Sorry folks, Texas is closed

[Fijimn]

the moose out front should of told you. Winter-Armageddon Redux is upon us today. Wintery mix of sleet and rain and temperatures in the 20's and Houston is completely shut down...every school district is closed, they have every news reporter freezing their butt off reporting "on scene."

The schools here crack me up. It could be the middle of August, 98 degrees with 80 percent humidity and they'll still have two-a-days for the football team and full uniformed band practice. But God forbid the temps drop below 30, and it all shuts down...

 

[LesClaypool]

the moose out front should of told you. Winter-Armageddon Redux is upon us today. Wintery mix of sleet and rain and temperatures in the 20's and Houston is completely shut down...every school district is closed, they have every news reporter freezing their butt off reporting "on scene."

The schools here crack me up. It could be the middle of August, 98 degrees with 80 percent humidity and they'll still have two-a-days for the football team and full uniformed band practice. But God forbid the temps drop below 30, and it all shuts down...

We’re getting it starting tomorrow overnight here in Tally. Supposed to get down into the low 20’s w/good chance of rain. We may get snow twice in a matter of weeks.

 

[saenole]

Could it be that the schools in Houston and Austin are taking the day off because of the ice on the roads and not because it's 20 degrees outside?

Driving is dangerous in our part of the world this morning.

 

[seminoledq]

I got a notice that the UH Law School was closed and wondered what was going on.

 

[GoNolesTX]

I guess the cold got to us way too early and the precip never could make it up. Streets in Plano and Frisco are just fine except for the fools that leave their sprinklers on regardless of temperature. Not a fan of waking up to 15° though and a windchill near zero.

 

[Semiologist]

 

[Fijimn]

I guess the cold got to us way too early and the precip never could make it up. Streets in Plano and Frisco are just fine except for the fools that leave their sprinklers on regardless of temperature. Not a fan of waking up to 15° though and a windchill near zero.

Sleet and freezing rain this morning. Everything is wet, so the officials are afraid of ice on the bridges.

 

[NDallasRuss]

Sleet and freezing rain this morning. Everything is wet, so the officials are afraid of ice on the bridges.

As they should be.

And it's not even the ice on the roads that's the problem. It's the yankees who figure it's exactly the same as what they grew up in "back home", so they figure they can drive the same way - because they're the experts.

Years ago I was on a highway (121N, for anyone familiar) on morning when there was ice. We were all creeping along safely, when this transplant blew by us all going WAY too fast. Sure enough, maybe a mile down the road his cadillac was in a ditch and he was standing outside of it yelling and kicking one of the tires - like it was the tire's fault he drove like an idiot in the ice.

 

[fsu1jreed]

Could it be that the schools in Houston and Austin are taking the day off because of the ice on the roads and not because it's 20 degrees outside?

Driving is dangerous in our part of the world this morning.

Plus, cities down south do not stock up on salt, etc., so it makes it especially dangerous.

 

[Fijimn]

Plus, cities down south do not stock up on salt, etc., so it makes it especially dangerous.

The city has been pouring salt brine on the major bridges. San Antonio is a mess. I think they shut down parts of I10 and the loop. It hasn't stopped freezing rain and have icicles forming on the house. First time I have seen an icicle in Houston.

 

[LesClaypool]

As they should be.

And it's not even the ice on the roads that's the problem. It's the yankees who figure it's exactly the same as what they grew up in "back home", so they figure they can drive the same way - because they're the experts.

Years ago I was on a highway (121N, for anyone familiar) on morning when there was ice. We were all creeping along safely, when this transplant blew by us all going WAY too fast. Sure enough, maybe a mile down the road his cadillac was in a ditch and he was standing outside of it yelling and kicking one of the tires - like it was the tire's fault he drove like an idiot in the ice.

Oh you’ve gone and done it.

Assailing Yankees is the surest way to get goldmom to come participate in a thread.

 

[fsu1jreed]

The city has been pouring salt brine on the major bridges. San Antonio is a mess. I think they shut down parts of I10 and the loop. It hasn't stopped freezing rain and have icicles forming on the house. First time I have seen an icicle in Houston.

Salt brine only works if it's applied BEFORE the icing conditions, because it's melting point is often not low enough after the fact. Still it's better than nothing.

 

[Fijimn]

Salt brine only works if it's applied BEFORE the icing conditions, because it's melting point is often not low enough after the fact. Still it's better than nothing.

Yeah, they applied it over the past 4 days. Today they are pouring gravel.

 

[OrlandNole]

Nashville is shut down today. They already canceled school tomorrow.

I’m in Chicago. They’re fully open for business.

 

[fsu1jreed]

Yeah, they applied it over the past 4 days. Today they are pouring gravel.

Then they are indeed doing it right..........is it all the streets, or just the bridges?

 

[Fijimn]

Then they are indeed doing it right..........is it all the streets, or just the bridges?

Bridges and overpasses. But several freeways are closed right now.

 

[RTM58]

 

[GoNolesTX]

Years ago I was on a highway (121N, for anyone familiar) on morning when there was ice. We were all creeping along safely, when this transplant blew by us all going WAY too fast. Sure enough, maybe a mile down the road his cadillac was in a ditch and he was standing outside of it yelling and kicking one of the tires - like it was the tire's fault he drove like an idiot in the ice.

Replace "121N" with "every thoroughfare in DFW" now as it relates to transplants. Nowadays, 121 is fairly smooth unless you're talking Grapevine (which is almost done being expanded to a 10 lane cluster), since it's been made in to a tollway. Now you have FM423 and Preston Road/289 up in our neck of the woods that are heavily trafficked with limited common sense driving.

 

[NDallasRuss]

Replace "121N" with "every thoroughfare in DFW" now as it relates to transplants. Nowadays, 121 is fairly smooth unless you're talking Grapevine (which is almost done being expanded to a 10 lane cluster), since it's been made in to a tollway. Now you have FM423 and Preston Road/289 up in our neck of the woods that are heavily trafficked with limited common sense driving.

Back then 121 was 2 lanes each way - I think it even went down to one lane once you got North of Custer Rd. Preston Rd cut through the cotton fields, and 423 was just as small. It's all way different now, and not really in a good way! My mom sold and moved back to Ft Worth, so I might never have a need to roll back through The Colony.

 

[F4Gary]

Back then 121 was 2 lanes each way - I think it even went down to one lane once you got North of Custer Rd. Preston Rd cut through the cotton fields, and 423 was just as small. It's all way different now, and not really in a good way! My mom sold and moved back to Ft Worth, so I might never have a need to roll back through The Colony.

Good. You really have to work to avoid the toll roads around here anymore.
All we got was a few frost pellets (they call it snow here) that sublimated out before the sun came up. Roads are bone dry and it's a balmy 28*.

 

[goldmom]

Oh you’ve gone and done it.

Assailing Yankees is the surest way to get goldmom to come participate in a thread.

Ohhh no you didn't

 

[TexSkills]

Years ago I was on a highway (121N, for anyone familiar) on morning when there was ice. We were all creeping along safely, when this transplant blew by us all going WAY too fast. Sure enough, maybe a mile down the road his cadillac was in a ditch and he was standing outside of it yelling and kicking one of the tires - like it was the tire's fault he drove like an idiot in the ice.

I saw something similar on the Bush Tollway near the Coit Road exit in, IIRC, 2002. Some idiot going eastbound flew off the road into the middle area after going over the Coit Road bridge.

 

[Gonolz]

Yeah, I'm starting to question the whole global warming thing. Word is that it will get below freezing in the Tampa Bay area Thursday morning.

 

[F4Gary]

Yeah, I'm starting to question the whole global warming thing. Word is that it will get below freezing in the Tampa Bay area Thursday morning.

Might get down to single digits tonight here.

 

[Buckheadnole]

 

[billanole]

Oh you’ve gone and done it.

Assailing Yankees is the surest way to get goldmom to come participate in a thread.

Wassa yankee to do? Call goldmom! Hello.

 

[docb76]

I'm up in Tomball, was born in the North and have a lot of experience driving in ice and snow and you do NOT want southerners driving in Houston in Icy or Snowy conditions.

There was no one on the road today and probably 20 people didn't die today because they didn't drive. We get ridiculous when the weather is this cold. Feel bad for the Harvey families though.

 

[SeaPA]

Just saw a Facebook post from a friend who headed to Houston in the morning for a work trip. Finally got in to the airport at 11:30, got to baggage claim, and is stuck there. Roads out of the airport are closed, and access back to the terminal is closed. Stuck spending the night in the baggage claim area with the others who were “lucky enough” to get there.

 

[GoNolesTX]

Might get down to single digits tonight here.

Might? Was 9 when I got in the truck this morning. Saw it was 5 in Denton and 2 in Graham?

 

[F4Gary]

Might? Was 9 when I got in the truck this morning. Saw it was 5 in Denton and 2 in Graham?

Don't know what it got down to here, buy the water line to my fridge is frozen up.

 

[ChimpNole]

We’re getting it starting tomorrow overnight here in Tally. Supposed to get down into the low 20’s w/good chance of rain. We may get snow twice in a matter of weeks.

It did snow in Pensacola and Crestview... may have been just west of Tallahassee. That makes 3 times it has snowed somewhere in Florida this season.

Atlanta generally had 1.5" with more toward Columbus. 2 to maybe 3" in places. This snowfall is much more of a problem than the 6-12" snow NW side of Atlanta this past December. Temps are in the low teens and roads are very icy.

 

[GoNolesTX]

Don't know what it got down to here, buy the water line to my fridge is frozen up.

Speaking of froze up... Little Elm is going through and repairing sidewalks in our subdivision. Got home Monday from work and these contractors have taken the insulator off my outside faucet to get their machinery going, then didn't turn the water all the way off (the faucet is old and awfully tricky), then loosely put the insulator back on.

Did my best to get it all the way turned off, but came back yesterday and the entire thing is a solid block of ice. Called the town and the public works folks' ripped the owner of the company that's doing all this. He told them to let me know he'll "make it right." Ummm... any chance I get some ruptured pipes under the house and have a flood to come home to? And what's "making it right" in that instance?

 

[F4Gary]

Speaking of froze up... Little Elm is going through and repairing sidewalks in our subdivision. Got home Monday from work and these contractors have taken the insulator off my outside faucet to get their machinery going, then didn't turn the water all the way off (the faucet is old and awfully tricky), then loosely put the insulator back on.

Did my best to get it all the way turned off, but came back yesterday and the entire thing is a solid block of ice. Called the town and the public works folks' ripped the owner of the company that's doing all this. He told them to let me know he'll "make it right." Ummm... any chance I get some ruptured pipes under the house and have a flood to come home to? And what's "making it right" in that instance?

Since when can they come on your property and use your water?
I don't think you have to worry about pipes under the house, but you may get a new faucet out of this.

 

[GoNolesTX]

Since when can they come on your property and use your water?
I don't think you have to worry about pipes under the house, but you may get a new faucet out of this.

According to the Public Works supervisor, they'd been told explicitly to not use home owners' facilities. Between contractors and subs, I'm sure something got lost in translation.

And I'm good with a new faucet, one less thing to fix before I list this thing.

 

[NDallasRuss]

Little Elm is going through and repairing sidewalks in our subdivision.

Wait!!!

Little Elm has sidewalks?

Man, I have been gone a long time!!

 

[goldmom]

Wait!!!

Little Elm has sidewalks?

Man, I have been gone a long time!!

The indoor plumbing was such a big news event there that the sidewalk news was completely overlooked-LOL

 

[GoNolesTX]

The indoor plumbing was such a big news event there that the sidewalk news was completely overlooked-LOL

Haha!!! Paved roads (as of 10 years ago) and everything!!

 

[F4Gary]

Haha!!! Paved roads (as of 10 years ago) and everything!!

Well, you did get that new bridge across the lake.

 

[BelemNole]

 

[timbo37059]

According to the Public Works supervisor, they'd been told explicitly to not use home owners' facilities. Between contractors and subs, I'm sure something got lost in translation.

And I'm good with a new faucet, one less thing to fix before I list this thing.

Letting the faucet drip is the best way to prevent freezing. As long as the water is moving it won't freeze. But the contractor should not touch anything past the valve at the curb you own it from there. Actually they shouldn't touch any water line if they doing sidewalks. Check for making on the ground blue for water, orange for telecommunications, yellow for gas. This should be done before any digging occurs. Good way to get them shut down until the appropriate folks lay out the utilities.