Ice Pellet Storm

Big ice pellet storm on the way. Thank goodness I took the car in for servicing earlier this week! Here it is April 10, and we are still struggling with weather that prevents travel, due to bad road conditions. Harumphhhhhh!

Since there is a high risk of power loss, we spent some time this morning preparing for the possible outage. Attila moved fruits and vegetables to the downstairs back room. It is unheated and slightly above freezing in that room, so the vegetables will be well kept there. We can eat salads for the duration of a power outage. Next, the cooler was filled with perishable items we might enjoy: milk, homemade baked beans, homemade bread from the freezer, our salad dressings, etc. We stored drinking water in jugs because the water pump will not operate during a power outage. We will have heat from the masonry heater. We will have light from candles and a wind up lantern. The only thing I miss during a power outage, is the flush toilet. Really, it would be nice to have an outhouse, or a compost toilet arrangement, for use during these extreme weather events.

I worked for a few hours today, which was uneventful and pleasant. I also participated in a discussion on Facebook, something I rarely involve myself with. It hasn’t been heated exactly, but it was something I felt strongly about. It certainly remained civil, considering that opinions varied widely.

The ice pellet storm has not yet arrived. It will likely begin after we turn in the for the night. If the power goes out we won’t notice till morning. Our alarm clock is battery operated, so it will work regardless. We will have to wait and see if our morning coffee has to be prepared out on the screened in porch using the propane stove.

Internet communication may be down for while, if the weather people are even remotely accurate.

Worldly Distractions

Weather

WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT
-2 °C
Condition: Mostly Cloudy
Pressure: 102.1 kPa
Visibility: 16 km
Temperature: -1.7°C
Dewpoint: -8.9°C
Humidity: 58 %
Wind: NE 8 km/h
Wind Chill: -5

A wintery combination of snow, ice pellets and freezing rain on the way.

Colder air is moving into the region and will coincide with an approaching low currently over Illinois. Several centimetres of ice pellets are expected today for regions from Lake Huron towards Lake Ontario and will change to freezing rain later today or tonight. It may very well fall heavy at times. It should taper off by Friday morning with temperatures rising above freezing. Of greater concern is the risk of widespread power outages due to downed tree limbs and power lines from significant ice accumulation combined with northeast winds gusting to 60 km/h. There is a risk that this could be a major ice storm.

For regions east of Georgian Bay towards Eastern Ontario including the nation Capital region, snow mixed with ice pellets is expected to begin tonight and continue through much of Friday. The majority of the precipitation should be ice pellets with up to 10 to 15 centimetres expected. Freezing rain is also a threat for these regions, although is not expected to be as widespread as regions farther to the south.

Quote

“I felt my mother’s anger and despair. For the first time, my image of my father fell on the floor. I saw my mother’s image. I saw the child in him that demanded all love and did not know how to love in return. I saw the child incapable of an act of protectiveness, or self-denial. I saw the child hiding behind her courage, the same child now hiding behind her courage, the same child now hiding behind Maruca’s protection…”
Anais Nin
March 1934