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January 22, 2005
Boston Blizzard Watch
[update 1/23/05 10:00pm PST] Apparently the extreme Boston weather has left me with quite a cold.. that or catching some air-borne virus in those sardine-can seats they call "coach." Either way, glad I'm home.
[update 8:00pm CST]
My flight to DFW was delayed by 45minutes. My connecting flight was going to leave in 15 minutes and I was still in my seat waiting for our terminal to be freed in order for us to deplane. The American Airlines flight attendants were kind enough to let all who had immediate connecting flights leave first. As soon as the plane came to a full-stop, all of us bolted to the door. I rushed to a terminal screen to find my connecting gate, “San Angelo, San Antonio, San Francisco,… San Jose, California DELAYED!”
[update: 2:45pm EST] At the airport at last. According to their terminals my flight, 1581 that departs at 3:45 is still on time. The snow is expected to come down between 3 and 4pm. Oddly enough, I would not mind at all if my flight got cancelled and had to stay until Monday. Boston, despite its current climate is a very interesting city. The people all seem real friendly and very helpful. Getting around the city is becoming easier. Hold your horses. Looking out the window and it seems that the snow is falling at 2:45pm EST. Not sure if it is enough to delay or cancel my flight, but some of the locals are starting to smile at all the worried passengers as if to say, “would you like to stay for dinner?”
[update: 12:30pm] just got back from driving around downtown Boston, walking across some ice, and enjoying the crisp morning -- regretting not bringing my camera!! The downtown area along commonwealth drive near Boston Commons is beautiful. I must say it felt great out there at 12 degrees. My face was not nearly as numb as last night when we went out to walk along the Freedom trail and up to Harvard Square.
Its 9:40am in my cozy hotel room in Woburn, MA compared to the "bone chilling" temperatures outside . My flight out of Boston leaves at 3:45pm hopefully before the Northeasterner Blizzard.
Currently its 1 degree outside, earlier this morning it was in the -2 degree temp without the windchill. According to the local news today's temp is 1 degree below the record of -3 for January. (Its reported that today has been the coldest day of the year for Boston). According to the Boston local weather:
Blizzard warning in effect from 5 PM EST this afternoon to 6 PM
EST Sunday,
Coastal flood warning in effect from 7 AM EST to 2 PM EST
Sunday,
Today: Mostly clear early, then becoming mostly cloudy. A chance of snow showers early this afternoon. Snow likely late. Highs around 17. north Winds around 10 mph, becoming northeast this afternoon. Chance of snow 70 percent.
Tonight: Snow, heavy at times. Blowing and drifting snow causing whiteout conditions at times. Strong winds. Lows around 14. Northeast winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 40 mph, increasing to 40 to 50 mph with gusts up to 60 mph after midnight.
Sunday: Snow, mainly in the morning. Total snow accumulation of 20 to 30 inches. Strong winds with highs around 20. north Winds 40 to 50 mph, decreasing to 30 to 40 mph in the afternoon.
Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy with a chance of snow showers in the evening, then partly cloudy after midnight. Very windy with lows around 10 above. Northwest winds 25 to 35 mph. Chance of snow 50 percent.
Monday: Partly cloudy. Highs in the mid 20s. west Winds 15 to 20 mph.
Monday Night: Mostly cloudy. Not as cold with lows around 20.
Tuesday And Tuesday night: Partly cloudy. Highs around 30. Lows around 20.
Wednesday: Partly cloudy in the morning, then mostly cloudy with a chance of snow in the afternoon. Highs in the mid 30s. Chance of snow 40 percent.
Wednesday Night: Cloudy with a 40 percent chance of snow. Lows around 30.
Thursday: Mostly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of snow. Highs in the mid 30s.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of snow. Brisk with lows in the lower 20s.
Friday: Mostly sunny. A chance of snow in the morning. Brisk with highs in the lower 30s. Chance of snow 30 percent.
They're expecting up to 20 to 30 inches of snow by tonight. They're expecting 3 inches per hour of snowfall.
Currently here's a picture of what it looks like outside:
I was planning on doing some gift shopping this morning, but may stay inside my hotel.
Factoid: What makes a Blizzard?
A blizzard is a severe weather condition characterized by low temperatures and strong winds (greater than 35 mph) bearing a great amount of snow, either falling or blowing.In order to be classified as a blizzard, as opposed to merely a winter storm, the weather must meet several conditions. The storm must decrease visibility to 1/4th of a mile for 3 consecutive hours, include snow or ice as precipitation, as well have wind speeds of at least 32mph (7 or more on the Beaufort Wind Scale).
According to Environment Canada a blizzard must have winds of 40 km/h or more, have snow or blowing snow, visibility less than 1 km and a windchill of less than -25 degrees celsius. All of these conditions must last for 4 hours or more
When these conditions persist after snow has stopped falling, it is called a ground blizzard.
I can't wait to get back to balmy 60 degree Bay Area temparatures.
Posted by patrick at January 22, 2005 06:39 AM