Disaster Recovery News

The winter weather has not made any exceptions this year. States west to east have had massive amounts of snow dumped upon them as if a giant snow cone machine was shaving ice in the clouds above.

“The Weather Guys” with USA Today have stated the following for today for your area of the country and your neighbors:

“Northwest nightmare — A powerful winter storm is hammering the Northwest today. Gusty winds and heavy snow and rain are affecting Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. Blizzard warnings have been issued for the Cascade and Olympic mountains today. Rain will spread south across California by later today.
Dangerous cold in the center — Intense cold and howling winds are the main weather story in the central USA today. Dangerously cold wind chills values will bottom out well below zero across most of the Plains and Midwest. The winds will bring some lake-effect snow in the lee of the Great Lakes.
More nastiness in the Northeast — Yet another in a series of winter storms is bringing snow and ice to the Northeast today. The heaviest snow should be in northern New York State and northern New England. Strong, bitterly cold winds will be the main story later today and tonight in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic areas.”

The Climate Prediction Center expects the month of January 2009 to be warmer than usual for states east of the Rocky Mountains.
Learn how to keep yourself safe at home or work amid all the wintry weather and the upcoming holidays. The winter months tend to bring a lot of moisture to our homes and businesses that often lead to mold growth; learn more about mold prevention.

Snow in the Northwest Video

Temperatures are expected to lower significantly while the chances of precipitation remain high. This is the perfect recipe for SNOW.

Dave Salesky with KGW’s weather blog in Portland, OR reads:

“There is no way around it– we’re going to get hit with a pretty big storm…

…Cold air arrives…Saturday. Snow levels will drop like a rock. From 7000ft to 1500ft in just a few hours. Heavy snow will fall in the Cascades and Coast Range. Blizzard conditions will exist in Cascades much of Saturday. Maybe 3 feet of snow will fall in the mountains. Locally we’ll see snow in the higher hills not on the valley floor. Precipitation Saturday will be a wintry mix with no accumulation below 500ft.

…A second wave of arctic air that arrives Sunday. Temperatures will fall into the teens and twenties. Another weak low will drop south along the coast. Moisture coming ashore will be snow, all the way to the valley floor. Amounts are still hard to predict at this time. We could see just a few flurries maybe an inch or two.

Lastly I don’t see a warm up coming anytime soon. We might even see another snow event late next week!”

There are several things one can do during the winter to protect their home from the elements and fires. Click here to learn how to keep your home mold-free with all the frightful weather. Then, learn how to keep your home safe as you warm up by the fire (or space heater).

The National Weather Service in Illinois has issued an alert stating that residents and travelers should expect to see a lot of snow fall tonight and tomorrow, December 3, 2008. The state could get as much as five-inches of snow. Travelers on the road are cautioned as there may be substantial travel-related difficulties as the streets are expected to be covered with snow and visibility will be limited. Areas north of I-88 are expected to have the heaviest impact.

This following “urgent” statement was issued by the National Weather Service for the counties of Boone, Bureau, Carroll, Cook, De Kalb, DuPage, Henderson, Henry , Jo Daviess, Kane, Lake Lee, McHenry, Mercer, Ogle, Putnam, Rock Island, Stephenson, Warren, Whiteside, and Winnebago:

“ACCUMULATING SNOW LATE TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY…AN ARCTIC FRONT WILL BE SWEEPING ACROSS THE REGION LATE TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. INCREASING MOISTURE FROM THE SOUTH WILL GENERATE A BAND OF LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW IN THE COLDER AIR BEHIND THE FRONT. A GENERAL 3 TO 5 INCHES OF SNOW IS EXPECTED…WITH ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. THE SNOW SHOULD BEGIN NORTHWEST OF A VINTON TO DUBUQUE LINE LATE TONIGHT…SPREADING OVER ALL OF THE REGION WEDNESDAY MORNING AND CONTINUING INTO THE AFTERNOON. SOME BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW CAN BE EXPECTED LATER WEDNESDAY AS THE SNOW BEGINS TO DIMINISH.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN QUAD CITIES HAS ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM TO 6 PM CST WEDNESDAY. LIGHT SNOW SHOULD BEGIN TOWARDS DAYBREAK WEDNESDAY AND BECOME HEAVIER WEDNESDAY MORNING AND DIMINISH LATE IN THE AFTERNOON. ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES ARE EXPECTED…WITH ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. NORTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 15 TO 30 MPH
AS THE SNOW DIMINISHES. THIS SHOULD CREATE SOME BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF THE SNOW.

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLICK…SNOW COVERED ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES…AND BE CAREFUL WHILE DRIVING.”

If one is planning on being out and they live in the above mentioned counties, it may be time to reconsider your Wednesday schedule and settle in with a cup of hot chocolate at home.

Find out how to prepare for a winter storm. Also learn about what one needs to do to prepare an emergency kit for one’s vehicle.

Thousands of customers have lost electrical power after a potent blizzard made its way through the Dakotas. Along with snow, residents had to deal with up to five-inches of freezing rain and hard winds. Many roads have abandoned cars scattered throughout that are now being recovered.

About 300 people had to be rescued by the South Dakota Highway Patrol as parts of the state received 45-inches of snow. The weather impacted the Dakotas so much that major highways were closed until the blizzard passed.

In James MacPherson’s report, the president of Nodak Rural Electric Cooperative, George Berg, stated: “Our biggest obstacle is not the snow, but all the mud and water… One crew in northern Nelson County had to use a motorboat to reach a downed power pole submerged in water.” Crews worked overnight in efforts to restore power to many rural residents.

More on this story.

There is no doubt that clean-up crews will be hard at work this weekend to restore some normalcy and power to the thousands of homes that lost electricity. Water damage caused by all the snow and rains will require recovery specialists that can help dry-out buildings and documents. Recovery specialists can also help remedy and prevent damage that is caused by mold.

If you have been affected by water damage of any sort, call a recovery specialist quickly to prevent any further damage.

Learn more about the recovery process.

Photos: Taken in Ellsworth AFB, SD by CoryMusick; in Lead, SD by wufdawg and Akille; and Piedmont, SD by ellsea.

As a storm exists the western part of the U.S., the states in the Rockies and central states brace to be hit on Monday. Read the full report from The Weather Channel here.

Two to three feet of snow is expected over the mountain ranges as eastern Colorado and New Mexico brace for severe thunderstorms. Hail and strong winds could even be seen in these areas.

The pressure created by the storm could produce Santa Ana winds in California that will make the fire danger even more high. The humidity levels are expected to be very low in the mountain passes, valleys and canyons.

Those in the western states will experience temperatures that are 10-30 degrees lower than average.

Many recovery services will be on call during the week as many states prepare for wet weather, high winds, and potential fires.

More on how disaster recovery services can help you.

More on business continuity after a strong storm.

Photo by Angelray.