Buffalo area hit with epic snow - with more coming

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By CAROLYN THOMPSON

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Homeowners opened their front doors to find themselves sealed in by sheer walls of white. Shovelers turned walkways into head-high canyons. A woman gave birth in a firehouse after the snow prevented her from reaching the hospital.

Even for Buffalo, a place that typically shrugs at snow, this was an epic snowfall — the kind of onslaught folks will be telling their grandchildren about.

The Buffalo area found itself buried under as much as 5½ feet of snow Wednesday, with another lake-effect storm expected to bring 2 to 3 more feet by late Thursday.

"This is an historic event. When all is said and done, this snowstorm will break all sorts of records, and that's saying something in Buffalo," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said during a visit to the city.

FULL story at lik.



Vehicles sit at a closed New York State Thruway entrance in Hamburg, N.Y. on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2014. A ferocious lake-effect storm left the Buffalo area buried under 6 feet of snow Wednesday, trapping people on highways and in homes, and another storm expected to drop 2 to 3 feet more was on its way. (AP Photo/The Buffalo News, Harry Scull Jr.) TV OUT; MAGS OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT; BATAVIA DAILY NEWS OUT; DUNKIRK OBSERVER OUT; JAMESTOWN POST-JOURNAL OUT; LOCKPORT UNION-SUN JOURNAL OUT; NIAGARA GAZETTE OUT; OLEAN TIMES-HERALD OUT; SALAMANCA PRESS OUT; TONAWANDA NEWS OUT



Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20141119/us-wintry-weather-05244dc345.html

[Darb]

1. So much for global warming!

[Blue_In_AK]

13. 47 in Anchorage last night.

Rain this afternoon 38 degrees right now. We have no snow on the ground. When we get our weather back, you can have yours.

[Iamthetruth]

14. So you're saying

You actually want you weather back?

[Blue_In_AK]

18. Yes, please.

This is bad for us. A lot of businesses and events here depend on the snow, plus it provides good insulation for our perennial gardens. The only good thing is that it hasn't been real cold yet, but if we get cold before we get a good layer of snow, it will kill a lot of our plants.

People here, almost universally, are begging for some snow. (Alaskans are different from other people.)

[indivisibleman]

17. Apparently you don't understand the science

Global warming or global climate change predicts changes in historical weather patterns among which would be increases in snowfall. You will note that it snows when there is a temperature condition to produce snow which is when the ground temperature is at or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

[Iamthetruth]

21. That only works

If what you are saying has not happened before.

[HERVEPA]

27. What in the world does that mean?

[Iamthetruth]

31. While it may be climate change

The earth has been through it before and will again.

[HERVEPA]

32. The earth has non been through human-caused climate change before

So what the hell are you talking about it?
and if you're a human-caused climate change denier, what are you doing on this site?

[Iamthetruth]

33. I'm on this site because

I'm a life long democrat, my view of a democrat is being open minded on all things. I am not denying human caused climate change, I'm saying the earth has been through this before and I believe we humans are but a spec on a ticks ass I. Terms of our I act on this planet. In the 70's we were taught in school another ice age was coming, in the 90's it was global warming, now we are back to a cooling. Forgive me for not buying into anything I hear, I believe what i see and feel.

[HERVEPA]

34. We are not back to global cooling. That's bullshit.

Monday high in Buffalo predicted 57 degrees.
Anomalies like this are predicted. By global climate change.
You are not the truth.

[Iamthetruth]

35. You are entitled to your opinion

Be it right or wrong.

[HERVEPA]

36. Well, most of us here on this site believe in science. Give my regards to Sen. Imhofe

Add yes, it's clear you're a troll.
Feel free to alert.
If you're on a jury judging this, please look at the previous posts in this stream.

[Iamthetruth]

46. I don't feel the need

To alert and cry to mommy everything e someone calls me a name or disagrees with me. I'm far from a troll and while you say it's science it very well may be but health care is science as well but they mis diagnose things everyday.

[Darb]

42. And you yours, and it is wrong.

You are wrong and you are part of a very big problem. Somehow, thinking people are going to have to overcome the willful ignorance and complete gluttony and greed and selfishness of the denier crowd. I will not try to convince you because I believe that you cannot be convinced of anything remotely close to reality. The reason being, that if you still hold the opinions that you are espousing right now, then you are a denialist in complete denial. How's that for a meme, "denialist in denial".

Am I wrong about your inability to be convinced of the obvious reality of climate change do to global warming?

[Iamthetruth]

47. Yes, I would say you are wrong

The problem with people like you is you can't be convinced that you may be wrong, at least I amopen minded. I believe it is science, you throw politics and economics into the equation which tells me there are other motives in p,ay with your opinion.

I said it could be man made or I pacted by man but I don't know. I also know that until China agrees with the world on CO outputs all we are doing is hurting our economy.

[indivisibleman]

48. actually no one is entitled to their opinion

if they cannot back it up with facts. I am sick and tired of this old line thrown out there so that idiots can say anything they want and expect to be validated by it.

[Arkana]

40. Yes, the Earth's climate has changed.

However, what you forget is that humans have to survive it.

And there is no "open-minded" on this. The Earth's climate is changing, and not for the better, and there is irrefutable proof that we humans are causing it.

[Darb]

41. Sorry pal, you are spewing. I was kidding.

My comment was sarcasm, yours is ignorance. Not to mention directly out of the deniers playbook. We are not a "spec on a tics ass", which is a strange and never before heard phrase, but are actually quite a big problem for the atmosphere.

No, this has not happened before, so stop saying it.

Find a better source of information, you are as wrong as can be.

[snooper2]

51. Are you open to understanding that you might be wrong, oh, and jesus doesn't exist?

[JonLP24]

52. See the science for yourself

There is considerable evidence that over the very recent period of the last 100–1000 years, the sharp increases in human activity, especially the burning of fossil fuels, has caused the parallel sharp and accelerating increase in atmospheric greenhouse gases which trap the sun's heat. The consensus theory of the scientific community is that the resulting greenhouse effect is a principal cause of the increase in global warming which has occurred over the same period, and a chief contributor to the accelerated melting of the remaining glaciers and polar ice. A 2012 investigation finds that dinosaurs released methane through digestion in a similar amount to humanity's current methane release, which "could have been a key factor" to the very warm climate 150 million years ago.[43]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_age

[olddad56]

49. just keep your head buried in the sand and you will be just fine.

The weather is not getting frighteningly erratic all over the planet, it is one of those dang conspiracy theories. The planet will probably survive, once the humans are gone.

[Darb]

38. I thought the silly and crazy emoticons would expose me as a kidder.

It was sarcasm, I was hoping nobody would misinterpret it but I know how often people are exposed to idiotic comments like mine, but I just could not resist.

For the record, I know that this is EXACTLY what is being predicted as a result of climate change do to global warming. More water vapor in the air, more precipitation. Precipitation in winter is often times snow.

No climate scientists that I am aware of said winter would go away.

[HERVEPA]

26. It's global climate change. And events like this are expected due to it.

[Darb]

37. Didn't you see all my goofy emoticons? Implying I was crazy?

It was sarcasm, I was hoping nobody would misinterpret it but I know how often people are exposed to idiotic comments like mine, but I just could not resist.

[HERVEPA]

39. Wasn't sure. Sorry about that.

My comments here mostly addressed to "iamthe lie", clearly a denier.

[Darb]

43. No worries. I shouldn't joke, but.......

Iamthelie is a more realistic name actually. As for Buffalo, what this is is a slow motion flash flood. If the temperature warms up quickly there is going to be a flood like few before.

[HERVEPA]

44. No, you should joke.

Yeh, looks like it could be really horrendous in Buffalo. I am amazed so little talk of it on DU.

[liberal N proud]

2. They have more than half of their annual snowfall on the ground

And it isn't even winter yet.

Average snowfall for Buffalo is around 10 feet.

[BumRushDaShow]

3. To put into perspective

the last record snow fall was in 2001 with almost 7 feet over 5 days. Imagine getting almost that in a single day!

[shenmue]

4. Good Lord

Fun fact: my parents got married Feb. 9, 1969, during a blizzard in New York in which snow drifts were 3-4 ft. high.

They're still married! I used to joke that if I ever get married, I'm going to make sure it's during bad weather.

[truedelphi]

5. Weather patterns totally friggin'

Fucked, and it is happening as I speak.
Coast to coast, border to border.

Look at this wind map for this moment, 5:13 Eastern time.

The rain hitting California right nw is from the damn south.

While the usual swoosh of jet stream and normal air current that comes from Japan, then over Hawaii and then USUALLY would sweep down from Alaska, to state of Washington and then Oregon and california - that has been diverted so it goes way over to Canada and then the MidWest plains.

Wind map is here.


http://hint.fm/wind/

Scandinavian scientists can tell you who the culprits are, and no this is not Global Climate Change.

This is something that happens on a regular basis of air fleets over my head. And I live in a remote area of the world, where commercial flights include maybe six jets between 4 Pm and 7 Pm going from San Francisco to Seattle or Anchorage, or Sacramento to Seattle. To have five to ten planes overhead 24/7, often flying in parallel to one another, except for the few days before Christmas, (if it was commercial flight related, those days should be heaviest with planes in sky), is bizarre.

[Fred Sanders]

7. Try this link, also click on temp overlay and rotate/zoom....

http://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/isobaric/1000hPa/orthographic=-66.37,29.19,290

[truedelphi]

54. I tried that map and regardless of

where I tried to get it to zoom in, it went to the South East portion of the USA, which I was not at all interested in.

[Cooley Hurd]

6. Epic is an understatement! BUF's used to snow, but...

...this storm is really freaking out my friends who live out there.

[Rhiannon12866]

22. Carl Paladino?

[Cooley Hurd]

24. He's safe...

He's actually sleeping on my couch now.

[Rhiannon12866]

25. As long as he's not

Sitting on your lap as you type this...

That has to have been the funniest DU thread I read, ever...

[Brother Buzz]

8. Bills' Week 12 game against Jets could be moved to Monday night because of snow, report says

Bills' Week 12 game against Jets could be moved to Monday night because of snow, report says
November 19, 2014

Orchard Park, N.Y. — With over four feet of snow in Orchard Park, the Buffalo Bills are scrambling to figure out a plan for their Week 12 game against the New York Jets.

A driving ban is still in place in Orchard Park, so there is a chance the Bills' players won't be able to get to the stadium for practice on Wednesday. Meanwhile, according to Peter King of Sports Illustrated, the grounds crew at Ralph Wilson Stadium has already dug up 220,000 tons of snow. With another one to three feet in the forecast later in the week, there is a possibility the game could be postponed to Monday night to provide the grounds crew time to get the stadium ready.

http://www.syracuse.com/buffalo-bills/index.ssf/2014/11/bills_week_12_game_against_jets_could_be_moved_to_monday_night_because_of_snow.html

[Earth_First]

9. They need to reschedule or head to Met Life Stadium...

Thruway remains closed.

This only encourages people to leave their homes.

Creates a hazardous situation for those clearing the snow.

If this game carries on in Orchard Park, there are some priorities that need adjustment by those responsible for this judgement call.

[Brother Buzz]

10. I'll let the 'Pros from Dover' sort it out and make the right call

If the storms pass by Friday morning, could we assume most everything could be business as usual by Monday night?

http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/l/Buffalo+NY+USNY0181

[KinMd]

11. Could they play in Toronto?

[Brother Buzz]

12. They could play in Pasadena and make it a twofer by

first watching UCLA beat up USC at the LA Memorial Coliseum on Saturday, then watch the Bills host the Jets at the Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena on Sunday.

Go Bruins!

On edit: Bring that damn snow out here, we need the moisture!

[mahatmakanejeeves]

50. It's close enough, but U.S. citizens need a passport to go to Canada now. NT

[Iamthetruth]

16. Love it

Anytime I don't have to see the jets is a good football day.

[Travis_0004]

28. There is only a 50% chance they show up on any given sunday

[whistler162]

20. They are offering free tickets and

$10/hour for shovelers to clear the stadium.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/buffalo-bills-offer-fans-money-tickets-to-shovel-out-stadium/

So some good will come out of the storm.

[Brother Buzz]

23. Love it!

They better have a squad of ambulances standing by, just in case. You know what I mean, Vern?

[ffr]

15. Epic? Is that the correct word to use? We are talking about Buffalo, right?

Still 11 degrees above normal here this AM, just like it's been for years. Warmer nights, mild days and dry. And our drought continues.

Glad its snowing there though. At least it's cold enough somewhere for snow to fall. Good for them!

[Darb]

45. This is actually a flood.

I hope it doesn't melt too quickly.

[AverageJoe90]

19. Not unheard of for Buffalo.

Hey, if you want unusual, btw.....70 degree highs.....in north Texas.....in July.

[blkmusclmachine]

29. ,

,

[Odin2005]

30. This is why I don't live on the east side of a large lake!

[JonLP24]

53. Cold snap caused by climate change-weakened jet stream, scientists suggest

Experts say ocean warming-induced supertyphoon a factor in changed direction of cold blast hitting the US

Residents in a large swath of the country's east have been met with sub-freezing temperatures over the past week. And overnight Wednesday, more than 5 feet of snow descended on parts of western New York state. Media have referred to the strange weather pattern as the Polar Vortex and the Arctic Blast.

Ironically, though, it was warmer-than-usual temperatures that likely sent the cold weather southwards. Climate change-induced ocean warming in the Pacific turned Typhoon Nuri into a “supertyphoon” that punched the jet stream off its course, bringing the North Pole's weather down over the eastern U.S., according to experts.

Scientists have said that warmer ocean temperatures contribute to more frequent and intense extreme weather, making it likely that climate change strengthened Nuri.

“Eleven days ago, we saw Super Typhoon Nuri, one of the most intense storms ever seen in the Pacific, go north to the waters west of Alaska,” Jeff Masters, director of meteorology at Weather Underground, told Al Jazeera.

As Nuri tracked northwards along the coast of Japan, it effectively ran headfirst into the jet stream — like an “800-pound gorilla,” Masters said. The jet stream is the fast moving river of air high in the atmosphere that creates most of the weather seen in North America. The impact forced the normally fairly straight, eastward-moving jet stream — which acts as the barrier between frigid Arctic temperatures and warmer weather in the south — to bulge, creating large waves.

http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/11/20/arctic-weather-climate.html

I'd add the earth's tilt on the axis is why North America can sometimes remain cold

“We’re having a cold spell here in the U.S., but that shouldn’t detract attention from the fact that we just had the third consecutive month of the warmest global temperatures on record,” Masters said. “And we’re headed for the warmest year on record.”

“The U.S. (like the rest of the globe) is warming and is expected to continue to do so in the long-term (with short-term fluctuations due to natural variability),” Screen told Al Jazeera via email. “The second factor is that disproportionately large warming in the Arctic compared to the mid-latitudes (e.g. U.S.) reduces the average temperature gradient between the two regions. Both of these factors reduce the risk of extreme cold.”