As if I didn't have enough problems, a Doomsday pronouncement hit me today like a dozen tons of bricks.
A major Arctic blast is predicted to hit this area of Tennessee on Thursday night. The temperature on Thursday night is predicted to be minus 6 degrees (Fahrenheit) - - six degrees below zero.
The daytime "high" is supposed to be 2 degrees (Fahrenheit) on Friday. TWO degrees.
That probably doesn't sound too bad for those of you penguins living in the North Pole - - but here in Tennessee it's extraordinary. This is supposed to be a mild, southern state.
Current forecast:
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Daytime high 2 degrees on Friday, 12 degrees on Christmas Eve.
Wind chills predicted to be minus 15.
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I've been through an enormous amount of bad and dangerous times in my life. I generally don't scare easily.
This impending cold front is admittedly terrifying me. I'm truly afraid that I won't survive. This flimsy shack that I'm living in isn't made for Arctic weather. It's unbearably cold on a mild day. I can't even imagine what it will be like when the temp drops below zero.
The furnace isn't working. I'm presently relying on a few space heaters.
I can't escape. My car battery is dead. I was (foolishly?) waiting until after Christmas to order a new one.
If there is a power outage (which happens frequently in cold weather) I have no chance of surviving.
I'm frantically trying to prepare the house for the impending cold, but there isn't really much that I can do. Fix drafty cracks. Close off all the rooms.
This morning I was trying to get a large space heater that was stored away on a high shelf. It was nearly impossible to reach. As I was on my tiptoes in a desperate attempt to coerce it, the heavy box fell with a direct hit on my head. I really thought I had a concussion.
On the bright (?) side, some of the supplies that I ordered were delivered today. The rest will come tomorrow.
But who cares about supplies when you're terrified about freezing to death?
I'll keep writing updates as long as I'm able to.
Jon
Your forecast has the same terror factor as ours does. Our subdivision is over 60 years old and so are all of the trees in it except for some of the few sycamores that they missed when they built the houses. Those trees that people planted in the subdivision 60 years ago are mostly in bad shape and fall when the wind hits 30. They are predicting 50 mile an hour gusts of wind, I takes the power company quite a while to get the power back on when those trees fall over the wires. I can't walk in the snow at all, I use a rollator now which doesn't roll on snow it slides, just like my feet do until I would fall and then what. I can't get up, I would be out in the snow shouting I've fallen and I cant get up. If I could go somewhere I don't know if they would accept out little bigmouth loudmouth Fritzi Pom. And at 5 lbs I don't think she could survive the cold in our house if we lefter her home. Plus it would scare her to be home alone . I don't know where would go.
ReplyDeleteIs there any way that your sister could let you and your kitty come to her house through the worst of the bad weather. I bet she would. I worry about you in the situation you are in. Take care, Jon. I'll be wondering how you are doing.
Jon, this sounds terrible. The only advice I can give is to wrap up really well, in layers. Climate change is making temperatures unstable all over the world (hotter in some places, colder in others). We had an unbearable hot spell here in London last summer. Then freezing temperatures far too early this year. It's nuts. If your car batterry is dead you may not be able to get to the store to buy a hot water bottle but these are truly wonderful things. I hope your cold snap is literally a snap and is gone within the week.
ReplyDeleteWhat Rita said!!! 🙏
ReplyDeleteI agree with Rita!!
ReplyDeleteFor many reasons that I'd rather not go into, I'm going to try staying at my place. Things in life aren't as easy as they seem.
ReplyDeleteWe live in New England and our forecast is nowhere near as dire as yours in TN, Jon, which is quite alarming as I too would think your weather would be better. We are expected to have a high temp in the mid-50s on Friday, which is quite unbelievable and wish we could send you some of the warmer temps. Please do keep as warm as possible and keep in touch when you can.
ReplyDeleteYour weather is about the same as ours this time. I got up this morning before 4 A.M. and outside it was 20 degrees. Now, at almost noon, it's minus 1. That's the temperature, not the wind chill. The wind chill tonight is forecast to be minus 15
ReplyDeleteThe wind is whipping around outside my window right now. Fortunately the temperature if 54 degrees so we just have the rain. No snow thank God. I hope you're surviving this Arctic blast that is hitting the rest of the country (and Canada) this Christmastime.
ReplyDeleteThinking of you. Those temperatures are scary. I just translated them to C, as opposed to F.
ReplyDelete