Toronto Icestorm of 2013

[James]

So it turns out this ice salt shortage isn't unique to my personal situation after all!

Salt shortage drives GTA consumers to extremes

Just another day until temperatures rise above freezing. Hopefully the last of the salt that I've been able to spread out on my driveway will be sufficient until then.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

So true. Forecast for Saturday is +5°C, Sunday +3°C.

That sounds like a recipe for broken water mains and major potholes.

AoD

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

The concierge of my building says 25 people have called down to him complaining about "neighbours banging on the walls" tonight. Truly a weird phenomenon.

We had the same thing happening last night, a 30-storey 1970's highrise. I thought it was my alcoholic neighbour next door having a bad night slamming things around, by around midnight I noticed it above and then heard it in my bedroom. I went onto FB and saw our Tenant Association discussion group had lit up with people complaining about neighbours making noise, we shortly deducted it was the building and the temperature. It was a tough night sleeping, I'd almost get to sleep and then ** BOOM **.

 

[MisterF]

We will probably be hearing more of them over the next few days as Toronto is getting hit by this polar vortex.

Another new weather word to the vocabulary "Polar vortex". Last week it was "Cryoseism" also known as "frost quake"

Now what scary winter word will be next week?

The term "polar vortex" reminds me of that terrible movie the Day After Tomorrow. The sciency technobabble explanation was something along the lines of super cooled air from the upper troposphere. Polar vortex would have sounded cooler.

On a related topic, I've been without home landline phone service since the ice storm. Is anybody else in the same boat? I've tried phoning Rogers support on my mobile, but have got nothing but a run-around so far.

What's a landline?

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

The term "polar vortex" reminds me of that terrible movie the Day After Tomorrow.

My roommate and I had this exact discussion on Monday, we'd both been thinking the same thing 'til we talked about it!

 

[W. K. Lis]

My roommate and I had this exact discussion on Monday, we'd both been thinking the same thing 'til we talked about it!

The "Polar Vortex" is normally over the north pole. It shifted down over North America this year, bringing the cold air that normally would stay up in the arctic down here. In Europe, they have temperatures on the high single digits, on the plus side. Alaska even has higher temperatures than Toronto or Chicago, around -3°C.

 

[Kat_YYZ]

On a related topic, I've been without home landline phone service since the ice storm. Is anybody else in the same boat? I've tried phoning Rogers support on my mobile, but have got nothing but a run-around so far.

I lost my Rogers TV and internet from Dec 22 to 25. I don't use Rogers for home phone though, but I heard people who did were affected.

You should go into a Rogers store and complain. During that week they were inviting people to come to their stores to charge their devices and use the store's WiFi. And they were giving out loaner cell phones to people whose home phones weren't working (presumably those people didn't have cell phones so they were completely cut off), so clearly they were aware of the problem.

 

[W. K. Lis]

That sounds like a recipe for broken water mains and major potholes.

AoD

I expect a lot of broken water mains.

Not just on the streets, but water pipes leading to homes (vacate, vacation, and powerless homes) as they thaw. If the water was moving in those homes, even just dripping, the water comes into homes at ± +12°C. Enough not to freeze. If the water is not moving, it could get frozen, then thaw, then burst pipes. Hopefully, the water mains leading to homes are under the snow and not bare driveways, since the snow would help insulate under it from the cold, even just a little.

They're expecting 15mm of rain on Saturday. Better find and help clear a path to the grates during the next couple of days, as it warms up.

 

[nfitz]

Saw something on tv the other day -- salt is sold out everywhere. Try kitty litter It doesn't melt the ice but it helps with traction.

Just noticed this.

Be very careful with kitty litter. This used to be the thing to do when it was sand. But these days most of it is clay, that just turns to jelly when exposed to water.

As a house guest of mine discovered one day when they were stuck in my driveway.

 

[PinkLucy]

Good to know -- I'm not a cat person