Weather & Road Report

[OBX 51]

Great pictures Ashley!

Thanks for the webcam links Krikit; looks like we'll be driving into winter as we head north next week.

[Krikit 1,164]

It sure does. It's hard to fathom snow when people are golfing outside. lol

[Kathryn41 3,205]

This is probably as good a place as any to post this - we had some excitement this morning, definitely weather related!

I feed a feral cat colony in a small woods two houses over and this morning when I was going over between the houses I wondered why the ground was so soggy as we haven't had any rain lately. On the way back from feeding the cats I noticed that the driveway in front of the one house was also wet., The owners of the house are out of the country visiting family in Saudi Arabia - they left early November so there is no one inside. I went up to the garage and could see water running out from underneath and listening I could plainly hear it gushing inside. I could also hear it running out of the front of the house and went around to see water falling from the 2nd story windows The living room windows were ice encrusted several inches thick and water was running off of the small porch over the downstairs. I called 911 and the fire department came out to shut off the water and survey the damage. A neighbour has been keeping an eye on the house but doesn't have a key so right now we have no idea of how extensive the damage is inside. The fire department suspects that a water pipe in the attic burst a few days ago and the water has been flooding into the house ever since until it has completely saturated the inside and began pouring out through the fabric of the building. Water is leaking out through the walls and making icicles down the siding, through the top of the foundation and through the doors and windows.

Houses in the south are definitely not built for cold weather and with no one inside the house to let taps drip the pipes in the uninsulated attics freeze and burst. Apparently, the firemen suspect that the whole inside will have to be gutted right down to the frame, which means drywall, floors and all. The neighbour is trying to get in touch with the owners in Saudi but as yet they still don't know. Power and gas companies have also been by to turn off those two utilities. Regardless, it is a real tragedy to see something like this.

Edited December 15, 2010 by Kathryn41

[Krikit 1,164]

Ohmygoodness. How horrible. Lucky you were so astute, Kathryn. You would think that the utility company would notice something at some point, though. Wouldn't you think they'd have a system which pings someone when the meter goes off the charts like that? Anyway, I feel terrible for the owners.

[Ontarkie 14,193]

Oh my, your poor neighbours.

We are expecting freezing rain some time today. They are already closing schools in some parts of the State.

[The_Dude 1,142]

It finally got cold here. Monday night, I had to turn off the air conditioning and finally close the windows.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Ohmygoodness. How horrible. Lucky you were so astute, Kathryn. You would think that the utility company would notice something at some point, though. Wouldn't you think they'd have a system which pings someone when the meter goes off the charts like that? Anyway, I feel terrible for the owners.

Yeah, you think there would be some sort of an alarm on a sudden high usage although there are all sorts of water pipes bursting in the area, it may be that they aren't able to recognize iindividual houses from street water mains and such. There was an apartment building in Atlanta that also burst a water pipe and because the shut off is on private property, the fire department can't go in and shut it off. The roof has fallen in apparently and a number of families are homeless - and the landlord hasn't responded yet. There are a lot of streets with burst water pipes as well. Houses in the south are just not built for cold weather - water pipes go through uninsulated walls and attics. I leave all of our taps dripping overnight to help prevent pipes freezing.

It really is sad - I feel sorry for them as well. My other neighbour said that they had been thinking of remaining in Saudi and selling the house - no idea now what they are going to do. It will probably be a long time and a lot of money before the house is livable again. They bought it just over a year ago.

[Krikit 1,164]

We had a snowstorm today! Unfortunately, this is the day I had also chosen today to do my running around. Which didn't work out so well because they apparently don't plow the roads around here. Accidents all over the place. The highlight of the day was the lady who got out of her car in the middle lane of a six lane highway. I came back early.

Oh! And the nicest thing!! I was just about to go outside to shovel the driveway and walks because my husband is away on business. I looked outside and my next door neighbour was walking away. He'd already done it! I heart our next door neighbour.

[Marilyn. 340]

it has been pouring rain here the last few days and it is supposed to continue all next week.. it is supposed to clear up Thursday and Friday but then there is a chance of rain again on Christmas day..

I feel like I am living in BC again

[brightskte 18]

Well we ended up with 9 inches of snow at my house total during the last snowstorm, topped off with a lot of freezing rain. I just went outside to feed the dog and the entire yard is covered in a sheet of ice at least 2 inches thick. Good thing Dante has a heated blanket in his house. He's all cozy and warm, so I put his food right near his house. He probably wont bother to come out at all today.

[Krikit 1,164]

I heard you were having extreme weather, Marilyn.

OMG, Kayla. That sounds cold. lol. I have never, ever, been able to adjust to cold temperatures. They make me . Anything under 80 and it's sweater time. What's even worse is the incessant icy wind. Why is this place so windy? :crying:

[brightskte 18]

I'm the same way. I get so whiny when I get cold. It has never been this bad where I live, so I'm insisting that Canada misses Mathew so it's sending some of it's winter to us. We woke up this morning to a fresh blanket of snow but I'm thinking it was less than a half an inch, just enough to cover everything again. I really need my driveway to unfreeze though because I need to go to the store and get stuff for when Mathew gets home tonight.

Oh, yeah, and he got stuck in Cedar Rapids again last night because of how bad it was in Chicago. :angry: :angry:

[Marilyn. 340]

they say it hasn't rained like this in a long time..

I find it funny that they call it "Storm Watch" on the news... lol it is just rain

my parents say they have been having nice sunny weather which is unusual for this time of year back in Chilliwack, BC.. I think they sent the rain to us

[Kathryn41 3,205]

they say it hasn't rained like this in a long time..

I find it funny that they call it "Storm Watch" on the news... lol it is just rain

my parents say they have been having nice sunny weather which is unusual for this time of year back in Chilliwack, BC.. I think they sent the rain to us

Maybe they were worried you would feel homesick at this time of year . . . how 'thoughtful' of them to send you BC's weather! I've told my Dad he needs to take Kingston's weather back - I've used all of it I am going to and the rest is just going to waste here in the South .

[The Earmuffs 0]

sunny and 83 yesterday.