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Blizzard Warning in Northern Virginia

Origami

By Origami,
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Origami Neptune Reefer

Origami

Be safe everybody.

 

From Google's Public Alerts:

 

Blizzard Watch has been canceled. A blizzard Warning has been issued.

 

Blizzard Warning in effect from 3 PM Friday to 6 AM EST Sunday.
 
The National Weather Service in Baltimore Md/washington has issued a Blizzard Warning, which is in effect from 3 PM Friday to 6 AM EST Sunday. The Blizzard Watch is no longer in effect.
 
  • Hazard types: Heavy snow and wind with blowing and drifting snow Friday afternoon through Saturday night. Sleet may mix with the snow Friday night into Saturday morning east of Interstate 95 before changing back to all snow by Saturday afternoon.
  • Accumulations: snow accumulation of 18 to 24 inches in the eastern suburbs of washington dc, and 24 to 30 inches in the western suburbs. The city of washington dc is expected to receive around 24 inches.
  • Timing: Heavy snow will develop late Friday afternoon and continue through Saturday night. Conditions are expected to deteriorate Friday afternoon with the heaviest Snow, strongest winds, and potential life threatening conditions expected Friday night through Saturday.
  • Impacts: Heavy snow and blowing snow will cause dangerous conditions and will be a threat to life and property. Travel is expected to be severely limited if not impossible during the height of the storm Friday night and Saturday. Visibility will be reduced to near zero at times in Whiteout Conditions.
  • Winds: northeast 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 50 mph, becoming north Saturday.
  • Temperatures: mid to upper 20s.

Recommended Actions

A Blizzard Warning means severe winter weather conditions are expected or occurring. Falling and blowing snow with strong winds and poor visibilities are likely. This will lead to Whiteout conditions, making travel extremely dangerous. Do not travel. If you must travel, have a winter survival kit with you. If you get stranded, stay with your vehicle. Prepare for the possibility of power outages during snowy and cold conditions.

 

Tips from Ready.gov

Before:
Before winter approaches, add the following supplies to your emergency kit:
  • Rock salt or more environmentally safe products to melt ice on walkways. Visit the Environmental Protection Agency for a complete list of recommended products.
  • Sand to improve traction.
  • Snow shovels and other snow removal equipment.
  • Sufficient heating fuel. You may become isolated in your home and regular fuel sources may be cut off. Store a good supply of dry, seasoned wood for your fireplace or wood-burning stove.
  • Adequate clothing and blankets to keep you warm.

More tips for before.

 

During:
  • Avoid overexertion when shoveling snow. Overexertion can bring on a heart attack - a major cause of death in the winter. If you must shovel snow, stretch before going outside.
  • Keep dry. Change wet clothing frequently to prevent a loss of body heat. Wet clothing loses all of its insulating value and transmits heat rapidly.
  • Watch for signs of frostbite. These include loss of feeling and white or pale appearance in extremities such as fingers, toes, ear lobes, and the tip of the nose. If symptoms are detected, get medical help immediately.
  • Conserve fuel, if necessary, by keeping your residence cooler than normal. Temporarily close off heat to some rooms.

More tips for during.

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Origami Neptune Reefer

Origami

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Just some thoughts about keeping your tank going in the event of a power loss:

 

Critical aspects of keeping your tank and corals going in the event of a power loss include, in order of importance (to me):

 

  • Circulation - It's critical to remove biological waste from corals, including CO2. It also helps to oxygenate the tank and ensure that oxygen is available to the coral. With the lights out, everything (including plants and corals) go into cellular respiration. Photosynthesis stops and (most) everything living begins to consume oxygen and produce CO2. Oxygen levels in the water can drop rapidly if gas exchange at the surface is compromised by stagnant water. Airstones help.Thus, this is normally the first thing that we want to make sure that we have (even more so than the airstone, since good circulation covers both needs.). In tank power heads will also transfer some heat to the tank so their efficiency in this situation goes way up. 
  • Heat - Your tank can survive even into the mid-60's for short periods. Cell processes slow down and oxygen consumption goes down. Gas saturation level is better at lower temperatures. So lowered temperatures are not necessarily a bad thing, but there is a limit. If you had to pick between keeping your tank heated to 78 degrees or keeping your in-tank circulation going, go with the circulation and let the tank temperature drop. Turn your heaters down to save power or omit them entirely (but watch the temperature and consider acting when the tank begins to fall below 70).
  • Light - Your tank can go several (4, 5 or more) days easily without light. Don't feel compelled to waste your power on light if you're living off of batteries.

If you have a sump and your heaters are there, feel free to move the heaters to the main tank and to shut down the main pump to save power so you can survive longer blackouts. That's only relevant if you're going to use the heaters, of course.

 

Other strategies: To reduce heat loss, you can wrap your tank in some sort of insulator (blankets or insulating panels) so you're not losing as much heat through those surfaces. 

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Origami Neptune Reefer

Origami

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The 8:30 PM forecast is showing the heaviest snowfall in our area seems to be consolidating around Frederick, Montgomery and Howard Counties in MD. DC, the southern and western suburbs are now down in the 18-24 inch range. YMMV.

 

gallery_2631296_685_32973.jpg

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Squishie89 Grandmaster Reefer

Squishie89

I am nervous. My first really big storm with fish tanks. We have battery powered air pumps, blankets, making rodi, have salt, car power inverters and 2 cars.

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matt Grandmaster Reefer

matt

In an ice storm in North Carolina I attempted to keep my freshwater tank warm enough after an outage by heating tank water on a gas grill and pouring it back into the tank...heat, repeat, break, heat, repeat.... etc. I didn't lose anything and I was without power for like 2-3days. Never underestimate how resourceful and motivated you can be as an aquarist :-)

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matt Grandmaster Reefer

matt

The good news is that with the increased snow predictions it's less likely that godzilla and stay puft marshmallow man will be able to hike in and zap us. Thank goodness, cuz I was worried about that part! (this only makes sense if you can see John Solo's post)

 

Hope we're all ready for the real challenge...good luck everybody

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sethsolomon Grandmaster Reefer

sethsolomon

Tip for heating your water:  gas stoves and heat pans of water. Don't boil the water as this will cause evaporation and a salinity change.  Just heat it up to 170 degrees or so.  I picked up a blow torch just in case so i can do this if i have to.

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Origami Neptune Reefer

Origami

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Another tip for those of us on wells: If you don't have a backup generator on your well pump and the power is out for days, you're going to need water for cooking, drinking, to help flush the toilet, etc. Take some of those 5 gallon buckets that you have lying around and clean and fill them now. Fill the bathtub, etc.

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matt Grandmaster Reefer

matt

Tip for heating your water:  gas stoves and heat pans of water. Don't boil the water as this will cause evaporation and a salinity change.  Just heat it up to 170 degrees or so.  I picked up a blow torch just in case so i can do this if i have to.

 

Now that's what I'm talking about...someone willing to use a blow torch to protect his livestock

 

Another tip for those of us on wells: If you don't have a backup generator on your well pump and the power is out for days, you're going to need water for cooking, drinking, to help flush the toilet, etc. Take some of those 5 gallon buckets that you have lying around and clean and fill them now. Fill the bathtub, etc.

 

My RODI is running right now and I've put the waste line to a tub...2-for-1

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pizzaguy Oracle Reefer

pizzaguy

So what time is the snow expected to actually start hammering down. We have maybe 3 inches so far

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Origami Neptune Reefer

Origami

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So what time is the snow expected to actually start hammering down. We have maybe 3 inches so far

I think that the blizzard conditions may hit us later tonight or in the morning. A low pressure zone off the coast is forming and that's what's supposed to pump more moisture in and bring high winds. What were getting now is mostly moisture from the Gulf.

 

Sent from my LG-V510 using Tapatalk

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LCDRDATA Grandmaster Reefer

LCDRDATA

The good news is that with the increased snow predictions it's less likely that godzilla and stay puft marshmallow man will be able to hike in and zap us. 

 

The question is, can we get one or the other to come in and zap the snow off the streets? :tongue:

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