SUNDAY EVENING UPDATE:
CLOSED MONDAY: PWC SCHOOLS, MANASSAS CITY SCHOOLS, MANASSAS PARK CITY SCHOOLS, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN THE DC AREA
UPDATE: THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A BLIZZARD WARNING FOR THE PRINCE WILLIAM AREA . 12/19/2000 9:30 AM
The weather forecasts are all predicting 20-25+ inches of snow is headed our way, right up the state. Charlottesville is supposed to be ‘ground zero’ whatever that means. That might be CNN-speak for ‘gets the most snow.’
We can use this thread as this week’s open thread (as promised) and also to discuss the impending snow storm which I now hear might just become a blizzard. Our last big blizzard was in 1996. Stay warm and let your fingers do the talking.
I was in Key West Fl. six days ago. This is not fun. I wasn’t dreaming of a white Christmas. At least I have all my shopping done.
And now for the reality check, Ivan. No one promised you it wouldn’t be a white Christmas.
Mr. Howler couldn’t get a parking space at the grocery and he had to wait for a cart. Big run on bread and toilet paper.
Can’t wait for the snow, great excuse to stay home and do nothing for a change.
Also, if it weren’t for global warming would we be getting 50 inches? Shouldn’t we all be out getting a tan right now?
Why does everyone run out for bread and toilet paper. Just how long do they think they are going to be stuck in the house anyway?
I just spent the last hour planning a fishing trip to the Bahamas in April. Nothing like this kinda weather to motivate you. I’ll get my tan in April. Let the experts worry about global warming.
I didn’t run out for bread and toilet paper; I ran out for shrimp and Corona. We’ll party no matter what falls from the sky this weekend.
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! 🙂 Love it! Be safe & Enjoy!
I don’t know why bread and toilet paper are the hot items of a snow storm but the shelves with those 2 items always empty first.
Ivan, you might need to escape before April. Maybe a midwinter trip to the keys or Vegas is in the cards?
Emma, chuck roast and mixed vegetables here….vegetable soup time. I didn’t need either of the hot items.
Red Dawn!!!! hello hello. Got your dog sled ready?
Faux News just said some models in Virginia are now showing 30 inches. ( that’s real inches, not guy inches.)
Moon, Ready, ready, ready! Need a ride? 🙂 Pot roast is in store for us too this snow event! Bring it! 🙂 Hi Emma! 🙂 Enjoy the Corona & shrimp!
UPDATE: The man arrested for being naked in his own home was convicted of indecent exposure.
Good grief.
And for anyone who is geeky enough to be interested in snowflakes, here is a great link:
http://www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals/
Forgotten how to make paper snowflakes? It isn’t all that easy because snowflakes are 6 sided.
http://highhopes.com/snowflakes.html
@hello
>>> Can’t wait for the snow, great excuse to stay home and do nothing for a change.
You’re always home!
Who is predicting 20-25+ inches of snow?
From the City of Manassas Web site – ATTENTION – A snow emergency has been declared effective 12:01 AM, Saturday, Dec 19, 2009. All vehicles parked on designated Snow Emergency Routes after 12-midnight will be towed. Councilmember Randolph says this includes Snow Push zones in Georgetown South.
From City of Manassas Park Web site – THE CITY OF MANASSAS PARK HAS DECLARED A SNOW EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE FRIDAY, DEC. 18, 2009 at 7:00pm AND ENDING
MONDAY DEC. 21, 2009 at 7:00am ANY VEHICLES PARKED ALONG THE FOLLOWING DESIGNATED SNOW EMERGENCY ROUTES WILL BE TOWED:
(1) Manassas Dr. from Baker St. to Golf Ct.
(2) Denver Dr. from Manassas Dr. to Rugby Rd.
(3) Digital Dr. from Manassas Dr. to W. Carondelet
FOR MORE SNOW EMERGENCY INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL (703) 335-8040
From Prince William County Web site: no information yet, but here’s the VDOT brochure about snow removal
http://www.pwcgov.org/docLibrary/PDF/002920.pdf
@Moon-howler
>>> I don’t know why bread and toilet paper are the hot items of a snow storm but the shelves with those 2 items always empty first.
Probably since they’re the most used items in an average household, also milk. Just a guess. 😉
This weather pattern has been with us for a month or so. Low pressure systems have been coming up from the gulf and riding up the east coast for several weeks. Anyone notice the weekly rains we’ve been getting recently? We’ve been getting rain around Sun-Tue each week, like clockwork.
We just haven’t had the cold air coming down from Canada to give us snow yet. Now we do. It only takes an inch of rain to make 10 to 12 inches of snow.
Snapshot (hope it works):
http://www.intellicast.com/national/radar/current.aspx?region=default&animate=true
This ‘pattern’ could last for weeks (I’d say until the end of January). Hopefully not, but they usually do. Mother Nature takes her time. 😉
I’ve just got back from my rounds around town. I hit Best Buy, AC Moore, Aldi, The Package Store and Giant. My husband said I sounded like a true Virginia saying package store. Hopefully they don’t become privatized.
I plan do rest of my decorating, make two wreaths for outside, and cooking!! I was planning on have a Christmas party tomorrow night. I guess the only guests I’ll be getting will be walking. 😉
Let it SNOW!!! I’m ready for it. Unfortunately my stepdaughters are due to fly in from Columbia,SC Sunday. They were out of school today and SHOULD have been put on flight TODAY!
I still make paper snow flakes. When we were kids we made ice cream from snow. Did anyone else do that? String some popcorn for Christmas tree would be fun too. It can last several years if stored properly. Our kids and I strung some up for our first Christmas as a family and they had a ton of fun.
In a few hours family and friends will all have arrived safely from up and down the coast. The snow will be a perfect welcoming. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone and thanks for a great year of community updates and community dialogue.
@Lafayette
>>> When we were kids we made ice cream from snow. Did anyone else do that?
We’d mix snow with cream and vanilla. Not exactly icecream, but it sure was good!
Sledding down the gianormous hill by Bull Run Library!
lafayette, the true Virginians I know all say ABC store or alphabet store. I think he must mean true Northern Virginians. 😉
I ate snow but never made it in to anything. We had dogs so one ate early in the snow storm if you get my drift.
I have laid in 3 extra bottles of Cabernet. I didn’t know I was supposed to get milk and toilet paper–I was just going for the essentials.
Just need to get a path out Sunday to take a relative to the airport. It will all be good.
Two feet of snow? ^&#@ Global Warming!!
REz, always leave yourself an escape route. You know what they say about fish and visiting relatives…..
Nothing says Christmas like Irish Cream!
@A PW County Resident
>>> I have laid in 3 extra bottles of Cabernet.
Wuss. Can’t run a generator with that stuff. 😉
Interesting article about Eggnog (with recipe to make your own)….
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,580555,00.html?test=faces
Lafayette,
Did you say last year that people may or may not use sleds at the Battlefield? The hill behind the stone house. I guess it could seem insensitive to sled where men lay dying, but I wasn’t sure if it’s allowed or not. That hill next to (library Cindy mentioned will definitely be packed. My plan is to make Toll House, oatmeal and pecan sandie cookies.
Can anyone else relate to this? I went to Hollister at fair oaks yesterday bc my nephew wanted a pair of pants. I’m 43 and walked out of there feeling like an old bitty! The music is SO LOUD! I actually liked the music, but it was cranked up so loud I could not WAIT to pay for those stupid pants and get out of there! I was going insane! And then it’s really dark in there and I couldn’t read the freakin size on the tags bc my eyes are already in the crapper! That is the oldest I have ever felt in my life. Guess I’m not their target customer! Lol.
@Twinad
Hi Twin!! Nice to see pay us visit here on anti. Yes you can still sled out at the Stonehouse. Back in the day there’d be bonfires at the top of the hill to keep you warm while waiting to sled or to take a break from good snowball fight. In fact many of friends from school that now live in Fla. are all wishing the were here to see the snow and longing sledding at Stonehouse. It’s been a “hot topic”.
BTW-how was turn out of trick or treaters? A friend of mine that lives in your neck of the woods say they got none.
I know exactly what you mean about walking out of some of these stores and feeling like an old bitty. I’m on a couple of years younger, and I never thought I would feel that way until I was much older.
@RingDangDoo
No, it wasn’t exactly ice cream, but to kids it’s ice cream. My mom said it grossed her out when we’d make “ice cream”.
Lafayette,
Thanks for the sledding intelligence! We got a ton of trick or treaters…maybe 75 or so.
I also have to bitch about the overpowering cologne smell at Abercrombie! I was about to pass out. After yesterday I now consider myself officially a geezer. Bah Humbug!
A scant ‘couple’ Lafayette. Evil grin
Use to sled with my then young children at the Stone House over twenty years
ago and we all have great memories of the experience, but it was sobering to
see that same Stone House in a Civil War era picture that showed a yard full
of wounded men awaiting medical care (sometimes amputation). Doubt if
any of those young soldiers, Blue or Grey, who fought and suffered in the
summer heat and frantic battle, could imagine one unintended result of their
struggles would be to save a great snow sled hill from developers so that
people often near their age could use it for simple fun and joy.
Hilarious. I just scanned this thread, and at least two people tried to argue against global warming by pointing out that winter still occurs every year. The four seasons are determined by the angle of the earth’s axis to the sun, not by the build-up of green house gases. Nice try though!
Are we rooting for the Redskins on Monday night or thinking about draft picks? Me, I want the Giants and Cowboys both to miss the playoffs, and for that we need the Redskins to beat them both. Don’t laugh. This is very possible with everyone doubly motivated to impress the new GM, and, we need San Francisco or Atlanta to win. One thing we should be able to count on is the Cowboys will do their December tradition and lose in December.
Zorn goes, Campbell stays.
Justin, I hope you get your wish.
I did notice that little deflection from the 4 seasons to global warning. It was a nice try. No one bit.
Channel 7 update. Anywhere from 16 – 24 inches, depending on whether or not the bands on snow are in our area. They are already below Gaithersburg. Who knows.
Hard to bite with no teeth!
Come on, dude, you have to admit that it’s AWESOME that Obama goes to Copenhagen during a snowstorm to fight global warming, then has to cut his trip short to come back to a friggin’ blizzard!! God, he’s soooooo cool!!
Seriously though, this looks to be a real hum-dinger! they’re actually getting more dire about this storm as it gets going! Usually by now they’re saying “man, we really dodged a bullet this time!” Haven’t seen anything like this in years!
And the booger of it is…..I ran outta milk tonight. Curses!
Winter happens every year, that’s the point. If you are going to hoot and holler every time December comes around, be my guest. Santa Claus doesn’t disprove global warming either just so ya know.
America is the only country in the world where there is enough idiot propaganda to create significant confusion about established scientific facts. Willful ignorance is nothing to celebrate, but progress on a global solution to climate change is.
Slow, you are going to have a long trek to 7-11 when Little Slow needs some milk for his cereal while watching cartoons. Is Sat am still the high holy day for cartoons or has cable changed all that.
I sure hope you have 4 wheel drive!
That is the only reason I have kept my old suv. I have both all wheel and 4 wheel drive in one car. Sort of hard to find that combo in cars now.
Twin, I feel your pain. I was at Old Navy last night to buy PJs for young relatives, and I could hear my mom’s voice saying “these are just not well made. They aren’t going to last two months! I can sew them better…” I also got stuck in the pre-snow, workweek-end, holiday shopping gridlock – what was I thinking?
Husband has been ferrying railroad crews through the night. He said its perfect whether if you have a sleigh. Dr. Zhivago!
“weather”. Gotta remember to drink coffee before I post in the a.m.
What a great movie! Dr. Zhivago!
How much snow would you say you have over your way, Cindy?
I am programmed to wake up when it is snowing and watch every flake.
I guess it’s just too early to break out the Baileys. Wait, I can put it in my coffee for BREAKFAST!
WestGate is a Winter Wonderland with 6 inches of snow!! My little pug leaped on the back deck and quickly stopped in her tracks. Pug Angel is sporting her pink camo hoodie, thanks to Moon. Camo is a favorite fashion statement of sorts with some in WG/Sudley. 😉
I just need to figure what sweet treat to make first to make the house smell even more like Christmas.
My son just took a yard stick out in the middle of the back yard. He said the prediction was four inches by this morning. The total: nine inches. I’m close to Mathis Ave shopping center in the City of Manassas.
National Airport has 6 inches of snow. Their snow totals are usually much lower than the the burbs. I did hear earlier the first flight to land early this morning at Dulles was from South Africa. Imagine what they must have thought to land in this weather.
With this kind of snow coming to our region I sure am glad I’m not managing the front desk at the Hyatt Dulles like I was for the Blizzard of ’96. Many employees lived at the hotel for weeks. It was quite an experience to share a room with three of your co-workers, and get that knock on the door or call that you are needed to work ASAP. There were employees from the airport, our employes and hundreds of distressed airline passengers. It was an experience of a lifetime to say the least.
Opinion, don’t dilute Bailys. You will thank me later. Just drink it on some ice. ah. I need to go to the abc store.
Chris, I have 8 inches on the side deck. 8 real ones, not guy inches.
Howling over cami as a fashion statement in Sudley/Westgate.
Hoooowwwwl
It does make people prance, doesn’t it?
Well if they prance their tracks will be there in the snow.
I still laugh at the look on Mr. Lafayette’s face the first time he saw the unofficial uniform of the “hood”. He’s usually not caught off guard, but he sure was one night. 🙂
Well, M-H, I must have 30 guy inches over here then 🙂
lafayetter: I can only imagine. How did the socks and crocks hit him?
Rez, Bwaaaahahahahahaha. No doubt!! 🙄