1/9/24 storm

[rickf]

Everybody OK after that storm that blew across the country yesterday?
I had several inches of rain and sustained 40 MPH winds with 60 MPH gust for about 4-5 hours last night. No major damage but a lot of cleanup to be done.

[FoxMike]

They said there was supposed to be 8" of snow. There's less than "2 out on the driveway...
Another system on the way Friday so we'll see what that brings. Then the deep freeze.

[csmith]

All good in Va. Beach, storm was less sever then predicted, worst part happened late night and early am.

[Mr. Recovery]

All good here in the Sunshine State. Had a lot of rain and wind with temperatures in the low 60s and even down into the 50s.

[Hambone]

Just rain and wind so far in So. Arkansas, but give it a minute, 5 degrees and snow to arrive early week.

[rickf]

Yea, round two coming up. I am getting fuel for the genset and stocking up the wood supply. My wood all got soaked when the tarps blew off the piles in the last storm but I have left them open to the wind so hopefully they have dried out some. Otherwise it will be purty cold in the house.

[m3a1]

We just got an update that the cold front is coming in early for Texans. Doing what I can to make some improvements to my situation.

[FoxMike]

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Well the Friday/Saturday storm really kicked off winter. Wet snow, snow, and then more regular snow. Followed by -10* air temps, gusty winds and blowing snow. Jeep started right up. Took it to the end of the road and back at about 3 mph.

[Hambone]

I'm not accustomed to this crap in So. Arkansas, this global warming is about to get to me, , some parts of the state could get up to 12 inches, this happened to me 3 years ago when we had 13 inches.

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[m3a1]

Chilly today in the San Antonio area....in the 20s and may get into the teens. We have a strong north wind and it is predicted we'll get some flavor of frozen precipitation as the upper atmosphere moistens. Naturally, everybody in the area ran to the grocery and shopped like we were all about to go back into Covid lockdown. Doc wanted to cook so we picked up some fixin's for something delicious. Don't ask me what.

While at the grocery, we grabbed a few things for my kid, Gigantor...despite his protests about being entirely self sufficient. Speak into his refigerator and you get an echo. So, after work, he'll find his dog (and our GrandBucky) happily gnawing on a new soup bone and he'll find a box of Cosmic Brownies on his pillow (assuming the GrandBucky doesn't find them first) and a few other necessaries.

As for weather prep - yah, the cars and trucks have all received a run-up so batts are topped off but beyond that, I've no plans to go ANYWHERE....which is how yer supposed to prepare for ice.

Do what you have to do so that you can stay home and do nothing.

Cheers,
TJ

[rickf]

It will be hitting us tomorrow and for the next week after that it is going to be in the 20''s for a high and low teens at night. I checked all the vehicles antifreeze and when I got to the mostly disassembled M37 there was not enough in the radiator to check so I tried to open the radiator drain to get enough in a jar to test, drain broke off. So then I tried to unthread the drain fitting from the radiator, cracked around the fitting boss where it goes into radiator and started leaking. Not the end of the world, I can resolder that back in, at least I can get a sample to test. That turned out to not be a good thing since it tested only good down to 20 degrees. I figured no big deal I would just open the block drain and drain the motor. Yup, clogged solid. Took out the fitting and poked all the way in until I hit the cylinder and nothing! I even got a hose remover tool and jammed that in there and angled it up a good two inches, nothing!!! It is big time clogged. Without stealing the batteries from my genset and rigging up a gas can I can't start it to get extra coolant in there so I cut open the upper hose which was petrified anyway and poured in as much straight coolant as it would take. I figure the radiator is going to leak out and take the engine down to the water pump level and I will add some more through the thermostat housing tomorrow and hope for the best.

[glcaines]

Rick,
Can you lay a tarp over the front of the truck and place a hair dryer under the hood to keep the engine temperature up? I'm a private pilot and I used to put a hair dryer under the cowling of my Cessna so that it would start easy the next morning when the temperature was really low. It worked great. Perhaps a magnetic block heater on the oil pan as well.

[halftracknut]

Winter is here....rain more rain and high winds...and cold on my old bones....be careful out there and do not fall....happy new year....htn

[Mark]

ya, I have been falling quite a bit(icy under the snow) I always use my arms to block the fall from my body.

[m3a1]

Rick,
Can you lay a tarp over the front of the truck and place a hair dryer under the hood to keep the engine temperature up? I'm a private pilot and I used to put a hair dryer under the cowling of my Cessna so that it would start easy the next morning when the temperature was really low. It worked great. Perhaps a magnetic block heater on the oil pan as well.

I wouldn't rely on a hair dryer on a bet. Particularly on any aircraft. Install a block heater if you feel you must keep that engine ready to go....if for no other reason than making sure you're never named as The Guy With The Hair Dryer, and forever associated with a famous, training aid, post-crash investigation.

Nope. You don't wanna do that.