Major Winter Storm 1/22-23/16

[ThePhotoGuy]

It appears that a major winter storm will be moving through during the next couple days. Blizzard Watches and Winter Storm Watches are currently in effect for across the region with expected snow totals of 18-24 with very strong winds.

It should make for interesting radio activity. I would expect the local radio systems to be extremely busy. Will be interesting to see if any new talkgroups "pop up" on FiRST and the local systems.

Edit:
Maryland under a State Of Emergency Effective Friday 7AM


Edit:
Blizzard Warning now Issued!

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
1209 PM EST THU JAN 21 2016

DCZ001-MDZ013-014-503>506-VAZ053-054-505-506-220115-
/O.UPG.KLWX.BZ.A.0001.160122T1700Z-160124T1100Z/
/O.NEW.KLWX.BZ.W.0001.160122T2000Z-160124T1100Z/
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA-PRINCE GEORGES-ANNE ARUNDEL-
NORTHWEST MONTGOMERY-CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST MONTGOMERY-
NORTHWEST HOWARD-CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST HOWARD-FAIRFAX-
ARLINGTON/FALLS CHURCH/ALEXANDRIA-WESTERN LOUDOUN-EASTERN LOUDOUN-
1209 PM EST THU JAN 21 2016

...BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM FRIDAY TO 6 AM EST
SUNDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON HAS
ISSUED A BLIZZARD WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM FRIDAY
TO 6 AM EST SUNDAY. THE BLIZZARD WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* HAZARD TYPES...HEAVY SNOW AND WIND WITH BLOWING AND DRIFTING
SNOW FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT. SLEET MAY MIX WITH
THE SNOW FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING EAST OF INTERSTATE
95 BEFORE CHANGING BACK TO ALL SNOW BY SATURDAY AFTERNOON.

* ACCUMULATIONS...SNOW ACCUMULATION OF 18 TO 24 INCHES IN THE
EASTERN SUBURBS OF WASHINGTON DC...AND 24 TO 30 INCHES IN THE
WESTERN SUBURBS. THE CITY OF WASHINGTON DC IS EXPECTED TO
RECEIVE AROUND 24 INCHES.

* TIMING...HEAVY SNOW WILL DEVELOP LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND
CONTINUE THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT. CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO
DETERIORATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON WITH THE HEAVIEST SNOW...STRONGEST
WINDS...AND POTENTIAL LIFE THREATENING CONDITIONS EXPECTED
FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY.

* IMPACTS...HEAVY SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW WILL CAUSE DANGEROUS
CONDITIONS AND WILL BE A THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY. TRAVEL
IS EXPECTED TO BE SEVERELY LIMITED IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE DURING
THE HEIGHT OF THE STORM FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY. VISIBILITY
WILL BE REDUCED TO NEAR ZERO AT TIMES IN WHITEOUT CONDITIONS.

* WINDS...NORTHEAST 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 50
MPH...BECOMING NORTH SATURDAY.

* TEMPERATURES...MID TO UPPER 20S.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A BLIZZARD WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDS
AND POOR VISIBILITIES ARE LIKELY. THIS WILL LEAD TO WHITEOUT
CONDITIONS...MAKING TRAVEL EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. DO NOT TRAVEL. IF
YOU MUST TRAVEL...HAVE A WINTER SURVIVAL KIT WITH YOU. IF YOU GET
STRANDED...STAY WITH YOUR VEHICLE. PREPARE FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF
POWER OUTAGES DURING SNOWY AND COLD CONDITIONS.

 

[marksmith]

The Parks and Rec department of AACO go into a different mode in these storms. They close the parks and send some of their employees to public works for relief plowing shifts, but they, in addition to the public works people, have 4WD vehicles and plows. Unlike the PW Dept, they take a seat at the county EOC, and run calls with police and fire to get those units to calls and provide other non standard emergency functions. They also provide more strategic plowing functions in emergency situations.

Just throwing it out for those who might not normally listen to the parks talkgroups in these situations.

Sent from my LG-V410 using Tapatalk

 

[Blackink]

I was in Glen Burnie several years ago, maybe 2009 or 2010(?) just before Xmas to move my son back up here to Vermont.

We had a few things to do before we were ready to travel back up here but the day before we were ready to leave, one heck of a snow storm hit down there and it must have dumped a foot and a half of snow.

It was one of the worst snow storms they had seen down there!

We were lucky and had an all wheel drive/4 wheel drive Mazda Tribute to get around in, but my son and I were both surprised at how many folks had just summer tires or all season tires on there vehicles and many of those were rear wheel drive only.

On top of that, the locals were still trying to get around where the snow plows couldn't get completely cleared. Talk about stuck vehicles. We spent most of that day helping stranded motorists get on their way or helped move their vehicles out of the way because the snow was just too deep to travel in.

Even when we left the next day, part of the roads hadn't been cleared and the on ramp to the interstate still had 6" of snow on the road. The travel was a nightmare.

Good luck to everyone down there that will get the heavy dumping of snow... Stay safe and be careful.

It's strange to see the weather we've had up here these last 3-4 months with unusually high temperatures and hardly any snow to speak of.

It's a snow storm that you people are going to get that we are use to getting up here, but not this year, or not yet anyway......

 

[Romak3]

Weather, whether or not you like it its still weather. I'm still amazed nobody's tried to figure out a way to make money off of it. just another day of knobs on the move.

 

[ThePhotoGuy]

National Guard Humvees will be stationed at Anne Arundel County Stations: 9, 4, 23, 18, & 5.

 

[marksmith]

Weather, whether or not you like it its still weather. I'm still amazed nobody's tried to figure out a way to make money off of it. just another day of knobs on the move.

You should stop by the local hardware or grocery store if you don't think somebody is making money off of it.

Mark
WS1095/536/436/996P2/HP1e/HP2e/996XT/325P2/396XT/PRO668/PSR800/PRO652

 

[marksmith]

Blackink, I live on a cul-de-sac considered a private road that gets plowed only by the community's contractor. In 2009/2010 during that storm, ended up with 35 inches and after two days the contractor had yet to show up.

A group of about 6 of us got together and shoveled out the cul-de-sac so people would be able to get out in case of emergency.

I am western PA top of the mountain by origin where we just went everywhere on snowmobiles in weather like that. I have a 4WD down here, but you are right. Most of the people who try to drive down here on those conditions are ill equipped to do so.

Wednesday afternoon there was a trace to 2 inches in the DC/Baltimore area and wrecks everywhere.

Mark
WS1095/536/436/996P2/HP1e/HP2e/996XT/325P2/396XT/PRO668/PSR800/PRO652

 

[baybum]

Can people post here confirmed reports of any EOC or other emergency comms, and what system/TG's they are heard on?

(other than police and fire, and plows)


Thanks

 

[marksmith]

I have heard surprisingly few comms that were EOC related over the past few days. More before the storm than during. See if that changes on Sunday.

Sent from my LG-V410 using Tapatalk

 

[marksmith]

Baltimore City TG 9322 (ETAC15) Appears to be the command frequency for coordinating snow removal, and certain emergencies following the storm.

They appear to also be coordinating out of state snow removal resources and contractors as well.

The operator of the snow melting equipment has apparently has an issue requiring paramedic response. (Thurs 1/28 10:30pm)

Mark
WS1095/536/436/996P2/HP1e/HP2e/996XT/325P2/396XT/PRO668/PSR800/PRO652