Weather

[Nycturne]

we got downy to 12 degrees here in portland. only a few inches at most of frozen rain. but it has not gotten above 25 since Saturday. we don't clear roads very well here.

Not much better up in Seattle. But I'm somewhat glad it hasn't gotten above freezing yet, as it means the roads are easier to drive/ride on than if they go through melt/freeze cycles like is common in the PNW.

I'm impressed with the heat pump we had installed a couple years ago for the house though. It's been able to keep up with just a bit of help from the gas furnace in the mornings. So as the local energy company that supplies our gas has been telling folks to conserve, especially in the evenings, we've already been barely touching the stuff. Our house could use better insulation though.

 

[MEJHarrison]

we got downy to 12 degrees here in portland. only a few inches at most of frozen rain. but it has not gotten above 25 since Saturday. we don't clear roads very well here.

I got out for a beautiful walk yesterday. I was glad it hadn't started melting yet. I'm also thrilled to be one of those work-from-home people.

 

[Alli]

I got out for a beautiful walk yesterday. I was glad it hadn't started melting yet. I'm also thrilled to be one of those work-from-home people.

I regularly call my son and ask “so how much snow did you get?” Half the time he doesn’t even know it snowed, cause he rarely needs to leave his apartment.

 

[fooferdoggie]

I got out for a beautiful walk yesterday. I was glad it hadn't started melting yet. I'm also thrilled to be one of those work-from-home people.

spent the weened inside. had to walk to a close store when we had 45mph gusts and it was 14 degrees. I had to lean into the wind at a good angle.

 

[Huntn]

No! This is when you leave the pump running. We’re also supposed to get down to 19 tomorrow night despite it having been 70 today.

I missed the boat with my pool cleaner pump, and had to turn it off. The main pump is still running.

 

[MEJHarrison]

I regularly call my son and ask “so how much snow did you get?” Half the time he doesn’t even know it snowed, cause he rarely needs to leave his apartment.

That sounds like me. My car battery died a few weeks back and I need a new one. But I use my car so infrequently, it's honestly not been a concern. Other people in this house have vehicles, so I've not really missed it. I'll probably pick one up at some point this week. We'll see. On the plus side, my junk food consumption has gone down considerably the past few weeks.

 

[Huntn]

No! This is when you leave the pump running. We’re also supposed to get down to 19 tomorrow night despite it having been 70 today.

I'm with Alli. Leave the pump running. It is much harder for moving water to freeze. Also, if you can, angle your return jets UP to keep the surface from freezing.

After reading these, after the temp hit 35F today at about 1400, I visited my pool control center, and was able to start both my pool cleaner pump and water fall pump. It’s supposed to freeze again tonight, so I’ll leave all 3 pumps running over night. The thing is when it freezes here, traditionaly it’s not a long enough of a freeze to freeze the water solid in the 3” PVC piping other wise there would be a risk of pump or pipes bursting. Better to be conservative, although ERCOT was asking Texans again to cut back on their electric use. This irritates me.

I figure if there is enough juice to power through the Summer months here, Winter should be a cinch, but hell, there are issues with natural gas electric production facilities not being winterized. At least this was so 2 years ago, when we had a couple days of rolling blackouts a 3 day freeze.

What I really want is an online control of my pool pumps, so If I’m gone from home, and notice a problem like a leak, I can remotely secure the pumps…

 

[Yoused]

Spoiler: I like cake

 

[Huntn]

Spoiler: I like cake

View attachment 27999​

So you don’t have to decide who to sacrifice for survival rations.

 

[Herdfan]

I figure if there is enough juice to power through the Summer months here, Winter should be a cinch, but hell, there are issues with natural gas electric production facilities not being winterized. At least this was so 2 years ago, when we had a couple days of rolling blackouts a 3 day freeze.

You would think, but no. In these all-electric neighborhoods, the Backup or Aux heat is done with heat tabs which can use 10kWH vs a 3-ton A/C which will use 3kWH.

 

[fooferdoggie]

now it is 26 and rain or rain and frozen rain but its pretty wet.

 

[Yoused]

now it is 26 and rain or rain and frozen rain but its pretty wet.

In Portland? I remember frozen rain in Portland, in days gone by. It was beautiful and there was rainbow lightning (transformers exploding, I think) and calm blanketing the city, and it was an absolute pain in the ass. You could not walk in that stuff.

 

[fooferdoggie]

Yep portland they called flights before it started around 4 pm. no it was raining there were a few frozen drops mixed it but it was rain.
you can see the results on my squirrel feeder everything is coated in ice. supposed to be a high of 45 tomorrow so that may fix the the problem. these pop machines in front of Walmart have to be frozen solid since its been below 25 since Saturday and down to 14 degrees.

 

[Alli]

I remember frozen rain in Ohio, how dangerous it was, and how much I hated it. Not something I’ve given a thought to in years. It actually got down to the forecasted 19 degrees last night. Might have gotten lower, but it’s currently showing 19 on my watch. (Husband is still convinced that he needs a full blown weather station, cause it shows 23 wherever he’s looking.)

The cold has not deterred the cats at all. They were still in and out all night, although they did spend less time out. One is out now.

 

[Herdfan]

I remember frozen rain in Ohio, how dangerous it was, and how much I hated it.

Probably the worst type of precipitation out there.

I remember a couple of ice storms where you are just lying in bed hearing the trees crack and fall in the woods and you are just hoping none of them hit the house.

Then you wake up in the morning and have a couple of days work with a chainsaw cleaning up the mess.

 

[fooferdoggie]

it rained off and on all night. the dogs had a hell of a time walking. one got up our slope but he slid down the whole way coming back in. the other got half way up pooped and the poop slid down between his legs as he was doing it. wonder if the squirrels can make it to their feeder? well its warming up and supposed to get to 45 today its already 32 so thing are going to melt well with the rain still coming down. cant live the house our hill would be way to slick to go down.

 

[Yoused]

wonder if the squirrels can make it to their feeder

You feed the fuzzy rats?

 

[fooferdoggie]

You feed the fuzzy rats?

ya We have one with a disability a really short tail and something wrong with his hind legs. we only have a few around here so I decided to feed him its cheap and he was always on our front porch. now I can open the door and toss him a nut. we call him stumpy.

 

[fooferdoggie]

man been raining since Tuesday and above 32 all day yesterday and today. but yesterday it just made our road super slick and it was way too steep to walk down as it was so slick. today not so bad but still too yucky to ride my bike so I took the buss. been raining all day and its better roads are pretty clear with just some slush. but waiting for the bus the temp dropped below 32 and I had some super thin ice on my umbrella went flying around like feathers when I shook it.

 

[Alli]

It’s supposed to go back to normal winter weather here tomorrow, and should be in the 60s again. Fortunately, it’s 60 now cause it’s pouring down rain. One of the cats just came in and he’s sopping wet…wants to cuddle in bed…yea, right. Go dry off, buddy!

Looks like it’s going to keep on raining for a few days, but the temps will start climbing back towards 70. Whew!