I'm sitting here in Southeast PA, and friends from around the USA are asking me via IM if I'm ready for the "snow hurricane" that's supposedly coming.

First of all, I cringe at the term "snow hurricane" as it's such a deeply wrong definition of something (it's about as sensible as the term "meat fountain") but also, I'm looking at the actual forecast and observations, and yeah, the weather is going to suck for a few days. There's nothing that incredible in the forecast. It's winter! Winter sucks.

But then I recalled a phone call with my parents a couple of weeks ago, when they had a LOT of snow where they live and the power went out. They are fairly new to rural-ish living, so they didn't really get the implications of a long-term power outage. With no generator, the house was losing heat, and they have no fireplace or woodstove. I explained that if they were without heat for long they risked pipes freezing and then explained that without power, they would be out of water. So they were melting snow on the gas stove, and eventually they had to leave the house (after draining the pipes) and stay elsewhere. Oh, and they should not flush the toilet unless they are sure their septic field isn't a pump-up system (like mine). Oh, and if you put food outside to keep it cold, you'll need to container-ize it because critters will snack on it all night long. Oh, and the fire department won't be able to get to your house, so be careful with candles and have a fire extinguisher visible and handy. Oh and (this) and (that).

And that's why I think about the upcoming "snow hurricane" and the ensuing panic it's causing. Being prepared is making my life simpler. A lot simpler. Yes, I have some added stuff to manage - auxiliary power, fuel supply, water supply, food supply - but as I sat here in the basement typing this, I turned on some streaming video from a local station and it's utter PANIC at the stores. They have theme music for the storm on the news. And the paranoid conspiracy theorist in me thinks that the whole thing is theater to drive unnecessary consumption, nothing more. Anyway, I hope that the storm does not drop any trees on my house because I don't really want to be out in the weather with a chainsaw and The Big Tarp which I keep for just such an emergency. And that's it. That's my only worry. It's easier to be simply prepared than to be reacting to the machinations of those who are trying to convince you the world is ending.

I believe your "snow hurricane" is what my brother in Bemidji, Minnesota, calls "winter." When I visit him (usually in the summer) I am impressed with the adaptations to his situation. He is about twelve miles out of town, but self-sufficiency is built into the place - a self contained gas system with a large fireplace (and many cords of firewood available), to say nothing of good insulation and a house built partially into a hill which shelters them from the occasional "snow hurricane."

There are the skis and snowshoes sitting handy in the garage (heated) and lots of implements for moving snow about, as well as a wardrobe somewhat different from what I usually sport in SoCal. He gets through winters quite handily.

My bro retired to Minnesota to escape the Houston heat and to enjoy the bass fishing. I think he succeeded.

I read "hurricane like conditions" were possible here in CT, and I think by that they just mean "really rainy and windy."

Please keep me posted on the development of this "meat fountain" it sounds both convenient and delicious.

In terms of preparedness, as it turns out growing up in a family that owns and runs a small construction company and duck hunts keeps you pretty well prepared. Generators, chain saws, tarps, plow trucks, but most importantly, a little bit of know-how. I think farmers are probably in a similar situation. These things combined have resulted in every weather situation we've (my family and I) encountered being non-events.

Nothing personal hikermor, but your brother is a nut!

-Blast, who moved to Houston to escape Minnesota winters

I think the news just likes to try to sensationalize anything when there is no good story for them to cover so they make up things and make them seem way worse or better than they are which can cause some serious problems!

Sounds like he's got it setup good!
When you need to get out for work, or resources you`ll start acquiring more snow handling tools.

We've only been up here a little where it snows and I've been constantly adding to my collection of snow tools, toys, and the like. I don't have to go for work but the wife does, and making sure she can get out and back in easily and safely is pretty important to me.

Luckily I get to enjoy it when she has to drive through it at 15mph lol.

Blast, we were raised in Big D, so even Houston was a better place for my brother. The thing is there was a long family tradition of Minnesota vacations, so obviously my bro, on retirement, headed for vacation land. He loves it.

My escape from Dallas involved moving west, where the snow is in the mountains, and homes are in the valleys. You visit the snow and, when it isn't fun any more, you go home. What a wonderful arrangement!

I understand the individual words...but together they don't make sense.

-Blast, who likes it HOT

The reason Blast likes it hot may be related to his spending his youth on the northern plains of dakota and in the Boreal Forests of upstate NY. Maybe all those explosions were an attempt to warm things up in those northern wastes.

Nursemike, who would prefer it warmer-

Snow belongs on the television, immediately following The Star Spangled Banner.
I know: I'm dating myself.