Friday, March 28, 2025
The weather people tell us that a serious ice storm is approaching, and that we should expect power outages.
We began our morning slowly, but it soon ballooned into intense activity.
I made a whole list of things to prepare for the storm and power outage:
– orange gummies
– Kombucha
– Chocolate Muffins
– Stone Soup – big batch
I also got a lot of small jobs done in the kitchen that require electrical service:
– sliced homemade bread
– ground flax seed
And then there were tasks that had not been completed earlier:
– wash jars of canned applesauce, dry, store on pantry shelves
– cook dinner, instant pot tuna noodle casserole
– fill Berkey with water
– charge digital devices
– place lanterns and flashlights on counter, check batteries
Attila was busy in the kitchen all day as well.
– made a batch of croutons using the oven
– put together a green salad
– cooked chick peas in the instant pot
– made a batch of hummus
– brought cooler up from basement to store refrigerated items, so that the refrigerator need not be opened during a power outage
– moved some firewood under the porch in case we need to heat the house during the ice storm
I am tired, in a good way. Of course we aren’t completely prepared, I have some ideas on future strategies. One thing I am considering is a power backup that will power lamps, the refrigerator, and a induction burner. Right now we use a propane camp stove when the power goes out, it has to be used out of doors. In the winter it would be much nicer to use a burner indoors.
Saturday, March 29, 2025
I arose just before 7:00 a.m., to a dismal day. I looked out the window, dawn has not arrived, the street light illuminates little, all I can see is glitter. Snow must have arrived during the night, the screen on the front door is encrusted with snow.
Precautions were taken last night, for a possible loss of power. The electricity is still on this morning. We shall see if it lasts the day.
10:30 a.m.
Later this morning we have had some freezing rain, the temperature has fallen. The power flickered, but managed to stay on. There won’t be a walk this morning!
Sunday, March 30, 2025
This morning the power was still on, wonderful. The supplies in the coolers will remain there for the rest of the day, until the infrastructure has dealt with the possible repercussions of the ice. This afternoon we could get more freezing rain, then it should end in the evening.
There has been freezing rain off and on all morning.
It will feel good to move past this weather event.
Today Attila is working on adding another electrical outlet in the pantry. When that is complete, it will be time to begin moving items back into that space. I really look forward to having the basement organized.
Worldly
Weather
Date: 7:00 PM EDT Friday 28 March 2025
Condition: Cloudy
Pressure: 101.8 kPa
Tendency: Falling
Temperature: 2.2°C
Dew point: -8.1°C
Humidity: 46%
Wind: NE 15 km/h
Visibility: 24 km
Major ice storm this weekend.
What:
Prolonged period of freezing rain.
Significant ice accretion. General ice accretion amounts of 10 to 20 mm, with amounts in excess of 25 mm possible.
Widespread power outages.
Icy and slippery conditions.
Significant precipitation possible which may lead to localized flooding.
When:
This evening into Sunday afternoon.
The heaviest freezing rain is expected overnight into Saturday morning.
Date: 11::00 PM EDT Sunday 30 March 2025
-1
Overcast
Feels -4
H: 4° L: 4°
Quote
“And this our life, exempt from public haunt,
Finds tongues in trees, books in running brooks,
Sermons in stones, and good in everything.”
William Shakespeare
1564 – 1616
I hope you still have your power. I hear there are lots of areas that lost power overnight and today.
Thankfully the ice was nowhere near us. Our temps stayed above freezing and rose rapidly after this morning. They were threatening 16C/61F, but it hasn’t made it that far yet.
Teri, our power flickered on Saturday, but stayed on, so that is a great relief. We had freezing rain from Friday night until a few hours ago, but nothing like Orillia and points north. One tree on the street came down, one branch of a tree in our front yard came down, ice everywhere, still. The temperature is now around 4C and will rise no further tonight, nor will it fall. The ice is slowly melting. Because we were prepared and didn’t need to leave the house during the last two days, we feel relatively unaffected, thank goodness.
Usually the bad weather skirts north of us, and south of us, but not this time!
I hope your weather soon improves and your power stays on.
Thank you Joan! The power only flickered a bit on Saturday, and then stayed on for the duration of the storm, luckily for us. Other parts of Ontario have declared states of emergency, power out, raining now so flooding. It is raining hard here tonight, but since the temperature rose above freezing, and the roads were thawed, footing sure, we decided to go for a long walk in the rain. It was lovely to move around again, we hadn’t been out the door since last Friday.
For us the ice storm is over, thank goodness.