Incidentally, winter storms aren't normally named. Recently the Weather Channel came up with the idea of naming big winter storms the way summer storms have been named.

Stuff happens, is all.
There's no need for all the drama.
I have been accused of being phlegmatic, BTW.

A weatherman on CNN said that with this storm, as the snow starts to fall it passes through a thick layer of much warmer air. That causes the snow flakes to begin to thaw -- but only a little, not all the way. As the snow flake continues to fall, it passes out of the warmer layer and into a colder layer of air near the ground. The water that had thawed then freezes again and becomes ice. The ice crystals are embedded within the snow flakes. That's what makes the snow extra hard and hurt when it hits someone on the ground.

I don't know who accused you of that, but certainly 'twasn't I. I see you as being nearly the opposite of phlegmatic.

Aren't some of the Sandy people still without gas which leaves them with no heat?

Having had the problem before doesn't lessen the impact this time. Someone with a health emergency when the rescuers can't get through is just as bad. Fires where the emergency people can't get through are just as bad. Trees down and electric lines down are just as bad. I don't see how knowing it happened before lessens the trauma now.

I hope the warnings got people to do whatever they should have done to see it through. I certainly wouldn't want to be there and my best thoughts go out to all who are there.

Experience is a good teacher, jd.

This is the most snow we've had since I moved here 8 years ago.

was that addressed to me, oskar? I'm not jeannedeurk, I'm jeannept. I changed to grumpy aunt jeanne to try to avoid the confusion between the two of us.

ps: if you were not talking to me, please don't read the above.

We weathered the first storm.
Temps down to -24C, gusts up to 100k and snow drifts everywhere.
And frozen water pipe that we'll take care of when we get around to it.

Not sure what time the next one will hit but it's apparently more of the same.

WOW, oskar ~ all of you in the storm path, please check in with us when you can ~ and stay safe!

There is no question is my own mind that climate change has increased its pace ~ it's been noticeable for a good long while, but the weather everywhere is just ... weird ~ we had a very mild winter last year [fairly "warm", very limited snow] until early March, when we had 10 days of 80*+ temps that was closely followed by a very BIG snowstorm ~

Sooz

Sooz: That caused the collapse of the fruit growers in Ontario. We had almost a full month of + temperatures that started the trees budding. Then suddenly we had a deep freeze that killed all the buds. We're now paying over $2.50/lb for apples that used to cost 60 cents/lb.

Well, it's over in my neck of the woods. The tally is 30" on the north shore of the eastern end of Long Island. Where I am, I estimate a foot and a half. I am, of course, trapped inside by the drifts which are halfway up my door.

There was a lot less wind and tidal activity than expected so no power outages in my area or flooding.

We have had the strangest day of weather. This morning, it was cloudy and +4C with a few very light flurries. Then it became mostly clear. Dropped to +3, got very blustery (blew around our plastic chairs on the balcony, from one side to the other) with blowing, heavy snow for about 20 minutes. Now it's 0 with clear skies again.

Our storm.
Our town.

http://www.annapoliscountyspectator.ca/ ... and-wind/1

roseanne: If you don't like the weather in Alberta, wait 5 minutes.