AUSTIN | Misc. Discussions - No Politics - Page 101

enragedcamel · #1 Posted **Feb 14, 2021, 10:46 PM**

Yeah, I'm freaking out a little because one of my outdoor spigots has rusted and I can't detach the hose from it. I'm thinking about just cutting the hose so that I can let the spigot drip.

People out in Lakeway and Hill County are reporting that their century oaks have started to split in half due to the cold. I'm in central Austin and haven't seen that so far, but all my plants out in the backyard are dead.

SproutingTowers · #2 Posted **Feb 15, 2021, 1:47 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by enragedcamel

Yeah, I'm freaking out a little because one of my outdoor spigots has rusted and I can't detach the hose from it. I'm thinking about just cutting the hose so that I can let the spigot drip.

People out in Lakeway and Hill County are reporting that their century oaks have started to split in half due to the cold. I'm in central Austin and haven't seen that so far, but all my plants out in the backyard are dead.

Going to have some indoor faucets drip too. I would cut that hose, wrap the faucet well and drip.

The ATX · #3 Posted **Feb 15, 2021, 8:06 PM**

We got 8.4 inches of snow officially in Austin. That would be a bad snow storm in Michigan and Minnesota back when I lived in those places. But they plow all the roads up there and people would be out and about and school/work wouldn't have been cancelled.

EDIT: Spectrum News said it was 8.4 inches. But apparently it was "only" 6.4 inches - the most since 1949.

GoldenBoot · #4 Posted **Feb 16, 2021, 3:41 PM**

We had 7.25" out here near Lake Travis.

the Genral · #5 Posted **Feb 17, 2021, 2:27 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoldenBoot

We had 7.25" out here near Lake Travis.

Same at my house in Round Rock. Internet down for 2 days, just came up, no water since around noon today. We've been gathering snow in pots and buckets to melt into water for the toilets. At least we still have electric...so far. Amazing...

KevinFromTexas · #6 Posted **Feb 17, 2021, 7:18 AM**

We had around 6 1/2 inches in South Austin. Our yard is a bit tricky to measure snowfall amounts because we have a big Oak tree canopy, so whatever snow does get through is not all of it. In lesser snow events, it doesn't even make it through the trees as it didn't last month. I measured 4 1/2 inches on the easement at the street, 5 inches on our patio, which probably got some blow off from the roof, then 6 1/2 inches out front out from under the trees in one spot, and 7 inches in another spot, plus 6 1/2 inches out from under the trees out back. I think it's probably about 6 inches.

We never lost power or had any pipe issues, but our internet shutoff around midnight Tuesday, and I noticed it came back on just a little while ago. They were saying that if you live in an area with an essential service area such as near a fire station or hospital that you might not be in the rolling blackout rotation. We're a mile and a half from South Austin Medical Center, and our fire station is 3/4 of a mile.

I didn't drip our faucets - never have, I just wrap them like crazy. This year, I cut up a pool noodle and fit it around the faucets outside, then wrapped them with some left over R32 insulation I had, then cover that with a towel and bungy cord it. Then to top it off I put a dog kennel bottom around it. For the front one, I do the same, but no dog kennel bottom. That faucet is outside my bedroom window, and I also have a huge ginger plant there that I cover with a tarp every winter, so it stays pretty warm under there. I had to go in there twice to tap the snow off.

My sister and their family are ok in Del Valle. My brother in Southeast Austin, though, lost power on Tuesday and was still without it tonight. They also have gas, but the igniter switch is electric, so they don't have gas either. He also said the water quit dripping in their shower - so they didn't have water earlier today, but it did start flowing again. They're doing ok camping out in their sleeping bags in the living room.

I went out for a walk yesterday and that was quite a sight seeing the snow. I remember the 1985 snow having a snowball fight, building a snowman and my hands freezing in the snow. This was at least as good as that one.

OsirisATX · #7 Posted **Feb 17, 2021, 8:55 AM**

I remember that '85 snow and my first snowball fight at Travis H.S. as a senior.

GoldenBoot · #8 Posted **Feb 17, 2021, 9:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by OsirisATX

I remember that '85 snow and my first snowball fight at Travis H.S. as a senior.

I remember that storm vividly. A group of us played tackle football in the street - there was so much snow.

drummer · #9 Posted **Feb 18, 2021, 3:22 PM**

We got 8" of snow in our neighborhood. I saw 8" noted on KXAN for us on the map so I had to go out and measure it myself. 8.3" in my yard, to be exact.

Glad we have tons of mountain and camping gear. Our power is beginning to stabilize but it was a rough week! Hope everyone is doing alright.

Also - at some point in the near future I'm buying a snow shovel to leave in our garage for most of the time, haha. And I think each city in the metro should have at least one true snow plow. Or at least a handful of whatever type of attachments can fit on trucks. You guys from the north, hook us up with your supply chains, please.

GoldenBoot · #10 Posted **Feb 18, 2021, 5:10 PM**

Snowing again around Lake Travis. As of now, there is a Trace on surfaces and it's coming down light but steady. That's three measurable snowfalls within a five week period...in Austin!

drummer · #11 Posted **Feb 18, 2021, 5:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoldenBoot

Snowing again around Lake Travis. As of now, there is a Trace on surfaces and it's coming down light but steady. That's three measurable snowfalls within a five week period...in Austin!

NW suburbs also.

StoOgE · #12 Posted **Feb 19, 2021, 12:03 AM**

No power heat for me since Sunday, just came online. Got below freezing in my house. Ran out of firewood and lost water We'd and booked it to my in-laws in San Antonio.

Complete shit show. I had food and water bought, but wound up cooking mostly over our fireplace as my oven is electric.

Luckily I'm a big back packer and had a stupid amount of gear to get us through this.

We made it and wound up donating our food and water after we left to a buddy who drove it to those without.

City and State have a lot of explaining to do and need to future proof this because as bad as this was it could have been far worse if temps weren't rising this weekend

JoninATX · #13 Posted **Feb 19, 2021, 12:18 AM**

Glad u guys are holding up. Here in Temple I've been without power since 2am Monday. I'm hoping power will kick in tomorrow when all this ice and snow start to melt.

The ATX · #14 Posted **Feb 19, 2021, 2:56 AM**

I've had power throughout this mess, but that's probably because I live near a hospital. But I haven't had water in days, and that is really starting to be a problem - especially with stores closed or out of water. It may be a few more days before water returns.

KevinFromTexas · #15 Posted **Feb 19, 2021, 11:05 PM**

Actually, I don't mind non-Texans on the Ercot board, really, because I'm going to assume it gets colder up north than here, and it's really the cold weather that sucks electricity more than the summer heat does. At least, it seems easier to cool our house in the summer than to warm it in the winter. I mean, I sleep with my bed next to window and am never hot in the summer, and I even turn off my A/C at night most nights because I hate the sound, and am generally warm natured - I like it warm. I'm rarely uncomfortable in the summer, but I've been freezing next to the window in the living room where my computer is. The condensation on some of our windows actually froze, and that was a first.

And this is my mood today now that the snow and ice is melting. You know the scene at the end of Mars Attacks where Jim Brown stomps on the dead alien's head and a bunch of others are being thrown into a pile? Yeah, that's me with the snow today. Also, Tom Jones and all the happy animals:

• Video Link

KevinFromTexas · #16 Posted **Feb 21, 2021, 11:39 PM**

Someone in my neighborhood is a genius.

KevinFromTexas · #17 Posted **Feb 22, 2021, 3:40 AM**

I moved all the political posts to the current events thread we have on this.

https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=245880

clubtokyo · #18 Posted **Feb 22, 2021, 4:49 PM**

This would be a neat addition for Austin to get something like this, we can only dream:

https://www.theverge.com/2021/2/22/2...h-call-of-duty

KevinFromTexas · #19 Posted **Feb 22, 2021, 11:31 PM**

The boil water notice for much of Austin has been lifted today. Here's the map.

https://austinwater.maps.arcgis.com/...AbsrCVyWFjAiIg

SproutingTowers · #20 Posted **Feb 23, 2021, 4:32 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

The boil water notice for much of Austin has been lifted today. Here's the map.

https://austinwater.maps.arcgis.com/...AbsrCVyWFjAiIg

I live in Circle C and the reason why it took so long to get water pressure is apparently this area is 300 feet higher than downtown Austin. This also explains why the Pinnacle Building (ACC) was the highest point in Austin.