2023-2024 Winter Weather

[UTexasFight 9,430]

Where is the link/press release where they warned to expect power failures 

[austingirl 2,191]

All KXAN says is "We don’t anticipate this would be cold enough to strain the electric grid, but it’s possible it could be cold enough for pipes to burst."

[texasdago 7,569]

All I know is I have to cover/move a bunch of plants and that is a PITA

 

[WithoutAClue 15,341]

Just in case we get some snow around here, I am ready.

 

[Brisketexan 105,084]

Well, seems like some of the models are pointing towards a potential .25 inch ice/freezing rain event in Austin.  Super.  Swell.

[texasdago 7,569]

Lovely

[HenryJames 66,038]

4 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Well, seems like some of the models are pointing towards a potential .25 inch ice/freezing rain event in Austin.  Super.  Swell.

[Post Oak 20,209]

Tuesday

[jimmyjazz 45,895]

1 hour ago, Brisketexan said:

Well, seems like some of the models are pointing towards a potential .25 inch ice/freezing rain event in Austin.  Super.  Swell.

While that may be possible, it still looks to me like we will have highs above freezing every day, which should help.

[Updawg 2,266]

My trees will be fucked

[MissingInAction 25,024]

My dog loves this shit. She sat by the front door the entire icepocalypse just staring at me to go out.

[Brisketexan 105,084]

4 minutes ago, Updawg said:

My trees will be fucked

The upside, I'm thinking, is that probably 75% of all vulnerable tree limbs got taken out LAST year.  So, not as many vulnerable ones around for this year.

But who am I kidding.  If there's a path for us to get fucked, that path will be followed.

[YGIFS 19,449]

Were you even here for Summer 2023, bro?  Yes, a lot of limbs fell last Winter.  But the 80 straight days of 105*+ with no fucking rain crippled a lot of trees and you can't really see the damage yet.  Just those high winds earlier this week snapped a shitload of trees in my 'hood.  And a brittling cold spell under 30 degrees for 48 hours, with just a rumor of accumulated precip. will crack some shit to the fucking ground (and power lines).  The only reason 2021 Snowpocalypse/power outages didn't kill more people is because thankfully the summer/autumn before was somewhat mild by recent standards.  Between our grid and our arbor conditions, we are absolutely turbofucked if shit gets below freezing for more than a day or we have more than .5" of freezing precip.  There are trees that already dead, their homeowners just don't know it yet and won't until they come crashing through the window Poltergeist style.  

[Deej 76,756]

Thankfully, my neighbor took down the entire tree last month that was branching out over my bedroom. 

[Brisketexan 105,084]

9 minutes ago, YGIFS said:

Were you even here for Summer 2023, bro?  Yes, a lot of limbs fell last Winter.  But the 80 straight days of 105*+ with no fucking rain crippled a lot of trees and you can't really see the damage yet.  Just those high winds earlier this week snapped a shitload of trees in my 'hood.  And a brittling cold spell under 30 degrees for 48 hours, with just a rumor of accumulated precip. will crack some shit to the fucking ground (and power lines).  The only reason 2021 Snowpocalypse/power outages didn't kill more people is because thankfully the summer/autumn before was somewhat mild by recent standards.  Between our grid and our arbor conditions, we are absolutely turbofucked if shit gets below freezing for more than a day or we have more than .5" of freezing precip.  There are trees that already dead, their homeowners just don't know it yet and won't until they come crashing through the window Poltergeist style.  

So long as that little bitch Carol Anne goes into the light when she's told, all will be fine.

[YGIFS 19,449]

Did he also move the caskets or just the tombstones?  

[hookemATL 11,707]

Snowpacolypse took out my beautiful lacebark elm like it was nothing. Just immediately dead.
 

I decided (out of laziness) to leave the stump, which has since transformed into a pretty sweet stumpbush which can be trimmed to look pretty good. 
 

if one of these storms kills stumpbush I will commit sepuku out of heartbreak. 

[YGIFS 19,449]

"Sweet, Trimmed Stumpbush."  Seriously?  You're just gonna leave that here?  I could go a number of different ways with this material. I mean, c'mon...

[Mrs Whiggins 13,050]

44 minutes ago, YGIFS said:

"Sweet, Trimmed Stumpbush."  Seriously?  You're just gonna leave that here?  I could go a number of different ways with this material. I mean, c'mon...

 

So can I, Mister, so can I:

[YGIFS 19,449]

whatever floats your boat or trims your tree, young lady.  2024 says rock on.  

[Anastasis 23,464]

1 hour ago, hookemATL said:

Snowpacolypse took out my beautiful lacebark elm like it was nothing. Just immediately dead.

Icepacolypse took mine out.  I hated that fucking tree and the little piece of shit leaves it dropped everywhere. 

[Homercles 10,205]

I’ve been ritually burning the dead from last icepocalypse in my Solo Stove as a warning to the others to keep their shit wired tight.  

[hookemATL 11,707]

7 minutes ago, Anastasis said:

Icepacolypse took mine out.  I hated that fucking tree and the little piece of shit leaves it dropped everywhere. 

[Anastasis 23,464]

Just now, hookemATL said:

That shit would blow around and get all over my garage and plug up gutters. I had two of them in the front, took one down and let the icepacolypse take care of the other. Didn't even have to use my AK. 

[Deej 76,756]

I'm cutting off the power to my house to acclimate to Monday. 

[hookemATL 11,707]

4 minutes ago, Anastasis said:

That shit would blow around and get all over my garage and plug up gutters. I had two of them in the front, took one down and let the icepacolypse take care of the other. Didn't even have to use my AK. 

The little leaves do suck but it was a nice specimen and provided good shade for my lawn. Since its death, my grass on that side has also gone tits up. 
 

sad. 

[atomheartbevo 89,630]

2 hours ago, Deej said:

I'm cutting off the power to my house to acclimate to Monday. 

Well…ERCOT dropping the warnings.

[Bevo&Pevo 5,122]

I've heard rumors that the Indians have gathering the shit out of firewood. Sounds like it's gonna be a cold one.  You folks North of H-town better start wrapping pipes, bring in the pets and fatten up the wife. 

[Judge Roybeanbag 11,819]

21 minutes ago, Bevo&Pevo said:

I've heard rumors that the Indians have gathering the shit out of firewood. Sounds like it's gonna be a cold one.  You folks North of H-town better start wrapping pipes, bring in the pets and fatten up the wife. 

My fat beagle stock options have skyrocketed.  Stock up on pemmican and damn the torpedoes!

[Guest]

Sunday's high: 12, with a low of 4.

Don't be hoarding all the lectric, ya bastages.

[Post Oak 20,209]

 

[miguelito 11,256]

It also sounds like this front is speeding up.  I was going to prep everything Sunday before the Cowboys game, but I think I'll need to do all that Saturday, then just stay inside all day Sunday and drink.

[South Austin 52,459]

7 minutes ago, miguelito said:

It also sounds like this front is speeding up.  I was going to prep everything Sunday before the Cowboys game, but I think I'll need to do all that Saturday, then just stay inside all day Sunday and drink.

So, just a regular Sunday.

[Hate 20,107]

Or a day that ends in “y”.

[Brisketexan 105,084]

If we can keep power (I know, shut up, stop laughing), my winterizing plan is simple and solid -- I have multiple strips of heat tape.  I wrap those around our four outdoor faucets, cover them with a bib cover, and they're kept plenty insulated.  The one faucet on an uninsulated wall, we changed the configuration after that pipe blew all to hell in the last event.  We have a cutoff valve inside the house now, so I cut that off, drain that pipe completely, and we're all good.

If, however, the power goes out again for any length of time, no half measures.  I'm shutting off the water at the meter, draining all pipes and faucets.  Because fuck doing the busted pipe thing again.

[jimmyjazz 45,895]

I have two hose bibs.  I just run a slow flow when it's below freezing.  The cost of the water is minimal, especially compared to the cost of fixing a busted pipe.

I sure ain't trusting some insulating wrap.

[FORTY NINE TO ZERO 2,652]

17 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

If we can keep power (I know, shut up, stop laughing), my winterizing plan is simple and solid -- I have multiple strips of heat tape.  I wrap those around our four outdoor faucets, cover them with a bib cover, and they're kept plenty insulated.  The one faucet on an uninsulated wall, we changed the configuration after that pipe blew all to hell in the last event.  We have a cutoff valve inside the house now, so I cut that off, drain that pipe completely, and we're all good.

If, however, the power goes out again for any length of time, no half measures.  I'm shutting off the water at the meter, draining all pipes and faucets.  Because fuck doing the busted pipe thing again.

make sure the heat tape is rated for use with insulation.  a good chunk are not and can lead to fires.   those that are also limited the type/amount of insulation 

[Brisketexan 105,084]

Just now, FORTY NINE TO ZERO said:

make sure the heat tape is rated for use with insulation.  a good chunk are not and can lead to fires.   those that are also limited the type/amount of insulation 

Yep.  This tape will melt the wrap-around pipe insulation (the pool noodle stuff), which is why I just use it inside a loosely placed hose bib.

[UTexasFight 9,430]

1 hour ago, miguelito said:

It also sounds like this front is speeding up.  

They always do

Edited January 11 by UTexasFight

[Brisketexan 105,084]

1 hour ago, miguelito said:

It also sounds like this front is speeding up.  

Just now, UTexasFight said:

They all ways do

Surly husbands: "see, honey -- it's not just me!"

[crash_davis 23,103]

Things I'm doing to prep for the impending shitshow.

1. Buy extra propane tanks in case the gas company asshole forgets how to unlock the doors to the generator. I'm looking at you Austin Water!

2. Fill up my bathtub with water. I'm not melting ice to take a shit again.

3. Buy a weeks worth of extra food and water.

4. Kill my neighbors so they won't fight me when I burn down their homes for warmth.

Edited January 11 by crash_davis

[The Royal We 3,070]

1 hour ago, jimmyjazz said:

I have two hose bibs.  I just run a slow flow when it's below freezing.  The cost of the water is minimal, especially compared to the cost of fixing a busted pipe.

I sure ain't trusting some insulating wrap.

Team drip vs. team no-drip all over again?

I'm team no-drip fwiw.

[Brisketexan 105,084]

Just for chuckles,

[NorthLoop 14,183]

Been stockpiling water (filling up empty juice jugs, etc) for the last 3 years. I'm sure whatever bullshit happens will be bullshit that my water won't help.

[Radical Larry 28,566]

Looks lovely.

[MissingInAction 25,024]

I'm not vacuuming the dogs fur up until it's all over.  Gonna stuff my pants with it if necessary. 

[Guest]

How the hell did Austin, Texas become the pinpoint of the worst of climate change? Shouldn't Miami be underwater or something? We get hotter summers and sharp blasts of frigid temps. Hail, wind, flooding rains. 

When the first snow and ice came in what 2019 or 2020? I told my son this doesn't happen every year.  It's now happened every fucking year. Please, my trees where decimated in the ice last year followed by drought and 108 degrees for weeks on end. Just give us a fucking break.

[Brisketexan 105,084]

6 minutes ago, FirstTimeCaller said:

How the hell did Austin, Texas become the pinpoint of the worst of climate change? Shouldn't Miami be underwater or something? We get hotter summers and sharp blasts of frigid temps. Hail, wind, flooding rains. 

When the first snow and ice came in what 2019 or 2020? I told my son this doesn't happen every year.  It's now happened every fucking year. Please, my trees where decimated in the ice last year followed by drought and 108 degrees for weeks on end. Just give us a fucking break.

Dude.  You'll take your relentless fucking and like it.  This fuckery is our new normal.

[Guest]

58 minutes ago, The Royal We said:

Team drip vs. team no-drip all over again?

I'm team no-drip fwiw.

I've done both. Insulating with no drip froze up. Insulating with drip did not. Have not tried just straight drip without insulating. 

My take is if we lose power, drip them. If not, then the heat from the other side of the wall will keep them fine. If the other side of the faucet is the garage, it's iffy, so drip.

Edited January 11 by FirstTimeCaller

[The Royal We 3,070]

3 minutes ago, FirstTimeCaller said:

I've done both. Insulating with no drip froze up. Insulating with drip did not. Have not tried just straight drip without insulating. 

My take is if we lose power, drip them. If not, then the heat from the other side of the wall will keep them fine. If the other side of the faucet is the garage, it's iffy, so drip.

That sounds right to me. I'm mainly team no drip because I live out in the sticks and our rural water district has said that if most everyone on the system drips their faucets then it will have a material impact on the pressure available to everyone. These poor guys are constantly playing whack-a-mole with leaks across the entire system and I tend to believe them that the system can't really handle it.

If we lose power I'll shut off water with the main key at the road and try to drain everything out of the pipes in my house. That worked for me during the last shit show.