Storm in America

yes, this was an unusual weather pattern. A very cold Mass of Air originated in Siberia. A powerful high-pressure System in the north Pacific "drove" the cold Air over the Artic to the east of the Rockies into the Midwest of USA.

A rather unusual Weather Phenomena occurs here by the Great Lakes - Lake Effect Snow. I live near Cleveland, Ohio, on the south Shore of Lake Erie. During Winter cold Air comes to us from the Artic over the Canadian Landmass which doesn't warm it (as compared to UK where it is warmed by the Atlantic). When cold Air blows over the Great Lakes it picks up a lot of Moisture. When it hits Land the Moisture comes back down as massive amounts of Snow. I happen to live a bit west of Cleveland and due to the Shape of Lake Erie's Coastline and the typical Wind Direction in Winter, we miss much of the Lake Effect Snow. Sometimes we have 2" where just 25 Miles to the east it is 12". The rising Elevation also contributes to the Snowfall.

This Storm was blowing from the West / Southwest which meant the Air had Time to pick up Moisture the entire length of Lake Erie before reaching Hamburg, NY, which is next to Buffalo, NY. Additionally, it had a corresponding long Fetch to make larger than normal Waves. The left side of that Picture above is Lake Erie.

The BIG Problem for us is all the above Ground Power Lines as seen in the Picture above. Those in the Picture may have a 1" + diameter Coating of Ice on them. These Power Lines are also right next to tall Trees. When Branches are broken off they rip up the Power Lines. The Power Companies are doing a better Job now trimming back Trees during the summer Season. Property Owners really complain when they trim the Trees back, but really the Trees shouldn't be there at all. They just allow Trees to grow unchecked here.

Lake Erie is the shallowest of the Great Lakes. It will freeze over in a few Weeks. At that point the Lake Effect Snow can't happen anymore. It's not solid Ice. I think the Term is "Shelf Ice". It does get pushed around by the Wind and cracks into large Sheets. You would have to be crazy to think you could walk across it to Canada.

Jimmy Cagney and his buddies used that ice crossing regularly during prohibition

It's what I'd call winter weather.

I suppose they could call it a white Christmas but not really one you could enjoy.

Mike

Son in Houston, texas has Minus 7c at the moment.

Throw boiling water into the air and it turns into a cloud of snow

Latest report from Montana is -50F (-45C). That's cold!

Which goes along with discussion on a recent thread about how, counter-intuitively, hot water freezes quicker than cold water.

I am told by an on-line correspondent elsewhere that power-cuts are almost routine in thje USA, and he pointed me to this web-site:

PowerOutage.us

It tracks power-cuts by approximate bands of numbers of premises affected, by State, on a colour-coded map.

Although the storm caused widespread disruption, its latest up-date, only about quarter of an hour ago GMT, shows most have been restored, with the far NE states still badly affected.

''''

A longer-time pen-friend in the mid-Norwegian coastal town of Brønnøysund, assures me that yes, Winter does cause problems there! She recounted a heath-fire in her area a few years ago when after a very dry Autumn, a sudden freezing with fog so ice-loaded the main overhead line that they fell, arcing to ground sufficiently before the power was cut, to set the dessicated vegetation alight.

[Sorry about the sudden change of font size. I have no idea how that happened, but it did so when I pasted the two letters 'ø', into the text and built the town name around them.]

Just thinking today boxing day 2022 is exactly to the day 60 years ago when the last really big uk freeze started with snow falling around 3pm in Hampshire. The long winter of 1962/3 lasted until March. I rode my trusty Greeves 250 all that winter,best bike then for bad conditions,coldest day was 4 F and that was really cold when wearing a Barbour suit weather proof but not warm ,of course that must seem mild to north Amercan inhabitants. I was only 6 years old during the 1947 big freeze so dont remember much as i was ill at the time and did not go out, When I read that Montana is down to minus 50 I do wonder how farm animals survive and does antifreeze work,I suppose people are used to low temperatures but minus 50 must be really exceptional.

In Russia where very low temps are the norm during winter, cars used to dump there coolant when stopping for an extended period and then refill with hot water when you wanted to be mobile again, at very low temps normal antifreeze didn’t work so vehicles just used water when running. Dave W

I remember back in the 50s my dad used to drain the radiator in his (ex army) waggon if frost was predicted. Radiators had a conveniently placed drain tap in those days. I suspect he was just too tight to buy antifreeze.

Got so cold in Florida that the iguanas froze and dropped out of the trees

Anyone ever write Their name in the snow at -20° ? Somethings Ya just gotta try.

Parents will worry if it's in their son's girlfriends handwriting

How would that be implemented then .... would they drink it or would it be injected in a suitable orifice or what?

Reminds me of the old joke - 'how do you make antifreeze?'

Edited By Jeff Dayman on 26/12/2022 19:47:20

They have some very large barns they put the cattle in and feed them on hay and feed. Others have a snow fence built facing the prevailing wind. The snow piles up along the fence forming a snow drift and the animals shelter in the lee of it and keep warm out of the wind. Wind chill factors can easily be 90 below zero.

It regularly got to 30 below when I lived there, and one winter got down to 40 below, which had even the locals a bit worried. We had to move a horse in our back paddock to a sheltered area in the lee of a shed so it could get out of the wind and it was OK. Also had to keep plenty of feed up to it so it could generate its own warmth I guess they grow a thick winter coat living in that climate.

Antifreeze in vehicles seemed OK at those temps as long as it was not old or too diluted. Plug in electric heaters are used to keep engines warm overnight by some. I did not bother as my car started well in the cold. Did have cardboard down the front of the radiator to stop it freezing up while driving though. At 40 below, the car's tyres had flat spots frozen into them from standing overnight so it was a bumpy ride the first half mile or so until they warmed up and popped out round again!

Rule of thumb was if driving out of town in that weather (yes they are crazy enough to do that) is to carry a heavy duty sleeping bag, matches, candles and a large plastic bottle to pee in . So if you break down or get stuck in a snow drift, you can keep warm, and don't have to open the doors to get out to pee. You just have to be careful not to burn up all the oxygen in the car if buried in a snow drift, or running the engine and fill the cab with carbon monoxide.

Its a whole different way of life. The area was settled by Scandinavian immigrants who thought it was just great, just like home!

Edited By Hopper on 26/12/2022 22:14:07

The other thing to remember in those conditions, including parts of the UK, is not to leave the handbrake on. Leave it in gear to hold it else you will rip the bake to pieces or not move depending on the strength of the engine.

The "Experts" know as much about Global Warming as my dog knows about the Internet.

These things have been happening since time began, not just since last year.