How's Your Weather Today?

[Otto99]

I drove through your state last February just after the big ice storm. SWMBO would tell you "during", but it had been over for hours. I didn't see all that much snow on the ground in Kuttawa, so I'd imagine that our definitions of "big ass snows" might be a tad different.

Key word there is ice storm. Those are more often occurring, especially in Western Kentucky over the last several years, and they’re worse than a big ass snow, which in my parlance is 8” to 14”. If I’m going to stuck in the house, I’d much prefer snow to ice, as generally the snow fall doesn’t break down the power lines.

 

[Raiyn]

Key word there is ice storm. Those are more often occurring, especially in Western Kentucky over the last several years, and they’re worse than a big ass snow, which in my parlance is 8” to 14”. If I’m going to stuck in the house, I’d much prefer snow to ice, as generally the snow fall doesn’t break down the power lines.

I can understand why. It was "unpleasant" trying to walk from the car to food / hotel. Driving was interesting, but I harnessed my inner Scandinavian rally driver and got through no problem. Visibility in the mountains was the main issue, but I followed this big rig that was lit up like a mobile Vegas Strip and got through fine. Slower than some others behind us had patience for, but whatever.

 

[Otto99]

Today is damp, cloud, and sort of chilly even though we’re supposed to see 68°/20°. Tomorrow and Saturday sees highs in the lower 70’s, but a cold front coming through Saturday will bring rain and push temps down to 30°/-1° by evening, and a chance of snow showers Sunday.

 

[Digger]

We have a warm one expected for the last day of the year @ 35C.

After the fires here the wildlife took a big hit! Now the birds seem to be coming back and we have a bunch of frisky Magpies terrorising out the front. They chase everything that flies by! There are about 6 of them and the best part is the songs they sing for us, their “chortling” is really beautiful. Kookaburras calling in the distance and we have no doubt about which country we are in~

 

[Darkness]

Back to rain and high 40 degree temps. This hasn't been the normal rain for us, usually when it rains in CA it comes down a few hours, stops a few hours, repeats. This has been steady rain for days at a time. I have an empty 10 gallon aquarium on my back patio, over the last 2 weeks it accumulated 7" of water. I'm not complaining, we really do need it. It did alert me to the need for rain gutters along my roof and the need to add one more area drain to my yard.

I did get desperate enough to get my dogs rain coats so they can brave the rain and go poop. It took a while but they worked. The funny part is watching them shake when they get back inside, even though they're dry.

 

[Raiyn]

big ass snow, which in my parlance is 8” to 14”.

Ahh. You're not quite there in my terms. "Big Ass Snow" is measured in feet. What you're describing is Tuesday or Wednesday.

 

[Otto99]

Ahh. You're not quite there in my terms. "Big Ass Snow" is measured in feet. What you're describing is Tuesday or Wednesday.

There were a few times in college when we got feet, but it hasn’t happened in a long time, and I don’t think ever here in Memphis. In Memphis-speak, a big ass snow is when the ground gets a little bit white and suddenly people forget how to drive.

 

[Raiyn]

In Memphis-speak, a big ass snow is when the ground gets a little bit white and suddenly people forget how to drive.

I've seen that on my runs up north.

Down here in Satan's Armpit, we get folks who forget how to drive in the rain. The rain... in FLORIDA.

 

[soulman969]

We hit a high of 52F today with gale force 40-50 mph winds. Something sparked a brush fire north of Denver and caused the full evacuation of over 30,000 resident from two suburbs, Louisville and Superior about 20 miles NW of Denver proper.

Given the high winds (gusts of up to 105 mph) and dry conditions it may be impossible to save either town. Nearly 700 homes and businesses have been destroyed so far in just one day and that as based on earlier reports.

Saturday's forecast calls for a high of only 18F with heavy snow which may be the only thing that can finally smother the fire completely. Man, what a holiday disaster for the people in those two small towns.

FWIW Louisville is the location of the Wildwood Music Company and their warehouse.

 

[Supersonic]

We hit a high of 52F today with gale force 40-50 mph winds. Something sparked a brush fire north of Denver and caused the full evacuation of over 30,000 resident from two suburbs, Louisville and Superior about 20 miles NW of Denver proper.

Given the high winds (gusts of up to 105 mph) and dry conditions it may be impossible to save either town. Nearly 700 homes and businesses have been destroyed so far in just one day and that as based on earlier reports.

Saturday's forecast calls for a high of only 18F with heavy snow which may be the only thing that can finally smother the fire completely. Man, what a holiday disaster for the people in those two small towns.

FWIW Louisville is the location of the Wildwood Music Company and their warehouse.

Wow, I had no idea that was even going on! I hope you and all of yours are ok. This is the system that's heading over here I think but it's no big deal for us.

Don't even get me started on the ice storm! No power for 9 days. We were lucky and had 2 kerosene heaters and few other things to help us through like a Coleman stove and a whole bunch of jigsaw puzzles and 2 acoustic guitars. That ice storm smashed our house and cars. I've never seen anything like it. We just sat there and listened to the oak trees crack and then watch the limbs fall down. Try to walk outside and was like trying to walk on eggs made of glass. It destroyed so many things. I kept a journal of the entire thing. When something like that happens you really appreciate the 'normal' things in life like taking a hot shower or even watching TV. You never really realize how crazy it is until it happens. I've lived up north and yeah snow is a thing, but unexpected ice storm on a plateau in TN is a whole different animal.

 

[soulman969]

Wow, I had no idea that was even going on! I hope you and all of yours are ok. This is the system that's heading over here I think but it's no big deal for us.

Don't even get me started on the ice storm! No power for 9 days. We were lucky and had 2 kerosene heaters and few other things to help us through like a Coleman stove and a whole bunch of jigsaw puzzles and 2 acoustic guitars. That ice storm smashed our house and cars. I've never seen anything like it. We just sat there and listened to the oak trees crack and then watch the limbs fall down. Try to walk outside and was like trying to walk on eggs made of glass. It destroyed so many things. I kept a journal of the entire thing. When something like that happens you really appreciate the 'normal' things in life like taking a hot shower or even watching TV. You never really realize how crazy it is until it happens. I've lived up north and yeah snow is a thing, but unexpected ice storm on a plateau in TN is a whole different animal.

No one in my family lives in that area but I'm sure there are some I either know or have come across before who do. A small brush fire started late this morning and over bone dry ground driven by high winds it turned into what you can see in the 20 photos in the article I've linked below.

https://news.yahoo.com/thousands-flee-colorado-wildfires-burn-051722167.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall

Like many residential developments here they're built on what was once open range on a high desert plateau. If we'd have had a more normal winter snowfall or rains the entire wouldn't be as dry now but that hasn't been the case. We've had an unusually warm dry fall with very low humidity so the entire Front Range is a tinder box as are some of the mountains where some fires are still burning.

Once the brush fire began the winds drove it into residential developments full of frame homes that ignited a more fires from sparks carried by the wind 'til the entire area was in flames with no way to stop it save starve it's fuel via fire breaks to keep if from spreading farther but within the perimeter most everything was destroyed including over 680 homes and businesses. It was a holocaust.

Even here some of us weren't aware of it 'til mid afternoon. No loss of life reported so far which is a credit to those communities having been evacuated as quickly as they were but over 600 families are now homeless with the coldest part of the winter coming up.

Over the next few days daytime temps are dropping as low as the teens with nighttime lows in the single digits with snow expected late tomorrow and on Saturday so people will need shelters, food and clothing. We'll know more tomorrow but this is a major disaster.

 

[Lancpudn]

I hope all you guys experiencing these horrific weather conditions are keeping safe.

It's grey, damp & another mild day of 13C

 

[soulman969]

I hope all you guys experiencing these horrific weather conditions are keeping safe.

It's grey, damp & another mild day of 13C

With the exception of the athletic fields for Englewood HS to the south and a small brook between the rest of this area has more asphalt and concrete than lawns and fields so wildfires aren't a concern here.

 

[imnotcreative]

There are still a few clouds left over from the rain this morning. The sun is coming through and a high of 13C today.

 

[Digger]

Another warm one with 35C and possibilities of late showers.

 

[soulman969]

Before and after images of Louisville, CO.

 

[Digger]

Before and after images of Louisville, CO.

I hate to see things like this and assume that small allotments help the spread. Same here of course.

 

[soulman969]

I hate to see things like this and assume that small allotments help the spread. Same here of course.

Rob how ironic is it that we were just posting about the anniversary of the Australian fires when this happens?

True, lot sizes even in more suburban areas are not all that large so homes are typically in close proximity to one another. But in this case I doubt it would have made much difference at all. It looks like the fires just swept in over open space land burning their way right up to the homes and within minutes entire blocks were in flames and very quickly an entire development was burned to ashes.

It began snowing fairly heavily tonight and snow is predicted for tomorrow as well so that should help extinguish any remaining hot spots. It's a pity the snow couldn't have come a few days sooner and if so this may not have happened at all.

 

[Lancpudn]

Before and after images of Louisville, CO.

Good Grief! That's horrendous, Your heart goes out to those people that have lost everything.

 

[Digger]

Indeed and we were lucky to have retained one house. Experience here shows it takes a couple of years to rebuild.