So hey, this just in: This Storm Is For Real

[WilliamPitt]

Even if the amount of snow they've predicted falls short, the snow that's falling right now is 1. Falling sideways in the high wind, so it's going to stick to power lines and drag them down, because 2. It's pudding snow, heavy and wet. It will do damage not only to the power grid, but to flat roofs.

And I'm pretty sure they're not wrong about the severity of this thing, because the real monster is still south of Hartford but moving North, and is bright bastard red on the weather radar...and it's already really bad out, so when the monster gets here, it's going to be the real deal, I think. The scenes they're showing on the local news of the coastline are frightening - huge surf - and the tide is all the way out. When it comes in, the Cape and the shore are going to get smacked.

These things rarely live up to expectations...but I think this one might. I've been through a whole bunch of these, and this one has the flavor of real truth. It's already bad, and unless they're taking Crayolas to the radar images, it is going to get significantly worse in short order. If you're in New England and you're not home, get there with all dispatch.

Reporting from Boston.

[Baitball Blogger]

1. Will this meet the criteria for an ice storm?

[WilliamPitt]

3. At the moment, yes

It's a degree or two away from being rain, but when the big portion arrives, the temperature will drop and the snow will get fluffier...so we'll have two inches of ice/snow beneath however much fluff we get. Brutal shoveling to come...

[Electric Monk]

2. I hope you remembered to stock up on Glenfiddich?

...and potable water, and some batteries?

[WilliamPitt]

4. All good.

[AsahinaKimi]

5. I had posted "Historic"

and people said..

[WilliamPitt]

6. They ain't here.

[Wednesdays]

17. They're safe and warm with their two generators

and their two SUV's and their two houses.
Or something.

[AsahinaKimi]

21. LOL!!

Two subaru ... I saw that too ..

[Katashi_itto]

39. Arashi no naka de anzendearu koto "be safe in the storm" :)

[AsahinaKimi]

61. doukan desu.

Ki o tsukete kudasai. Isho ni ganbatte masho!

[Lone_Star_Dem]

10. I predict those people will be very quiet when this storm peaking.

It is really looking like it's going to be bad.

[AsahinaKimi]

23. Why would ANYONE

believe anything a West Coast person would say...

[stevenleser]

24. Those folks were dead wrong. They should spend the night out in this storm if they think it is so

funny.

Let me just say about the people who laughed at you or ridiculed your post, they wa Wakawakashii, dani, Kusatta Aitsu, Dekai guzu desyo! Neboken Ja neyo!

[AsahinaKimi]

27. Roflmao!! Zettaini sou desu (Absolutely)

Watashi mo ii tomodachi desune! (my good friend) (You learn fast Leser san!) Leser san wa hayaku manabu ne!



Doumo arigatou!

[stevenleser]

28. Doitashmashtae Kimi san!

[AsahinaKimi]

29. Yay!

"Dou Itashimashite!" (just a slight correction there!)

[hootinholler]

80. In the Navy we said

Don't touche my mustache

It was usually understood, if pigeon.

[AsahinaKimi]

81. eee!

How to pronounce it.

[Aerows]

45. Some of them

had the same reaction pre-Sandy. We didn't see them for a week, either. I don't wish it on them, I've just struggled through Katrina and any number of hurricanes and you cannot take them lightly. Preparedness is great, because everyone seems to prepare a little differently. If everyone is prepared, you would be surprised the useful things that a neighbor can come up with that you didn't think of.

Post-Katrina, I take storms seriously. When you have no power for 5 weeks (in the hell heat and humidity of the Deep South in summer, I might add), and no running water for nearly a month, it changes your viewpoint considerably.

[dixiegrrrrl]

82. Post- most storms can be horrid

Sadly, the East Coast loses power so often during these big ones in winter, it is kind of hard to prepare for that if you are dependent on one type of heat.
And 20 degrees of East coast is a LOT more bone chilling than 20 degrees of West Coast, I guarantee that.

[WillyT]

64. Ya Know... I Saw That, And Found It Truly Ironic...

I was amazed at the amount of vitriol heaped upon your post...

By a group of people that SAY they believe in Climate Change...

And SAY that they understand that because of Climate Change... the predictions are that...

We are going to see more and more intense storms, more and more frequently.

IOW... we need to start paying attention to most storms labeled as DANGEROUS...

And having two or three "Hundred", or "Five Hundred Year" storms in a single decade is a sign...

I could not believe the crap you took for bothering to care, and communicate to DU.

Some days I wonder why I bother too, Kimi...

But I'm gonna keep on truckin'.

You do the same, please.

[AsahinaKimi]

66. Sends you high fives..

As I said earlier...Why would ANYONE
believe anything a West Coast person would say..

[WillyT]

69. Not So Far From You... Sacramento...

And I've posted similar concerns about other parts of the country...

I guess we could just not give a shit about others...

But I'm pretty sure it is not in our nature.

[LeftofObama]

7. "bright bastard red"

[bunnies]

8. Here in the NH seacoast area...

Yeah. Our "blizzard warning" doesnt go into effect until 6pm but its alread a nightmare. We live here. We can feel it. This is going to be really bad. Fingers crossed that the power stays on.

[Aerows]

47. Take care

and I hope you don't get so bad off that you have to nibble on your avatar

(and that was a joke from our earlier interactions). Please, please stay safe, and I wish you and yours the best.

[Warpy]

9. Well, hunker down. If you've got gas cooking, you'll be fine.

We're getting a storm tomorrow with possible snow, but it will be a typical desert storm with dry pavement by noon.

That's why I live here.

We had an 18 inch snowfall 7 years ago. This town has no snow plows, so most folks were snowed in for a week or more. The Federal plows that take care of the high passes on the Interstates finally plowed some of the major streets after a few days. Side streets had to evaporate or melt. I'd quit working then but I understand the city sent garbage trucks around to pick up nurses in town and get them to work. If they were lucky, the driver's cigar wasn't lit.

But yeah, it's nearly sunset and it's going to get nasty in coastal New England very quickly.

[NutmegYankee]

11. The blizzard has arrived in Conn.

I'm in the South East about 6 miles West of Norwich and the wind is holding steady at 20 MPH with gusts to 35 MPH. Visibility has dropped big time. The snow is sticky and is adhering to my siding. I may have the lights go out tonight.

Will and others folks in the NE, stay safe tonight!

[calimary]

44. My kid's band was going to play in Uncasville CT. Out near the coastline.

GREAT place to be in the storm.

We had to withdraw them from the tour. The final three nights were/are within the really badly battered areas, starting tonight. We were asked what the boys are driving and we were told "well, if they manage to get here, they probably won't be able to get out." Tomorrow night (Saturday) they were supposed to go to the venue in coastal Connecticut. YIKES! Awful what's happening out there. Every time I check the Weather Channel, it looks nastier and nastier.

OY, guys - you folks in the Northeast - PLEASE TAKE CARE!!!! And stay INDOORS!!!!!

[WilliamPitt]

12. I guess it could be worse

http://gawker.com/5982891/meanwhile-in-brazil-its-raining-spiders

[OldDem2012]

20. My daughter would totally go spastic if she saw this video....yikey-momma!!!! nt.

[Brigid]

37. Wow!

I wonder how big those things are?

[Aerows]

52. I suppose it probably is normal in rain forest areas

heck, we have bugs here in the Deep South so big you could drop a brick on them and they would still be moving. I think a mosquito may be our state bird, but I'll have to check.

[laundry_queen]

59. OMFG I'm going to have nightmares about that video

I'll take the snow, thanks.

[Marrah_G]

75. I am NOT clicking that link

[Lone_Star_Dem]

13. Thanks for the update.

Stay safe and warm.

Best wishes to everyone in the path of this storm. It looks like you're in for a rough few days.

[wandy]

14. That hevey wet stuff is bad news...

Thats when you're glad you have candles.
Thats when if the snow weight doesn't damage you're roof, that big old silver maple in the side yard just might.
If you're in that mess, stay safe, use common sense.

Been there, done that.

[Taverner]

15. Fuckall, take care

[dixiegrrrrl]

16. I really like that you described the snow type.

Some folks do not reallze snow has "types" and the result of snowfall depends so much on what kind of snow it is,
how cold it gets at night after the snowfall, etc.

My favorite snow type is "falls somewhere a state away from my back yard"
So far, I have had plenty of winters of this type.

[Aerows]

57. I've grown up on the Gulf Coast

and lived there all of my life. I've traveled extensively, even during the winter, and the coldest I ever got was in DC in around 2001. I nearly lost my hearing it was so horrible outside - I didn't realize that you needed a hat, because frankly, I was not prepared for anything like that.

I have learned differently, and finally didn't think anything of a Michigan morning at -5 below at 7 in the morning while I was doing work at a particular office, but DAMN. 2 FEET of snow?

Holy crap.

[Uncle Joe]

18. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, WilliamPitt.

[high density]

19. In Portland the temperature is only 16 so it is very light and fluffy

It's blowing around so much that my car's windshield is bare.

[ScreamingMeemie]

22. Please be safe my DU friends to the North.

[librechik]

26. stay safe!

[MH1]

30. I hope you and everyone else up there does ok

and that you can enjoy the nice snow after it's done.

[NutmegYankee]

31. Just has 2 separate lightning and thunder events.

The wind is roaring now. 6 miles west of Norwich, Ct.

I've had several browouts for power, so it's possible I may lose it tonight.

[malaise]

32. Stay safe

[Leslie Valley]

33. Not buying it until somebody from Southern California or maybe the Caribbean

watching on the TV reports it.

Eyewitness local reports are just too unreliable.

[WilliamPitt]

34. Brighton MA @ 7pm

Bringin' the funk...

[MannyGoldstein]

40. Hey Will - are you a Brightonian?

I'm in Newton, just over the line near Oak Square.

[WilliamPitt]

49. Used to live on Tiptop Street

Grew up at the top of Lake Street by BC.

So yeah.

[MannyGoldstein]

51. I drive on Tiptop every day

To bypass a nasty light in Oak Square.

Except when it's icy... Little bit of a hill and narrow, I don't think it would be fun in ice.

[WilliamPitt]

54. We should probably do something about this.

Are you a Last Drop guy or a Castle guy?

[MannyGoldstein]

56. Haven't been to either in years, but when I did it was Castle

Crowd's a bit young for me at Last Drop.

Meet sometime?

[WilliamPitt]

67. I think it's a necessity

Being neighbors and all.

[MannyGoldstein]

71. Well, if it's a *necessity*

I should be available wed or thu night, or the following week.

Let's set up by PM.

[Marrah_G]

76. In Peabody, about a foot of snow, 10 pm

[WillyT]

35. You Ain't Kidding... Please Stay Safe Everybody !!!

Link: http://www.intellicast.com/

[Wednesdays]

36. be sure to post screencaps of those animations

Those images will be obsolete in a short while.

[WillyT]

38. Actually... They Will Update, And Then Become Obsolete After The Storm Moves On...

The images are linked to the site, and get updated, when the site get updated.

Done this a time or two...

[WillyT]

41. A Closer Look...

[jpak]

60. You can see the "eye" forming just south of Long Island

[LeftInTX]

42. From Times Square

Link to webcam
http://www.earthcam.com/usa/newyork/timessquare/?cam=tsstreetcc

[magical thyme]

43. 19 car pileup in Maine mid-afternoon

I think on 295 outside of Portland?

Also read that Gov. Deval ordered evacuations of Marshfield, MA.

I called work at around 11am and was told "business as usual," so shoveled out about 8" of light, fluffy snow and headed out at noon time wondering if I'd be driving home at 10pm in white out.

At 6pm, they came to me and said pack up and go home. The rest of my team was staying longer. We think they sent me home first because I had the furthest to drive. One person is staying in town with family and I think the other lives in town. They decided to close early, at 8pm, I'm guessing because they're hearing stories from Mass. They closed their Boston headquarters at 3 or 4 this afternoon.

Anyway, the drive home turned out to be much easier than the drive in. The wind was steady and I was mostly driving into it, so not buffeted at all. The snow is so light that even with 11-12" down now, it was blowing right off coastal 1. And it slowed way down, from an inch/hour to 1/2"/hour of teeny little flakes, so visibility was surprisingly good.

But I'm pretty far north, so the blizzard proper isn't expected to arrive for another couple hours.

[RebelOne]

63. We had 27-car pileup here in Georgis yesterday due to heavy fog.

And it was heavy because I could only see a few feet out my front door.

[2naSalit]

46. I'm sure that in high population

places this will be bad after over 6" is sticking to stuff, and the ground. Out here in high elevation, low population Montana, it's not a blizzard unless you can't see across the road (approximately 100 ft in distance) and/or it lasts for a few days and/or all of the above and it dumps at least two or three feet on the ground. But in the NE, where I grew up, it's a bit different.

It sure looks like a mean one on the doppler and satellite!

I hope your power stays on and it doesn't turn into a complete catastrophuk for hell.

Stay safe, stay warm... hopefully both.

[nolabear]

48. You all stay safe and check in when you can!

[Warpy]

50. I've been watching the Copley Square webcam off and on

and it seems few people are out being stupid. Traffic is lighter on Boylston than I've ever seen it and pedestrians are also few and far between.

This is a good hot chocolate, i-pod and reading by headlamp night.

[WilliamPitt]

53. Brighton @ 8pm

[AAO]

55. Take care, Will!

[rug]

58. Has Dorner been spotted there?

[MannyGoldstein]

68. No, but a giant hedgehog keeps popping from the snow

Calling "Dinsdale".

Strangest thing.

[DainBramaged]

62. You be careful, it may be a day at the beach here, but you be slammed

[madrchsod]

65. been thru something like this in 1977-8

it was`t wet snow but it was 60-70 wind and -25 temps and snow drifts were 20ft plus. took two days to get plowed out. the total amount of snow where i live was 85 inches.

stay safe and warm north easterners!

[WilliamPitt]

70. Brighton @ 9pm

[geckosfeet]

72. Just had doggy out for a very abbreviated walk. The snow/wind has been coming from the NE

all day. Wind started picking up around 4 or 5. About 8"-10" on the ground where I am right now. If it snows overnight (and it looks like it is going to) I expect we will have a solid 12"-18" - possibly 20"+.

Central MA 20 miles east of Worcester - Hopkinton area..

[Cha]

73. Thanks for the report from Boston, Will.

I have cyber friends in Boston and I want you all to stay safe and warm!

And, keep your computer power on!

[FedUpWithIt All]

74. Stay safe.

[WilliamPitt]

78. Brighton @ 10pm

[tavernier]

79. Oh, silly silly boy...

There is no such thing as a blizzard! Obviously you are not listening to fox news!

The presence of copious amounts of snow might be misconstrued by wild-eyed liberals to be a product of the melting of the polar ice cap due to global warming, resulting in higher amounts of precipitation.

... silly liberals...

[WilliamPitt]

83. Boston @ 11pm after the plows made a pass