Weather? I apologize to all Texans!

[GotRDid]

Neighbors invited me to a High Stakes Poker Game to beat the Winter Storm blahs.....

 

[Kracken McGraw]

 

[lwhaples]

Had a good laugh today. Tried to log into my Credit Union last night and it said they were having trouble with the weather. Today still can't log on,but was able to get through with the phone finally. She said the trouble was in Texas! And I'm in VT. .

 

[farmerjohn]

The snowfall in Austin ending Monday morning was historic. Austin recorded 6.4 inches officially breaking records back to 1949. Another tenth of an inch and it would have tied a 1920's record. It came after an ice storm that took down many trees and limbs, knocking out power to 166,000 just in the Austin area and 25% of all Texas utility customers. I only lost power for 9 hours, I was lucky!

This morning (Tuesday) we're down to 5 F. Many have been without power for 36+ hours because the generating capacity has been knocked down by freezing natural gas lines, closed refineries or wells freezing, wind turbines frozen and solar panels covered by ice and snow. It's the perfect storm.

This part of the country is not built to withstand these low temps, quite the opposite. Most of our backouts are the result of extended 105+ temps in August when wind, solar and gas production is not being taken offline due to weather. Homes, even new homes are for the first time suffering frozen pipes, low natural gas pressure on top of power outages. And more is coming.

Tonight we expect more freezing rain with yet another round due Thursday morning. We'll start to thaw Friday but by then many will have been without power for 3 to 4 days. Seniors who can't deal with frozen pipes and lack of heat will suffer the most, unable to travel to local hotels because in this part of Texas, snow plows are unheard of, and snow on top of ice is a marriage made in hell when it comes to travel.

Friday we'll finally start the clean up of storm damaged trees, roofs, pipes and cars. As glad as we were to see 2020 finally come to an end, 2021 is shaping up to be even worse.

It's cold here in south Ark too, finally gave up on trying to keep the ice broken on the ponds. Track hoe keeps sliding down the banks and have to use the boom to drag my ass back up to the top, calves getting out on the ice, gave up and turned them into the hay meadows on the river. Finally got the house well thawed and water back in the house and the heat light I put in the pump house was too close to the little pressure line, melted it, trying to get water back on, could be worse..

 

[jwink]

Well here in the snowbelt of NW PA, we were told expect 12 to 14 inches, got 4 inches. Hardly slowed traffic down. Snow is like sex, never know how much you're going to get or how long it will last, but you were always expecting more than you got.

 

[Old Navy]

It's ironic that Texas power is 25% green and it produces more natural gas than any place in the country. Sure would like to know the details on what froze up on the wind mills.

 

[snert]

My daughter bought a house in Bartlesville OK. Pipes frozen. Luckily they are pex, so hopeful no bursts when it comes back on. She is about two weeks out from delivering grandchild #1. Hubby says there is not a heater to be found for miles around there. I plan to take a used kerosun and a space heater to them in March. They can put it in the garage till this happens again in ten years.

No issues here in WPA, just a little ice. Still glad I have a big old Fisher woodstove, in case the fragile 65 year old grid here poops. Have about a face cord, enough to burn a few days to get thru the usuals here.

 

[338 Mollett]

Can't wait for the media to pin this on Trump !!

 

[Adam in WI]

Can't wait for the media to pin this on Trump !!

Cbs did point out that Texas' power grid is privatized and not subject to federal regulation, fwiw. I'm sure the connection will be drawn...

 

[JTEX]

It ironic that Texas power is 25% green and it produces more natural gas than any place in the country. Sure would like to know the details on what froze up on the wind mills.

No kidding. Foreign made, government subsidised wind turbines.

Being without energy in TEXAS is like starving in a grocery store!!!!!

 

[JTEX]

Cbs did point out that Texas' power grid is privatized and not subject to federal regulation, fwiw. I'm sure the connection will be drawn...

But our power generation is regulated by the feds, greentards that won't let us build new power plants!

Our grid is fine.


.

 

[Adam in WI]

But our power generation is regulated by the feds, greentards that won't let us build new power plants!

Our grid is fine.


.

I'll have to look up that broadcast and see if that part gets mentioned. Any bets?

 

[joshb]

It's rated for driving ON snowflakes...

NowTHAT I could get into!

 

[jwink]

I don’t think I could buy a tire made for “snowflakes”....

i understand 100%, I'd have trouble myself.

 

[cjames]

We haven't had any water at the house since yesterday and today they told us the earliest that it will be back on is Friday but probably Saturday due to power issues. We have rolling blackouts because the grid is being overworked. Texas has people moving here everyday. The population goes up, more power is needed and they shut down powerplants like Fairfield and Monticello. And the Dems don't want any new powerplants built.

 

[Texas10]

It's ironic that Texas power is 25% green and it produces more natural gas than any place in the country. Sure would like to know the details on what froze up on the wind mills.

The turbine blades iced up. That destroys the aerodynamics so the blades no longer generate thrust and also causes huge weight imbalance. Solar plants were covered with ice and snow. Natural gas generators lost power as gas lines froze. It was the perfect storm!

Here in Texas, over the past 20 years the only additional generating capacity being built has been solar and wind, two types that don't have a huge financial risk and endless permit processes, largely due to market forces. No nuclear, gas or other power plants are even being considered that aren't "green" in nature.

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of folks are moving to Texas every month, buying new housing when available and driving up prices of existing houses. Many a corn or cotton field in and around my town has been plowed up and house seeds planted, and every one of those newcomers want electricity just like everyone else. Yet none of our leaders has seriously considered a scenario like what just hit us, even though meteorologists have been warning about the capability of warm high pressure domes bumping the polar vortex off his orbit around the north pole. These events are relatively new and becoming more common with a warming planet. Yea, global warming is real, and this is how warm air drives cold air to areas that don't usually see arctic chills. Those who see this as a Political Party issue simply aren't aware of the facts. And while it's fun to place the blame on the face of their favorite enemy, the truth is capital just isn't available for old technology generation. This is plainly visible to anyone who pays attention to multiple ships sailing into Gulf State ports loaded with 200 ft long wind turbine blades stacked on the deck. Quite a sight to behold.

I'll be wiring my generator to my breaker panel once it warms a bit. Next time, I'll be more prepared.

 

[JTEX]

Really? New? Global warming caused this?

What about 1983? 20 days below freezing? 1989 I saw lavaca bay frozen over.

This ain't new, it is rare.......

The jet stream moves around, always has, always will......

Now that may not fit the current agenda, but its true.

I certainly agree with all else you posted.

Remove the greentard, government subsidies from those foreign turbines and you won't see so many!

 

[JTEX]

I'll have to look up that broadcast and see if that part gets mentioned. Any bets?

Not a single one.

 

[yotehater]

Coming down harder now...all is well.

Just trying to keep ahead of it and watching for yotes.


and hanging out with the boys.



Stay warm.

 

[NateHaler]

Here in Texas, over the past 20 years the only additional generating capacity being built has been solar and wind, two types that don't have a huge financial risk and endless permit processes, largely due to market forces. No nuclear, gas or other power plants are even being considered that aren't "green" in nature.


I'll be wiring my generator to my breaker panel once it warms a bit. Next time, I'll be more prepared.

"largely due to market forces"? Pure BS from the left. It's due to massive government expansion and intrusion, driven by leftist agenda.

And to suggest that they don't have a "huge financial risk"? Total excrement. The world's largest -- at the time -- windpower installation, in the Altamont Pass of Livermore, California comprised more than 8,000 windmills. That was in the mid-1980s. Ten years later, more than 75% of the windmills were inoperable and not cost effective to repair. And the Sierra Club was complaining about the bird kill caused by the technology. Nowadays, the windmills out there are about as commonplace as in the Netherlands, i.e. not very.

Solar not a huge financial risk? Somebody has a short (or conveniently-selective) memory. Ever hear of Solyndra? But maybe you don't think that $500M is huge financial risk.

As to wiring your generator to your breaker panel, does it run on icky gasoline? Or icky propane? Or is it a solar or wind-powered generator?