. Only irritation was when my twin daughters sleeping in front of the fireplace went into twin+insanity or twinsanity at 3 in the morning. After attempts to calm them down , Dad (me) threatened to cut the gas. That did it. My son slept like a log all night.

  • Like 1
  • Haha 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

they cut the power here at 10pm Tuesday and turned it back on at 8pm Wednesday. Even the traffic signals were out.

We're still in a state-wide emergency - Whataburgers near me are closed! (I'm guessing they ran out of food and deliveries are on the way, they had post-hurricane type lines in the drive-thru)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

doesn't Whataburger advertise fresh vegetables, not frozen? probably unable to get what they need. also, with the boil water advisory, any water that is used in food prep has to be boiled for at least 2 minutes, any water that is used at all, has to be boiled for 2 minutes.

as an operator of a coffee shop, we basically can't open until after we get the all clear, we have no way to boil water, and even if we did, the volume of water we'd have to boil would be insane.

https://www.houstontx.gov/health/OSPHP/documents/boil-water-faq-food-establishments-HHD-022820.pdf

Edited by samagon
Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 minutes ago, samagon said:

doesn't Whataburger advertise fresh vegetables, not frozen? probably unable to get what they need. also, with the boil water advisory, any water that is used in food prep has to be boiled for at least 2 minutes, any water that is used at all, has to be boiled for 2 minutes.

as an operator of a coffee shop, we basically can't open until after we get the all clear, we have no way to boil water, and even if we did, the volume of water we'd have to boil would be insane.

https://www.houstontx.gov/health/OSPHP/documents/boil-water-faq-food-establishments-HHD-022820.pdf

Glad to see you guys persevering through all the trials and tribulations the past year has thrown at us.  Best coffee at UH, hands down.  Looking forward to regular visits again once my kids are back on campus.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...