Girded and Ready...Giantious Storm Passes West

The Winter Wonderland shut down the day after Christmas and isn't likely to re-open anytime soon. Just so you know. Plan accordingly.

While over 30% of the country is at a virtual stand still due to the giantious (yes, it's a word, I just made it up) storm blanketing states from Texas to Maine, we on the lower shore of Delaware on the Atlantic ocean have dodged much of the horror.  So far.

We were hit hard by the Boxing Day storm (best known as "Shoveling Day" here) and then again the second week of January, 2011.  We have been spared, for the most part, the last 2 storms by getting a wintry mix, but mostly rain.  That would include this one.  I am not fooling myself, I am sure there are a few with our name on the list of not-to-miss places.

February 2010 is etched in our collective memory, forever.  Three consecutive snow storms, each followed by a brutal Nor'easter, devastated this area. At the worst point there was nearly 4 ft. of snow with higher drifts caused by the strong winds.  My previous apartment was without power and water for over a week and I stayed with a co-worker in town, who was kind enough to take two of us in - for 5 long days.

If you want to relive that month for yourself, please go here.  Top posts are the end of the month, so you may want to scroll down and work your way up to get everything in chronological order.  Or, not.

Now that I live in town I am not as concerned about getting around. I can walk to work and a small market is only a block away.  The only real concern would be the loss of electric power.  Everything is electrically powered; heat, water, cooking.  Fortunately, the electric grid in town makes us less likely to lose power unless there is a truly monster event.  The newer homes along the highway are more likely to lose power because the original grid was installed when most of that land was family owned farms.  In the mad rush to build new housing developments, most of the electric upgrades were minimal to keep the costs down.  Of course, very few home buyers knew (or know) about this.

My old house was near Rehoboth bay in an older community and I rarely lost power, while the newer communities a half-mile up the road would go dark at the first sign of thunderstorms.

As I type this the temperature is 44' F and heavy rain is falling.  All I can say is "Thank G*d it is 44' and not 24'F" This rain could have easily been snow. The updated forecast for the area calls for clearing skies, temps in the 50s this afternoon before plunging into the low 20s. Tomorrow will be windy and cold - again - but no snow in the near future.  I can deal with that.

I am just waiting for the inevitable religious nut-bag to claim that this weather is caused by the gays. Well, hell, we cause everything else, don't we? (Sigh.) So powerful and yet, a second-class citizen.

To all readers and blogger buddies in the effected states, please be safe, stay off the roads and keep posting updates (and comments) if you have power and Internet access.We're all concerned for your safety.

And so it goes.
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