2013-2014 North American Winter - Report Here

I just moved to the northern panhandle of WV on December 3rd, after 37 years of being a Texan. It's sixteen degrees outside today and we have about 6 inches of snow on the ground (I had never seen snow before!). I can't remember ever being this cold! Unfortunately, all the locals say that this is nothing compared to what is coming later in January and February, so I guess it is pretty normal for this area.

reply to post by chiefsmom

After that horribly mild winter a couple of years ago....this is gonna be one for the books in the opposite direction.
First the horrible winds that knocked out power to tens of thousands in Michigan.
Then just before Christmas, parts of mid-Michigan got a LOT of ice and tens and tens of thousands were without power.

We got about 4 inches of snow around here, and it was cold, but not nearly as cold as many other places: it was ZERO this morning.
Now we are forecast to get 7-12 more inches of snow....and following that on Monday colder temps than we have had for the last 20 years.....and it's still the beginning of January.
From what I remember about the NOAA winter forecast.....well...it isn't very accurate

Just back after some chaos here on the island.

40cm fell overnight in a blizzard, trapped people inside their homes as it fell on the already frozen 200cm of snow we had. Most of the island has been losing power in rolling blackouts to make sure we don't fry the grid. It looks like Antarctica outside over here.

Damn weather man was actually right for our area this time. A foot of snow yesterday. Now 35 mile an hour winds, with the temp diving to below zero, suppose to be -40F tonight.
Looks like we are going to be sent home early from work, so that's good. Haven't seen my hubby much since 3 am Sunday. He's out plowing.
And he still hasn't bought the battery for the snowmobile.

Here in Southwest Michigan the lake effect is kicking in big time. Hard to tell how much snow because of the wind. Probably 2 feet on the level and another foot on the way. Everything is closed except where I work but I didn't go in. A guy called and wanted me to pick him up on the way because he didn't want to drive. I told him to call again tomorrow and I would think about it then "But you have a new 4 wheel drive" and the governor said stay off the roads.

We'll survive just hope FEMA shows up pretty soon and plows the drive

reply to post by mikell


I was very disappointed that my road was plowed, when none of the other backroads are. But that's the price you pay when your neighbor works for the road commission, and his parents and sister also live on the road.

I'm in FL on the east coast. It is about 68F out right now and windy. It is suppose to drop drastically throughout out the day and tomorrow our high is going to be around 43F.

It has been cold one day and hot the next here for over a week. I'm over it. I wish FL would decide what climate it wants. Saturday it was freezing here. You needed winter clothing, which lets face most Floridians don't own, and then yesterday it was hot and we had a cookout. Today is nice and windy and it has started to spit rain a little bit.

I am honestly looking forward to tomorrow. I love the cold and winter but we don't get much of either here. It can get really depressing with the same climate year round here. It's either hot or very hot. No real season change here. I'd love to see snow and the leaves change and feel the seasons. Here you just don't get it.

I hope it snows tomorrow. I know wishful thinking but I will do a snow dance to the climate gods and wait.

To all of you in the beyond freezing weather, stay SAFE AND WARM!! Please bring your pets inside. There is a cat outside that has been trying to get into my apt. I think it's someone's pet they left outside while they went away. I am going to look for that cat tonight and bring it inside if it is still hiding on my porch. I can't bear to see an animal suffer in this cold esp if they are someones pet. SO please don't leave your cats or any other animal in this weather!

It is so cold here today that a wren braved the unknown of our house.

We were all sitting here in our living room, staying warm when a small wren suddenly came flitting across the curtain rods and bookcases. We got it shut into our tiny bathroom and I caught it in my large, fine mesh aquarium net and gently held it in my fist and released it back outside where it immediately flew off.

We discovered that bit of loose board on our basement door had fallen aside just enough to let it squeeze in. That's when you know it's cold - when wild animals are willing to come into a house to get out of the cold.

reply to post by mblahnikluver


High of 43 huh? Our high today is -9 with a -43 wind chill.

Hellinois has frozen over!

PNW here and it's actually sunny, no ice this morning and currently about 42F, so nothing to complain about. BIg concern here is that we seem to be having a dry spell - the snowpack is well below normal, does not bode well for the summer. Hang tough Midwest (just like the old days, 'eh?) at least, so my grandparents would tell me.

Another Alaskan checking in, it's right about 32 degrees here and the sun is shining. We got just a bit of snow over the weekend. It actually rained last week so the little bit of snow was good to cover over the ice a bit.

It sounds as if our winter weather has been pushed south and east this year. This is what happens when the jet stream gets pushed off. It typically happens about once or twice a year, but it's a bit odd to see how drastic things have become for everyone down south.
I hope everyone stays safe and warm down there this winter!

reply to post by Kitora


The heater at my house has been broken since about 4:30am this morning... its never ever broken down before, and now we don't know when it can be fixed. Its taking me quite a long time to type this because it's so damn cold in here. I live near Chicago, and the snow lasted all night, but today just blew around in instantly-freeze-your-skin gusts. There were about 4 cars at the gas station hooked up to jumper cables... Coldest temperatures I have felt in my life, simply put.

reply to post by Aqualung2012


I'm three hours south of Chicago, if ya need help getting the heat back on, PM me your pnone number. It's waaaay to cold for no heat!

mblahnikluver
I'm in FL on the east coast. It is about 68F out right now and windy. It is suppose to drop drastically throughout out the day and tomorrow our high is going to be around 43F.

It has been cold one day and hot the next here for over a week. I'm over it. I wish FL would decide what climate it wants. Saturday it was freezing here. You needed winter clothing, which lets face most Floridians don't own, and then yesterday it was hot and we had a cookout. Today is nice and windy and it has started to spit rain a little bit.

I am honestly looking forward to tomorrow. I love the cold and winter but we don't get much of either here. It can get really depressing with the same climate year round here. It's either hot or very hot. No real season change here. I'd love to see snow and the leaves change and feel the seasons. Here you just don't get it.

West coaster here, and I completely feel you on the fast cycling bi-polar state this is in the winter. It was 84 degrees the other day here, today was about 69. I'll take the winter cold snaps, as much of a roller coast as it is. If FL was to be equated to a human in the summer, I'd say it's like Naomi Campbell on a rage binge, the heat & humidity feels like an undeserved punishment

It's supposed to be about 31* in the morning, I'm planning on going out for a long walk in it to relish this weather while I can. The "step outside" test in the morning will determine if I need long pants & long sleeves as opposed to shorts and a tank (I can tolerate a good clip of cold easily)

When I was home for Christmas in Labrador the temperature dropped down to -55 C for a few days.
In New Brunswick today it was 8 degrees and there was a lot of melting, tonight it is dropping back down to -26 and there is a flash freeze warning.

Wisconsin checking in...........COLD. So cold the the dogs do not even want to go for walks..........FREEZING is a better term.



How do the Canadians and Russians do this every year? They are saying the wind chill is -30 to -50.

Weird to read about all this cold when my own town in Australia has been up to 110 degrees in the last few days,yesterday we had a 25000 strike thunderstorm the likes of which I haven't seen since the early 1970's,wild weather has flooded the UK as wild waves pound both sides of the Atlantic when this jetstream hits the UK in a few days it will be a frozen mess.

woodsmom
Another Alaskan checking in, it's right about 32 degrees here and the sun is shining. We got just a bit of snow over the weekend. It actually rained last week so the little bit of snow was good to cover over the ice a bit.

It sounds as if our winter weather has been pushed south and east this year. This is what happens when the jet stream gets pushed off. It typically happens about once or twice a year, but it's a bit odd to see how drastic things have become for everyone down south.
I hope everyone stays safe and warm down there this winter!

I hope that means we get a nice hot summer. We haven't really had a nice one for a few years now.

reply to post by SubTruth


Canadians (if from the prairies) just get used to it, Russians embrace it.

When it's really cold all winter it's much better than if it warms up too often. If we're going to have winter, I'd rather it just stayed below -20C so that the roads don't get all slippery. Saskatchewan has perfect winter weather. As long as you have a good wood stove, and good house insulation, all is good.

I like that the massive amounts of snow replenish our water sources.
I hate having only a three month garden growing season

Another Michigander pretending to be a weatherman - I was stranded more or less in Macomb County Sunday & Monday (stayed at a friend's house).

Sunday just kept snowing - There was a good solid inch or so when I went to bed on Saturday night, and then it really picked up between 2:00pm and 10:00pm. I was so glad that I didn't have to drive anywhere, as I fought the crowds buying last minute supplies on Saturday the 4th.

As for today (Monday), it wasn't so much the snow, but the fact that the ploughs missed some parts of Macomb County completely - I mean, it's one thing to skip over the suburbs but the ploughs over here won't go one inch over the county/city line. I don't get it - Utica was cleared of snow, Sterling Heights was cleared, heck even Troy was done. Wouldn't it make sense to plough out Shelby Twp, so my friend could get out? His neighborhood looks like a white island.

As for the windchill - I make a quarter-mile trek to help out someone who couldn't shovel her driveway. In addition to 3-4 foot snow drifts in some spots (felt like a little kid again, diving into those), by the time I got back, I found that my pants were not moving (yep, they were completely solid).

-fossilera

PS: Rumor has it by Thursday-Sunday this week, the temps are going to be mid-30's, which is going to seem like paradise compared to tomorrow.