Bomb Cyclone!!!

[TCowner]

The National Weather Service and the local TV forecasters really love to exaggerate these "killer storms" that bear down on us from time to time. There has been a blizzard warning for SE Minnesota since Wednesday night. We got one inch of snow and minimal winds and the work commute Thursday morning was close to normal. Of course all of the schools were closed and every event cancelled to prepare for the storm. I understand the idea of providing some warning but to the degree they hype this is almost embarassing.

A storm hit north central Minnesota several years ago where I nearly spent a day or two stranded in my car when the storm gave us 17" of snow with 70 mph winds. Ladies and gentlemen, that is the definition of a blizzard. Of the course the term "bomb cyclone" was not available at the time.

The winds are expected to pick up today and no doubt that will create some visibility issues. But when we live in the upper midwest and get some snow with wind it doesn't have to be an "armageddon" or "end of days" event.

 

[Alan W.]

We only have about 1.5” of snow. But it is a bit cool.
Cats and dog are curled up on their heated beds.

 

[David Wayne]

+3 an hour ago -3 now heading to -8 they predict. Blowing snow, can't tell how much but not alot.
Predictions started at 5-8 inches and now are at 1-3 and the wind is 25-35. they are no longer saying
60mph gusts. Sure glad I don't have to go out and so far still have power.

 

[oosik]

Way over here on the West edge we have cold. Two mornings ago ..... -6F. It's slowly warming up and by Sat it's supposed to be in the low 30's. Little to no added snow and almost zero wind.

Really nothing out of the ordinary for our area.

 

[mikester]

If you flap your rms up and down real fast the wind chill numbers will get bigger. Post a video and your local news station will put it on TV, it's a slow news day after all.

 

[oosik]

Two problems there mikester. 1) I don't watch the news - too depressing. 2) I'm not going outside and flap anything - too cold for me. I enjoy the inside too much. Enjoy looking at all the white stuff out there.

 

[groundcover]

43F and pouring, wind isn't too bad yet.

 

[Oaktree]

But when we live in the upper midwest and get some snow with wind it doesn't have to be an "armageddon" or "end of days" event.

Ditto for New England. It's not like we aren't used to winter storms, but we get the same warnings about "treacherous" driving and "blizzard" conditions for storms that only produce 6 inches. Hardly even worth clearing the driveway for.

 

[Oaktree]

Yup, other than the cold Temps. Got enough snow to cover most of the grass. Roads and sidewalks have thin layer of ice.

Had to dig out the ice cleats when taking the dog for a walk.

Good move, it's the black ice that gets you. Took a real nasty fall on some a couple years ago...could hardly see that it was ice but man was it slippery!!

 

[K5lwq]

10F here in East Texas. A few flurries is all we got. No accumulation. We did lose power from trees going over in the wind. Unfortunately our house is all electric. I thought I had a good plan to deal with that but it needs refining. We have a 12K generator and I tested running the central heat a few years ago. It would pull it if I turned half of the heat strips off. Well turns out it will only pull it for about 20min then starts to die back.

We did not have any space heaters here so we brave it with blankets. Got down to 38 inside before power was restored. Took us a while to warm up although the house did not take that long. Emergency heat plan underway this morning.