Genesee County, MI Road Commission sending all but 2 crews home - mid storm

[Siwsan]

That's right - two crews for the entire county, with more snow on the way. And, they will just be on the freeways. The trucks have been out since last night, and the drivers are exhausted.

Also announced there will be no salting until Tuesday, which makes sense, since salt doesn't work in less than 10 degrees.

Yet, still no state of emergency being declared. They've GOT to do that, now.

This is really, really bad, friends.

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. You stay safe

[Siwsan]

3. Yea, getting stuck in a snow drift and freezing to death is not on my 'bucket list".

It's going to be dangerously cold, tomorrow. I'm going to hunker down in front of the fireplace, and drink a hot toddy, or two.

The side streets haven't been touched so if we get another 4 to 6" of snow, tonight, and they aren't clearing even the main roads, this whole part of the state will be paralyzed.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. In the meantime I went to the market

in shirt sleeves. It's weird I know.

On the down side, as I told malaise earlier, we just need a source of ignition and off to the races we go.

[Siwsan]

5. I don't call it Climate Change. I call it Climate Strange

And, this has been one hell of a strange winter, so far.

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. Well the extreme weather was predicted

so that is what I call it with the denialists: extreme weather.

[sufrommich]

2. Over 600 school districts closed across the state,

some of them already reporting they'll be closed Tuesday too.Yeah,they need to declare an emergency.

[Siwsan]

8. Just got an update from work - delayed opening time until noon

With any update by 9am. My hours start at 6am, so I would be going in for just 2 hours. Nah. Just not worth it. I'll take the 2 hours personal time.

[BlueToTheBone]

7. They decided to do nothing here until

the snow stops. Highways and county roads are all iced and it hasn't stopped snowing all day.

[Siwsan]

10. I think that's the plan for here, too

There are semi-truck wrecks all over the freeways and exit/entrance ramps. One major freeway is closed, for miles. The snow is coming down at a very high rate - I estimate at well over an inch an hour.

Consumers Energy outage map is starting to show some down wires - I hope I'm spared. I can't go through that, again. I still can't walk through the house, at night, without a flashlight in my hand!

[BlueToTheBone]

16. Crazy world.

We went shopping yesterday in preparation. Looks like I'll be here a while. I hope we don't lose power either because our heat depends on it.

[backwoodsbob]

9. why are people acting like snow and cold is a new thing?

We have dealt with it for thousands of years and we will get through this one too

[sufrommich]

11. Nobody is acting like snow and cold

are new things and nobody is doubting we'll all survive.

[Earth_First]

12. The OP directly deals with sending exhausted road crews home...

Not people freaking out about snow and cold.

Have you any idea what it's like to drive a plow truck in these conditions after 12, 15, 18 hours?

I do.

It's the safest judgement call to make.

Kudos to the Commisioner!

[backwoodsbob]

13. you misunderstand(hehe) me

I totally agree with sending them home.


It's the general omg omg the worlds ending posts I've seen all day that amuse me.

[Earth_First]

14. Well in that case...sure.

There is a lot of 'infotainment' weather related news.

However, this cold snap is much different.

I've heard that a cold snap of this magnitude hasn't been seen in twenty years; affecting 170 million people.

Generally, yes.

This one is historic.

[backwoodsbob]

15. back in the 90's i worked for a company in Detroit

called Home Window....I ran a door to door canvassing crew.

I pulled an 8 hour day outdoors when the windchills hit -30.It's nothing new

[Siwsan]

17. Genesee County just came through an massive ice storm and 6+ day power outage

I spent Christmas Day huddled under a feather comforter. I still carry a flashlight with me, at night and I'm still recovering from an exposure to carbon monoxide. It was an exhausting 6 days of hauling water from the sump hole, around the clock, and when I finally got a generator, lugging the gas. I'm no youngster - it was a big physical drain.

This is a one-two punch to people who are still recovering. And, this amount of snow is NOT normal for this part of the state. It's a once in several decades event. Yea, we'll get through it, but some of us have very, very low energy reserves.