New Hampshire ice storm

Anybody know what's going on in this area - how are people making out and such? I heard one fellow died in his camper from asphyxiation while running his generator.
New Brunswick also had a heavy rain but it was too warm for it to freeze while further south in the New England area conditions were colder. Sounds like they will be without power for several days.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28193030/

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081212/ap_on_re_us/ice_storm

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h7HuK533b9co76hnCd_M8dvP2cHgD951TLE80

One of my former employees was from N.H.
He used to speak of the storms you are talking about in almost apocalyptic terms.
And this was someone who had 2 front doors. One on the ground floor and one was the "door to nowhere" in the summer. It exited the house from the second floor, because the first floor would end up buried in snow.

one more reason we are snowbirds. we don't like cold!!!

Disaster porn at 11 p.m.! I can't resist the pictures. An ice storm trashes everything.

We have our own interesting weather right now. The temperature dropped in two days from near the freezing point to a forecast -33 C tonight (-43 C if you factor in the windchill). It's mighty brisk out!

DUDE, I shall officially stop complaining about it being cold here!

wow! i suffered thru -20 once, not counting the windchill. didn't like one little bit. i don't know how you guys do it...

Thanks for explaining about those second-floor doors. I never knew what they were for.

Here is a slideshow from the Northern MA area.

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/slideshow/weather/18262198/detail.html

A lot of people are still without power. We are fine where I am, no ice at all. Different story 15 miles north.

My GF's brother and his family are staying with us for awhile.

Where we live (north of the 49th also) it is exceptionally cold for this area and time of the year. Received an email from a friend today, they are about 2-1/2 hours NE of here and it was -37 C ( -40 C is the equivalent to -40 F) last night and it is has now warmed to a balmy -23 C...gotta love the great white north.

It's all about just living with it and acclimatization. Today it's -46*C with the windchill (-30*C actual). Yep, it's cold but we just bundle up. Toques and mitts and layers of clothing, etc. Not a big deal in the end. But I always shake me head when I start seeing foreigners with parkas and hoods and mitts when it's only freezing (0*C) - what do these people do when it actually gets cold???!!!

I actually prefer cooler weather, when it gets too warm in the summer THATS when I have problems. Warm for me is 30*C or 86*F, beyond that I get muscle cramps and a lot of fatigue. I could wonder the same thing about how do you guys handle the HOT climates? Hot and dry is one thing but hot and humid absolutely KILLS ME! I was out hiking in 32*C and 95% humidity one day and I was really stressed out.

We very rarely have a "ice storm" as it is so dry where I live - an occasional freezing rain perhaps but hot the heavy precipitation and freezing temperatures at the same time. I've never had a power outage of more than a few hours so I have a fair bit of empathy with these people in the NE states who may be without power for a week or more!

i know what you mean. that miserable winter i spent stationed 'bout 60 mi s/of chicago, by the time it warmed up to the 30's i could go outside in a ss shirt snd not hurt tooo much. still didn't like it tho. i used to dig ditches and work in oil fields in 105+ and didn't think too much of it. but the jungles of panama, with the heat and humidity 'bout did me in...

You would be suprised how many don't.

Take care and stay warm.

Here are some more pics from some friends up in the northern half of the state.

brrrrrrr...

OH MY GOD.....

Another reason NOT to be a traffic officer!

Wow, that looks a lot like the damage done by hurricane Ike, except for the weird clear stuff everywhere.

-Blast

The weird clear stuff is called ice Blast.

The ice storms are the worst they cause so much damage. I would rather have 3 feet of snow.

It was strange because, where I live, it was fine, really rainy though. On my way to work it changed from wet to total ice, they ended up shutting down work that day. The power kept going out.

Anytime anyone wants to come up here and share in the fun we would love to have you.

Misery enjoys company.

Same to you!! Looks like you got it good as well.

"...Misery enjoys company..."

we are supposed to be in az right now, where it is 55 and clear. instead, we are stuck in smoggy ca, currently 50 and scattered, supposed to rain tomorrow. we don't have room for anyone, but there is a no-tell motel down the street...

Thank you for sharing OBG. At least we can be miserable together. Even though we're on opposite sides of the Country.

Did I mention I'm not a kid person? There are two running around here breaking stuff...

"... running around here breaking stuff...'

been there done that. now we just give them back to their parent and go home. this grandparenting has some great bennies...

HA!!

Wow, eerily beautiful and yet dangerous at the same time.

That's exactly what I thought

Lost power Thursday just before midnight and it will probably be a few more days before we get it back. A least my wife now appreciates my preparedness hobby<G>.

them photos look just like what happen i New Brunswick few years ago people were out of power for up to 30 days all over the east coast very bad!

Well no wonder you are having problems. Ice is supposed to be in a glass surrounded by a nice bit of Makers Mark Whiskey, not all smeared over your trees/roads/power lines.

-Blast

I'll drink to that!!

Unless, of course, the delivery truck for Maker's Mark had a mishap on treacherous roads. Then it's quite appropriate, and one's sponge or plastic tubing would come in handy!

3 more storms heading this way, I really hope those without power get it back tonight.

I'm in NH and just got back online with power this morning. We are quite well prepared here however. On day 2 we had a previously scheduled birthday party for my daughter. With the generator running and woodstove fired up, it was hard to remember that we were actually without power. Offered assistance to neighbors, but many just left for relatives and friends homes elesewhere. There we were making margeuritas and watching late night meteor shower outside because it was too warm in the house from running the stove all day. Felt a little guilty enjoying ourselves but hey, if you can why not? Today an acquaintance asked to "borrow" our generator because they are still without power. I'm reluctant however with snow predicted again. We've got two kids 5 and 6 and a baby, two dogs and two cats to worry about, you know?

+1, Here here. Great idea.

Keep the generator, 8-14 inches heading our way Friday.

"Today an acquaintance asked to "borrow" our generator because they are still without power."

Your acquaintance knows what ice storms are, knows that NH gets them this time of year, knows what generators are, and knows where they're sold.

Keep your generator for your own family and see if he learns anything. Many people have to learn the hard way. Tough.

Sue

Almost 2 years ago we had a major ice storm January 12th (on a Friday)that shut almost everything down in & around Springfield, Missouri. It was bad enough that there was about an inch of ice on everything, but our city utility company had decreed that it was the homeowner's resposibility to keep the limbs clear from the powerlines between the power poles to the weatherhead on their houses. The majority of the homeowners (including myself) didn't do this be it apathy, lack of funds to hire someone to do it for them, or the lack of ability (old-age, acrophobia, admitted clumsiness.) Tranformers went down like dominos. The power was off by about 10pm except for downtown and anyone lucky enough to have their electricity run underground. Without the electric & everyone staying put it got eerie quiet so you could really hear the cracking & crashing of collapsing limbs & trees. Saturday, the day after the initial ice storm was even a bit scarier. A breeze stirred up & started moving & twisting the over-burdened branches. The cracking & crashing got more frequent. People started coming out to survey the damage & see what they could fix. I moved my truck to a nearby parking lot with no overhanging branches. Not long after a large limb smashed into my front stoop awning. Some of the people on my street (including myself) began checking on people, helping them clear downed limbs & move stuck/trapped autos. We began cutting up fallen & half-fallen branches even as more fell. By radio & some luckier by TV were instructed to pile unwanted limbs at the edge of their property for eventual removal. A few die hard radio stations began reporting on places were generators, fuel & other supplies & services could be found (most businesses were closed.) The sounds of generators could be sporadically heard around the neighborhood. One of my neighbors had somehow connected his semi cab to power parts of his house (like his TV & electric heater.) Reports of stolen generators spiked. By the end of the second day the temperature had dropped into the teens. I bundled up in blankets with my cat, lit some candles & the front stove burners, but I turned them off (blew out the candles)when I went to sleep. By Monday I couldn't take the cold anymore so I went to a friends house to crash on his couch. They were using their oven for heat. Later that week I accepted an invite from my niece who had their power back. The following Sunday my power was back on (9 days without power.) I had some friends that had been without power for more than 2 weeks. Many people had been driven from their homes by the damage & the cold. Many of the Branson, MO motels & hotels offered rooms to the displaced at bargan rates which earned some eternal gratitude. Besides that there were numerous acts of generosity reported. Fortunately, for myself it was so cold that I didn't worry about the contents of my chest freezer in my garage. Aside from the mashed awning, I did lose my last aquarium fish & some houseplants. My cat was chilly, but handled it fine as did the already outside dogs. I cleared/chopped up the branches & saved most of it for firewood, ferried some loads to my mom (she has a fireplace, but I don't) the rest went to a coworker (who fixed my garage door opener as a kind act.) The city gathered up all the branches that were shoved to the curbs, carted it all outside the city & burned in huge piles. There was some criticism that the city should have burned them in their coal plants, but the city said that wasn't possible. I guess letting people cut it up for firewood wasn't possible either. Eventually, there was a photo book published detailing or commemorating the event, but I can't remember the name of it. I guess that's were I began to seriously look at the 'Equipped to Survive' site to try to learn what I could so I would be better prepared next time. The branches are cut back from the powerlines (what branches I didn't cut back the city utilities did - 20/20 hindsight is wonderful thing) & I have a portable kerosene heater. I am by no means a very prepared or organized person, but it is a constant thought in my mind & I make positive changes whenever I can. This site has helped by recommending useful/timesaving/thrifty ideas/gear & discarding that which is not. I have a sister & her family in Portland, Maine who was probably caught in that ice storm the other day & maybe experiencing the same things I did 2 years ago. I tried calling last night, but so far she hasn't called back. Fingers are crossed.

Dude, SHUSH! I'm moving this weekend. *laughs*