Freezageddon

[Cackalacky2.0]

I was hoping this would be enough to make the Apostle Islands Ice Caves accessible. We've spent a lot of time below -20 lately and up north it's been even colder.
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I looked up the statistics for several Texas cities and discovered that their record lows were below 0 for seven months of the year. I can't imagine why the infrastructure isn't designed to handle a little bit of cold, as it's clearly happened several times before and will happen again. Was the money saved on pipe insulation and a durable power grid worth it?

Judging by some of the political leader responses from Texas its being blamed on the Green New Deal and a lack of bootstraps. It seems to me to be a much more intrinsic infrastructural neglection from deregulation and accountability.

 

[MNIrishman]

Judging by some of the political leader responses from Texas its being blamed on the Green New Deal and a lack of bootstraps. It seems to me to be a much more intrinsic infrastructural neglection from deregulation and accountability.

Apparently this happened as recently as 2011 (https://www.statesman.com/article/20110411/NEWS/304119704). It gets hot in Texas so homes should generally already be insulated. But why on earth would you put pipes in exterior walls? Have external water heaters? Uninsulated piping? Austin isn't LA or Miami.
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Whenever a state melts down over a totally-predictable weather event that has literally happened there before, I hope that the money they saved by completely ignoring an obvious risk was worth it. I also hope that the ramifications in terms of insurance premiums and federal tax burden are at a minimum for people in more responsible states.

 

[Cackalacky2.0]

Apparently this happened as recently as 2011 (https://www.statesman.com/article/20...NEWS/304119704). It gets hot in Texas so homes should generally already be insulated. But why on earth would you put pipes in exterior walls? Have external water heaters? Uninsulated piping? Austin isn't LA or Miami.
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Whenever a state melts down over a totally-predictable weather event that has literally happened there before, I hope that the money they saved by completely ignoring an obvious risk was worth it. I also hope that the ramifications in terms of insurance premiums and federal tax burden are at a minimum for people in more responsible states.

Agreed. People will die simply becasue of easy to address action items via regulation. Unfortunately learning from prior mistakes costs money. Apparently too much money going into taking care of easily fixable problems means less money for a select few people. GOP has been running Texas for decades. Looking for them to accept responsibility

 

[Cackalacky2.0]

[TWEET]1361442090979262465[/TWEET]

 

[TorontoGold]

My second year of uni, we all took a utility to put under our name and the guy who got gas as his didn't want to put the security deposit down.....We went until mid-Feb until we had heat in our apartment. The thermostat sat around 45-50 for most of December and January, and we huddled around stove when anyone was cooking. Oh, and one of our windows got kicked in by a drunk asshole and the landlord took their sweet time to put up a replacement. A warm day was around -10/14F for Waterloo during the winter.

What a terrible experience, I hope y'all get your power kicked back on soon enough. Looks like it should be warm by Friday.

 

[irishff1014]

I don’t know anything about building codes down south. I know they don’t have the same kind of hvac I have in MD. But you would think they still have an option with suitable heating. Like others have said it seems like some lazy building codes could have fixed a lot of these issues. Oh by the way the worst might not be there yet. Wait til all of this thaws out. I hope they have a lot of plumbers.

 

[Cackalacky2.0]

I don’t know anything about building codes down south. I know they don’t have the same kind of hvac I have in MD. But you would think they still have an option with suitable heating. Like others have said it seems like some lazy building codes could have fixed a lot of these issues. Oh by the way the worst might not be there yet. Wait til all of this thaws out. I hope they have a lot of plumbers.

I dont know what Texas's is like either but my zone on the coast is subtropical and we utilize split system heat pumps. Very few furnaces. The split system heat pump means the actual fan driven a/c and heat coils is in your house (sometime in a closet or sometimes in uninsulated attic). The other portion is the condenser which is ALWAYS outside. The condensor's performance is severely affected by outside air temperature When the outside air temperature gets below 40 degrees heat pumps are notoriously inefficient at doing anything. Below 30? Even less efficient. Might as well turn off the system and get out the kerosene or electric heater.

 

[zelezo vlk]

Stay safe man. You and yours are in my thoughts. If they are cutting off water do you have access to it? I generally have several collapsible plastic water containers we fill up every hurricane just in case. Also a few rain barrels if we get in a pinch for bathing and cooking.

They finally cut off my water at midnight. I filled up several pots and water bottles and a big rubber tub inside my actual tub since the plunger seal leaked. I'm just glad I walked to Whole Foods and picked up some drinking water yesterday.

They said that the plumbers couldn't get here yesterday so water is staying off. This means I'll probably be without water until Friday at the last.

 

[IrishLax]

They finally cut off my water at midnight. I filled up several pots and water bottles and a big rubber tub inside my actual tub since the plunger seal leaked. I'm just glad I walked to Whole Foods and picked up some drinking water yesterday.

They said that the plumbers couldn't get here yesterday so water is staying off. This means I'll probably be without water until Friday at the last.

Absolutely insane. Hang in there!

 

[Cackalacky2.0]

They finally cut off my water at midnight. I filled up several pots and water bottles and a big rubber tub inside my actual tub since the plunger seal leaked. I'm just glad I walked to Whole Foods and picked up some drinking water yesterday.

They said that the plumbers couldn't get here yesterday so water is staying off. This means I'll probably be without water until Friday at the last.

Water goes fast. Stay on top of it and ration. I had to go 13 days without electricity and 9 days without running water during Hugo. It was a struggle after day 4. My family didnt ration very well.

 

[Rogue219]

My cousin lives in Austin TX but grew up in the west Chicago suburbs. Was communnicating with her last night via social media. I can't fathom what is happening down there right now. She knows what to do when it comes to driving, leaving a faucet drip for pipes, etc. but most of this is completely out of the control of the residents there. It's frigging awful.

 

[Ndaccountant]

My cousin lives in Austin TX but grew up in the west Chicago suburbs. Was communnicating with her last night via social media. I can't fathom what is happening down there right now. She knows what to do when it comes to driving, leaving a faucet drip for pipes, etc. but most of this is completely out of the control of the residents there. It's frigging awful.

And most who are lucky to have power are likely to get crushed when the bill comes in.

 

[SouthSideChiDomer]

Where I'm at in South Dakota has maybe an inch of snow on the ground. There's parts of Texas that has more snow right now than we have. I feel like we've barely gotten any snow, maybe a foot all winter. Seems like all the big storms have missed us and we get just a dusting. I've used my snow blower once this year.

I'll take some snow soon but this a week straight under 0 can leave.

There was a great article predicting all of this (well, not the massive infrastructure failure) around maybe two months ago. Basically there were indications the polar vortex was unstable and there were some high pressure systems stuck over the Atlantic and around Siberia. That was likely to push the cold, Arctic air down into the US and Europe. Combined with the ever warmer Gulf waters, it meant there was going to be a ton of snow at the boundary of the system and ridiculous colds with no moisture more in the interior.

The worst part about the report being right was that it also predicted this is what we are going to be seeing a lot more of in the future. While winters in most places will likely be generally warmer, that warm air will also lead to more instability in the polar vortex leading to more deep freeze events like this.

 

[Cackalacky2.0]

There was a great article predicting all of this (well, not the massive infrastructure failure) around maybe two months ago. Basically there were indications the polar vortex was unstable and there were some high pressure systems stuck over the Atlantic and around Siberia. That was likely to push the cold, Arctic air down into the US and Europe. Combined with the ever warmer Gulf waters, it meant there was going to be a ton of snow at the boundary of the system and ridiculous colds with no moisture more in the interior.

The worst part about the report being right was that it also predicted this is what we are going to be seeing a lot more of in the future. While winters in most places will likely be generally warmer, that warm air will also lead to more instability in the polar vortex leading to more deep freeze events like this.

I posted about this phenomenon a few years back in the Climate Change thread.

 

[Irish#1]

More snow coming down here in Indy. Got some more last night and it's still coming down. Highways were completely clear going home last night. This morning the highways were crap.

 

[irishff1014]

They are big on the brine around our neck of the woods. It makes a big difference.

 

[MacIrish75]

More snow coming down here in Indy. Got some more last night and it's still coming down. Highways were completely clear going home last night. This morning the highways were crap.

Early runs from some legit local meteorologists in the Indy area are saying the storm system coming in this weekend could pump another 6-10 inches only this snow would be wetter and heavier than this last storm. I live in rural northeast Indians and there literally isn’t anywhere else the plows can push snow at this point. Insanity.


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[RDU Irish]

I dont know what Texas's is like either but my zone on the coast is subtropical and we utilize split system heat pumps. Very few furnaces. The split system heat pump means the actual fan driven a/c and heat coils is in your house (sometime in a closet or sometimes in uninsulated attic). The other portion is the condenser which is ALWAYS outside. The condensor's performance is severely affected by outside air temperature When the outside air temperature gets below 40 degrees heat pumps are notoriously inefficient at doing anything. Below 30? Even less efficient. Might as well turn off the system and get out the kerosene or electric heater.

Once it gets in the low 20s most places seem to have a hard time keeping interior temps comfortable around here. Just not built for it and heat pumps are different animals. Insulation much thinner too. We just installed a gas fireplace insert to cozy up our living room - thing kicks ass and will pay dividends this week for my sissy ass thin blood.

One thing to consider - with no power they have no heat so not just an issue of plumbing on exterior walls and heat pumps - whole house freezes. Not everyone has gas/propane - electric only is hard to comprehend coming from the midwest but it is a real thing here. If they had power it would be less of a problem (captain obvious here) - my low level "prepping" is much more concerned with ice storms than hurricanes for all the reasons shown in Texas. No A/C is miserable but you aren't dying. Backup generator and space heaters for at least part of the house is a couple hundred dollar contingency plan.

 

[RDU Irish]

The are big on the brine around our neck of the woods. It makes a big difference.

Helps for marginal weather and short term events - pretty useless once you get much below mid 20s, IMO, or with much more than an inch or two of snow. This whole place shuts down and waits for it to warm up when that happens so 90% of the time it gets the job done. Found it obnoxious when I moved here but now enjoy snow days - life is too short and very few things that can't wait a day.

 

[Cackalacky2.0]

Once it gets in the low 20s most places seem to have a hard time keeping interior temps comfortable around here. Just not built for it and heat pumps are different animals. Insulation much thinner too. We just installed a gas fireplace insert to cozy up our living room - thing kicks ass and will pay dividends this week for my sissy ass thin blood.

One thing to consider - with no power they have no heat so not just an issue of plumbing on exterior walls and heat pumps - whole house freezes. Not everyone has gas/propane - electric only is hard to comprehend coming from the midwest but it is a real thing here. If they had power it would be less of a problem (captain obvious here) - my low level "prepping" is much more concerned with ice storms than hurricanes for all the reasons shown in Texas. No A/C is miserable but you aren't dying. Backup generator and space heaters for at least part of the house is a couple hundred dollar contingency plan.

Exactly. I "might" have essentially R9 insulation in my walls with copper pipes entering my house from below grade Our frost depth is about 12" as well So its likely much better than the 24-36" frost depths elsewhere in the country. We have a real wood burning fireplace and a backup kerosene heater as my entire house is electric only heating.

 

[zelezo vlk]

We're supposed to get another 1 to 3 inches of snow here today. Boil order for all of Austin, for those of us who have both water and power anyways. I've got no water, but do have power and from what I can tell, this means I should have heat for the rest of this. It might be until Sunday when everything is good enough for me to go out again, as my car has become encased in ice.

Just gotta wait it out until the weekend for this.

 

[calvegas04]

We're supposed to get another 1 to 3 inches of snow here today. Boil order for all of Austin, for those of us who have both water and power anyways. I've got no water, but do have power and from what I can tell, this means I should have heat for the rest of this. It might be until Sunday when everything is good enough for me to go out again, as my car has become encased in ice.

Just gotta wait it out until the weekend for this.

I have been seeing people post that they have been paying hundreds if not thousands of dollars a day for power this week. Have you been seeing this?

 

[Irish#1]

Once it gets in the low 20s most places seem to have a hard time keeping interior temps comfortable around here. Just not built for it and heat pumps are different animals. Insulation much thinner too. We just installed a gas fireplace insert to cozy up our living room - thing kicks ass and will pay dividends this week for my sissy ass thin blood.

One thing to consider - with no power they have no heat so not just an issue of plumbing on exterior walls and heat pumps - whole house freezes. Not everyone has gas/propane - electric only is hard to comprehend coming from the midwest but it is a real thing here. If they had power it would be less of a problem (captain obvious here) - my low level "prepping" is much more concerned with ice storms than hurricanes for all the reasons shown in Texas. No A/C is miserable but you aren't dying. Backup generator and space heaters for at least part of the house is a couple hundred dollar contingency plan.

We're total electric in our house with a Carrier HP with 18 SEER rating. Supplemented with heat packs. When we built it was mostly farm country and gas wasn't available. Wife was bummed, but it paid off in the long run. As big as the house is, our electric bill during the winter runs between $190 - $275. Our neighbors are paying $350 - $400+ with gas.

 

[zelezo vlk]

I have been seeing people post that they have been paying hundreds if not thousands of dollars a day for power this week. Have you been seeing this?

I don't know where they're at, but what I've been reading is that our local energy company should be mostly sheltered from that spike in the short-term. If I see something else, I'll get back to y'all.

 

[Irish#1]

Ted Cruz wants to beat the cold and heads off to the Caribbean and says his kids wanted to take a last minute trip? That doofus sure didn't see the blowback coming. lol

 

[irishff1014]

Ted Cruz wants to beat the cold and heads off to the Caribbean and says his kids wanted to take a last minute trip? That doofus sure didn't see the blowback coming. lol

I could understand if his son or daughter were having on of his grand kids. I could see leaving for that. At this would be a huge milestone for the family and his people would be on the ground for him to have constant contact with.There is no way you can just randomly leave your area for vacation. And there is no way he could have thought this would be a good idea. But again it goes to my point politicians don’t care about us people.

 

[Irish#1]

I could understand if his son or daughter were having on of his grand kids. I could see leaving for that. At this would be a huge milestone for the family and his people would be on the ground for him to have constant contact with. There is no way you can just randomly leave your area for vacation. And there is no way he could have thought this would be a good idea. But again it goes to my point politicians don’t care about us people.

Then he gives the excuse he was just dropping the kids off and heading back? lol I guess he didn't think someone would check and find his original return date was several days later.

 

[irishff1014]

Then he gives the excuse he was just dropping the kids off and heading back? lol I guess he didn't think someone would check and find his original return date was several days later.

SMH

 

[Cackalacky2.0]

Ted Cruz wants to beat the cold and heads off to the Caribbean and says his kids wanted to take a last minute trip? That doofus sure didn't see the blowback coming. lol

Either that or just DGAF. HAHA. Either way, what the hell Ted?

 

[Rogue219]

I'm spending way too much time in my driveway every other day clearing snow from it. December and January were pretty dry but February has been absolutely brutal. Thankfully it is above freezing again after nearly three weeks of consecutive days being below. Glad I'm working from home.

As for Texas, Beto and AOC did quite a job last week raising money and or doing wellness calls to seniors, which is funny because one lost to Ted Cruz in 2018 and the other is from New York yet they've managed to do more than anyone else down there who actually holds office as far as I can tell. If you are going to give, just make sure you're doing so to legit sites and funds, etc.

Ultimately, not really shocked by much anymore, and the situation down there on many levels is not an exception. Nor is the weather on a national scale. Seems bad everywhere and it is definitely slowing business for me.