A speedy crescendo has built among Southern New England weather forecasters regarding this weekend’s storm. I think it is fair to say that relatively few people thought there would be any hiccups in this weekend’s weather before yesterday, or even this morning. Now people are scrambling to rearrange weekend plans.
My own family has our annual Christmas Party and Yankee Swap on Saturday. A collection of family members driving 2-3 hours each, in order to share some eggnog and Christmas cookies, and watch a half dozen toddlers pummel each other for an afternoon. Of course, with the changing forecast there has been a volley of emails flying back and forth, changing start times, decisions on whether to stay-over or head home in the evening.
It’s the kind of forecast that is sure to put a damper on many a last-minute shopping trip or office holiday party. What to do? Well unfortunately, despite all of the miracles of technology, we still have not discovered a way to change the weather.
My advice, accept the things you cannot change, be prepared, and sit back and enjoy the ride.
As of 11:00 pm Friday night, there is a winter storm watch in effect for Northern Rhode Island, including my own town of Cumberland. A winter storm watch means more than 6 inches of snow is possible, but not certain. A local television station just predicted about 9 inches. There has also been some mention of blizzard conditions on the South Coast of RI.
Be Prepared –
1) 9 inches is no Blizzard of ’78, but there will be snow on the ground in Rhode Island on Sunday morning. You won’t be able to sweep it away. If you don’t already have one, get a shovel! If you do have one, bring it into your house. Don’t make the mistake I have made so often, and leave it in the shed, or in your car. Leaving the thing in your car is the equivalent of locking your keys in your car. So near, yet so far.
2) If you are lucky enough to own once, test out the snow blower! If you haven’t used your snow blower since last year, don’t assume it will start right up. Just like your car, your snow blower requires regular maintenance. Review the owner’s manual, at minimum you probably need to change the oil, check the spark plugs and examine moving parts for wear & tear.
3) Batteries, flashlights and radios. Snowstorms, especially heavy, windy snowstorms come with power outages. If you’re lucky, you’ve already stocked up on batteries for the various electronics to go under your tree, but don’t forget those C and D batteries most flashlights require. We always keep a scanner on hand for storms like this. If the power goes out, it’s a great source of information. Even without a power outage, my husband and I secretly enjoy listening to the conversations between the plow drivers and road crews throughout the storm.
4) Got water? As with any event where power outages loom, you should stock up on some staples, water, bread, peanut butter, cereal bars (basically anything edible that can be safety stored and eaten at room temperature). A power outage of less than 2 hours shouldn’t threaten your perishables, but it is certainly wise to be prepared for an outage of a day or more. If you have small children, think about things like formula, diapers, juice boxes, etc.
5) Think about purchasing a generator. They run anywhere from $100 to well over $5,000, depending on your needs. They can be a great stopgap to protect your food, and provide heat to your house, while waiting for the power to come back on. Just be safe! Do not use it indoors and risk Carbon Monoxide poisoning. Get advice from a professional, like an electrician, and hook it up properly.
Finally, you might be spending a few more hours than you anticipated with Auntie Ellen or Uncle Joe, quality time by the dim glow of your Coleman camping lamp. Have a few decks of cards, Scrabble and Trivial Pursuit on hand. The board games, not the digital versions. In my own experience, a game of Scrabble is much more enjoyable than getting into a political debate with Uncle Joe.
The American Red Cross provides some great tips for winter storm, and power outage preparedness. Check it out at:
http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.d229a5f06620c6052b1ecfbf43181aa0/?vgnextoid=d1ef3acde6b4e110VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default
My own family has our annual Christmas Party and Yankee Swap on Saturday. A collection of family members driving 2-3 hours each, in order to share some eggnog and Christmas cookies, and watch a half dozen toddlers pummel each other for an afternoon. Of course, with the changing forecast there has been a volley of emails flying back and forth, changing start times, decisions on whether to stay-over or head home in the evening.
It’s the kind of forecast that is sure to put a damper on many a last-minute shopping trip or office holiday party. What to do? Well unfortunately, despite all of the miracles of technology, we still have not discovered a way to change the weather.
My advice, accept the things you cannot change, be prepared, and sit back and enjoy the ride.
As of 11:00 pm Friday night, there is a winter storm watch in effect for Northern Rhode Island, including my own town of Cumberland. A winter storm watch means more than 6 inches of snow is possible, but not certain. A local television station just predicted about 9 inches. There has also been some mention of blizzard conditions on the South Coast of RI.
Be Prepared –
1) 9 inches is no Blizzard of ’78, but there will be snow on the ground in Rhode Island on Sunday morning. You won’t be able to sweep it away. If you don’t already have one, get a shovel! If you do have one, bring it into your house. Don’t make the mistake I have made so often, and leave it in the shed, or in your car. Leaving the thing in your car is the equivalent of locking your keys in your car. So near, yet so far.
2) If you are lucky enough to own once, test out the snow blower! If you haven’t used your snow blower since last year, don’t assume it will start right up. Just like your car, your snow blower requires regular maintenance. Review the owner’s manual, at minimum you probably need to change the oil, check the spark plugs and examine moving parts for wear & tear.
3) Batteries, flashlights and radios. Snowstorms, especially heavy, windy snowstorms come with power outages. If you’re lucky, you’ve already stocked up on batteries for the various electronics to go under your tree, but don’t forget those C and D batteries most flashlights require. We always keep a scanner on hand for storms like this. If the power goes out, it’s a great source of information. Even without a power outage, my husband and I secretly enjoy listening to the conversations between the plow drivers and road crews throughout the storm.
4) Got water? As with any event where power outages loom, you should stock up on some staples, water, bread, peanut butter, cereal bars (basically anything edible that can be safety stored and eaten at room temperature). A power outage of less than 2 hours shouldn’t threaten your perishables, but it is certainly wise to be prepared for an outage of a day or more. If you have small children, think about things like formula, diapers, juice boxes, etc.
5) Think about purchasing a generator. They run anywhere from $100 to well over $5,000, depending on your needs. They can be a great stopgap to protect your food, and provide heat to your house, while waiting for the power to come back on. Just be safe! Do not use it indoors and risk Carbon Monoxide poisoning. Get advice from a professional, like an electrician, and hook it up properly.
Finally, you might be spending a few more hours than you anticipated with Auntie Ellen or Uncle Joe, quality time by the dim glow of your Coleman camping lamp. Have a few decks of cards, Scrabble and Trivial Pursuit on hand. The board games, not the digital versions. In my own experience, a game of Scrabble is much more enjoyable than getting into a political debate with Uncle Joe.
The American Red Cross provides some great tips for winter storm, and power outage preparedness. Check it out at:
http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.d229a5f06620c6052b1ecfbf43181aa0/?vgnextoid=d1ef3acde6b4e110VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default
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