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New Hamshire Ice storm

Started by woodmills1, December 14, 2008, 05:51:53 PM

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woodmills1

we got it bad  rained all day thursday and began to freeze on surfaces by 1 or 2 in the afternoon.  By dark it was building on everything at alraming rates.  I woke at 5am to no power and trees or branches hitting the ground at 3 to 5 per minute.  Major damage and power outage northern mass southern NH and in new york.

here is my answer to my sisters e-mail about my experience

well I didn't answer cause we just got power back at about 2:15today, sunday. we lost it some time Thursday after midnight
house temp was 42 in the front rooms this morning, used kitchen wood stove and the fireplace insert in the office got up to around 62 during day and as low as 56 at night.  We fared pretty well though none of the downed trees or limbs broke anything, including the big maple limb that fell into the dump bed  in such away that it didn't hurt the truck and wasn't allowed to hit either the scion or the tacoma.  Last night was tough at around 14 degrees

So I decided not to drain the water out of the outdoor stove  I disconnected it from the house electricity and wired a plug to it and plugged it into the inverter outlet on the back of the tacoma and started the truck every 2 hours to circulated the water that I was keeping warm with a small fire.  It didn't do much for heating the house but it did keep the stove from freezing up and bursting, as well as saving the pipes.  I was really only worried about the run out of the back of the stove before it gets into the ground or god forbid if it was colder the water in the house would have had to be drained

then today I see a small PSNH truck around 8 am going slow so I know they are at least surveying my street,  then around 10 2 more small PSNH trucks so I go for a drive and sure enough a tree bucket truck is at the bottom of the hill taking the many many trees off of the wires.  At 11 they were taking the remnants of my maple off the wires and then fixing the broken wire from my neighbors walnut.  I went over and thanked the tree workers and the psnh guys and asked if I could hook my wood furnace back up hoping for power today......they said yes just after lunch

felt relieved................then opened the cellar door and OMG 2 feet of water in the basement

furnace, water heater and worst of all the top of the pedestal style sump pump(open motor) all under water.  put on tallest boots, that still filled with water, and turned off every thing under water
911 call brought the fire dept in less than 8 minutes.  they surveyed the scene and congratulated me on protecting what would have been otherwise a bad electrical/ fire/ electrocution possibility..............but they can't pump basements with the fire truck and their trash/water pump was already being used in a similar situation................a few calls and I borrowed a 2 inch gas powered trash pump that pumped out the basement to less than 4 inches in about 40 minutes, so back the toyota tacoma up and plug in my sump pump but the little 400 watt inverter wouldn't start the pump......dang  now the wait for juice...the next 90 minutes felt like 3 days

electric back   turn on sump it starts, turn on water it starts, turn on water heater its fine,  turn on furnace it tries to run oil power.......turn it off find front thermostat and see it is so cold it wants to start the burner, so rig up a drop light to fool it...........go to wood furnace and circulator motor is running but booster fan is off......hmmmmmmm... recheck my rewireing job, its ok then remember I fell asleep in the warmth of the truck Friday night while circulating the stove water and appantly I let the water boil which trips an internal circuit breaker in the stove.......locate and reset the circuit breaker, check drop light to see that front themostat is thinking its warm  get Kathy to get ready to turn up back(fan on furnace only) thermostat and go in cellar and turn on furnace.....fan only comes on and warm air begins to fill the house

know I have tools, hoses and wires spread form here to there.....clean up and fill stove to max and pour some rum around 3:45

WOW  all is good

In a message dated 12/14/2008 8:45:25 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, stella writes:
How did you fare in the icy/snow/sleet storm?? We keep hearing that NH was hard-hit...even more than this area. We lucked out and didn't lose power, although Rt. 7 to Troy was shut down with power lines and trees on the road and a tractor trailer off in the swamp land; and our road was closed from just past our driveway with a tree and power combo completely blocking it. We were in a little window of power! Sure looked pretty in the moonlight last night glittering off of all the ice.

Thanks for the birthday wishes : )

James Mills,Lovely wife,collect old tools,vacuuming fool,36 bdft/hr,oak paper cutter,ebonic yooper rapper nauga seller, Blue Ox? its not fast, 2 cat family, LT70,edger, 375 bd ft/hr, we like Bob,free heat,no oil 12 years,big splitter, baked stuffed lobster, still cuttin the logs dere IAM

Papa1stuff

Soulds like you had a time of it ,Hope everything is going OK now.
Glad I don't live in NH anymore .
Also hope you all don't have anymore ice storms ,just snow will work better!
1987 PB Grader with forks added to bucket
2--2008 455 Rancher Husky
WM CBN Sharpener & Setter

Reddog

Woodmills1,
Glad to hear you are on the way back up. :)

Side note: you may want to remove your sisters email address from your post.

woodmills1

thanks for the thoughts am back up and going to pick up wood and resume driveway work tomorrow


way thanks on the e-mail tip ::)
James Mills,Lovely wife,collect old tools,vacuuming fool,36 bdft/hr,oak paper cutter,ebonic yooper rapper nauga seller, Blue Ox? its not fast, 2 cat family, LT70,edger, 375 bd ft/hr, we like Bob,free heat,no oil 12 years,big splitter, baked stuffed lobster, still cuttin the logs dere IAM

SwampDonkey

1998 all over again eh? Sounds like a bad mess. Yesterday a bunch of line men from NS went down to Maine to do some repairs and restore power.

We never had much freezing rain, it was pellets then a little freezing (maybe 1/8" of ice on branches), then it rained hard all day Friday. Had a little water in the basement, all dried up now. So I know we had over 2" of rain to see water in there. More wet stuff in a day or two. Temperature is still climbing here. It was 20 at dark, now 25 F. Started out at 5 F this morning.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

moonhill

Swampdonkey, it's over 40° here on the coast this AM.

I remember the 98 storm.  We had power the whole time and heat.  We are off the grid any way.  The worst thing was the 3 miles of iced trees hanging in the road, 3" birch were the worst offender.  I hope this warm spell frees up the folks to our south.   

Tim
This is a test, please stand by...

thecfarm

Temperatures was a lot different in this ice storm.The one in '98 stayed in the 30's not the single digits like the other night.This part of Maine did not get the freezing rain.Mostly along the coast.We got the rain,we have 3 inches of frozen snow that I can walk on and the tractor does not broke through most of the time.Been watching it on the news.Hope all is well.Good luck.You all are in my thoughts and prayers.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

SwampDonkey

Freezing fog or something now, everything with a film of black ice. Suppose to get up to 48 F here today, 32 F now.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

MrMoo

Woodmills glad you got through it.
We are still hoping to get power back sometime this week. I think it will be a while as the lines are on the ground at the end of the road.
We have a genny and woodstove so we are doing ok. Being prepared sometimes has its advantages.

woodmills1

I agree about the temperature difference in the last storm, but the actual damage here from this storm is just tremendous.  I went to the north part of town and there are still power poles down with wires hanging on them.  On one detour street ever other house had either house service down or street wires down.  I feel lucky to be back on the grid, but I also live on what we call a collector street.  Talking with the electric guys and they do the state roads first then the collector streets.  Collectors connect one state road to another, then they do streets with over 100 houses, then all other streets and then individual service connects.  I would say some will be a week to connect.

I talked with a friend who drove to greenfield to bring his daughter a generator and he saw ice an inch thick still on trees and poles with transformers still on the ground.
James Mills,Lovely wife,collect old tools,vacuuming fool,36 bdft/hr,oak paper cutter,ebonic yooper rapper nauga seller, Blue Ox? its not fast, 2 cat family, LT70,edger, 375 bd ft/hr, we like Bob,free heat,no oil 12 years,big splitter, baked stuffed lobster, still cuttin the logs dere IAM

woodmills1

By the way it got up to 57 degrees today.  Gotta love New England. :D :D
James Mills,Lovely wife,collect old tools,vacuuming fool,36 bdft/hr,oak paper cutter,ebonic yooper rapper nauga seller, Blue Ox? its not fast, 2 cat family, LT70,edger, 375 bd ft/hr, we like Bob,free heat,no oil 12 years,big splitter, baked stuffed lobster, still cuttin the logs dere IAM

farmerdoug

It won't be after tomorrow.  We had a rainy warmup that melted the snow here and today the freezer door fell off to the northwest.  The temp went from 41°F this morning to 17°F right now. ::)

But one thing for sure the ground is bare and is freezing up good.
Doug
Truck Farmer/Greenhouse grower
2001 LT40HDD42 Super with Command Control and AccuSet, 42 hp Kubota diesel
Fargo, MI

SwampDonkey

Yeah it was 50 F at 12 am, now 32 F at 7:00 am. Cold NW wind now, just a howling like farmerdoug says. :D  Sure ain't much snow. ;D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

JSNH

This is from Publis service of NH they are one of 3 power companies and the largest provider in NH
My town is Deering I don't think we have more than 444 houses.




December Ice Storm | PSNH Town-by-Town Outages
As of 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday 12/16

Note: These numbers represent customers, (e.g. one house etc.) and are an estimate.

TOWN      Customers
ALLENSTOWN                       140
ALSTEAD                         13
ALTON                         95
AMHERST                    2,104
ANTRIM                       679
ASHUELOT                         11
ATKINSON                         60
AUBURN                       664
BARNSTEAD                       409
BARRINGTON                    1,670
BATH                         37
BEDFORD                    2,309
BENNINGTON                       245
BOW                          41
BRADFORD                       475
BRENTWOOD                       641
BROOKFIELD                         40
BROOKLINE                       856
CANDIA                       688
CENTER BARNSTE                           1
CHARLESTOWN                         81
CHESHAM                           2
CHESTER                       417
CHESTERFIELD                       401
CHICHESTER                           1
CLAREMONT                       675
CONCORD                           7
CONTOOCOOK                           1
CORNISH                         61
CROYDON                         27
CTR BARNSTEAD                         25
DANVILLE                       100
DEERFIELD                       512
DEERING                       444
DERRY                    5,642
DOVER                    2,230
DUBLIN                       415
DUNBARTON                       442
DURHAM                       505
EAST HAMPSTEAD                         15
EAST SULLIVAN                         27
EAST SWANZEY                           1
ELKINS                           1
ENFIELD                         18
EPPING                       579
EPSOM                         80
FARMINGTON                       487
FITZWILLIAM                       651
FRANCESTOWN                       411
FREMONT                       642
GILFORD                         18
GILMANTON                           6
GILSUM                       176
GOFFSTOWN                       712
GOSHEN                       101
GRANTHAM                       608
GREENFIELD                       350
GREENLAND                         49
GREENVILLE                       402
HAMPSTEAD                    1,894
HANCOCK                       455
HARRISVILLE                       319
HAVERHILL                       107
HENNIKER                       636
HILLSBOROUGH                    1,417
HINSDALE                         41
HOLLIS                    1,457
HOOKSETT                    1,401
HOPKINTON                       517
HUDSON                    3,672
JAFFREY                    1,274
KEENE                       167
LANDAFF                           1
LEE                        138
LEMPSTER                           6
LISBON                         28
LITCHFIELD                       446
LONDONDERRY                    4,178
LOUDON                         11
LYMAN                           5
LYME                         62
LYNDEBOROUGH                       340
MADBURY                       180
MANCHESTER                    3,496
MARLBOROUGH                       309
MARLOW                         81
MASON                       293
MERRIMACK                    4,091
MIDDLETON                       403
MILFORD                    2,799
MILTON                       218
MONT VERNON                       432
MUNSONVILLE                         19
NASHUA                   10,208
NELSON                       186
NEW BOSTON                    1,034
NEW DURHAM                       236
NEW IPSWICH                       960
NEW LONDON                       692
NEWBURY                       617
NEWFIELDS                       290
NEWMARKET                    1,399
NEWPORT                       836
NORTH HAVERHIL                           1
NORTH SUTTON                           1
NORTH SWANZEY                           1
NORTHWOOD                       612
NOTTINGHAM                       329
ORFORD                         60
PELHAM                         26
PEMBROKE                       423
PETERBOROUGH                    1,469
PIERMONT                           2
PITTSFIELD                       122
PLAINFIELD                       163
PORTSMOUTH                       160
RAYMOND                       969
RICHMOND                       149
RINDGE                    1,143
ROCHESTER                    2,710
ROLLINSFORD                       323
ROXBURY                         12
RYE                         18
SALISBURY                         20
SANBORNVILLE                           2
SANDOWN                       470
SHARON                         64
SOMERSWORTH                    1,141
SOUTH SUTTON                         35
SPOFFORD                       239
SPRINGFIELD                         51
STODDARD                       507
STRAFFORD                       868
SUGAR HILL                           1
SULLIVAN                       128
SUNAPEE                       626
SURRY                           5
SUTTON                       404
SWANZEY                         22
TEMPLE                       293
TROY                        279
UNITY                         92
WAKEFIELD                         69
WARNER                       515
WASHINGTON                       380
WEARE                    1,675
WEBSTER                         73
WEST CHESTERFI                       217
WEST NOTTINGHA                           1
WEST SWANZEY                         13
WEST UNITY                           1
WESTMORELAND                       242
WILMOT                           5
WILTON                       745
WINCHESTER                         74
WINDHAM                    2,113
WINDSOR                         84
WOODSVILLE                           1
Total                               96,000




rowerwet

Here in Maine, (I live on the NH border) I got my power back tuesday before Christmas. The last customer in NH to get power back was on the 29th of december. They were one of the houses that had the wire pulled out between the pole and house, they are last on the list.
It is a good idea to keep trees cut back from your power wires as in a big storm single houses are the last to get power restored. The power companies get power to businesses and medical first, neighborhoods next, and individual houses last.
Realy annoying, I could see houses in NH with power from my house, but the power doesn't cross the river with the phone lines.
Luckily I bought a generator in Oct. instead of antifreeze for my pellet boiler. burned about 25 gal. of gas in five days.
Husky 460, Fiskars x27, X7

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