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Crazy snow storm in NY |
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Jen147
Moderator Joined: March 23 2013 Status: Offline Points: 17144 |
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Posted: November 19 2014 at 5:25am |
4 deaths blamed on major New York snowstorm
Nov 18th
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -- Four people died during a storm that dumped more than 4 feet of snow around Buffalo and forced motorists in 150 vehicles, including a women's basketball team, to ride it out on a day when temperatures dropped to freezing or below in all 50 states.
One person was killed in an automobile accident and three others had heart attacks, including two believed to be shoveling snow at the time, Erie County officials said. The snowstorm stranded cars, trucks and buses on a four-mile section near Buffalo. By late Tuesday night, many - but not all - had been freed. Some motorists had had been trapped for nearly 24 hours. Officials said freeing the vehicles was delayed after two tractor-trailers jack-knifed as they were being moved. "It seemed like a nightmare. It just didn't feel like it was going to end," Bryce Foreback, 23, of Shicora, Pennsylvania told The Associated Press by cellphone 20 hours into his wait for help. "I haven't slept in like 30 hours and I'm just waiting to get out of here." Members of the Niagara University women's basketball team were napping on and off 17 hours into their wait. Some got so thirsty they drank melted snow, said Coach Kendra Faustin, who was traveling with her 1-year-old. Team spokeswoman Chelsea Andorka said the bus, with about 25 players and coaches aboard, was headed back from a loss in Pittsburgh when it came to a halt at 2 a.m. Tuesday. "We were told the National Guard was coming by but haven't seen any signs of life," Andorka said. "The first time they came they told us to be prepared to stay for a while. One tow truck passed six or seven hours ago." In a region accustomed to highway-choking snowstorms, this one is being called one of the worst in memory. Snow blown by strong winds forced the closing of a 132-mile stretch of the Thruway, the main highway across New York state. Meteorologists say temperatures in all 50 states fell to freezing or below on Tuesday. They say the low temperatures were more reminiscent of January than November. In New Hampshire and elsewhere, icy roads led to accidents. Lake-effect storms in Michigan produced gale-force winds and as much as 18 inches of snow, and canceled several flights at the Grand Rapids airport. Schools closed in the North Carolina mountains amid blustery winds and ice-coated roads. In Indiana, three firefighters were hurt when a semitrailer hit a fire truck on a snowy highway. In Atlanta, tourists Morten and Annette Larsen from Copenhagen were caught off-guard by the 30-degree weather as they took photos of a monument to the 1996 summer Olympics at Centennial Olympic Park. "It's as cold here as it is in Denmark right now. We didn't expect that," Larsen said, waving a hand over his denim jacket, buttoned tightly over a hooded sweatshirt. In Buffalo, Brian Krzeminski watched the snow pile up outside the south Buffalo convenience store where he worked overnight and served free coffee to the motorists and pedestrians who came in off the city streets to get out of the blinding snow. "There are people that came out to get a few things. We had some people who came in just to get a 30-pack of beer, which is kind of odd," he said. "We've had EMTs whose ambulance got stuck. I'm constantly seeing cars get stuck." The National Weather Service warned that the snow, generated by cold air blowing over the warmer Great Lakes, would continue through Wednesday and could eventually total 6 feet in places. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo deployed 150 member of the National Guard to help clear snow-clogged roads and remove abandoned vehicles. "We have tried to get out of our house and we are lucky to be able to shovel so we can open the door. Basically, that's it, open the door," said Linda Oakley of Buffalo. "We're just thinking that in case of an emergency we can at least get out the door. We can't go any further." "All around us, it's a solid 4 feet of snow that is so thick and so heavy you can hardly move it with a shovel," said Oakley, whose son Todd was with her, unable to make it to work just three miles away. Jim Lehmann was hunkering down with his wife in their town of Hamburg home, while outside his neighbor's house was barely visible through the blowing snow. "The main thing to do now is sit in the house and wait it out," Lehmann said. "My neighbor works for a satellite dish company and he tried to get out this morning and he got stuck 80 feet down the street. And he was there for three hours." The town of West Seneca recorded 45 inches by late morning and Alden, to the east, had 48 inches. But typical of lake-effect snow, areas just a few miles away, including downtown and north Buffalo, had just a couple of inches. At one point, nearly half of West Seneca's plows were bogged down in heavy snow, officials told The Buffalo News. In neighboring Orchard Park, the highway superintendent called the rate of snowfall "unbelievable," while next door in Hamburg police cars were getting stuck. Oakley and her son, Todd, were passing the time watching "Dumb and Dumber" on Netflix. "We can't even walk down to the end of the street and get ourselves a pizza," she said, laughing. "Maybe if you had snow shoes, I don't know." |
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Jen147
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Have you guys seen some of these pictures?! Crazy!
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Jen147
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Someone's livingroom window,
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Jen147
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Roofs in Buffalo begin collapsing under weight of snow
Nov 20th 2014
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -- Roofs began to creak and collapse under the weight as another storm brought the Buffalo area's three-day snowfall total Thursday to an epic 6 feet or more. Gov. Andrew Cuomo begged drivers "pretty, pretty please" to stay off slippery, car-clogged roads in western New York as crews struggled to dig out. Some areas got close to 2 feet of new snow by Thursday afternoon. Things could quickly get worse: Rain and temperatures as high as 60 were in the forecast for the weekend, raising the specter of flooding and an even heavier load on roofs, where the snow could absorb the downpours like a blanket. More than 50 people were evacuated from several mobile home parks in suburban Cheektowaga and West Seneca. Bellevue Fire Department Lt. Timothy Roma said more than a dozen buildings and carports collapsed, as did a metal warehouse operated by a Christmas decorations company, where damage was estimated in the millions. Homeowners and store employees around the region climbed onto roofs to shovel off the snow and reduce the danger. "It's getting heavier," said Cheektowaga resident Thomas Mudd Jr., who with his wife spent several hours shoveling 4 to 5 feet off his roof. "It's supposed to warm up and we're supposed to get rain on the weekend, which will make it even heavier. So I didn't want my roof collapsing." National Guardsmen drove nurses to work their hospital shifts. State troopers helped elderly residents trapped in their homes. State officials assembled 463 plows, 129 loaders and 40 dump trucks from across the state. Some Buffalo-area schools were closed for the third day, burning through snow days with winter still a month away. A stretch of the New York State Thruway through western New York remained closed with more than 300 truckers idled at truck stops and service areas, waiting for the highway to reopen. With deliveries interrupted, some grocery stores reported running low on staples like bread and milk. Officials also cast doubt on whether the region would recover enough for the Buffalo Bills to host the New York Jets on Sunday. The seats and field of the Bills' stadium south of Buffalo were buried in snow. Many roads are impassable, and a driving ban remained in place in many communities. "Right now, my sense is it's impractical to do the game because it would jeopardize public safety," the governor said. Even for the Buffalo area - one of the snowiest and hardiest places in America - this was one for the record books, with the three-day total close to the nearly 8 feet that the region typically gets in an entire year. "No matter how you cut it, this event will end up in the top five for the Lake Erie area," said National Weather Service Director Louis Uccellini. Homes and businesses in the snowy Buffalo area are supposed to be able to handle about 50 pounds per square foot on their roofs, according to Mark Bajorek, a structural engineer. He said some buildings may be close to that now, with more precipitation on the way. |
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Jen147
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Even for the Buffalo area - one of the snowiest and hardiest places in America - this was one for the record books, with the three-day total close to the nearly 8 feet that the region typically gets in an entire year.
Wow. That's so crazy!!
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Jen147
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Penham
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That is just amazing! Glad it's not me, lol.
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Jen147
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With snow still piled high, Buffalo faces flooding
Nov 21, 2014 BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -- Residents of western New York may soon have to worry about the water in their basements as well as the snow on their roofs. After a three-day onslaught that dumped a historic 7 feet of snow on the Buffalo area and killed at least 12 people, the sun came out Friday, but so did predictions of flooding caused by rain, temperatures up to 60 degrees and blocked catch basins. "We are preparing now for more flooding than we've seen in a long, long time," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. "We still have that challenge to look forward to." Cuomo said the state was sending in pumps, boats, helicopters and high-axle vehicles that can operate in 4 to 5 feet of water. "If we're lucky we won't need any of it," he said. "But prepare for the worst and hope for the best." The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for Sunday to Wednesday. The snow remained a huge challenge. Officials were still urging people to put off nonessential travel so snow removal efforts could progress. Cuomo reopened a 132-mile stretch of the state Thruway that had been closed since Tuesday, but several exit ramps remained closed along the westernmost 75 miles. "Assume if you get on headed west you can't get off until Pennsylvania," the governor said. He said roads remain "very dangerous." Local travel bans were beginning to be lifted Friday so delivery trucks can bring in food and other essentials to depleted supermarkets, the governor said. He warned, however, that lifting the travel bans was not a signal that "all is fine." Two more deaths were announced. A 50-year-old man was found Friday morning in his car, which was buried in snow in Cheektowaga, police said. The cause of death wasn't immediately known. One elderly resident of a nursing home, also in Cheektowaga, died after it was evacuated amid concerns of a roof collapse, a spokeswoman for the home said. More than 30 major roof collapses, most involving farm and flat-roof buildings, were reported overnight, officials said Friday, and warm temperatures could make the snow even heavier. Richard Tobe, the deputy Erie County executive, said more than 50 people were evacuated from several mobile home parks in suburban Cheektowaga and West Seneca on Thursday because roofs were buckling. At least 90 small roof collapses involving carports and other structures had been reported by Friday morning, in addition to damage to a pharmacy and a metal warehouse operated by a Christmas decorations company, where damage was estimated in the millions. Some farm animals had been injured in damaged barns, he said. Friday's improved weather inspired some homeowners to climb onto roofs to shovel off the snow and reduce the danger of collapse. "Five hours yesterday and that's just the beginning," John Normile of Lake View said as he and his daughter and her boyfriend cleared up to 6 feet of snow from the roof of his ranch-style home. "We're getting really concerned about the weight of it," Normile said. "We've got to do it before the rain comes." Weather Service meteorologist Jon Hitchcock said there might be trouble with drainage as snow and the uncollected autumn leaves underneath blocked catch basins. "The biggest flood threat would be on Monday when temperatures are at their warmest," he said. "There could be general urban flooding." "There's roughly the equivalent of six inches of rain in the snowpack that will essentially be released over two days," Tobe said. "If it was released as rain it would be a monumental storm." He said flooding would likely affect mostly basements and creeks. "It's not going to be this giant flooding like you see in hurricanes," he said. The American Red Cross issued an appeal for blood donations in the Rochester area, saying the snowstorms caused the cancellation of more than 50 blood drives. And Cuomo relaxed some rules governing prescription drugs, allowing patients to get prescription refills at any pharmacy that can verify them and letting doctors write new prescriptions more than seven days before the end of an earlier prescription. http://m.aol.com/article/2014/11/21/with-snow-still-piled-high-buffalo-faces-flooding/20997549/?icid=maing-grid7%7Cresponsive-mobile-news%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D568803 |
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Jen147
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Buffalo residents brace for possible floods while digging out from historic storm
Nov 23rd
Buffalo and its southern suburbs are making significant progress clearing streets after more than 7 feet of snow pounded the region, but flooding worries now lie on the horizon.
Heavy-duty snow removal equipment including dump trucks and loaders is working in tandem with hoards of shovel wielding residents to clear the collapsing roofs, streets and walkways. A driving ban enacted by local authorities remains in effect as temperatures rise ahead of expected rain, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said. A flood warning from the National Weather Service is in effect until Monday afternoon as temperatures claw their way into the 40s. "We are preparing for the worst but hoping for the best," said Brown. Pictures taken by photographer Anthony Quintano show stranded vehicles on major streets, National Guard trucks patrolling the region and snowed-in homes following the historic lake effect snow event. "They're like angels," said Kevin Masterson, 61, after a handful of volunteers swarmed in to free his and his brother-in-law's cars from the drifts. "I was out shoveling and ... all of the sudden I had all these people." One of the volunteers, Greg Schreiber, said he'd keep going "until the back gives out." City officials said residents should prepare for the possibility of flooded basements in the coming days. Sunday Rain will likely be followed by 60-degree temperatures on Monday, and more rain. There could be trouble with drainage as snow and uncollected autumn leaves block catch basins, said National Weather Service meteorologist Jon Hitchcock. The state of New York has already moved stockpiles of pumps, sand bags and other flood provisions into the region. The snow, which began late Monday and finally cleared out of all areas by daybreak Friday, has been blamed for at least a dozen deaths. |
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Dutch Josh
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http://www.zerohedge.com/node/498185
Forget Black Friday and Q4 GDP... it appears, from the most recent forecasts that from Wednesday on this week, the eastern US faces a 'White Five-Day' as Accuweather reports "an increasing likelihood for a swath of heavy snow stretching from eastern Pennsylvania through New York's Hudson Valley and across much of New England before all is said and done." Furthermore, as WaPo notes, Wednesday’s possible storm has a chance to develop into a legitimate Nor’easter (though current models offer 3 scenarios).
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