Yet Another weather WTF

snobuilder

Well-known member
Usually when it drops below 5 the moisture just dries out. Even at like 10 pm last night it was puking big snow flakes down. Im NE of the metro and we got a good 7-8". Have probably over a foot on the ground right now and groomers out. Will get out and be able to enjoy my own trail work on Saturday which is a huge plus. It was cold as hell snow-blowing this morning though (-12). Ever since moving here from Chicago burbs I am convinced the weather people here do not over exaggerate. I don't know if its because its MN and its just accepted life here, but good god you would think the world is ending if the weather we have had over the past week happened just a few hours south of us.
I agree on the northwoods weather reporting being less hype and based in fact. This only is more infuriating because it shows that an attainable level of accuracy is possible but being ignored in favor of hype.
 

whitedust

Well-known member
I don't often see an entire snow event in this area where temps remain below zero from my sometimes inaccurate recollection. It does happen on occasion though.
Down here in SE WI after 16 years in Phelps WI
and Minneapolis was way southwest of us so I just don’t get worried about cold and snow just normal weather to me. The big snow in Chicago in 1967 was indeed a big snowstorm but life went on and we all dug out. Also a bunch of 20 inch storms in Lake Geneva followed by severe cold waves when I lived there and we just dug out and life went on. The sensationalism of named winter storms is crazy imo every winter in the Midwest it gets cold and snows no big deal. It snows time to ski or snowmobile and play in the snow 😆
 

wiscrev

Well-known member
Watching a hockey game last night, announcers were saying that the people of Vancouver, CA were flipping out because they were getting a lot of snow!------2-4". Guess they don't usually get any.
 

pclark

Well-known member
Do they have a "Bomb Cyclone" warning? It's the only one I don't see on the weather maps today.
 

gary_in_neenah

Super Moderator
Staff member
Too Cold for the Trains
Since when is it too cold for the trains to run. The trains have been running during the coldest of Winters for what, the last 200 years?
Well not any more. Amtrak is shutting things down.

"Severe winter weather has caused Amtrak to make several service changes and cancelations from now through Sun., Dec. 25. These actions are taken in an abundance of caution and in consultation with state transportation departments, host railroads, emergency managers and weather forecasters."

"Abundance of Caution" Where have we heard that before? Oh, I know, during Covid. When those same Emergency Managers had everyone running scared from a virus. Now it's too cold to ride the train. Jeez Louise, put your Big Boy pants on and get your butt out there. Do you think that they stop the trains in Russia during the winter? They must think of us as a soft and stupid people governed by the same.
 

whitedust

Well-known member
Too Cold for the Trains
Since when is it too cold for the trains to run. The trains have been running during the coldest of Winters for what, the last 200 years?
Well not any more. Amtrak is shutting things down.

"Severe winter weather has caused Amtrak to make several service changes and cancelations from now through Sun., Dec. 25. These actions are taken in an abundance of caution and in consultation with state transportation departments, host railroads, emergency managers and weather forecasters."

"Abundance of Caution" Where have we heard that before? Oh, I know, during Covid. When those same Emergency Managers had everyone running scared from a virus. Now it's too cold to ride the train. Jeez Louise, put your Big Boy pants on and get your butt out there. Do you think that they stop the trains in Russia during the winter? They must think of us as a soft and stupid people governed by the same.
All this hype shut down Racine county all schools closed officially 1” of snow 20mph wind gusts this morning 9degrees below zero temp. Maybe too cold for school for the kiddies but snow not an issue here. Bomb cyclone I’m not sure that happened haven’t heard no mention on TV this morning. 🤷‍♂️
 

old abe

Well-known member
Too Cold for the Trains
Since when is it too cold for the trains to run. The trains have been running during the coldest of Winters for what, the last 200 years?
Well not any more. Amtrak is shutting things down.

"Severe winter weather has caused Amtrak to make several service changes and cancelations from now through Sun., Dec. 25. These actions are taken in an abundance of caution and in consultation with state transportation departments, host railroads, emergency managers and weather forecasters."

"Abundance of Caution" Where have we heard that before? Oh, I know, during Covid. When those same Emergency Managers had everyone running scared from a virus. Now it's too cold to ride the train. Jeez Louise, put your Big Boy pants on and get your butt out there. Do you think that they stop the trains in Russia during the winter? They must think of us as a soft and stupid people governed by the same.
Yeah well I know what you're saying Gary, however there are a abundance of BAD things that happen with railroading in blizzard conditions, frigid temps. Broken, split rails are just a few. Railing freight is one thing, a train load of people out in the middle of no where is something else. The very high, and sustained winds is the most dangerous. Being proactive to avoid a bad situation in this storm is probably a smart idea imo.
 
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jime

Active member
closed schools here but only had a half day before xmas break anyhow, maybe that made it easier to call off
 

gary_in_neenah

Super Moderator
Staff member
Yeah well I know what you're saying Gary, however there are a abundance of BAD things that happen with railroading in blizzard conditions, frigid temps. Broken, split rails are just a few. Railing freight is one thing, a train load of people out in the middle of no where is something else. The very high, and sustained winds is the most dangerous. Being proactive to avoid a bad situation in this storm is probably a smart idea imo.
Abe, I respect your opinion and enjoy reading your posts. It sounds like you may have some experience with railroads. I have none. My point is how far do we go to protect people from harm's way? Closing schools? Sure, it's brutal standing out there waiting for a bus. Shutting down the railroads? OK, I'll give you that since Amtrak is a people carrier. What triggered my response was the phrase, Abundance of Caution. That tells me that if the train jumps the tracks, the lawyers are there before the wheels stop spinning.

We can't protect people 100% of the time. There's a risk in everything we do, cross the street, ride a train, bad things can happen. I'll continue to take those chances as I think I know the odds.

In the meantime, Merry Christmas Abe. Stay warm!
 

old abe

Well-known member
Abe, I respect your opinion and enjoy reading your posts. It sounds like you may have some experience with railroads. I have none. My point is how far do we go to protect people from harm's way? Closing schools? Sure, it's brutal standing out there waiting for a bus. Shutting down the railroads? OK, I'll give you that since Amtrak is a people carrier. What triggered my response was the phrase, Abundance of Caution. That tells me that if the train jumps the tracks, the lawyers are there before the wheels stop spinning.

We can't protect people 100% of the time. There's a risk in everything we do, cross the street, ride a train, bad things can happen. I'll continue to take those chances as I think I know the odds.

In the meantime, Merry Christmas Abe. Stay warm!
I totally agree with your thoughts Gary, and I'm not to argue. Canadian railroading in the cold season, the first thing is always "precaution", and for good reason. Experience, been there, done that.
 

eagle1

Well-known member
Dang it is nasty out there......but I survived clearing out driveway.....wearing my helmet definitely helped.👍
Everytime we get this kinda weather I always think what life must've been like back in 1800''s.......sure makes me appreciate my furnace!!!!!!
 

goofy600

Well-known member
So the big bad blizzard that hit Watersmeet so far totals are as follow………………🥴. We have had very little wind and some occasional light les snow. Glad we got the 6” during the winter advisory because the warning not so much. Still hoping something happens. They are still calling for snow through Sunday.
 

saber1

Active member
never heard the word bomb cyclone 10 to 20 yrs ago .Probably because its a common weather event but if u give it a scary name it makes for good ratings i guess and more and more people tune in to the hysteria
 
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