Ice Storm, Albany, NY

[labrador]

I live in Schoharie county in the hill towns. WE GOT BLASTED!! I lost power on Friday at 7:30 am and just got it back at 9:00 pm tonight. Kept warm with a Jotul 550 insert with door open and a screen in front for SAFETY. Also had a VC vigilant running downstairs as well. Plenty of water saved up in gallon jugs and a propane kitchen stove. Had no phone service either, but cell phone worked well. I enjoy being self reliant but burned a lot of wood and now have to scrounge some for next year. BTW the power company that restored power here came from Michigan. Keep warm all.

 

[drizler]

Here is my last pearl of wisdom for when it's all over and done. Unless you want to burn them, don't be too quick to go cut down all those trees that have the tops broken off and look ugly. Especially the big nice ones you will never live long enough to see grown back again, just leave them alone. The tops will eventually break off and fall yet those trees will live on quite well. What you end up with for 5 or 6 years is sort of flat topped trees like they have in the southern swamps. 10 years later you won't be able to really tell the difference though. We have apple trees that had the whole side split off and laying on the ground still producing apples until a couple years ago. The horses appreciated the easy access. Some of the trees will die but darned few if you just leave them alone
For all your acreage owners come Spring and for the next year or so keep your eyes double open out there. You are going to have 100 times as many widowmakers hanging loose, caught in lower branches or hanging by threads of bark just waiting to go. That will probably go on for a few years before everything that is coming down finally makes it to the ground. It's going to be a whole different landscape out there.

 

[velvetfoot]

Still no juice, but darned if they didn't stop last night right in front of my place.
Hopefully they didn't forget about us come morning.

Back at work now. Warmer temps. Ice coming off.
In reality, what I have seen around here, it's not that bad.
Not many broken poles at all.
I understand other areas in the NE have it worse.

 

[velvetfoot]

Looks like it came back around noon (answering machine now works).
YaaaHooo