Weather reporting

[Mega Hertz]

I-75 flooded at I-696 despite construction of a very expensive new drainage and pumping station over the past couple years.

If melting wet heavy snow plus a half inch of rainfall can cause such issues (heavy rainfall moved through the area last night around 10PM), I fear to think what will happen during drenching thunderstorms this spring and summer.

If those drains got covered in snow in any significant way that’s part of your problem.

"I'm from the government, and I'm here to help"

That’s the nature of drains… you’d rather do what? Have no drains and let it evaporate? It isn’t a heck of a lot different than hair in the drain in your sink or leaves over a storm drain.

Let it pull itself up by its bootstraps.

Funny. I wouldn't take a bet that those are Habitat for Humanity McMansions you're visiting with your clipboard and hardhat everyday, comrade. Don't worry, your secret is safe with me.

As for I-75 and I-696, if Dan's Excavating can't figure out how to design a proper drain at a busy interchange, then MDOT probably needs to hire someone else. This certainly isn't a new problem.

Ever see the episode of the Simpsons where the town gets together to rebuild Flanders's house? That's an upgrade from some of the private builders I deal with.

As for Dan's, I once counted 13 guys standing around, chatting, laughing, doing fuck all. I had time; 96 was backed up for miles. Now THAT is a construction job I wish I could have. Alas, I have to work for a living. Earn my keep. Most of us commisocalABCNBCBS libs lay around and wait for our check to come.

[BKRPDM]

WXYZ folks were obnoxious last Thursday, with maps showing potential power outages likely. Dave Rexroth must have mentioned power outages three times per segment, as well as winds predicted to gust to 55 mph. What’s with the fear mongering? Yes, the storm was pretty strong, but only about 5% experienced outages.

[Mega Hertz]

Reminds me of the comment sections on the 9/11 videos I watch. It's either:

*anchor stays calm and says they don't want to assume anything*
"Oh my GOD how did they not know it was terrorism!?!? I knew it right away! Ugh! Stupid media!"

Or

"Oh if this happened today the anchors would be beside themselves freaking out like it was the end of the world!"

Damned If you do...

[MWmetalhead]

This might surprise some of you coming from me:

I thought the local media outlets and the NWS did a very good job forecasting last Friday and Saturday's storm and the ensuing Arctic air mass.

It was a complex system, and the main forecast points were either spot on or fairly close to reality.

[ChrisWL1980]

Reminds me of the comment sections on the 9/11 videos I watch. It's either:

*anchor stays calm and says they don't want to assume anything*
"Oh my GOD how did they not know it was terrorism!?!? I knew it right away! Ugh! Stupid media!"

Or

"Oh if this happened today the anchors would be beside themselves freaking out like it was the end of the world!"

Damned If you do...

Listen to or watch some of the old news coverage from November 22, 1963 and you'll see a lot of similar comments. Like "I can't believe CBS played a coffee commercial and a dog food commercial right after it was announced the president was shot and the wounds could be fatal!" When something like that happens you never understand quite what you're dealing with at first. Some reporters afterward said they thought the reports were a sick joke at first. Hindsight is 20/20.

[MWmetalhead]

I am quite worried about the freezing rain and sleet threat from overnight Monday into the midday hours of Tuesday for SE Michigan.

Even if air temps are a couple degrees above freezing during the daylight hours, chances are quite good that surfaces (power lines, trees, asphalt, concrete) will still be below freezing.

[audiophile]

You can thank salting the roads for driving frost deep below roadways and wrecking our roads.

A friend that defrosts sewer systems says he has encountered frost down to 20 feet below heavily traveled roads.

Ever try freezing a glass of ice water to a table? Add salt and stir, drives the temp lower. Homemade ice cream makers use this trick too.

[MWmetalhead]

High temps should run 5 to perhaps as much as 10 degrees above normal for most of the next 8 days. After that, models are depicting an even bigger warm up, where high temps 15+ degrees above normal could occur. End of January and first few days of February are currently forecast to be almost spring like. Good weather for anyone who likes mud!

[edj]

I’ll take mud over ice any day of the week!

[BKRPDM]

A bit of weather overachievement (at least in Novi). Our local tv news folks were looking for an inch, or maybe a bit more….I’m seeing 3 inches so far.

TWC was calling for 4” when I checked online at 7:00am. That seems accurate.

[MWmetalhead]

Looks like about two inches of wet, heavy snow has accumulated in my locale so far. I'll know for sure when I snowblow later. Based on radar trends, I suspect up to another half inch could fall here before everything winds down.

A nice stretch of weather (relatively speaking) still looks to be in store beginning this weekend. Thursday might be decent, too, but with the fresh snowpack - I'm now skeptical. I think we might see a good deal of clouds and fog.

[Bobbert]

A bit of weather overachievement (at least in Novi). Our local tv news folks were looking for an inch, or maybe a bit more….I’m seeing 3 inches so far.

TWC was calling for 4” when I checked online at 7:00am. That seems accurate.

Similar total (and feeling of surprise) in Plymouth.

This looks good for a couple of big winter events this weekend in Plymouth and Royal Oak.

[jsf]

It's 1 PM in Livonia and it looks like close to 6 in. on my deck railing. It also looks like a BIG miss by the local WX teams.

[BKRPDM]

It's 1 PM in Livonia and it looks like close to 6 in. on my deck railing. It also looks like a BIG miss by the local WX teams.

5” in Novi. I’m surprised that they didn’t post a WS advisory, even if they did it late.

[HD74]

Lots of snow out here in Mid-Michigan, took me 2 1/2 hours to get to Lansing, normally 25 minutes.
Passed 1 plow, and 2 4x4 Silverados, one of which hit a tree, the second about a mile up the road, looked like the guy who hit the tree was riding with the other guy. They were shoveling furiously.