January Discobs Thread

[smokeybandit]

I was barely walking in winter 1977, but I remember my parents telling me about that cold.

[WeatherLovingDoc]

Was skiing at the top of Killington in '77 when suddenly a snow/winds storm came upon us. It was everyone for themselves; I weighed hardly 100 pounds and recall fighting being pushed uphill. By the time I made it to the bottom I had two round near frost bite circles on my cheeks. You brought back memories 87storms.

Similarly was in Washington DC Georgetown in '77.  Pure bliss on M Street with just walkers. Fond memories of french food with open fire. 

Love Winter.

[Jebman]

Scrumptious jebwalk weather tonight! Its 11 refreshing degrees with a shweet -10 dewpoint. The northerly breeze is steady at 15-20 mph. These are absolutely SHWEET jebwalk conditions!

[nw baltimore wx]

57 minutes ago, Bob Chill said:

My favorite memory from Jan 1977 was on the west river on the bay. My parents had a boat and we had to check on it every weekend to make sure the bubblers were keeping the ice from damaging the hull. The first thing that blew my mind were the ice sailboats doing literally 60mph across the ice. Then I saw people driving trucks across the ice to save time driving from Shady Side to Galesville. I skated literally for miles. Since there was no snow the ice was crazy smooth. 

I spent hours trying to smash a hole in the ice with a big rock. I never made it through and I was at least 8" down. IIRC- the ice was over a foot thick in the rivers. That will probably never happen again but I'll never forget it  

Watching ice boats must be super cool! And cars?? They must have been trying to get to happy hour at Pirates Cove before the crab ball special ended. But what you describe regarding skating the West River, I had a similar experience on St. Leonard's Creek down near Price Frederick and is one of my favorite memories. It was the Sunday of the Presidents Day weekend in '79, and after having weeks of cold, my mom, her boyfriend, my little sister, and I went down to check on his "beach house" that he had recently purchased on the shores of the river. Just like you described, the half mile wide creek was frozen solid and glass smooth, and my sister and I skated for hours waiting for the 2-4" snow that was forecasted that night.  My mom and bf kept watch through the sliding glass doors in the house huddled around the free-standing fireplace and eventually called us in because the incoming tide was seeping over the ice along the shore.

That in itself was a great memory for me, but it got better. By the time we headed back up Rte 4 to go home, snow had started, the sun had set, and I sat in the back seat watching the snow in the headlights having no clue what was happening. We got home and I went out and shoveled the inch or two that had already accumulated so I could do the small amount that fell overnight in the morning. I went to bed, and as usual for all of us here when it comes to snow, I woke up before sunrise and turned on my weather radio. I was really confused as the voice (real human!) was giving snowfall totals starting from southwestern VA and working northeast towards D.C. I don't remember the exact totals, but it was something like, "Roanoke, 16", Charlottesville, 14", Fredericksburg ..." 

I jumped out of bed and looked outside to see the bottom rail of our split rail fence almost covered. I was stunned. I had never seen snow that deep and that was nothing compared to what piled up in the hours just before and after sunrise. But you know the rest of it.

[Eskimo Joe]

12 out...feels amazing.  Also, lol at everyone complaining about home heating prices.  Move south or put on a sweater.

[SomeguyfromTakomaPark]

41 minutes ago, nw baltimore wx said:

Watching ice boats must be super cool! And cars?? They must have been trying to get to happy hour at Pirates Cove before the crab ball special ended. But what you describe regarding skating the West River, I had a similar experience on St. Leonard's Creek down near Price Frederick and is one of my favorite memories. It was the Sunday of the Presidents Day weekend in '79, and after having weeks of cold, my mom, her boyfriend, my little sister, and I went down to check on his "beach house" that he had recently purchased on the shores of the river. Just like you described, the half mile wide creek was frozen solid and glass smooth, and my sister and I skated for hours waiting for the 2-4" snow that was forecasted that night.  My mom and bf kept watch through the sliding glass doors in the house huddled around the free-standing fireplace and eventually called us in because the incoming tide was seeping over the ice along the shore.

That in itself was a great memory for me, but it got better. By the time we headed back up Rte 4 to go home, snow had started, the sun had set, and I sat in the back seat watching the snow in the headlights having no clue what was happening. We got home and I went out and shoveled the inch or two that had already accumulated so I could do the small amount that fell overnight in the morning. I went to bed, and as usual for all of us here when it comes to snow, I woke up before sunrise and turned on my weather radio. I was really confused as the voice (real human!) was giving snowfall totals starting from southwestern VA and working northeast towards D.C. I don't remember the exact totals, but it was something like, "Roanoke, 16", Charlottesville, 14", Fredericksburg ..." 

I jumped out of bed and looked outside to see the bottom rail of our split rail fence almost covered. I was stunned. I had never seen snow that deep and that was nothing compared to what piled up in the hours just before and after sunrise. But you know the rest of it.

Are there any ponds in Montgomery county that are good to go for skating? My dad is sending me pics of him skating all over in my hometown area of NY state.  Pretty jealous. 

[CAPE]

12 here atm

Feels brutal with the wind. Roads are treacherous here with the constant snow blowing across the roads. Some places the plowed piles along the NW sides are amazingly high, and drifted over.

[EastCoast NPZ]

-2F when I arrived at Canaan this afternoon.  Well over 1 foot of powder on the ground, and has snowed all day long, and still snowing.  Pixie dust stuff, but have probably picked up another inch.  Ground blizzard conditions encountered as we approached Mt. Storm.  Wild, just wild.  After stopping off in Davis for the best PSL on earth (Trailhead), got to the rental house and took a wonderful 2-hour hike through the snow.  Knee-deep in some places.  Pure Heaven.  I'm always amazed that this place exists (somewhat) in the absolute crap-hole that is the mid-atlantic region.  

[nw baltimore wx]

19 minutes ago, DCTeacherman said:

Are there any ponds in Montgomery county that are good to go for skating? My dad is sending me pics of him skating all over in my hometown area of NY state.  Pretty jealous. 

Bob can probably steer you in the right direction for MoCo, but didn't das say something about the C & O canal? That might be pretty close to you.

[CAPE]

24 minutes ago, EastCoast NPZ said:

-2F when I arrived at Canaan this afternoon.  Well over 1 foot of powder on the ground, and has snowed all day long, and still snowing.  Pixie dust stuff, but have probably picked up another inch.  Ground blizzard conditions encountered as we approached Mt. Storm.  Wild, just wild.  After stopping off in Davis for the best PSL on earth (Trailhead), got to the rental house and took a wonderful 2-hour hike through the snow.  Knee-deep in some places.  Pure Heaven.  I'm always amazed that this place exists (somewhat) in the absolute crap-hole that is the mid-atlantic region.  

Canaan is awesome. True microclimate. Just a gem of a place for weather/nature lovers. I would have headed out there myself had it not been for the coastal storm. An hour drive to a blizzard was a no brainer. I will probably head out there or to Snowshoe in the next couple weeks, unless the upcoming torch totally destroys that area too.

[Eskimo Joe]

49 minutes ago, DCTeacherman said:

Are there any ponds in Montgomery county that are good to go for skating? My dad is sending me pics of him skating all over in my hometown area of NY state.  Pretty jealous. 

No.  Most of our ponds and lakes are shallow and have uneven ice.  We've ran several water rescues for deer and children through the ice in Montgomery...I believe Frederick had a fatal ice rescue this evening.  Not a smart choice.

[SomeguyfromTakomaPark]

44 minutes ago, EastCoast NPZ said:

-2F when I arrived at Canaan this afternoon.  Well over 1 foot of powder on the ground, and has snowed all day long, and still snowing.  Pixie dust stuff, but have probably picked up another inch.  Ground blizzard conditions encountered as we approached Mt. Storm.  Wild, just wild.  After stopping off in Davis for the best PSL on earth (Trailhead), got to the rental house and took a wonderful 2-hour hike through the snow.  Knee-deep in some places.  Pure Heaven.  I'm always amazed that this place exists (somewhat) in the absolute crap-hole that is the mid-atlantic region.  

Awesome!  I have reservations for next weekend up there but I’m trying to decide whether or not to go through with it.  Looks like at least 3 days of warmth at the end of the week.  Don’t feel like going up there for rotten melting snow and 45 degrees. 

[WEATHER53]

10pm obs

11F

nw breeze 15 gusting to 26 

 

Wickit, I mean wickit cold

You  want it-you got it.  Do you still love it????

Honestly, I get colder easier now but suck it up  like you youngens do so Yes, I still do love it 

[SomeguyfromTakomaPark]

15 minutes ago, Eskimo Joe said:

No.  Most of our ponds and lakes are shallow and have uneven ice.  We've ran several water rescues for deer and children through the ice in Montgomery...I believe Frederick had a fatal ice rescue this evening.  Not a smart choice.

Thanks for the info, obviously it’s a different area but the state park in my town in ny state makes a “safe for skating” determination when they drill several 3.5 inch holes or whatever, so was wondering if any places around here does that. It’s been almost cold enough to believe that some thick ice has formed. 

[Eskimo Joe]

Just now, DCTeacherman said:

Thanks for the info, obviously it’s a different area but the state park in my town in ny state makes a “safe for skating” determination when they drill several 3.5 inch holes or whatever, so was wondering if any places around here does that. It’s been almost cold enough to believe that some thick ice has formed. 

To my knowledge, no county or state agency in Maryland does that.

[nw baltimore wx]

2 minutes ago, DCTeacherman said:

Thanks for the info, obviously it’s a different area but the state park in my town in ny state makes a “safe for skating” determination when they drill several 3.5 inch holes or whatever, so was wondering if any places around here does that. It’s been almost cold enough to believe that some thick ice has formed. 

 

1 minute ago, Eskimo Joe said:

To my knowledge, no county or state agency in Maryland does that.

https://wtop.com/dc/2018/01/a-dc-tradition-ice-skating-on-the-co-canal/slide/1/

[SomeguyfromTakomaPark]

1 minute ago, nw baltimore wx said:

 

https://wtop.com/dc/2018/01/a-dc-tradition-ice-skating-on-the-co-canal/slide/1/

That looks awesome!  Might have to hit that up tomorrow. 

[mattie g]

The bare patches of ground along with the biting wind chills are really giving this a true feeling cold/dry.

#soawesome

[WEATHER53]

11pm

10.8F

winds have lessened to 18 sustained , wind chill -7

[yoda]

Looks like tomorrow night might be the coldest night in a little while around here... My zone forecast has a low of 3... hoping we can get to 0

[Stormpc]

3.4 at 12:50. No wind. 

[WEATHER53]

10 at midnight which is coldest for midnight 2018.

still 10 at 1am and lessened winds to 15mph 

[WEATHER53]

This is how cold it's been since 1/1

Estimatings Sat and Sunday high and lows  DCA will be at an average temp of 19.5 thru 1/7

its not the same as a month but that's still 6 degrees colder than Jan 1977!

[astarck]

Central and Eastern VA looks to be the big winner last night for cold temps (snow cover and relatively calm winds?).  Many PWS stations in the 0 to -5 range with even a couple outliers hitting -5 to -10.

Edited to add: 9 here in Shirlington for my coldest low in the last two years since my weather station has been installed.

[smokeybandit]

7.7 here.  Still not as cold as earlier in the week.

[Stormpc]

-1 earlier...1.2 right now. Love it. 

[CAPE]

Low of 5 here

Currently 7. Wind still 15 mph+ with higher gusts. WC -10

[wxdude64]

Currently 8.7/-2.3 which is also low for date, the 16.6 high shatters old low max for date by a good bit, old mark was 22 from 1988.

[Jandurin]

12 out...feels amazing.  Also, lol at everyone complaining about home heating prices.  Move south or put on a sweater.

My answer to this stupid cold was to turn the heat up
If I'm going to pay more than I want I may as well be comfy

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[nw baltimore wx]

5 when I got up, but warming up to nearly 7 now.

27 minutes ago, Jandurin said:

My answer to this stupid cold was to turn the heat up
If I'm going to pay more than I want I may as well be comfy

I just read that as a result of the tax cuts, BGE is cutting their rates. You're just saving more money by turning up the heat.