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DC buried in snow
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by snuffysmith | December 18, 2009 at 09:00 pm
1315 views | 50 Recommendations | 25 comments
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While President Obama spent the day in Copenhagen with other foreign dignitaries, and the Senate ordered in pizza for a late night deliberation on health care, a very different scene was taking place on the streets of Washington DC. Road crews, salting trucks, utility and telephone crews were bracing for the onset of a snowstorm of record proportions - one forecasted to rank among the top 10 in history to visit DC. Snow started falling in DC around 8:00pm. Meanwhile, many government employees descended in droves into local hardware stores to pick up salt, shovels, snowblowers, batteries, and other paraphenalia to help them cope with the aftermath of being buried in snow. The latest statement from the National Weather Service gives a clue as to what is about to befall the city.
Special Weather Statement for District Of Columbia, DC
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Issued by The National Weather Service
Baltimore/Washington, MD
10:03 pm EST, Fri., Dec. 18, 2009... RECORD BREAKING DECEMBER SNOWFALL FOR BALTIMORE-WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREAS BRINGING HAZARDOUS WINTER WEATHER TO THE REGION OVERNIGHT AND SATURDAY...
TOTAL STORM SNOWFALL TOTALS OF 1 TO 2 FEET ARE FORECAST TO OCCUR IN THE BALTIMORE-WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREAS BY DAWN SUNDAY... WHICH SHOULD ECLIPSE THE DECEMBER RECORDS FOR BOTH CITIES. THE RECORD DECEMBER SNOWFALL FOR WASHINGTON IS 12.0 INCHES ON 18-19 DECEMBER 1932... AND FOR BALTIMORE TO RECORD IS 14.1 INCHES ON 12-13 DECEMBER 1960.
SHOULD ACCUMULATIONS EXCEED 14 INCHES... THIS STORM WILL MAKE THE LIST OF THE ALL-TIME TOP 10 SNOWSTORMS ON RECORD FOR BOTH CITIES.
HERE ARE SOME HAZARDOUS WINTER WEATHER PREPAREDNESS TIPS...
1. TRAVEL IS NOT RECOMMENDED ON SATURDAY... AS CONDITIONS WILL DETERIORATE RAPIDLY AFTER DAYBREAK. IF YOU HAVE TO TRAVEL SATURDAY IN AN EMERGENCY... CARRY A WINTER STORM SURVIVAL KIT WHICH INCLUDES A CHARGED MOBILE PHONE... BLANKETS... FLASHLIGHT WITH EXTRA BATTERIES... HIGH CALORIE NON-PERISHABLE FOOD... WATER... AND A SNOW SHOVEL. KEEP YOUR GAS TANK FULL... AND AVOID TRAVELING ALONE. LET SOMEONE KNOW YOUR TIMETABLE AND YOUR PRIMARY ROUTE.
2. IF YOU DO GET STRANDED... STAY IN YOUR VEHICLE. ATTEMPTING TO WALK FOR HELP IN A WINTER STORM COULD BE A DEADLY DECISION. RUN THE MOTOR FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES EVERY HOUR FOR HEAT. OPEN THE WINDOW A LITTLE FOR FRESH AIR TO AVOID CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING. MAKE SURE YOUR EXHAUST PIPE IS NOT BLOCKED FROM ICE AND SNOW.
3. IF YOU NEED TO USE A PORTABLE GENERATOR... FOLLOW MANUFACTURERS INSTRUCTIONS TO KEEP THE AREA SURROUNDING YOUR GENERATOR WELL VENTILATED.
4. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO SHOVEL SNOW UNLESS YOU ARE PHYSICALLY FIT. HYDRATE YOURSELF OFTEN WITH WATER WHILE SHOVELING... AND TAKE FREQUENT BREAKS.
5. MOVE PETS AND FARM ANIMALS TO SHELTERED LOCATIONS AND ENSURE THEY HAVE PLENTY OF FOOD AND DRINK.
I live in Washington DC. I will keep you posted on how my day goes tomorrow which will be spent mostly shoveling.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (25)
at 21:17 on December 18th, 2009
Crippling snowstorm Mid-Atlantic to Northeast
Dangerous weekend storm will power a historic snowstorm that will snarl traffic and air travel in the East.
Article
at 21:22 on December 18th, 2009
at 21:23 on December 18th, 2009
Northeast
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Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpokeat 02:04 on December 19th, 2009
Good luck snuffy, how is it this morning?
at 08:32 on December 19th, 2009
Honey Do's Cancelled
at 07:37 on December 19th, 2009
I find it absolutely fascinating that this kind of weather gets so much coverage when it affects the media people that covers it, while it covers them.
Local or regional news anywhere else, as a rule, but if it hits Washington, New York, or Boston, the rest of the world will know about it. Interesting.
at 07:50 on December 19th, 2009
I think that can be explained by the extent of the population impacted by natural disasters. Witness the news coverage of the California fires, or the Mississippi River Basin floods, and even, the Katrina coverage. The Northeast Snowstorm is affecting the entire East Coast corridor on many levels - the transportation corridor is almost impassible. I'm just hoping we aren't visited with power outages and grid disruptions.
at 09:39 on December 19th, 2009
Oh, we don't mind, just don't ask us to lend you our shovels. Winter is just starting, got a few months to go, we'll need them again.
Meantime, stay home, open the curtains, and enjoy the view!
O, the weather outside is frightful , but my tires are so delightful, since there's no place to go....
or something like that.
at 08:21 on December 19th, 2009
You live in Nebraska, right? It's messy and not many people are out so far...but it's not a blizzard (I'm in Philly.)
at 06:28 on December 19th, 2009
Blizzard Warnings have been issued for Washington DC
Issued by The National Weather Service
Baltimore/Washington, MD
9:08 am EST, Sat., Dec. 19, 2009
... BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EST THIS EVENING... ... WINTER STORM WARNING NOW IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM EST SUNDAY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A BLIZZARD WARNING... WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EST THIS EVENING. THE WINTER STORM WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM EST SUNDAY.
* PRECIPITATION TYPE... SNOW.
* ACCUMULATIONS... HEAVY SNOW WITH ACCUMULATIONS OF 12 TO 22 INCHES THROUGH TONIGHT.
* TIMING... SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. SNOW WILL BE HEAVIEST BETWEEN 8 AM AND 6 PM TODAY.
* TEMPERATURES... UPPER 20S TO LOWER 30S THROUGH THE EVENT... LOW TO MID 30S IN COASTAL SOUTHERN MARYLAND.
* WINDS... 15 TO 25 MPH... WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH DURING THE DAY TODAY.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A BLIZZARD WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDS AND POOR VISIBILITIES ARE LIKELY. THIS WILL LEAD TO WHITEOUT CONDITIONS... MAKING TRAVEL EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. DO NOT TRAVEL. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL... HAVE A WINTER SURVIVAL KIT WITH YOU. IF YOU GET STRANDED... STAY WITH YOUR VEHICLE.
A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW... SLEET... AND ICE ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.
at 06:42 on December 19th, 2009
http://www.weather.com/multimedia/videoplayer.html?from=email&bcpid=823425597&bclid=877032950&bctid=58149915001
at 07:15 on December 19th, 2009
Delta Airlines has cancelled all inbound and outbound flights into the Washington DC metropolitan area.
at 07:22 on December 19th, 2009
From the WaPo: For retailers, snow would pile on
Blame it on the weather!
at 07:31 on December 19th, 2009
Winter Storm Threatens To Bury "Super Saturday"
at 07:32 on December 19th, 2009
D.C. area hit by massive snowstormfrom The Washington Times stories: News by Sarah Karush ASSOCIATED PRESSUPDATED: WASHINGTON (AP) -- A treacherous, frightful wintry storm slammed the East Coast on Saturday and dumped more than a foot of snow in some areas, hampering travelers and shoppers on the weekend before Christmas. Forecasts called for up to 20 inches of snow across the region, including Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia and reaching up to New York. About 16 inches fell west of Charlottesville, Va., and 8 to 12 inches had already fallen in the nation's capital, the National Weather Service said. Snowplows cleared the runway at Andrews Air Force Base in suburban Washington as President Barack Obama returned
at 07:36 on December 19th, 2009
"....snowmaggedon?"
at 07:45 on December 19th, 2009
Snowmaggedon! Has a nice ring to it don't you think?
at 09:30 on December 19th, 2009
It does......grocery store will be stripped of all essentials within hours!
So will liquor stores!
at 11:53 on December 19th, 2009
You got that right, especially the liquor store part.
at 08:01 on December 19th, 2009
Residents wake up to winter wonderland in metro areafrom The Washington Times stories: News The District, Maryland and Virginia ramped up for a massive snowstorm that could dump up to 16 inches on the area during one of the busiest shopping weekends of the holiday season. While it might be too early for a white Christmas, Bryan Jackson, a meteorologist at the Baltimore/Washington forecast office of the U.S. National Weather Service, said the agency was expecting "whiteout" conditions on Saturday. "The roads will be treacherous," Mr. Jackson said Friday. "It is supposed to be the No. 1 shopping day tomorrow, but we encourage people not to go out."
at 09:02 on December 19th, 2009
Interesting article from the Washington Times, here's part of it: "Some lawmakers from warmer climates couldn't resist poking fun at how ill-equipped the city often is for dealing with winter weather."
They mentioned their budget for snow is $6.2 million. Toronto's is $80 million, while Montreal, who gets much more snow, is $136 million.
In comparison, that does sound ill-equipped, doesn't it?
Wonder what a city like Seattle would be?
at 11:54 on December 19th, 2009
Terribly ill-equipped. They don't even have the trucks to do the snow removal. Just the plowing and sanding.
at 12:01 on December 19th, 2009
Major Snowstorm Blankets US CapitalForecasters say snow accumulations could reach 60 centimeters around Washington DC
at 19:50 on December 19th, 2009
Blizzard conditions have closed roads and stranded passengers all along the I-95 East coast corridor. Canceled flights, and the costs of snow removal and salting are not good things. Moreover, retailers will be blaming blizzard condition for poor last minute sales.
Bloomberg: Major Snowstorm Threatens Blizzard for U.S. Northeast
at 19:51 on December 19th, 2009
Storm threatens retailers' last holiday push