O/T USA & Canada Freeze.

[Woking88]

Has this bad weather affected any of our friends across the pond? - view external link (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-25557032)

[Robus]

It's been an unusually cold season so far. We've had several nights below 0 degrees F/-18C which don't often see before January or February, and then not every year.

At the moment its 17F/-8C. Had light snow all day yesterday and into the evening, seems to have ended now.

[greystone16]

We usually get some bad weather after the North America so get your spades at the ready,

[TundraWolf]

Thank you for asking, Wokes! Quite balmy around here on the West Coast; the temperature was at 7C (44F) over the past few days. Winnipeg and the Prairies seems to have been hit quite hard. Winnipeg (also known as "Winterpeg") had a low expected of -53C last night, though it is right now -30C and climbing to a balmy -26C by noon. I mention Winnipeg because it is the home to canwolfan, who posts here from time to time.

From webcams in both cities:
Local Vancouver conservation area:
http://i42.tinypic.com/kbf981.jpg

Winnipeg:
http://i43.tinypic.com/347is93.jpg

[WOODLANDSWOLF]

Not unpleasant here, 48-50F in the day 35-38 overnight. Soon to change for me though, just found out that my first job of the year is in Edmonton, Alberta.

Chilly doesn't cover it!:s :-S

[Woking88]

Thanks Tundra. I always love to see photographs like those! :D

[Evewolf65]

http://i42.tinypic.com/kbf981.jpg[/IMG]

Winnipeg:
http://i43.tinypic.com/347is93.jpg



Fairplay that bottom piccy is what I call real winter!

[Robus]

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz323/Ramiiam/CAM00084.jpg

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz323/Ramiiam/CAM00089.jpg

[Evewolf65]

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz323/Ramiiam/CAM00084.jpg

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz323/Ramiiam/CAM00089.jpg



Ray you appear to have a Bandstand in your garden!!

[Robus]

A gazebo. Previous owner put it in. We don't use it much.

[TundraWolf]

Not unpleasant here, 48-50F in the day 35-38 overnight. Soon to change for me though, just found out that my first job of the year is in Edmonton, Alberta.

Chilly doesn't cover it!:s :-S

When will you be in Edmonton, Woody? A warms and cheering -2C tomorrow, but slipping to a high of -24 by Sunday. Half-price parka sales during the post Christmas period!>:) - view external link (http://www.theweathernetwork.com/weather/canada/alberta/edmonton)

[canwolffan]

I think the cold temps here in Winnipeg (also known as Winterpeg as Tundra pointed out ) can best be summed up by the headline in the local newpaper today: Mars, North Pole? We're colder!

[WOODLANDSWOLF]

Not unpleasant here, 48-50F in the day 35-38 overnight. Soon to change for me though, just found out that my first job of the year is in Edmonton, Alberta.

Chilly doesn't cover it!:s :-S

When will you be in Edmonton, Woody? A warms and cheering -2C tomorrow, but slipping to a high of -24 by Sunday. Half-price parka sales during the post Christmas period!>:)[/quote]

Second week in Feb Tundra, or close too. Either way, I know what to expect! :s :-S

[TundraWolf]

Nice to hear from you again, CanWolf!

Woody, Edmonton's record for most consecutive days with the temperature not rising above 0F (-23C) is 40 days.

This twitter message indicates that they are feeling the cold back East, Ontario eastward...

http://i39.tinypic.com/29uyput.png

The temperature above is from Armstrong, Ontario, a town 5 degrees latitude south of Wolverhampton!

[greystone16]

I wouldn't like your heating bills lads,how do you cope, are you gas /elect/wood/coal or all four?

[Evewolf65]

Not particularly cold here in Worcestershire but we're back on flood warning again for this weekend and as we have been for quite a lot of December so far.It is a permanent danger living on the Avon as we do here in Evesham.
some pictures below show how bad they can be sometimes in the top picture it completely flooded out my local , Disaster!!..



http://i43.tinypic.com/o0o6df.jpg[/I
[IMG]http://i42.tinypic.com/zv1x21.jpg[/I
[IMG]http://i41.tinypic.com/20hkps1.jpg
http://i39.tinypic.com/2gsr3mp.jpg

[WOODLANDSWOLF]

Not particularly cold here in Worcestershire but we're back on flood warning again for this weekend and as we have been for quite a lot of December so far.It is a permanent danger living on the Avon as we do here in Evesham.
some pictures below show how bad they can be sometimes in the top picture it completely flooded out my local , Disaster!!..



http://i43.tinypic.com/o0o6df.jpg[/I
[IMG]http://i42.tinypic.com/zv1x21.jpg[/I
[IMG]http://i41.tinypic.com/20hkps1.jpg
http://i39.tinypic.com/2gsr3mp.jpg

What a bloody mess, good luck with that lot mate! I guess these pics are from previous years? Looking at the forecast though you need to keep you fingers crossed eh?

[Evewolf65]

Yep those particular pictures were from 2007 but we've had numerous instances since then, and we're on the brink now if Sundays forecast is anything to go by it ain't looking too good.:blue:

[WOODLANDSWOLF]

Yep those particular pictures were from 2007 but we've had numerous instances since then, and we're on the brink now if Sundays forecast is anything to go by it ain't looking too good.:blue:

Hope it works out OK for you [and your local ;)] ,I have relatives in Worcester and I know they get hit real bad as well.

[canwolffan]

I wouldn't like your heating bills lads,how do you cope, are you gas /elect/wood/coal or all four?
For me it is a combination of gas and Bowmore single malt :)

[Robus]

Gas. It runs us about $150 a month in the coldest months, usually only January and February.

[Robus]

Predicting a high of -10F/-23C here in the Chicago area on Monday. If so, it would be our coldest daytime high temperature since January 1994.

I recall we got a nighttime low of about -24F/-31C that same winter and once again in the late 1990s, which were the coldest temperatures I've been in.

Ever noticed below about 10F/-12C or so, when you breath in through your nose you get a tickly feeling in your nostrils as the hairs freeze? It's true. B)

[TundraWolf]

'greystone16' wrote at 10:38 on 03 Jan:
I wouldn't like your heating bills lads,how do you cope, are you gas /elect/wood/coal or all four?
For me it is a combination of gas and Bowmore single malt :)

Heating, back East, in Montreal, was mostly fuel oil that ran the furnace and heated the radiators...of course I was living in a house built in 1914. Out here where it rarely gets very cold the heating is electrical with board heaters along the wall boards.

Sorry to hear about your local having received so much damage, Eve, great pictures though.

Very true, Robus, we would get the minimum of one week every Montreal winter when the temperature never rose above -30C (-20F), you could easily get nose bleeds from the drying out of your nasal passages. We still played outside all day back then though.

[TundraWolf]

This picture was taken leading up to the Green Bay - San Francisco game today.

http://i40.tinypic.com/29qfebm.jpg

The game was played about two hours north of Robus/Chicago. Since the "Tundra" refers to the northern terrain it seemed both apropos and personal.

[Robus]

Packers fans have a certain image to uphold. And all that pain only to see their team defeated.

Just now -5F/-21C and dropping as I'm getting ready to head off to bed. Predicting a low of -18F/-27C by tomorrow afternoon. Wife's school is canceled tomorrow due to cold, as are the Chicago public schools and most of those around the area.

[TundraWolf]

Robus, in Montreal, about 3-4 weeks a year, the temperature would drop below -5F as the daily high, never cancelled a day unless there was a break-down in the heating system. Is it that the schools in the Chicago area are not sufficiently insulated or is there a worry about the children not being able to walk to school (insufficient winter garb)?

[Robus]

The latter I imagine. It just doesn't get this cold here very often. People aren't accustomed to it.

-14F/-26C right now, still dropping. Also very windy, which puts the wind chill factor down to -41F/-41C. Frostbite would be a real concern for children walking to school, waiting at bus stops, etc.

[TundraWolf]

A fellow I corresponded with in Tennessee a few years ago told me of the State's schools closing due to cold weather, about +20F. I asked him why and he responded that many of the children were bussed to school from the rural communities and did not have/could not afford clothing that would keep them warm, standing by the roadside waiting for the bus, in that weather.

[Robus]

I can understand how 20F seems pretty cold if you're not used to it, or dressed for it. As a ****ager I lived mostly in the South. We moved up to Maine for half a year in the middle of winter, January 1980. My first night in Maine my car, a 1968 Renault R10 that was nothing but trouble, gave up the ghost on a rural highway between Brunswick and Lisbon. It was 10F/-12C. My brother and I fully expected they would find our frozen cadavers in the morning. XD

10F doesn't seem so cold now, does it?

The temperatures we're seeing right now are potentially dangerous, especially with the wind. But there are places where people are used to it, dress for it, take the precautions, and go about their business.

My wife's school closed a second day tomorrow. It has warmed a few degrees. -13F/-25C right now. Should be the same or warmer overnight, back above 0 tomorrow afternoon. Above freezing on Friday.

That will be a sorry mess with all this snow melting. We had about 8 inches altoge

[TundraWolf]

A rather idyllic picture, Robus, of course one can easily forget the cold when observing the unspoiled scene.

[MichiganWolf]

I'm in southeast Michigan and we're experiencing our worst winter since 1978. My sisters work at a medical billing company and they've had work canceled yesterday and today because the city of Toledo is on Level 3 Winter Storm warning. Anybody out driving without having an emergency as an excuse can technically be arrested.

Found some pictures in the Daily Mail of all places. A South Bend, Indiana native went up the west coast of Michigan and took some pictures of frozen lighthouses. Some are quite stunning. Hope you enjoy them in the link below: - view external link (http://tinyurl.com/qdzflk3)

[Robus]

That's awesome, Mich. Love those Great Lakes lighthouses.

[TundraWolf]

Great photos, Michigan, hope you don't mind me posting my favourite below:

http://i44.tinypic.com/30bl4ro.jpg

I like the one about the escaped prisoner in Kentucky who turned himself in to escape the cold (link below)! - view external link (http://news.ca.msn.com/odd/police-in-cold-escaped-inmate-turns-himself-in-1)

[Robus]

I'll take this one, which I think is South Haven, between Benton Harbor and Holland, not too far from here:

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz323/Ramiiam/light.jpg

[TundraWolf]

US side of Niagara Falls partially frozen as of yesterday:

http://i44.tinypic.com/2lbeyrm.jpg

[wolves71]

Some great pictures posted and here's one from the Daily Mail link that Mich posted earlier. Have to say, i wouldn't wish the weather any of you are currently enduring on anyone.

http://i41.tinypic.com/3094tja.jpg

[Robus]

It's a balmy 22F/-6C today. Hoping to get above freezing tomorrow, though not by much and not for long.

The dogs have been missing their walks the past few days. We usually do a 30-40 minute evening walk with them around the neighborhood. Not been possible since this cold snap arrived. The snow and especially road salt bothers their paws. You can tell they've had enough when they start holding their paws up. Last night I left the dogs at home and did the walk alone. 8F when I left, 0 by the time I got home. No wind, so not so bad but I can tell you my gloves were not cutting it.

[TundraWolf]

Our dog used to do the same in Montreal when the road salt would bother her paws, had to clean them out by hand on the street or carry her home (lightweight). -6, no wind, that was a no hat, no gloves day back home, all the better to grab the hockey stick on the outdoor floodlit rink. You have brought childhood memories flooding back, Robus! :)

Actually I think about -6C was the average daytime, January high in Montreal, usually reached when we were in school, thereby ensuring we walked home in the dark...only because two hour snowball fights, games of capture the fort, etc, would slow down the otherwise 8-10 minute stroll.

[PremierWolf]

Nice to see pictures of the snow, its 43 degrees here today which is way over100 in the old scale.

[TundraWolf]

Hope these will cool you down, Prem!

Alberta during the recent cold snap and blizzard:

http://i41.tinypic.com/2a8fgip.jpg
Playing hide and go seek with your car.


http://i41.tinypic.com/16jg1lg.jpg
Woman finding she is snowed in.


http://i42.tinypic.com/ml400l.jpg
Snow drifts along a highway.


http://i39.tinypic.com/5uffxc.jpg
Popular sentiments.

[PremierWolf]

Bush fires breaking out around Perth today. Scary stuff as they are not just in the hills but in the city itself. :(

[PremierWolf]

http://i43.tinypic.com/2vblul4.jpg

This was the scene in Perth about an hour ago! This isn't buildings on fire, it's bushland...

Can now smell the smoke Being drawn in by the air con unit on my roof.

[TundraWolf]

Thanks for the shot, Prem, extremes of temperature are rarely good...especially if they make the news. Being a good Canadian lad I would rather have a run of cold weather than over the top heat. Growing up, when it hit -20F we would just don an extra sweater and hit the outdoor rink with hockey stick in hand. With the thermometer hovering in the 90s and above the high humidity in Montreal would drive us to hang out near fans or shopping malls in the mid-part of the day.

Glad I am in Vancouver's more temperate climate now, we actually moved here to avoid the summer's heat, not the winter's, cold.

[WOODLANDSWOLF]

http://i43.tinypic.com/2vblul4.jpg

This was the scene in Perth about an hour ago! This isn't buildings on fire, it's bushland...

Can now smell the smoke Being drawn in by the air con unit on my roof.

Holy $hit, if that is a "bush" fire Prem she must be a big girl! ;D ;-D

[Woking88]

What's the situation like in North America/Canada and Australia now that we have moved on a bit?

[WOODLANDSWOLF]

Another big winter storm tearing up the North East. Hopefully it will keep blowing until Feb 2 and then turn sunny, because on the 3rd I am going the Alberta for two weeks.

Apparently here in Texas on Friday the high is not going to get out of the 30s. :s :-S

[TundraWolf]

Another big winter storm tearing up the North East. Hopefully it will keep blowing until Feb 2 and then turn sunny, because on the 3rd I am going the Alberta for two weeks.

Apparently here in Texas on Friday the high is not going to get out of the 30s. :s :-S

+30 or -30, Woody?

Where in Alberta, Woody? Calgary, Edmonton,Pincher Creek?

A better chance of a Chinook in the "Calgary, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat triangle." One is coming through Calgary this Friday, expected high is 48F!

[Robus]

Supposed to be -9F Thursday evening. This is getting old.

[Woking88]

Currently +11C according to my car temperature gauge - I can live with that as I munch my way through a lovely fresh iced bun (not in my car I might add)! ;D

[WOODLANDSWOLF]

Another big winter storm tearing up the North East. Hopefully it will keep blowing until Feb 2 and then turn sunny, because on the 3rd I am going the Alberta for two weeks.

Apparently here in Texas on Friday the high is not going to get out of the 30s. :s :-S

+30 or -30, Woody?

Where in Alberta, Woody? Calgary, Edmonton,Pincher Creek?

A better chance of a Chinook in the "Calgary, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat triangle." One is coming through Calgary this Friday, expected high is 48F![/quote]

Just 30F mate. But it is supposed to rain this afternoon and freeze overnight, so with all these mad Texans on the roads tomorrow morning is going to be chaos!:s :-S

In Canada I will be visiting a power plant in Duffield which is about an hour west of Edmonton. I will be staying in Stony Plain which is a kind of westerly suburb of Edmonton, although it didn't used to be. It is still the home

[PremierWolf]

Sadly 56 homes totally destroyed by bush fires in Perth in the last week or so.

Temps have been between 36c and 41c degrees for the most part and it's going to be hot for this long Australia Day weekend.

[Robus]

Sadly 56 homes totally destroyed by bush fires in Perth in the last week or so.

Temps have been between 36c and 41c degrees for the most part and it's going to be hot for this long Australia Day weekend.

If we could average your climate and ours, we might have something liveable.

Expecting -17F/-27C on Monday, for the second time this winter! :O

[PremierWolf]

Sadly 56 homes totally destroyed by bush fires in Perth in the last week or so.

Temps have been between 36c and 41c degrees for the most part and it's going to be hot for this long Australia Day weekend.

If we could average your climate and ours, we might have something liveable.

Expecting -17F/-27C on Monday, for the second time this winter! :O[/quote]

That's amazing when you think about it, you have -27c we have up to 40c that's a swing of 67c degrees :O

[Robus]

We'll get close to that in the summer. Not quite up to 40C usually, but 100F/38C often enough. Well, Spring and Fall are nice.

[TundraWolf]

Expecting -17F/-27C on Monday, for the second time this winter! :O

Great ball hockey weather, to the streets and school yards, Robus! Used to put shaved tennis balls in the freezer at home then play with them, a cannonading drive would leave a bruise on an unsuspecting shin for ten days! Ah happy memories. Rather it was too cold than too hot any day!!

My sympathies are with you both, Robus and Prem.

[TundraWolf]

In Canada I will be visiting a power plant in Duffield which is about an hour west of Edmonton. I will be staying in Stony Plain which is a kind of westerly suburb of Edmonton, although it didn't used to be. It is still the home of the ugliest women in North America though!

Only -2C in Duffield, Alberta, Woody...but it can get colder I am told. Below is a picture taken of the Duffield Town Hall.

http://i42.tinypic.com/1zgc3gy.jpg

A hamlet (didn't Shakespeare write a story about the place?), it has a population of 69...gotta be one good looking one in the bunch.

[Robus]

They've cancelled classes at my wife's school for Monday and Tuesday. Seems a little panicky and premature. We're expecting lows down to -18F Monday night into Tuesday morning, then warming a bit later in the week.

The issue is wind combined with cold. Guess they don't want the little tykes getting frostbite walking to school or waiting for the bus.

We are well sick of this winter, I can tell you.

Forecast: Cold as a witch's t!t.

Bandstand update:

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz323/Ramiiam/CAM00153.jpg
B)

[TundraWolf]

Always easy to tell when it is cold, Robus, the air is so dry (miniscule humidity) that the pictures come out loud and clear...like the one above!

[TundraWolf]

Sadly 56 homes totally destroyed by bush fires in Perth in the last week or so.

Temps have been between 36c and 41c degrees for the most part and it's going to be hot for this long Australia Day weekend.

If we could average your climate and ours, we might have something liveable.

Expecting -17F/-27C on Monday, for the second time this winter! :O[/quote]

That's amazing when you think about it, you have -27c we have up to 40c that's a swing of 67c degrees :O[/quote]

Sounds like a year in Montreal, temperature hitting -40C every couple of years, then up to +37C and humid six months later, that's one main reason we moved out here to a more temperate climate on the West Coast. It wasn't the cold that bothered us but the high heat and humidity.

Malaysian friends visiting one year said that the summers were worse than the winters due to th

[WOODLANDSWOLF]

Snow, sleet and possible ice storm blowing in here tomorrow. Short duration though, low temperatures for around three days. The worst thing is the havoc it will cause on the roads. I did have an appointment downtown tomorrow afternoon but for safety's sake I have just cancelled it. But that's OK, it means I can watch the games instead. :)

[TundraWolf]

Wise move, Woody, you would be putting your good self and your car's well being in the hands of inexperienced drivers should you venture forth.

Funny out here in Vancouver, students will miss a day of school as they can't drive in on a bit of icy road. But...

Me: "So you missed school yesterday due to a bit of ice on the roads!?"
Student: "Yes, my father said it was far too dangerous to drive."
Me: "So, what did you do yesterday?"
Students: "We drove up to Whistler (150kms away) and went skiing!"

An actual conversation held two years ago with a lad who couldn't drive the 4 kms to school on plowed roads.

[WOODLANDSWOLF]

Wise move, Woody, you would be putting your good self and your car's well being in the hands of inexperienced drivers should you venture forth.

Funny out here in Vancouver, students will miss a day of school as they can't drive in on a bit of icy road. But...

Me: "So you missed school yesterday due to a bit of ice on the roads!?"
Student: "Yes, my father said it was far too dangerous to drive."
Me: "So, what did you do yesterday?"
Students: "We drove up to Whistler (150kms away) and went skiing!"

An actual conversation held two years ago with a lad who couldn't drive the 4 kms to school on plowed roads.Wise move, Woody, you would be putting your good self and your car's well being in the hands of inexperienced drivers should you venture forth.

"Wise move, Woody, you would be putting your good self and your car's well being in the hands of inexperienced drivers should you venture forth."

Too bloody true mate, especially with t

[Robus]

Snow, sleet and possible ice storm blowing in here tomorrow. Short duration though, low temperatures for around three days. The worst thing is the havoc it will cause on the roads. I did have an appointment downtown tomorrow afternoon but for safety's sake I have just cancelled it. But that's OK, it means I can watch the games instead. :)

Good idea mate. Texas drivers and snow do not mix well!

I don't know if you've lived in Texas long enough to remember the snowstorm in January 1985. I was a student at UT. Austin got maybe 4-6 inches in all, the surrounding Hill Country a bit more. What a clusterflu(k! No salt trucks, no plows, nothing to deal with that kind of weather. Paralysis. A friend was stranded on I-35 for two days. XD - view external link (http://blogs.kxan.com/2011/01/12/1985-south-central-texas-snowstorm/)

[MichiganWolf]

I work at a school and we were supposed to resume school January 6th, but due to weather, school was cancelled 6 out of the 15 scheduled school days since (day off for MLK Jr Day, and a teacher work day forte end of the quarter). Roads aren't terrible now, but we've had today and tomorrow cancelled because of temperatures in the negatives (F). With most of the students walking to school, I think it's best they stay in doors. But it's hard for them getting into a groove back from break.

[Robus]

I work at a school and we were supposed to resume school January 6th, but due to weather, school was cancelled 6 out of the 15 scheduled school days since (day off for MLK Jr Day, and a teacher work day forte end of the quarter). Roads aren't terrible now, but we've had today and tomorrow cancelled because of temperatures in the negatives (F). With most of the students walking to school, I think it's best they stay in doors. But it's hard for them getting into a groove back from break.

From what my friend in Imlay City tells me, the weather in your part of Michigan has been worse if anything than ours. Not as cold, but more snow.

[MichiganWolf]

I work at a school and we were supposed to resume school January 6th, but due to weather, school was cancelled 6 out of the 15 scheduled school days since (day off for MLK Jr Day, and a teacher work day forte end of the quarter). Roads aren't terrible now, but we've had today and tomorrow cancelled because of temperatures in the negatives (F). With most of the students walking to school, I think it's best they stay in doors. But it's hard for them getting into a groove back from break.

From what my friend in Imlay City tells me, the weather in your part of Michigan has been worse if anything than ours. Not as cold, but more snow.[/quote]

One of my best friends from college is from Imlay City. But I live just north of Toledo, and we have had a decent amount of snow. Wind has been pretty bad too. Probably the worst winter of my young life (only 25).

[Robus]

Anybody catch the news of that massive truck pileup on I-94 in Indiana last week?

Anybody ever been caught in a real white-out? Tundra probably has. I have twice. Once in the winter of 1996-97 on I-55 down south of Joliet. Again a few winters ago less than a mile from my house. My wife was in the car with me the second time. I'd told her about the first time, but she couldn't grasp it until she experienced it herself.

Quite frightening. You cannot see anything outside the car. Can't move forward, can't see the shoulder of the road to pull over. Nothing to do but stop where you are and hope nobody piles into you from behind. - view external link (www.nbcchicago.com/investigations/Trucking-Laws-Scrutinized-After-I-94-Crashes-241897721.html?partner=xfinity1)

[Woking88]

Looks like we are in for a couple of days of east wind on Wednesday and Thursday at a freezing +6C! :O

[WOODLANDSWOLF]

Just checked the weather for my first day on site next week in Alberta.

High Temp -22F
Low Temp -45f

Better take an extra pair of socks!!

:( :-( :s :-S

http://i62.tinypic.com/rh5qc6.jpg

Essential Equipment.


http://i59.tinypic.com/4jq92b.jpg

[Evewolf65]

Just checked the weather for my first day on site next week in Alberta.

High Temp -22F
Low Temp -45f

Better take an extra pair of socks!!

:( :-( :s :-S

http://i62.tinypic.com/rh5qc6.jpg

Essential Equipment.


http://i59.tinypic.com/4jq92b.jpg



I've felt what -22c/-7f is like and that is well more than enough for me, Brrrrrrr!!!!! :)

[WOODLANDSWOLF]

Just checked the weather for my first day on site next week in Alberta.

High Temp -22F
Low Temp -45f

Better take an extra pair of socks!!

:( :-( :s :-S

http://i62.tinypic.com/rh5qc6.jpg

Essential Equipment.


http://i59.tinypic.com/4jq92b.jpg



I've felt what -22c/-7f is like and that is well more than enough for me, Brrrrrrr!!!!! :)[/quote]

I worked in Timmins Ontaria, home of a huge Gold mine, about ten years ago in similair temperatures. Only just bloody warmed back up!

[TundraWolf]

How can anybody be cold in Timmins...the home town of Shania Twain?

http://i62.tinypic.com/w03ino.jpg

-22C, a great time to play ball hockey on an outdoor rink, the shaved tennis ball will be frozen like a rock, but you won't feel it since your extremities will be numb!>:)

[Robus]

Snowing hard. Between tonight and Saturday afternoon we are expecting 10 inches altogether. Then down below zero again on Monday. Tuesday, another winter storm coming through...

What a winter! :O

[TundraWolf]

Must be quite a challenge to road crews, Robus, often working around the clock to stay ahead of the weather. I remember Montreal having a massive snow removal budget every year and a couple of years they went over budget in early March and just left the snow to melt...ah, chaotic times!

[Robus]

Those road crews have a hard job. Nothing compared to the linemen who repair the power lines in the thick of the worst weather.

We've shot through most of our snow removal budget and about 70% of the road salt stockpile that was to last the whole winter. A good part of it is caked to the floor of my garage!

By the looks of it, we've gotten about 8 inches out of this storm. It's continuing but supposed to taper off in the evening, then more snow on Tuesday.

Bandstand update:

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz323/Ramiiam/CAM00235.jpg

;D

[Woking88]

Gotten - now there's a word we don't use. I think we would say 'had' in this case. Not having a go Robus, just observing the differences.

Looks like the band have emigrated to warmer climes! ;D

[Robus]

Gotten - now there's a word we don't use. I think we would say 'had' in this case. Not having a go Robus, just observing the differences.

Looks like the band have emigrated to warmer climes! ;D

I've picked up a few Britishisms from my time on the forum. ;)

[TundraWolf]

Re: the Oxford online dictionary:

"As past participles of get, got and gotten both date back to Middle English." The link admits it is not used in "British English" its derivation, however...:D

[TundraWolf]

Good luck in the hamlet of Duffield, Alberta, Woody. I looked the town up on line and discovered it has a public library...your evening's entertainment concerns have now been alleviated! However I hear it may close soon, there are only two books in it and one of them has had all the pictures coloured in. :blue:

Apparently, the rumour has it, the "Welcome to Duffield" sign has "You are now leaving Duffield" painted on the back. Please verify whether this is fact or fiction.

[WOODLANDSWOLF]

Good luck in the hamlet of Duffield, Alberta, Woody. I looked the town up on line and discovered it has a public library...your evening's entertainment concerns have now been alleviated! However I hear it may close soon, there are only two books in it and one of them has had all the pictures coloured in. :blue:

Apparently, the rumour has it, the "Welcome to Duffield" sign has "You are now leaving Duffield" painted on the back. Please verify whether this is fact or fiction.

I will post some pics mate.:) :-)

[TundraWolf]

I am heading to Yuma, Arizona, tomorrow, Woody, I'll wave to you as our planes pass at 26,000 feet!XD

[WOODLANDSWOLF]

I am heading to Yuma, Arizona, tomorrow, Woody, I'll wave to you as our planes pass at 26,000 feet!XD

I'll get a window seat and wear my Wolves bobble hat mate. ;D

[Robus]

More snow. Off to work, but my car isn't getting out of the driveway in this condition:

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz323/Ramiiam/CAM00277.jpg

Time for the winter ritual. Any of you keep one of these in the garage?

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz323/Ramiiam/CAM00279.jpg

Twenty minutes or so later:

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz323/Ramiiam/CAM00282.jpg

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz323/Ramiiam/CAM00284.jpg

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz323/Ramiiam/CAM00281.jpg

It's considered neighborly to clear the public sidewalk in front of your home:

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz323/Ramiiam/CAM00283.jpg

Road salt on the garage floor. Nothing to be done about it until we get a thaw, whenever that will be:

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz323/Ramiiam/CAM00276.jpg

Hang in there babies. :heart: Spring is coming some day!

[IMG]http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz323/

[TundraWolf]

Great shots, Robus, another reminder of Montreal winters and why we left.

+28C here in Yuma, Arizona, trying to avoid a sunburn in the desert isn't easy!

[Robus]

What are you up to in Yuma?

[TundraWolf]

Hope things have warmed up, Robus. Just back from Yuma. The area is famous for its snowbirds who have retired and spend the winters below the snow line. My wife has friends who retired quite young on serious pensions and have been spending six months a year in a trailer park in the area. We took the opportunity of my "early retirement" to visit them. A lively bunch of Canadians and northern Americans populate the place and are so full of energy in their late 70s that I feel quite put to shame. Hope to follow at some point in time with photos of the area on another thread.

In keeping with the tenor of this thread, the weather was very dry (arid) and in the high 60s to low 70s most days, by the weekend it is expected to hit a high of 89 degrees!

It was very dry there...
http://i60.tinypic.com/k99zpu.jpg

A shortage of precipitation year round left the soil starved for water (shot in back of our motel).

[greystone16]

On a trip round the States some years ago got to the Holliday Inn in Yuma and on arrival we got out of a a/c car onto a a/c walkin to the hotel. Decided to go for a walk out of the a/c area,we lasted about 10 minutes and were dripping wet.We went up through the desert to Vagas but never experienced such a heat or maybe humidity like Yuma.

[TundraWolf]

On a trip round the States some years ago got to the Holliday Inn in Yuma and on arrival we got out of a a/c car onto a a/c walkin to the hotel. Decided to go for a walk out of the a/c area,we lasted about 10 minutes and were dripping wet.We went up through the desert to Vagas but never experienced such a heat or maybe humidity like Yuma.

Felt quite dry while we were there, greystone; skin itchy at times, my wife and I found the desert striking compared to our softer, rainy Vancouver winters. Without trying to detract from the frigid tone of this thread, what time of year did you travel?

[greystone16]

I think it was towards the end of July Tundra to fit in with end of sons end of term.Great trip,Started Los Angeles,San Diego,Yuma,Pheonix,Hoover Dam,Ceasars Palace Los Vegas,flew to San Francisco drove down via Carmel beautiful coastal drive and back to Los Angeles. Micky Mouse car rental,ditched 3 cars during the trip but in fairness they never got peed off,just said OK sir drop it off at our local depot.

[TundraWolf]

Sounds like a great trip, greystone, drove Fort Lauderdale - San Francisco in 1978. The end bit, Los Angeles to San Francisco stretch, was a fantastic drive, overlooking the ocean and all for over 300 miles.

Wonder how Woody is surviving in chilly Duffield, Alberta?>:)

[Robus]

So you're officially retired? My university is starting an extension campus in the Phoenix area. If it gets up and running well, I suppose I could transfer out there if I wanted. Not bl00dy likely!

As wretched as this winter has been, I'll take it over 100+ degree temperatures for a good part of the year.

[TundraWolf]

Having been through Phoenix twice in the past eight days I can only say that I agree with you, Robus. Houses are often a dull, flat red or tawny shade, trees are listless, or so it seems from a West Coast perspective. Can't understand the appeal except for a place to escape to in winter.

[Robus]

Teri and I talk about where we might like to relocate after we retire, if we're lucky enough to live that long. Chicago's too hot in the summer, too cold in the winter, too crowded and too expensive. Our family ties to Texas will have been broken by that point, presumably, and anyway we can't take the heat anymore. The Pacific Northwest is too rainy. Don't know, really. Maybe somewhere like Bloomington, IN.

[TundraWolf]

Robus, the Pacific North-West is unpredictable at best, right now we are having one of our driest winters in decades. often a few miles north or south can make a world of difference as weather patterns often follow the land formations and a mountainous area versus a mountain pass can make all the difference in the amount of annual rainfall.

Having seen Yuma, and trailers for sale as low as $7,000, it is quite possible that you could find an ideal mix of weather patterns by being on the coast in the March to November period and spending 1-4 months down south in a trailer park where the sun always shines and it is never too hot. The trailer park I visited friends at in Yuma had a rec centre, activities, a pool, and golf courses nearby and many happy, warm Northeners from Canada and the US. I even met a married couple from just north of Chicago and had a great time with them (both were teachers).

A trailer may seem like a cramped living situation, but many take day trips into the surro

[greystone16]

As an outsider from what I've seen of the States I was very impressed with San Diego,seemed a civilised part of the US but maybe a bit expensive.

[TundraWolf]

I spent a half-day in San Diego once and found it to be quite a nice place. If you go only a little bit in-land you end up in a hot, dry climate, quite the opposite of the city on the ocean so many have the image of from films and guide books.

Odd story re: San Diego. About 30 years ago two buddies of mine worked and saved for six months to buy a car and drive across the US. They figured that their odyssey would take about six months in all. We discussed their route together and when I saw they were going to be stopping in San Diego I encouraged them to visit their world famous zoo.

They did visit the Zoo, loved it, returned to the Zoo's parking lot and found their car had been stolen; they ended up coming home by bus after only about 6-8 weeks on the road.

Re: the thread, icy roads have been everywhere on our hilly island this past week, temperatures dropped to -13C one night, about 15C below normal. We have had little rain this winter and mild temperatures but many icy days as whe

[Robus]

As an outsider from what I've seen of the States I was very impressed with San Diego,seemed a civilised part of the US but maybe a bit expensive.

I lived there for a time when I was small. There's a big Navy base. Haven't been back for 40 years or more. One of these days I'd like to ride a motorcycle out that way. As far as living there again, I'm afraid it would be too civilized for my tastes.

[Woking88]

From the BBC:- - view external link (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-26185446)

[wolves71]

I feel for the woman that got killed having been struck by a snow plough in America, her baby was saved though. Watching the news last night shows how much more on the ball other countries are and how they respond to weather conditions.

[TundraWolf]

Standard winter stuff in Canada and Northern US, but they simply aren't prepared for it down south. Worst winter weather often is associated with temperatures just below freezing, icy roads, power outages, etc occur at such times.

[Robus]

I feel for the woman that got killed having been struck by a snow plough in America, her baby was saved though. Watching the news last night shows how much more on the ball other countries are and how they respond to weather conditions.

Unfortunately those accidents happen more often than one might think.

I'm continually amazed at how well the authorities in my area do with snow removal. The plows and salt trucks are out on the roads from the moment the snow begins to fall. In all but the worst storms the main roads remain passable throughout. In my neighborhood, we can count on the secondary roads, residential streets, and even the circles and coves being cleared by the time people are off to work in the morning if not before. The logistics involved are something to think about, and yet it functions so well we hardly notice.

[wolves71]

I feel for the woman that got killed having been struck by a snow plough in America, her baby was saved though. Watching the news last night shows how much more on the ball other countries are and how they respond to weather conditions.

Unfortunately those accidents happen more often than one might think.

I'm continually amazed at how well the authorities in my area do with snow removal. The plows and salt trucks are out on the roads from the moment the snow begins to fall. In all but the worst storms the main roads remain passable throughout. In my neighborhood, we can count on the secondary roads, residential streets, and even the circles and coves being cleared by the time people are off to work in the morning if not before. The logistics involved are something to think about, and yet it functions so well we hardly notice.[/quote]

Maybe lessons can be taken on board over here. One

[Evewolf65]

no post

[Evewolf65]

Sounds like a great trip, greystone, drove Fort Lauderdale - San Francisco in 1978. The end bit, Los Angeles to San Francisco stretch, was a fantastic drive, overlooking the ocean and all for over 300 miles.

Wonder how Woody is surviving in chilly Duffield, Alberta?>:)



I did the San Francisco to Los Angeles trip down CSR1 (pacific coast road) in 2011 when we had 3 weeks travelling down the west coast stunning trip! B)


PS finished up in San Diego a city we enjoyed immensely The USS Midway is moored there as a fantastic floating museum loads of other things to see and do that probably don't include the Padres who are woeful!:blue:

[Robus]

Maybe lessons can be taken on board over here. One bit of snow and all hell breaks loose, not quick enough to respond. Even the picture of your pathway to your front door and the machinery used to do it is an eye opener. Countries like your own have many that work as one in their communities.

It's the same in warmer climates over here. The more a big snow is a rare event, the greater the catastrophe when one does hit.

A snow blower is an essential piece of kit around here.

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz323/Ramiiam/snowblower.jpg

And sure beats the old-fashioned way:

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz323/Ramiiam/shoveling.jpg

[Robus]

Snowing hard. About 6 inches predicted for the afternoon. We are hoping for a thaw later this week. B)

Bandstand update:

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz323/Ramiiam/CAM00299.jpg

[wolves71]

Maybe lessons can be taken on board over here. One bit of snow and all hell breaks loose, not quick enough to respond. Even the picture of your pathway to your front door and the machinery used to do it is an eye opener. Countries like your own have many that work as one in their communities.

It's the same in warmer climates over here. The more a big snow is a rare event, the greater the catastrophe when one does hit.

A snow blower is an essential piece of kit around here.

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz323/Ramiiam/snowblower.jpg

And sure beats the old-fashioned way:

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz323/Ramiiam/shoveling.jpg

The second picture is usually the way to go here, the good old shovel, but i can see the benefits of the machinery used in picture one as it makes it a lot easier.

[Robus]

Having done it both ways, I can tell you the snow blower is more fun! We got ours when we bought the house about ten years ago. Our weather being so variable from year to year, there have been a couple of winters when it never got used. It's earning its paycheck this winter though. Fortunately we don't get snows like in the ones in those pictures around here. Though two years back we had a storm where the drifts around the house were nearly that deep.

[TundraWolf]

Robus, those piles of snow bring back memories of snow forts, tunnels, snowball fights and all such kinds of fun!

http://i61.tinypic.com/35a3n2g.jpg

[jiltedjohn]

The missus isn't too good with a shovel but I'm sure she could push one of those snow blowers. :)

[Woking88]

How is it going now, guys?

[TundraWolf]

Vancouver just got socked in with some snow a couple of days ago. I think the snow budget here is about $50 a year, but pretty much everything seems to be running smoothly:

http://i59.tinypic.com/jp7fx5.jpg

http://i61.tinypic.com/sl6wyv.jpg

http://i57.tinypic.com/24es4nr.jpg

http://i62.tinypic.com/5y5jrb.jpg

http://i57.tinypic.com/wahq35.jpg

http://i62.tinypic.com/swxnq9.jpg


Over the Coquihalla Highway about 2 hours drive east of here things were much worse with 200+ cms (6ft 8ins) falling in just one 24 hour period; several truck drivers were trapped in their rigs for two days on the mountain pass, things are much better now though. Taken ten minutes ago:

http://i59.tinypic.com/19lafm.jpg

[Woking88]

Is that your house on fire behind the red car in picture 5, Tundra? ;)

[TundraWolf]

Is that your house on fire behind the red car in picture 5, Tundra? ;)

More likely a light in the window for their wandering lad, Wokes! :heart: ;D


http://i60.tinypic.com/241phqf.jpg

On the Coquihalla the road is closed now for avalanche control. Helicopters drop radio controlled bombs into the hills, then detonate them all at once; a small controlled avalanche is better than an uncontrolled larger one later on.

[Woking88]

How about an update, guys?

It is starting to get a lot more 'Spring-like' over here. The early morning bird chorus is back with a vengeance and the early flowering daffodils have started.

http://i61.tinypic.com/10453k2.jpg

[TundraWolf]

Nice back garden you have there Wokes...ever open it up to the public, vicarage egg and spoon races, etc?;D

-58F (-50C) in Moose Jaw Saskatchewan, three days ago, according to a mate who has a daughter there. Niagara falls is frozen over back East, as of yesterday. Here, on the Wet (West) Coast, it is +12C (54F) and cloudy today.

http://i59.tinypic.com/2cohj74.jpg

The temperatures above compare the temperature with the record lows from the past in SOUTHERN Saskatchewan.

[Robus]

Here is the bandstand update, unfortunately:

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz323/Ramiiam/CAM00306.jpg

Nothing looking like Spring yet. We had a brief thaw last week that melted some of the snow that's been on the ground since the early part of January. Then cold again over the weekend and since. 23F/-5C and snowing this morning.

The forecast over the next ten days has daily highs in the 30s to low 40s. That should melt off the rest of the snow. But will it be enough to bring the motorcycles out of their winter hibernation? :?

[TundraWolf]

That must be the most photographed bandstand on footie mad, Robus. Sort of a bell weather for keeping track of the temperatures.

Frozen shots of Niagara Falls:

http://i57.tinypic.com/xbhlr9.jpg

http://i59.tinypic.com/2v3mp6t.jpg

At night under coloured lights:
http://i57.tinypic.com/2mrfw1t.jpg

[Greavseywolf]

Snowing hard. About 6 inches predicted for the afternoon. We are hoping for a thaw later this week. B)

Bandstand update:

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz323/Ramiiam/CAM00299.jpg

sorry raymondo , just messin , again, like you do B) ( live bandstand update )

http://i.imgur.com/Xk3HLRk.gif

[Robus]

I like it Greavsey. B)

[Robus]

Winter doesn't want to die. A late-winter storm overnight. About 7 inches by the looks of it. Mich, you're probably digging out too.

A few days above freezing had knocked back the accumulation of snow that had been hanging around since early January. As of yesterday we were feeling pretty good about our odds of a Spring happening:

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz323/Ramiiam/CAM00310.jpg

The view out my back door last night:

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz323/Ramiiam/CAM00316.jpg

And this morning:

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz323/Ramiiam/CAM00318.jpg

:O :? B)

[WOODLANDSWOLF]

Post card view mate, and that is where it belongs, on a bloody post card.XD

Honestly, I don't know how you guys can tolerate this stuff fo so mmany motnths. Getta Taxi out of there for gods sake! XD X-D

[Robus]

Woody, this isn't our normal winter. Not even close! The last time we had one like it was in the late 90s. That year we got our first big snow in early December. That snow was still on the ground in March! :O

Typically we get a warm-up every few weeks throughout the winter. This year, besides the the unusually cold temperatures, we've had about 70 inches of snow and hardly any warm-ups.

But it's all ending. These late-winter snows don't stick around long. 20F today but should be back above freezing tomorrow.

It'll be our turn to laugh in a few months when you all are sweltering under 100+ temps down there. >:)

[MichiganWolf]

Snow just keeps on coming this year

http://i.imgur.com/jpLdpip.jpg?1

[WOODLANDSWOLF]

Woody, this isn't our normal winter. Not even close! The last time we had one like it was in the late 90s. That year we got our first big snow in early December. That snow was still on the ground in March! :O

Typically we get a warm-up every few weeks throughout the winter. This year, besides the the unusually cold temperatures, we've had about 70 inches of snow and hardly any warm-ups.

But it's all ending. These late-winter snows don't stick around long. 20F today but should be back above freezing tomorrow.

It'll be our turn to laugh in a few months when you all are sweltering under 100+ temps down there. >:)

A/C + Frequent Margaritas = Zero Sweltering.;D ;-D

[TundraWolf]

Is "snain" an American term for a mixture of snow and rain? When that happens in Canada it is simply called "freezing rain."

Nothing better than a slippery stretch of ice on the road or sidewalk covered overnight as the temperatures drop to a deceptively peaceful blanket of snow. :s

On the West Coast here in Vancouver it is sunny and +12C, 54F!:heart:

[WOODLANDSWOLF]

Snow just keeps on coming this year

http://i.imgur.com/jpLdpip.jpg?1

I like this! XD X-D

[Robus]

[quote="TundraWolf"

Nothing better than a slippery stretch of ice on the road or sidewalk covered overnight as the temperatures drop to a deceptively peaceful blanket of snow. :s

On the West Coast here in Vancouver it is sunny and +12C, 54F!:heart:[/quote]

Never heard of snain either. We call it freezing rain and it is the worst!

[PremierWolf]

Hooray ... We had the first drop of rain today for 3 and a half months.:O

4 mms:/

[Evewolf65]

Hooray ... We had the first drop of rain today for 3 and a half months.:O

4 mms:/



Ptem it's just stopped raining here for the first time in 3 and a half months!!!XD

[greystone16]

Saw a couple of snow flakes two or three weeks ago so guess that's winter over !!

[Woking88]

We have had some glorious weather in Surrey over the past few days, although I drove 12 miles home at 5:00 this morning through quite bad fog. Visibility was less than 50 yards! :O

[PremierWolf]

Hooray ... We had the first drop of rain today for 3 and a half months.:O

4 mms:/



Ptem it's just stopped raining here for the first time in 3 and a half months!!!XD[/quote]

Yes, I have seen the battering the Isle of Wight has taken. Let's hope you have a good summer.

[Robus]

One last bandstand update. Some difference a few weeks makes. Looks like the wood could use a fresh stain after the beating it took over the winter.

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz323/Ramiiam/826.jpg

[TundraWolf]

Great update, Robus, surely some enterprising lad with a brush would love to take on the staining job, if only for the experience! :D

The Coquihalla Highway the most direct route from Vancouver east to Calgary, 660 miles away, has snow for most of the year. The road was inundated with snow May 4th of this year and I have encountered snow and ice on it as early as September 4th.

As it is today:
http://i62.tinypic.com/xksv8p.jpg

As it usually is in winter:
http://i60.tinypic.com/281ecqv.jpg

Sometimes it is closed down due to accidents, dangerous conditions ahead, or controlled avalanches. Nothing else to do but step out of you car and stretch your legs:
http://i60.tinypic.com/25gxawo.jpg

Sometimes you have to just sit in your car and ride it out:
http://i59.tinypic.com/282kn4p.jpg

They even have a television show on it here with footage of the perilous conditions, it is called, "Highway Thru Hell (see attachment, sorry for 4-letter words

[Robus]

I'm a little concerned about the weather I'll encounter through the Northern Great Plains and Rockies here in a couple of weeks. Could be leaving as early as Friday of next week. Late snow a distinct possibility. In preparation for my trip to Little Bighorn I've been reading about Custer's fiasco. The Seventh Cavalry got hit by heavy snows coming west from Bismarck in May.

[TundraWolf]

Check the first few minutes of the video on post 135 above, or below, for a feel of driving through the mountains outside Vancouver. Suggest you check the weather before traveling through, they should close your highway route down though if it should get too bad.

I am having trouble getting the video up here, if you have the same problem go to youtube, search "highway thru hell" then look for "...smasher..." you will find the link. - view external link (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WBGAilLlgY)

[Woking88]

Try this link:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WBGAilLlgy

This is the link I posted below, but for some reason it has a mind of it's own! - view external link (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WBGAilLlgy)

[TundraWolf]

The video for the Coquihalla Highway should work now, Robus. What is not clear in the video is that you are either going up or down the mountain, rarely on a flat surface. The road conditions are exacerbated by the fact that there is so much snow each year in the mountains that the road is rarely cleared down to the pavement but is packed down so that you are driving on a slippery tilted surface for most of the year; having driven it too often I try to avoid it if and when it is possible.

Robus, if the road is too dangerous the highway patrol will close down the road.

Video from the show, "Highway Thru Hell" - view external link (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WBGAilLlgY)

[TundraWolf]

Tornado yesterday forming outside Angus, Ontario, about a ninety minute drive north of Toronto:

http://i60.tinypic.com/2435ftt.jpg

gathered force...

http://i61.tinypic.com/25zo0oo.jpg

Then it hit, flipping a truck, doing some local damage to vehicles...

http://i59.tinypic.com/2llo6t5.jpg

...and a few houses:

http://i57.tinypic.com/2u8b5mr.jpg

http://i59.tinypic.com/2r78zm8.jpg

...before moving on.

T'is tornado season here in parts of Canada and the US.

[Woking88]

That's a heck of a lot of damage, Tundra. Fortunately we don't get them like that in Surrey!

[Robus]

Getting to be that time of year again. :s

[TundraWolf]

Is it my imagination or did Nebraska not receive a visit from a series of tornadoes this past week, Robus?

Norfolk, Nebraska, rare twin funnel clouds, yesterday I believe:

http://i60.tinypic.com/153pa1y.jpg

[Robus]

Is it my imagination or did Nebraska not receive a visit from a series of tornadoes this past week, Robus?

Norfolk, Nebraska, rare twin funnel clouds, yesterday I believe:

http://i60.tinypic.com/153pa1y.jpg

Pretty frightening. Here's a Youtube video of those tornadoes taken by storm chasers. - view external link (www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9d7DDQawVE)

[TundraWolf]

Great footage, Robus, only glad that we don't have them out here, we're only an earthquake zone!

My brother-in-law is a "Prairie Boy" and said that as tornadoes only travel in a pretty much straight line they are easy to avoid in open areas, that's if you are in a car, not in a house!

[Robus]

You can get away from one in a car--if you can see it and don't get stuck in traffic or blinded by rain which can fall in sheets around the edge of those storms. Problem is when they come at night or embedded in thunderstorms so that you can't see them until they are on top of you.

About five years ago one passed a few miles south of us and went on to do damage in Indiana. That tornado was on the ground for a long time, half hour or more. We had about fif**** minutes warning it was heading our way.

I told my wife, if you want to pack the dogs into the car and get out of here we can do that, but we must be GONE in five minutes.

Problem is, my wife cannot do anything on that short notice. A few minutes later, she was still considering it. "Do you really think we should go..?" "Nope, too late now."

So we headed for the basement.