polar vortex the sequel

[ponyo]

Heard on NPR this morning. Birmingham got hit with snow/ice when they weren't expecting any. Someone was interviewed at a gas station. They had driven 1 mile in 7 HOURS and had to get gas.

Yeah, when I move back to a warm weather state, I'm calling in sick/emergency vacation if it's snowing.

I'm in metro Atlanta. There are still thousands people stuck in their car on the interstates this morning from yesterday. I'm talking people stuck 15-16 hours and counting in gridlock trying to make it home. Traffic is still at standstill. This is unbelievable and I've never seen anything like it in my life. My brother-in-law made it home at 2 am. He was one of the lucky ones. My neighbor abandoned his car and walked home.

 

[ViRGE]

I'm in metro Atlanta. There are still thousands people stuck in their car on the interstates this morning from yesterday. I'm talking people stuck 15-16 hours and counting in gridlock trying to make it home. Traffic is still at standstill. This is unbelievable and I've never seen anything like it in my life. My brother-in-law made it home at 2 am. He was one of the lucky ones. My neighbor abandoned his car and walked home.

I understand Atlanta doesn't have a lot of snow clearing gear nor experience driving in the snow. But still... Sweet zombie jesus.

 

[MiniDoom]

I love this weather. it's not often we get to play pond hockey on the c&o canal in DC.

 

[sdifox]

I'm in metro Atlanta. There are still thousands people stuck in their car on the interstates this morning from yesterday. I'm talking people stuck 15-16 hours and counting in gridlock trying to make it home. Traffic is still at standstill. This is unbelievable and I've never seen anything like it in my life. My brother-in-law made it home at 2 am. He was one of the lucky ones. My neighbor abandoned his car and walked home.

I guess Atlanta doesn't have sand either? I can understand not having salt, but what the hell, you knew snow was coming, they should have sanded the road!

 

[Nintendesert]

I understand Atlanta doesn't have a lot of snow clearing gear nor experience driving in the snow. But still... Sweet zombie jesus.

The issue is it only takes one asshole that can't drive and fucks everyone else behind them.

 

[ponyo]

I guess Atlanta doesn't have sand either? I can understand not having salt, but what the hell, you knew snow was coming, they should have sanded the road!

It was supposed to miss Atlanta or at most lightly dust it. That's why schools and businesses were open.

 

[Nintendesert]

I guess Atlanta doesn't have sand either? I can understand not having salt, but what the hell, you knew snow was coming, they should have sanded the road!

With what? I'm betting they don't have the trucks and equipment to drop sand either.

 

[sdifox]

It was supposed to miss Atlanta or at most lightly dust it. That's why schools and businesses were open.

That is unfortunate.

 

[Anubis]

With what? I'm betting they don't have the trucks and equipment to drop sand either.

this is prob correct

heck my brother lives in Reno and they have like 1 truck, they get snow pretty often actually and its always a mess out there when it happens, they just let it melt 90% of the time

 

[Mixolydian]

The temperature is 9°F right now...feels like a heat wave!

 

[sdifox]

With what? I'm betting they don't have the trucks and equipment to drop sand either.

dump truck + shovels.

 

[Nintendesert]

this is prob correct

heck my brother lives in Reno and they have like 1 truck, they get snow pretty often actually and its always a mess out there when it happens, they just let it melt 90% of the time

This is Atlanta too, if there were any trucks they've long been lifted, had big tires put on and are rolling around in the mud somewhere.

 

[Red Storm]

I understand Atlanta doesn't have a lot of snow clearing gear nor experience driving in the snow. But still... Sweet zombie jesus.

Same thing happened in DC last year and we even had the gear. It took me 2 hours to get 5 miles away from work, I said fuck that and spent another 2 hours going back, left my car there and took metro to a relative's house. Eventually got home 2 days later.

 

[Chaotic42]

A friend was making fun of how unprepared we were down here. I'd liken it to a brutal summer in New England where the power infrastructure can't handle the air conditioning load and the power goes out. It's just not something we're used to. It will be interesting to see how rare this storm was. 1-in-25 year? 50? 100? I've never seen it this cold and this icy for this long.

 

[Wreckem]

I'm in metro Atlanta. There are still thousands people stuck in their car on the interstates this morning from yesterday. I'm talking people stuck 15-16 hours and counting in gridlock trying to make it home. Traffic is still at standstill. This is unbelievable and I've never seen anything like it in my life. My brother-in-law made it home at 2 am. He was one of the lucky ones. My neighbor abandoned his car and walked home.

Sounds like what happened on I35 in the DFW area during Polar Vortex Rd. 1. Cars were stuck on I35 for two days.

Its all because of poor planning ahead by both the people on the road and the local govt.

Fortunately the air has been extremely dry these past two rounds or there would have been more stupidity here.

 

[Wreckem]

A friend was making fun of how unprepared we were down here. I'd liken it to a brutal summer in New England where the power infrastructure can't handle the air conditioning load and the power goes out. It's just not something we're used to. It will be interesting to see how rare this storm was. 1-in-25 year? 50? 100? I've never seen it this cold and this icy for this long.

Texas has been on the brink of rolling black outs three times this month which is an extreme rarity in winter. Fortunately while demand has come close to outstripping supply, it has not done so.

 

[Ichinisan]

It will be interesting to see how rare this storm was. 1-in-25 year? 50? 100? I've never seen it this cold and this icy for this long.

I remember getting a lot more snow in GA back in '89 or '90.

 

[purbeast0]

I love this weather. it's not often we get to play pond hockey on the c&o canal in DC.

where along the c&o is that? i go fishing a lot in the c&o but mainly do it more in the potomac right next to it. but there are some honey holes in the canal, although the past couple years it hasn't been as good.

 

[MiniDoom]

where along the c&o is that? i go fishing a lot in the c&o but mainly do it more in the potomac right next to it. but there are some honey holes in the canal, although the past couple years it hasn't been as good.

at the chain bridge. there was someone there, I think they're in the pic who was ice fishing.

 

[purbeast0]

at the chain bridge. there was someone there, I think they're in the pic who was ice fishing.

ah okay i go more north of that in md down river road.

 

[ViRGE]

I guess Atlanta doesn't have sand either? I can understand not having salt, but what the hell, you knew snow was coming, they should have sanded the road!

You can't sand the road until after it snows though, right? So by then it would have been too late, as the gridlock started immediately afterwards from what I understand.

 

[sdifox]

You can't sand the road until after it snows though, right? So by then it would have been too late, as the gridlock started immediately afterwards from what I understand.

you can sand before hand. The purpose is to create some separation between the road surface and the snow which will turn into ice.


I left the snow on my driveway when I heard freezing rain was coming. Otherwise I would have to lace up to get off my driveway.

 

[Chaotic42]

I remember getting a lot more snow in GA back in '89 or '90.

I can't remember anything like this here.

 

[rstove02]

I prefer the term "Bipolar Vortex" instead of "Polar Vortex The Sequel".

 

[vi edit]

It's going to be threes company over the weekend. Another blast scheduled for Sunday...-15 prediction again.

Bleh.