Snow storm slams East Coast, knocks out power : (
#1
12-19-2009, 11:48 AM
Snow storm slams East Coast, knocks out power : (
Snow storm slams East Coast, knocks out power 
Hope our MCF Member's in the affected area are safe & warm...
Ho ~HO OH Zhit : ) Had 2 much 2 Drink I think...Maybe : ) ?
Play Video ABC News – Flight Cancellations
AP – Dennis Mayes uses a power driven sweeper to move the snow from in front of the Vietnam War Veterans National …
By SARAH KARUSH, Associated Press Writer Sarah Karush, Associated Press Writer – 27 mins ago
WASHINGTON – A winter storm socked the East Coast on Saturday and dumped more than a foot of snow in some areas, creating treacherous conditions and misery for motorists on the weekend before Christmas.
Officials urged residents to stay indoors, and many heeded the warning. Stores and malls usually bustling with shoppers were nearly deserted in some areas. Airports canceled flights or were operating with excessive delays. Drivers abandoned their cars as roads and highways became slick, and at times, impassable.
Forecasts called for up to 20 inches of snow across the region and a blizzard warning was in effect for the nation's capital, which was virtually a sea of white. Tens of thousands of power outages were reported across the region.
Snowplows cleared the runway at Andrews Air Force Base in suburban Washington as President Barack Obama returned from climate talks in Copenhagen. The White House said Obama rode in a motorcade back to the White House, instead of taking his helicopter, because of the conditions.
In western Virginia, officials said several hundred motorists became stranded and had to be rescued by four-wheeled vehicles and Humvees driven by the National Guard. About 100 people were taken to shelters in two counties, said Virginia Department of Emergency Management spokesman Bob Spieldenner.
"Some folks have decided to stay in vehicles, others have been taken to shelters," Spieldenner said. "We're definitely trying to keep people off the roads."
Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said traffic was moving, though slowly. There were reports of jackknifed tractor-trailers and some semis on their sides. One fatality was reported and troopers had responded to more than 1,500 accidents statewide.
"It's looks probably a lot worse than it is," she said.
At Crump's old country store at the intersection of two country roads outside Richmond, Va., owner Suzanne Rudd stood with a man dressed in a Santa costume and waved to the few motorists who dared to venture out. Rudd said only six children had come by so far.
"Normally we'd have a long line here but people are having a hard time getting out," Rudd said. Washington Mayor Adrian Fenty had declared a snow emergency for the city and forecasters said the conditions could worsen. All of the Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo were closed.
"It's going to be an all day thing. It's going to be on and off," said National Weather Service meteorologist Kevin Witt in Sterling, Va.
Philadelphia also declared a snow emergency and the school district canceled all weekend activities. Governors in West Virginia and Virginia also declared states of emergency.
Most of the flights at Reagan National Airport and Dulles International Airport had been canceled.
"It's going to be very challenging for people who weren't able to get out today to rebook on flights this week," said Tara Hamilton, a spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.
Joy Rood, 20, played solitaire as she waited at Reagan for a flight to visit family in Los Angeles with her husband, who was asleep at a table outside an airport cafe.
"We had a canceled flight at Dulles at 6 yesterday because the plane had difficulties," she said. "So they cabbed us over here to — uh, what airport am I at?"
Forecasters said the storm system was expected to generate winds up to 35 miles per hour, which could cause near-whiteout conditions. It could be the most snow in the nation's capital since a February 2003 storm dumped nearly 27 inches at Baltimore-Washington International Airport.
At a Walmart in the Richmond, Va., area, Nnika White took advantage of the mostly desolate store, buying a drum set for her 2 1/2 year son. White, dressed in a toboggan, scarf and flannel-like jacket, said she works long hours at the law firm she owns and doesn't get much time to shop.
"It's nice because no one's here. For shopping, it's great, but the roads are very, very bad," she said.
Snow, ice and freezing rain also hit western North Carolina on Friday, knocking out power to almost 60,000 customers around the Asheville area.
After a warm start to the ski season that delayed openings of many resorts, the storm arrived just in time for West Virginia, dumping more than 20 inches on some slopes, said Joe Stevens, a spokesman for the area's ski association.
"These are midseason conditions," he said. "The storm couldn't have come at a better time."
Highway crews in Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia were spraying brine on heavily traveled roads to help prevent snow and ice from sticking.
The storm came from the Gulf and drenched South Florida with rain starting late Thursday, leaving flooded homes and stranded drivers.
___ Associated Press writers Dena Potter in Chesterfield, Va., Jacob Jordan in Atlanta, and photographer Jacquelyn Martin in Washington contributed to this report.
More on Weather
Let us know `ok...Wish you SunShine 4-Sure...
Hope our MCF Member's in the affected area are safe & warm...Ho ~HO OH Zhit : ) Had 2 much 2 Drink I think...Maybe : ) ?
Play Video ABC News – Flight Cancellations 
Slideshow:Atlantic Coast Storm
Play Video Video:Raw Video: White House blanketed in snow AP
Play Video Weather Forecast Video:National Forecast weather.com
AP – Dennis Mayes uses a power driven sweeper to move the snow from in front of the Vietnam War Veterans National … By SARAH KARUSH, Associated Press Writer Sarah Karush, Associated Press Writer – 27 mins ago
WASHINGTON – A winter storm socked the East Coast on Saturday and dumped more than a foot of snow in some areas, creating treacherous conditions and misery for motorists on the weekend before Christmas.
Officials urged residents to stay indoors, and many heeded the warning. Stores and malls usually bustling with shoppers were nearly deserted in some areas. Airports canceled flights or were operating with excessive delays. Drivers abandoned their cars as roads and highways became slick, and at times, impassable.
Forecasts called for up to 20 inches of snow across the region and a blizzard warning was in effect for the nation's capital, which was virtually a sea of white. Tens of thousands of power outages were reported across the region.
Snowplows cleared the runway at Andrews Air Force Base in suburban Washington as President Barack Obama returned from climate talks in Copenhagen. The White House said Obama rode in a motorcade back to the White House, instead of taking his helicopter, because of the conditions.
In western Virginia, officials said several hundred motorists became stranded and had to be rescued by four-wheeled vehicles and Humvees driven by the National Guard. About 100 people were taken to shelters in two counties, said Virginia Department of Emergency Management spokesman Bob Spieldenner.
"Some folks have decided to stay in vehicles, others have been taken to shelters," Spieldenner said. "We're definitely trying to keep people off the roads."
Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said traffic was moving, though slowly. There were reports of jackknifed tractor-trailers and some semis on their sides. One fatality was reported and troopers had responded to more than 1,500 accidents statewide.
"It's looks probably a lot worse than it is," she said.
At Crump's old country store at the intersection of two country roads outside Richmond, Va., owner Suzanne Rudd stood with a man dressed in a Santa costume and waved to the few motorists who dared to venture out. Rudd said only six children had come by so far.
"Normally we'd have a long line here but people are having a hard time getting out," Rudd said. Washington Mayor Adrian Fenty had declared a snow emergency for the city and forecasters said the conditions could worsen. All of the Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo were closed.
"It's going to be an all day thing. It's going to be on and off," said National Weather Service meteorologist Kevin Witt in Sterling, Va.
Philadelphia also declared a snow emergency and the school district canceled all weekend activities. Governors in West Virginia and Virginia also declared states of emergency.
Most of the flights at Reagan National Airport and Dulles International Airport had been canceled.
"It's going to be very challenging for people who weren't able to get out today to rebook on flights this week," said Tara Hamilton, a spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.
Joy Rood, 20, played solitaire as she waited at Reagan for a flight to visit family in Los Angeles with her husband, who was asleep at a table outside an airport cafe.
"We had a canceled flight at Dulles at 6 yesterday because the plane had difficulties," she said. "So they cabbed us over here to — uh, what airport am I at?"
Forecasters said the storm system was expected to generate winds up to 35 miles per hour, which could cause near-whiteout conditions. It could be the most snow in the nation's capital since a February 2003 storm dumped nearly 27 inches at Baltimore-Washington International Airport.
At a Walmart in the Richmond, Va., area, Nnika White took advantage of the mostly desolate store, buying a drum set for her 2 1/2 year son. White, dressed in a toboggan, scarf and flannel-like jacket, said she works long hours at the law firm she owns and doesn't get much time to shop.
"It's nice because no one's here. For shopping, it's great, but the roads are very, very bad," she said.
Snow, ice and freezing rain also hit western North Carolina on Friday, knocking out power to almost 60,000 customers around the Asheville area.
After a warm start to the ski season that delayed openings of many resorts, the storm arrived just in time for West Virginia, dumping more than 20 inches on some slopes, said Joe Stevens, a spokesman for the area's ski association.
"These are midseason conditions," he said. "The storm couldn't have come at a better time."
Highway crews in Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia were spraying brine on heavily traveled roads to help prevent snow and ice from sticking.
The storm came from the Gulf and drenched South Florida with rain starting late Thursday, leaving flooded homes and stranded drivers.
___ Associated Press writers Dena Potter in Chesterfield, Va., Jacob Jordan in Atlanta, and photographer Jacquelyn Martin in Washington contributed to this report.
More on Weather
- Eastern US struggles in snowy wonderland AFP
- East Coast hammered by severe Winter storm Reuters
- The nation's weather AP
Let us know `ok...Wish you SunShine 4-Sure...
Last edited by Space; 12-19-2009 at 11:56 AM.
#2
12-19-2009, 11:53 AM
#4
12-19-2009, 11:57 AM
Hey Space, the snow began at 9pm last night and its still going on.. so far we're at 2 feet of snow , 2 FEET!
We have had this much snow in years, i went out around 10 , my Monte did better than trucks on the road , i am very surprised.
Now 20 minutes ago i couldn't get out because the snow has built up even more and the road haven't been cleaned since about 9 am.
I hope everybody else is doing okay.
We have had this much snow in years, i went out around 10 , my Monte did better than trucks on the road , i am very surprised.
Now 20 minutes ago i couldn't get out because the snow has built up even more and the road haven't been cleaned since about 9 am.
I hope everybody else is doing okay.
#5
12-19-2009, 12:06 PM
...It's great 2 read that the Monte Carlo is good in the snow. I can only imagine what it must be like. I hope the power stays on....We get a lot of power outages during our tropical storms & hurricane season & have 2 go without air conditioning, but in the cold it has to be difficult 4-Sure.Hope everyone stays warm and safe `if they have to get out on their highways of `life...
If you can't get `out, you can start reading all the posts on the MCF
lol 
or make some crazy post like that weird Kid from `Space....Be Safe/Happy & EnJoy the season....
Keep us updated on your weather.....
Peace/Out the `Kid
#6
12-19-2009, 12:26 PM
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Bushkill, PA
Posts: 3,279
just some flurries so far.... kinda weird for up here, but im sure imma live to regret saying that, haha. thank god, our power gets knocked out at the slightist mention of any weather condition... heck, it cuts out on clear sunny days !
#8
12-19-2009, 01:29 PM
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 11,978
ryan, it's on it's way! here in pittsburgh we have about 3-4 inches, my monte is now a white snowball in the driveway!! roads are clear and it quit snowing, i'll go out a little later and clean off the monte and go for a drive!!
#9
12-19-2009, 05:19 PM
I heard, sounds like y'all are getting caught up on snow. I've been enjoying the positive temps here in Wyoming for the first time in a week or two. Heck, our ~16" of snow from last week is almost thinking about melting.
I love when we get the decent weather.
I love when we get the decent weather.
