Worst ice storm I've ever seen.

[wattsupdoc]

Here in the Ozarks we are being pelted by the worst ice storm I've personally ever seen. Thousands are without power and we still have another day of bad weather coming. Springfield MO. looks like a war zone. No kidding. There are entire neighborhoods were the trees are down blocking roads and doing destruction on anything in their path. So far were I live we are still OK as far as power. Electricians in the area like myself are working feverishly to restore power to homes. A very difficult task when you realize that the trees are still coming down around you. It is 2 AM here and I just got home myself. I have some pics and will upload them when I can in the next few days. The national gaurd has been activated and the wholestate of MO. is declared a disaster area. I have never seen anything like this before. If there is anyone you know in this area who needs assistance from an electrician, I will be glad to try help them.
Charlie

 

[sepulatian]

Whatsup, I just posted a thread about this. It is insane right? I am in NY and have not seen a drop of snow yet! Something is not normal.

 

[wattsupdoc]

Yes it's been very mild here also. They say it's el ninio. Gotts go to bed so I can get up and do it again tomorrow.

 

[mandarin w]

ST.Louis is getting pelted again, and many lost power again here. This is the third storm in six months to take out the city and most of the surrounding area. So many people have lost tanks, First last summer when the storms knocked it out for almost two weeks with 100 plus temps. Then the 1st of Dec we had ice storms again the took the power companies almost two weeks again to get everyone back up and running, Alot of tanks lost again due to the cold and no heat. Now we are getting these ice storms again. A three day event, and once again many have lost power. I just hope and pray it doesn't take them two weeks to get everyone up again.
The weather here has been crazy this year, Either it is almost summer like, then overnight, it is ice storms.

 

[scubaguy]

wattsupdoc,
I am glad we are living south of Springfield. I drove from St Johns Hospital to my work and it was errie. All of Springfield is pitch black :scared: Springfield Newsleader has some good pictures of some of the damage that Springfield is having. It is not over too, we are looking at more ICE and on top of it at 5:00 pm 3 to 5 inches of snow is going to start falling.

 

[silversibe]

I am up in KC-- we've had a lot of sleet here since Friday, maybe an inch or 2. Nothing like you guys are getting down there though, our trees aren't covered in ice- just the roads/walkways etc. Try to stay warm down there...our 3rd round is supposed to be here in a couple of hours.

 

[chipmaker]

 

[hot883]

3rd wave is still going through Okla. Yes it is strange. Remember the ice storms 5 years ago? Nothing like that up where I am but in OKC they are getting alot of wet/sleet so trees and powerlines will be affected.

 

[chipmaker]

 

[wattsupdoc]

You cannot grasp the magnatude of what is happening here. ( I dont believe it's global warning myself). I have lived in this area for 20 years now. And we do get significant snows here from time to time. There is no snow or ANY kind of accumulation with this. NONE! It is all freezing rain. The trees and lines are covered with a large coating of ice. They are using heavy equipment like backhoes and bulldozers as well as chainsaws to clear the roads of debris. Lines are down everywhere, laying in the roads, in the yards over buildings, everywhere. There are accounts of people being trapped in their homes because of the fallen limbs. There are roads where you cannot even see through the debris, drive around the other side and sure enough it's a through road. There are places where you cannot even see through the limbs and ice enough to make out the house in there. the roads are perfectly clear of any kind of snow or ice or anything. Today it became impossible to find electrical material in order to repair homes. Some homes cannot yet be accessed to repair them, either because of debris or because of continuose snapping and falling of limbs. There is a constant sound of snapping limbs and you have to be careful when moving around, let alone working in it.Generators are being trucked in and they are gone as soon as they arrive. Last night I was driving through springfield and it is exactly as scubaguy described. Blacked out! Like a ghost town. We are not in the recovery stage yet! After this stage goes through we have expected winds and dropping temperatures. Today on my way in a linesman ran through a powerless light in a major intersection and Tboned another vehicle, then spun aroungd and hit the front of my service truck. I dont think he even saw the man until he hit it and plowed into him at full force.The man in the car was unresponsive and apparently recieved major head trauma.
These pics were taken yesterday and DONT EVEN COME CLOSE to grasping this event. It is worse today and will be even worse tomorow. In the first pic there are 2 houses underneath the debris.

 

[wattsupdoc]

few more. This is EVERYWHERE you go in the housing areas.

 

[zman1]

Originally Posted by mandarin w
Then the 1st of Dec we had ice storms again the took the power companies almost two weeks again to get everyone back up and running
Not sure if it was the first for sure as it was starting to melt on 12/2 but we in the STL metro area suffered a very similar storm that you provided pictures of. We personally were without power for 3 days - the lucky ones, others were close to two weeks as Mandarin mentioned.
My bother-in-law works as a tree trimmer for a company contracted by power company and wasn't home for 3 weeks after the storm, working insane amounts of overtime... Sounds like your ones of the lucking ones with Power and Internet.
We wish everybody the best and a speedy recovery to get back to a normal life. Our Volunteer fire and city did a great job during the challenging times.
May not feel that way now but after the pain is gone and you look back hopefully you will feel the same...

 

[wattsupdoc]

Yes Zman, I know the storm. It was absolutely horrible. I have never seen this before to this extent. In '87 we had a bad Ice storm but not like this one. For now we do have power. But we are just below the line here. 60,000 customers without power in springfield (total population of around 150,000) 50,000 more in the near area. And climbing. It wont start thawing here for a few more days. I imagine it will take a couple weeks here also.

 

[scubaguy]

Here are afew we snapped. We just got back internet so that is why it took so long to post.

 

[scubaguy]

Here is a couple more. The last couple are a house we used to live in a three years ago.

 

[lovethesea]

our neighborhood looks like a war zone. We had a huge fire and explosion Sautrday morning about 1:30 am. Transformer fell off a pole and all of the lines snapped. Our back yard was on fire. I will post picks later. We lost two fish

Tank got down to 58 degrees. That is after wrapping it in blankets. Kept coming back to stir tank. So far everyone else seems to be hanging in there.
Power just came back on about 10am. We had to get a hotel. We called the second the power went out. We usually don't do that, didn't this summer, but this storm was different. We knew we had better call a hotel before everyone else did. They were full by that night.
Those pics posted look just like our neighborhoods. Amazing thing now is that besides all the damage, it looks like nothing happened. All of the ice melted yesterday and last night.

Now VERY cold and kind of snowy

 

[wattsupdoc]

I believe it was the National Emergency Management burea or one of those that stated that this is the worst Ice storm in MO. history. Good news is that they are reporting only 37,000 customers in Springfiels area without power. But the remainder will be slow coming. I wish I could get pics to show the neighborhoods as you see them driving through. The main streets look to be pretty normal. But when you turn into the tightly packed neighborhoods on the northwest side, wich is where the older homes are, also a lot of old large trees packed in tight to houses, is where you see the most powerful images We are not going to thaw out yet. Scubaguy, Imglad to see you back, I was wondering what might have happened. There were alot of people in Ozark here last night without power. But I think thats all resolved now. Lovethesea, I'm sorry to here about you're fish lost. I hope all is well for everyone else.

 

[scubaguy]

lovethesea, I am sorry for your loss and I hope you guys get your power back on soon. Stay safe and warm

wattsupdoc, Yeah I was at work till Sunday morning that is why I could post. We lost power about two times last night but have not lost it for more than a hour or two. Ozark has been good about keeping the power going. Nixa still has 20,000 customers without power. we have two families that we are having stay in our house while they have no electric. Crowded but we have a two story so it helps with the space. Take it esay and stay warm Doc, I have to go back to work tomorrow.

 

[beth]

This reminds me of my hometown in the Florida Keys. No, we don't get ice/snow storms, we get hurricanes, but the results are looking much the same from the descriptions and pictures.
Everyone be safe.

 

[zman1]

Originally Posted by lovethesea
our neighborhood looks like a war zone. We had a huge fire and explosion Sautrday morning about 1:30 am. Transformer fell off a pole and all of the lines snapped. Our back yard was on fire. I will post picks later. We lost two fish

Tank got down to 58 degrees. That is after wrapping it in blankets. Kept coming back to stir tank. So far everyone else seems to be hanging in there.
Power just came back on about 10am. We had to get a hotel. We called the second the power went out. We usually don't do that, didn't this summer, but this storm was different. We knew we had better call a hotel before everyone else did. They were full by that night.
Those pics posted look just like our neighborhoods. Amazing thing now is that besides all the damage, it looks like nothing happened. All of the ice melted yesterday and last night.

Now VERY cold and kind of snowy

If you are still without power (power on does always mean stay on)and staying at a hotel. I can let you borrow my 4K generator and extention cords - 12 Ga. and 14 Ga. It's got a small gas tank and needs refilling about every 2.5 hours. I just ask that you chain it down to prevent easy walk aways, I have chain as well..