Bower wrote: ↑Sat Feb 20, 2021 3:34 pm Every so often you get a reality check on the grid or on your home system. Ideally it is a small inconvenience that causes you to make better plans for a future issue. Sometimes though it takes a large issue to generate some action towards a better preparedness.
Here's hoping that all the sad outcomes will produce some overall strengthening of the system to protect against future events.
It is a fact that these events could become more common as the thaw of the arctic continues. The cold up there is not enough to keep the polar vortex localized and so the horrible cold goes travelling in the winter where it doesn't usually go. It is well worth it to be prepared for that, IMO.

I gave this a thumbs up. I'm not disagreeing with you at all.

This freezing event was the (Tying 1942) as the 5th longest freezing hours. Our weather history only goes back to 1898 in Dallas Fort Worth Texas. In a human life-span that's 123 years, but in Earth years, it's a drop in a bucket so-to-speak. I have lived through worse conditions in 1983 which was the #1 longest freezing streak by far.

From 2015 through 2020, winter here was basically just a word. That's why the storm and consistently freezing weather caught so many by surprise. 2014 was different but that was because of a late frost/freeze on May the 2nd. I knew people who lost their tomato and pepper plants twice that year.

I haven't posted to this thread since the Great Freeze-Up began because, as it turns out, I'm in what is probably the only little corner of the country that experienced no continuous freezing temps and no frozen precipitation. We were very, very fortunate. Just about two days with a low of 29. It almost seemed to me that posting something like that might appear to be a bit of bragging so I didn't. I feel so badly for all of you who have suffered through this and it is heartening to read all the postings about resilient, problem-solving folks with a "we'll get through this" attitude!

After a string of days with cold rain and gloomy skies, we are in for a warm-up this week. More transplants will go out and more seed started indoors. It is time for the period of Great Fluctuating Temps to begin. Spring is coming.

This year we've had a lot of snow, for a long period of time. I remember Snowmageddon, in 2010. After that huge amount of snow, some plants & trees seemed to do extra well, as if they benefited from the snow. I can't wait to see what thrives this summer from all the snow.

Well our plants and shrubs are certainly being well insulated from the constant freezing and thawing that generally is the prime killer of many of my perennials. But the constant snow storms are getting very tiresome (like another today) and could be called “overkill”?

Last Monday it hit -20˚F and todays high is expected to be 65˚F. What a dramatic change! I can finally get some water added to the pond outside before the next cold front hits on Wednesday.

Gorgeous day. Around 70 and brilliant blue skies. Soaked up every photon I could. One more just like it tomorrow. Nothing abnormally cold or hot or especially unsettled on the horizon. Weather, please just be boring for a while.

9 degrees last Monday 75 degrees a week later
Grocery store still can't keep up with people buying food.

It's warm outside, it's like having already spring. But: No more blue sky, but "greetings" from the Sahara with a lot of sand in the air. During the day, the sky is yellow-brownish, but sunset and sunrise produce a wonderful red-orange sky.

after being in the deep freeze, and the never ending cloud that dumped snow on us for a
good part of the month, the weather has taken a favorable turn. we have had two days in a row
of 40 plus degree weather. it will cool off for a couple days before we get back into the 30s.
sunshine really improves ones disposition here during the winter months. it was a good day.

keith

The weatherman said it could have been 15° colder if it wasn't for global warming.

Uncle_Feist wrote: ↑Tue Feb 23, 2021 8:39 pm The weatherman said it could have been 15° colder if it wasn't for global warming.

So climate change caused it but due to climate change it wasn't as bad.
Just saying.

Uncle_Feist wrote: ↑Tue Feb 23, 2021 8:39 pm The weatherman said it could have been 15° colder if it wasn't for global warming.

That doesn't make sense. Global warming in the Arctic is what allowed that frigid air from the Polar Vortex to dump down into the South. Air in the polar vortex is about -100° F

How did you Texans fare with your electric bills that we hear about on the news?

Those electric bills y'all are hearing about are from people that had a choice who their supplier's were.
I don't I get mine from the city.
I have not seen it yet.

5 board members of ERCOT have resigned.
4 didn't live in the state and one lived in Germany.

We had freezing rain this morning and now the temperature is finally above freezing. We have been below 0°C since January 24th.

Yesterday we got yellow snow.
https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/saha ... d/11805772

Sari

Too early to tell on the electric bills, although I could log on and see, but I rather put off the bad news.

With winter what it normally is here and even with inefficient electric heat our winter electricity bills are still typically pretty low. ~2,800 sqft Mid century house with scads of drafty jalousie windows or otherwise enormous single pane glass and bills in the winter usually are $150-200/month, +/-. Summer bills when the central AC runs a lot are about the same. Fall and spring are generally a little lower. We have gotten $200 plus bills during past extended cold snaps and maybe cracked $200 on the hottest periods of a hot summer.
Bet this bill will top $400.

Yesterday and today have been spectacular, 78 and 80 respectively for highs. BUT... a cold front comes in tomorrow and it will be just 60 with more rain on the way. At least it was nice to have two pretty days in a row. Such is spring around here.

Good weather here. Low, mid 70s. Good enough to plant chires baby corn and two kinds of French filet pole beans. Spring Garden is coming together nicely after my winter garden took it on chin. Very, very excited about Spring, as far as I’m concerned, it’s a done deal!

Windows open, no need for a heater, air conditioner, or a fan. 70F rocks.

Another storm today, this time all snow it seems. But tomorrow the temperature will go up to 2C, hopefully not before the shoveling is done.
There's a saying here that if March comes in like a lion it will go out like a lamb, and vice versa. Every year it gives us hope, but there's enough ambiguity to make it hard to decide whether it is ever true or not. Here we are having the storm on the last day of February, and a mild day to clean up on the first of March. Does this storm count as the 'lion'? Eh, we'll pretend it does for now...
In any case very happy to see the last day of February!