Cold!!

[Mike Nolan]

According to the weather service, we hit a low of 31 below last night, the 2nd coldest temperature ever recorded in Lincoln (33 below is the record.)

The power company has been doing some rolling blackouts in selected areas of town, so if this neighborhood get hit with one this site might be down for an hour or so. We're part of a multi-state power pool, a nation-wide shift to wind or solar power and the shutdown of coal and gas-fired generators and nuke plants has created a shortage of reserve power generating capability, and it is so cold and icy that the wind turbines are freezing up.

The long run story is--get used to rolling blackouts in really cold or really hot weather, folks.

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[kimbob]

Mike, i pray your power stays on. Do you have a generator? I'm glad we do because we've had to use it multiple times. Gotta depend on yourself! Amazingly, it hit 45 here today but now the deep freeze is coming back with the possibility of 5 to 10 inches of snow Thursday into Friday.

[Mike Nolan]

In the 24 years we've lived in this house, we've only had a few power outages that lasted longer than an hour. In the infamous pre-Halloween 14 inch snow storm in 1997, the lights blinked a couple of times but we never lost power at all, our old house (we were still in closing for the sale) lost power for around a week because a limb took down the feed to the house.

We have buried power lines here, so storms don't generally affect the power lines.

I know my dentist's office was without power for about an hour this morning, and the UNL campus was partially blacked out at least twice (not the dorms but most other buildings), but as of early afternoon the temperature is back up to around zero, meaning power and gas consumption is down, so the blackouts are done, at least for now. But given the how the power industry is changing, rolling and even regional blackouts are going to be more common for everyone.

I've thought about a generator, but I'd probably have to do some major rewiring so that I had a separate power panel for the devices I wanted to make sure stayed on, furnace/air conditioner, refrigerator, freezer, etc.

[BakerAunt]

We had about 7 inches of snow overnight. Highs were in the mid-teens. So far, there are no power grid issues here. Generally we do ok unless there is an ice storm, or as this summer, a windstorm that brings down trees.

[Joan Simpson]

Talked with our son tonight he lives in Plano Texas above Dallas they're without power but getting the rolling blackouts now.They have a fireplace so they are staying warm right around that.Prayers for all of you in this artic freeze.

[BakerAunt]

Wednesday morning it was -9F when my husband did a temperature check outside.

West Texas, where I used to live, and the panhandle of the state are somewhat better prepared for cold weather and occasional snow than the rest of the state. We could always tell which university students came from other parts of Texas when the first cold hit, and they did not have the coats, hats, etc. for it.

[Mike Nolan]

We're expecting a high of 16 today and by Sunday the highs are supposed to be above freezing.

[RiversideLen]

Today's high was 24 and that felt pretty good! Temp forecast is looking good, 30's and maybe 40 next Tuesday.

I don't know about you, but I've had enough snow for the year.

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[Joan Simpson]

Oh my gosh Len I can't imagine dealing with all that.I complain about the heat sometime but I'll take that over the snow.I'm sure it's what you get use to.Bless all y'all that has to deal with snow.

[RiversideLen]

Joan, this is the most snow we have had in a number of years. Most years are lighter but every now and then we get hit. We had snow 10 days in a row now. Most days it was not a lot but we had a pretty good amount a couple of days ago.

[BakerAunt]

We had another inch and a half overnight. Before the snow fell, someone who was likely exceeding the 20 mph speed limit on the county road next to our property, and clearly driving too fast for conditions, tore up our mailbox, which will have to be replaced (after winter!). My husband was able to push it up so that we can still get our mail, but the door does not close properly anymore.

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