Railroadman

Just thought it would be appropriate to extend thoughts and support to those members in Texas (and other affected states) with all they are going through. A severe storm like that is bad even on us Yankees who deal with winter weather often. When it hits areas not used to seeing that stuff, it has to be brutal. Hang in there guys (and gals)!

I don't know how someone like myself can help from 1600+ miles away but let us know on here if we can be useful somehow. Stay safe!

leif.anderson93

Don,
We just had power restored after being without for over 38 hours. Actual temp yesterday morning 4*, wind chill -15*. Your post was one of the first I read after power came back on and the house began to warm up from 45* (inside). Thankfully, we have a fireplace and that's where we slept last night...in front of a roaring fire. We're expecting another ice/snow event overnight into tomorrow. I was born and raised in Rhode Island and, candidly, this crap is the main reason I moved away from there 53 years ago. If we can survive the next 72 hours, we'll be back in our normal (for this time of year) 60* temps.
Thank you for your concern. 4.4 million Texans without power as of an hour ago. 330,000 here in Dallas County alone.

Railroadman

Leif, glad you are surviving so far, hang in there! Last night I heard from Chris (Elwood13) and they had not been affected by the power outages yet. I'm sure some of our folks are without power and thus unable to get on here - plus dealing with higher priorities, understandably. But hopefully we'll have more checking in.

mikelj

The solution?

65hihp

Fellow from Rochester NY offering help to Texans with freezing issues. You can't make it up.
A little fossil fuel energy powered heat would really be appreciated right now by multiple millions of people in half the country I think.
Death by freezing is definitely an existential threat.
Good luck Texans. I feel for you. We've had ours, but I hesitate to mention it in light of the temps your living through (I hope) right now.

67*427

We're northwest of Houston and it was 5.7 degrees here this morning. Power has been cycling on and off. We're one of the lucky ones with a whole house generator and it's been working! The water went off last night along with the power and the gas company sent an email asking people to conserve natural gas so we don't lose that. I think we're through the worst now. It's up to 25 degrees here so that feels pretty good!

Thought you'd like some pics! The little flag FROZE in that position in the wind when this all started.

No outside eating today....

There's a corvette in there somewhere!

Steve

Redbird

We have had a couple rolling blackouts in this 100% green city. Bring back the fossil fuels! A neighbor from the other side of our subdivision did stop by yesterday. His jacked up golf cart got all four of us out to his house for a beer.

deejaydu

Same brutal weather and power outages here 35 miles South of Downtown Houston. 10 degrees this morning here. Just got power back. It's been out since Sunday night midnight. Pipes frozen and trying to thaw them now. Who knows what that is going to lead to.

Thanks for all of your thoughts and offers to help.

Jay

65hihp

Yee Haw! That's the Texas spirit! Hang in there y'all!

Bluestripe67

Went through this several years back, no power no everything else. Found a hotel downtown DC for 4 days. I understand the Texas issues. Wishing you all the best for better. Dennis

68hemi

Good luck to all effected.

It is always hard when an area gets weather that is unusual for their part of the country.

I know from experience that a few inches of snow in the Phoenix valley area brings it to a stand still. Was not a problem for me having grown up in the snow belt but still stayed off the roads and out of the way of those that didn’t know how to drive in it.

walleyfisher

Two words for the "wise" ........BlackBerry Brandy....warms up the tootsies when its cold outside

Todd H.

I have a friend in Cypress TX (Houston area) that says his power is still off. 50's in his house and falling. And they have a winter storm warning that begins at 6 tonight, mainly for a freezing rain event.

Here in the north we're used to this crap and our power plants can take it. IF the main problem for Texas is those frozen wind generators, a major vulnerability has been revealed.

I hope all of you friends in the great state of Texas get through this with no damage!

pop23235

Power production designed by politicians with sociology or political science degrees rather than real engineering degrees .

old60c1

bbxlr8

Beautiful house & garage (even in the snow!)

Ironically - I am headed out right now to plow the melting 4' piles from in front of my extra garage before the additional 8" expected in a day
It's 40' & sunny now here in PA - weird weather!!

jim lockwood

Holy crap! Is that de-icing for real?

Todd H.

I have a new favorite winter poem. -36 here this morning.

jim lockwood

And this is the crux of the matter.

Where I live in the Sierra Nevada such weather is common. Snow measured in feet isn't unusual. Neither are power outages and everyone around here is prepared to deal with both.

But if you live where such weather and such conditions are the exception rather than the rule, such an event amounts to a very real crisis.

I feel for those affected.

Six7390gt

Best wishes to all that are affected by the extreme cold - hotter days are coming.

Ode to Texas:

The devil wanted a place on earth

Sort of a summer home

A place to spend his vacation

Whenever he wanted to roam.


So he picked out Texas

A place both wretched and rough

Where the climate was to his liking

And the cowboys hardened and tough.



He dried up the streams in the canyons

And ordered no rain to fall

He dried up the lakes in the valleys

Then baked and scorched it all.



Then over his barren country

He transplanted shrubs from hell.

The cactus, thistle and prickly pear

The climate suited them well.



Now the home was much to his liking

But animal life, he had none.

So he created crawling creatures

That all mankind would shun.



First he made the rattlesnake

With it's forked poisonous tongue.

Taught it to strike and rattle

And how to swallow it's young.



Then he made scorpions and lizards

And the ugly old horned toad.

He placed spiders of every description

Under rocks by the side of the road.



Then he ordered the sun to shine hotter,

Hotter and hotter still.

Until even the cactus wilted

And the old horned lizard took ill.



Then he gazed on his earthly kingdom

As any creator would

He chuckled a little up his sleeve

And admitted that it was good.


'Twas summer now and Satan lay

By a prickly pear to rest.

The sweat rolled off his swarthy brow

So he took off his coat and vest.


"By Golly," he finally panted,

"I did my job too well,

I'm going back to where I came from,

'Cuz Texas is hotter than Hell."