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Battening the hatches
Jan. 4th, 2018 08:21 amSo, this weather bomb that's hitting the US is going to reach us in Canada in a couple of hours. Any weather system that uses the term "explosive cyclogenesis" seems like a really bad idea. There are snowfall, rainfall, wind, and storm surge warnings out. In the city I'm in, we're supposed to be getting rain instead of snow, so that's one tiny bit of good news.
The real problem is the wind. It's going to be worse than the storm on Christmas Day that took out my power (due to a large section of utility poles being snapped off and falling across a main road), so the province is warning about wide-spread power outages. The power company has brought in hundreds of people from other provinces to get power restored as fast as possible when it goes out.
I've made all the preparations I can. Usually I do my shopping today, but I did it last night instead and stocked up on batteries while I was out, so all my lanterns and torches should be good for a long time. I've charged all my devices and made sure the battery pack for my phone is charged. This morning I put hot water in a thermos. I filled a cold box with ice blocks, butter, cheese, and milk. If the power is still on when I get home, I'll refresh the water and switch the ice blocks for fresh ones. This way, if the power goes out, I've got the ability to make hot drinks and cheese sandwiches without needing to open my fridge and let all the cold out.
(It's best not to touch the fridge or freezer after the power goes out, to keep them cold for as long as possible.)
Before I went out, I made sure the heating was set to be on all day at a higher than normal temperature. If the power goes out, there will be a fair bit of residual heat in the house, so it shouldn't get uncomfortably cold too fast.
In other words, I've taken every precaution I've learned for surviving a storm like this and the power outages we might get. I've come into work because it was so calm when I was due to leave. At least this way, I can get some work done and I won't be sitting at home, worrying about how I'll keep working if the power goes out. The worst of the wind and rain is supposed to hit this afternoon, so I'll see what's happening later today and make a call on when I leave here to go home.
Living in Canada has taught me a lot about how to cope with bad weather and power cuts. It's knowledge I sort of wish I hadn't needed to learn, but it's something I'll take with me back to England. Weather isn't as bad there, power is a lot more stable (because the power lines are mostly buried!), but it's always good to know what to do when something like this happens, right?
The real problem is the wind. It's going to be worse than the storm on Christmas Day that took out my power (due to a large section of utility poles being snapped off and falling across a main road), so the province is warning about wide-spread power outages. The power company has brought in hundreds of people from other provinces to get power restored as fast as possible when it goes out.
I've made all the preparations I can. Usually I do my shopping today, but I did it last night instead and stocked up on batteries while I was out, so all my lanterns and torches should be good for a long time. I've charged all my devices and made sure the battery pack for my phone is charged. This morning I put hot water in a thermos. I filled a cold box with ice blocks, butter, cheese, and milk. If the power is still on when I get home, I'll refresh the water and switch the ice blocks for fresh ones. This way, if the power goes out, I've got the ability to make hot drinks and cheese sandwiches without needing to open my fridge and let all the cold out.
(It's best not to touch the fridge or freezer after the power goes out, to keep them cold for as long as possible.)
Before I went out, I made sure the heating was set to be on all day at a higher than normal temperature. If the power goes out, there will be a fair bit of residual heat in the house, so it shouldn't get uncomfortably cold too fast.
In other words, I've taken every precaution I've learned for surviving a storm like this and the power outages we might get. I've come into work because it was so calm when I was due to leave. At least this way, I can get some work done and I won't be sitting at home, worrying about how I'll keep working if the power goes out. The worst of the wind and rain is supposed to hit this afternoon, so I'll see what's happening later today and make a call on when I leave here to go home.
Living in Canada has taught me a lot about how to cope with bad weather and power cuts. It's knowledge I sort of wish I hadn't needed to learn, but it's something I'll take with me back to England. Weather isn't as bad there, power is a lot more stable (because the power lines are mostly buried!), but it's always good to know what to do when something like this happens, right?
