Posible blizzard coming to Massachusetts and surrounding states

[DJ54]

We were geared to handle a 12 to 15" snow here in Central Ohio, if it came pretty well straight down. Getting a 70 mph wind pushing it, it's a different story. Anything more, every county had a V-plow that mounted on a decent sized grader w/chains. Problem here is many old roads that have cuts through knolls 10' - 12' deep, and most run north and south, so in a good snow, they get blown full.

In the early 90's ODOT beancounters decided we did not need V-plows anymore, downsized graders to small John deere units, and sold all of the tire chains, because we now have all radial tires on the trucks..., which may be fine and dandy in the perfect world.

But since then, they have made up lists from local stone quarry's, and gravel pits with large front end loaders to open roads if needed.

And forgot to mention, in '78, the rain came so hard, and temps dropped so quick, we had ice on roads in spots 6" to 8" thick, because of culverts half plugged from trash, flooded the road, and froze.

The good part was, smaller communities came closer together. As others mentiond, snowmobiles helped local FD's getting people out if needed, or checked on people to see if they had food, or needed anything.

I'm sure there will be some interesting stories come out of this, when it's said and done.

 

[radioman]

it hasnt hit here yet - just a light flurries right now ...

 

[Brimfield]

Yeah, as I recall it wasn't much fun... 70 mph winds, road signs literally being ripped from the posts, because of the aluminum bolts attaching them let go. Probably had a dozen of them blow off, and across in front of me. And one of those like 10' X 10' steel yard buildings come tumbling across in front of me, out of a mobile home park, across a 4 lane highway. Airborne enough to clear the right-of-way fence, then hit the ground on the far side median berm. Kinda' rolled into a ball, and on across in front of me, and off into the ditch. And.., while driving Ford F-600 gas engine trucks with front mount distributors that were known to drown out, when they would just "smell" rain, LOL... We modified them by making covers out of used inner tubes to cover the caps and wires.

Word of warning to you guys with diesel engines, if out in the blowing snow... Air filters can plug up pretty quick too..!!

The first 24 - 36 hours was searching for stranded motorists, escorting a cruiser full of Ohio Highway Patrolmen and pushing/dragging cars off the road that had been abandoned.

A lot of people died in that blizzard, literally freezing to death, whether in their vehicle when it stopped, ran out of gas, whatever, and others trying to help someone else... Some not found, until the snow melted weeks later. So you'll have to forgive me for not sharing your entheusiasm.

Here is another pic of a semi that had been blown off the road by the 70 mph. cross winds he had encountered...
View attachment 301803

I agree this kind of storm is going to do allot of damage so I see no reason to celebrate. I have a Kubota L 3800 with loader and a3/4 ton Silverado ext cab with v bar chains and 800 lbs ballast. Put the chains on yesterday remembering what a "JOY" it is doing this in snow with winds. This was supposed to drive the storm away and leave me Here in Mass with nothing but I am in the 24+ club

 

[BuzzardA91]

Just started snowing now. It's 26 degrees and the wind just started to barely move the trees. The local forecast says 24-26" and one model says in excess of 34". I never had any interest in a cab but this may change my mind.

I have plenty of fuel, generator, and food. Time to do some inside projects. Will be interesting.

Good luck all. :drink:

 

[crashz]

I live in Lowell and I'm currently working in Portsmouth NH, both of which are going to be hammered today int 24+ zone. Not to crazy about driving home and getting back here tomorrow morning. But we have tight schedule and the contractor wants to work. Ugh.

 

[varmint]

This is a little off the present storm-topic, but I recall that during the blizzard of '77/'78 I was in North Central Indiana. We got maybe 30" of snow, and the winds did their worst. The county roads there all run N/S and E/W, on 1 mile grids, but the where the county ends and another one begins, there's often a jog in the N/S roads to accommodate the earth's shrinking curvature. The drifts, especially on the N/S roads, were over 8-10' in some places. They had plowed out using big loaders, up to the last farmer's lane at the end of the county, and quit. Just a wall of snow. Somewhere down the road, the next county had done the same thing. It was like a rat maze of vertical walled snow, and only about 10' wide, so meeting someone meant one driver had to back up, find a farmer's lane to back into until the other driver got past. Real adventure!

 

[RFB]

I have to go with grsthegreat on this.

I have about 2 decades of experience from the Poconos, mid-atlantic and New England area including Maine. We have been out west for much longer, and our regular winters never generate anything other than "ho hum, another coupla feet of snow". We will go 3-4 weeks at a time never cresting 10f, roads (main US highway) snowpacked and ice covered, power out for 4 days, and it is just business as usual.

I am not insensitive to the problems, my father died in the 78 storm. What I have seen (and this is not meant in a pejorative sense, just as an onservation) is that the more urban/suburban the lifestyle, the more dependent upon infrastructure the populace becomes. Yes, we all have a ceratain level of dependence, but in these environs many folks normally (not as a "prepper" type, just everday living) have their own water source, their own emergency power, multiple levels of equipment, lots of food and fuel of all kinds, and a 2 foot snowfall is just another day.

 

[RFB]

In 2007 the snow drifted 6 feet deep on the road from my house to the highway. All the neigbors just broke out the snowmobiles to go from house to house to check on others while I punched the road open. That's another item; snowmobiles. Everyones got at least one, and its very common to have them running all over (even on the roads) until the highway is cleared..

 

[bcp]

I remember growing up that we got much bigger storms more frequently.

When I was a little kid, the snow was knee deep. Now it comes only halfway to my knees. Must be global warming.

Bruce

 

[DJ54]

And back then, we still heated with coal, so no problems with heat. Also had a generator to run the well, and keep freezer's and fridge going. We raised our own beef, had a 1/2 acre garden, that Mom canned, and froze a lot of items. They brought several neighbors in... Watched TV, and pigged out...

**
When I was a little kid, the snow was knee deep. Now it comes only halfway to my knees. Must be global warming.

Bruce **

LOL..., I liked that...