Storm headed for US South

Storm could be of 'historic proportions'

National Weather Service warns that the storm due to hit the South could be of 'historic proportions.'

Wunderground,

11 February, 2014

A state of emergency has been declared for all of Alabama, Northern Georgia, Northern Mississippi, and Northern Louisiana as the South's second serious winter storm of 2014 spreads snow, sleet, and freezing rain across the region on Tuesday and Wednesday. Freezing rain at a temperature of 29° was falling at 9 am EST Tuesday morning in northern Mississippi in Columbus, and in Birmingham, Alabama, where it was 32°. The storm, called Winter Storm Pax, begins its most dangerous phase Tuesday night into Wednesday, when rain changes to freezing rain from Eastern Georgia through Central South Carolina. As much as 1" of freezing rain is expected in Augusta, Georgia and Columbia, South Carolina, and widespread power outages would result if these ice amounts materialize. Atlanta, Georgia, which was shut down by the 2.6" of snow Winter Storm Leon brought to the city on January 28, is expected to receive a nasty mix of freezing rain, snow, and sleet Tuesday night and Wednesday from the new storm, making travel dangerous or impossible. Just a slight shift in the track of the storm or atmospheric conditions could greatly alter the amount of snow and freezing rain this storm brings, and residents impacted by this storm should follow the latest forecast updates. One positive aspect: the cold air behind this storm will be short-lived, and high temperatures are expected to warm into the upper 40s by Thursday across South Carolina and Northern Georgia.


Figure 1. Predicted freezing rain amounts for the period ending at 6 pm CST Wednesday, February 12, 2014. Image credit: National Weather Service Southern Region.

Heavy snow for the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast coast Wednesday night and Thursday

The storm will move up the Eastern Seaboard Wednesday night into Thursday, potentially bringing six or more inches of snow to major East Coast cities, including Washington D.C., Baltimore, New York City, and Philadelphia. However, depending upon the exact track of the storm, rain may mix with the snow near the coast, resulting in snowfall amounts under six inches in New York City. The winds from the storm are not going to be strong by Nor'easter standards, and only minor coastal flooding is expected from the storm. In Philadelphia, where 6 - 10" of snow are predicted, the storm could set a bit of history. If Philadelphia International Airport receives 6 inches or more of snow from this system, it would be the first time since record keeping began during the winter of 1884-5 that Philadelphia has had four separate six inch or greater snowstorms in a winter. 


Figure 2. Remote-controlled robot snowplow, available for $7,900 from superdroidrobots.com.

Robot snow shoveling help?

For those of you with a little extra disposable income who are sick of shoveling this winter's epic snows, check out this 393-pound remote-controlled robot snowplow, available for $7,900 from superdroidrobots.com. I like my robot vacuum cleaner, but I have my doubts that I'll be buying a robot snowplow!

Store shelves stripped bare: Georgia ice storm could take out electric grid

The Extinction Protocl,

11 February, 2014

 

February 11, 2014 – GEORGIA – If you’re an Atlantan making a last-minute grocery run, here’s hoping you love corn and asparagus. Because that’s all that left on most shelves as residents stocked up and hunkered down for what forecasters say will be a massive ice storm. Gone are the loaves of bread. The quintessential gallons of milk. The cans of beans and the beer. 

Just two weeks after a few inches of snow paralyzed Atlanta and embarrassed the state, both residents and government officials say they aren’t taking any chances. “I think we’re certainly ahead of the game this time and that’s important,” Gov. Nathan Deal told reporters Monday. “We’re trying to be ready and prepared and react as quickly as possible.” Deal declared a weather-related state of emergency for 45 counties in the state, well before snow, sleet and rain were expected to hit. 

The Atlanta Public Schools and a host of other systems across north Georgia announced they would be closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Even before the first raindrops fell, Jagannathan Santhanam had decided to throw in the towel.

“I will work from home and keep my kids home too,” said the software developer. “It was not fun, especially with family members stranded for more than 24 hours in different places during the last storm.” Charles Davidson also opted for a similar strategy. “My wife and I decided a few days ago that we were going to get groceries early in the day, and we’re going to stay in,” he said. “We’re going to stick around for the next two or three days.” 

It took Davidson more than 7 hours to get from Georgia Tech in downtown Atlanta to his home in Marietta, a northwest suburb. 

Because this is an ice storm, officials are especially concerned. 

The storm in late January dumped 2.6 inches on metropolitan Atlanta and shut down the city. This storm has the potential of knocking out the power grid. “When you’re talking about the amount of ice we’re looking at, it’s catastrophic,” Aaron Strickland, Georgia Power’s storm center manager, told reporters. “What will happen is that the ice will build up on trees, trees will come down and take down the power lines. … So it is an event that we are extremely fearful of, but we’re preparing (by) bringing in outside help at this time.” 

Snow, sleet and rain are in the forecast through Wednesday morning as temperatures plunge to the 30s. By Wednesday, ice on the roads could make driving “hazardous or impossible,” forecasters from the National Weather Service warned. –CNN