Widespread power outages with several inches of snow in Texas and the US, Feb 2021

[imstilla.grandma]

Turtle rescue groups say they have never seen so many cold-stunned turtles in need of help after a brutal winter storm hit Texas this week.

The state has seen temperatures fall as low as 0 Fahrenheit in recent days, which has put sea turtles in a state of lethargy, leaving them unable to swim.

Wendy Knight, executive director at the animal protection organization Sea Turtle Inc., told Newsweek: "This event is the largest cold stun event in recorded history.

Wendy Knight, executive director at the animal protection organization Sea Turtle Inc., told Newsweek: "This event is the largest cold stun event in recorded history.
Texas Sea turtles rescued after state's worst known case of cold-stunning amid storm

 

[imstilla.grandma]

 

[imstilla.grandma]

An earthquake of magnitude 4.5 occurred in the morning on Friday 19 February 2021 at 7:56 am local time near Enid, Garfield County, Oklahoma, USA, as reported by the United States Geological Survey.

According to preliminary data, the quake was located at a shallow depth of 12 miles. Shallow earthquakes are felt more strongly than deeper ones as they are closer to the surface. The exact magnitude, epicenter, and depth of the quake might be revised within the next few hours or minutes as seismologists review data and refine their calculations, or as other agencies issue their report.

Based on the preliminary seismic data, the quake was probably felt by many people in the area of the epicenter. It should not have caused significant damage, other than objects falling from shelves, broken windows, etc.

Weak shaking might have been felt in Anthony (pop. 2,200) located 14 miles from the epicenter, Cherokee (pop. 1,600) 20 miles away, and Alva (pop. 5,200) 33 miles away.

Other towns or cities near the epicenter where the quake might have been felt as very weak shaking include Enid (pop. 51,800) located 41 miles from the epicenter, Ponca City (pop. 24,800) 58 miles away, Derby (pop. 23,500) 61 miles away, and Wichita (pop. 390,000) 66 miles away.

VolcanoDiscovery will automatically update magnitude and depth if these change and follow up if other significant news about the quake become available. If you’re in the area, please send us your experience through our reporting mechanism, either online or via our mobile app. This will help us provide more first-hand updates to anyone around the globe who wants to know more about this quake.
Quake info: Moderate mag. 4.2 earthquake - Grant County, 41 mi north of Enid, Garfield County, Oklahoma, USA, on Friday, 19 Feb 2021 7:56 am (GMT -6) - 106 user experience reports


USGS reports 4.8 Magnitude earthquake felt across Oklahoma, parts of Kansas

 

[MimosaMornings]

Because of Covid, many people switched to home delivery for medicine, food, other essentials.
The mail has not been delivered since last Saturday.

 

[Midwestmom2019]

Hasn’t what happened in 1989 and 2013? I didn’t live here in 1989, but I did in 2013. We’ve never had anything even remotely like what is happening right now. Nothing in the same universe.

It’s a cluster mess. Yes, deregulation changed my monthly bill from almost $1000 per month to $150 on a bad month. Yes, I’ll stay deregulated. But don’t take profits and not reinvest in the equipment. Winterize. Modernize it. Replace it as obsolete. I’d bet power company profits soared at the expense of reinvesting in equipment, maintenance and trained personnel. Yes, I’m livid. I was at 57 degrees. And that was great. I know of cases of 37 degrees in the house during the outage. A friend of mine had to put her water bottle in bed with her and her dog bc it froze on the nightstand. ????? Come on, man....

 

[Midwestmom2019]

A wildlife refuge lost so many of their primates when they lost power. Poor things froze to death. Some were transferred to the San Antonio Zoo, but really? The grid people left lights on for downtown skyscrapers with no one there during the worst of this freeze yet let little ones get frozen to death. Abbott has called for an investigation. Sure, like every other investigation. Heads should roll. Then there would be no repeat of this debacle.

 

[Midwestmom2019]

If you don’t like the weather in Oklahoma ~
wait a minute...
it’s cold here. Brrr. My downstairs heat went out last week. We have to get a new unit. $$$$. Gloves and hats.

Change Oklahoma to Texas.

 

[Midwestmom2019]

If you don’t like the weather in Oklahoma ~
wait a minute...
it’s cold here. Brrr. My downstairs heat went out last week. We have to get a new unit. $$$$. Gloves and hats.

It’s colder than a well digger’s “butt” in January! Laugh guys. We have to because otherwise we’ll be crying about frozen pipes cracking open and flooding. It’s Friday, it’s almost noon and the sun is out. Warming the earth.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Here too. I went outside to watch our dogs playing. A nice moment.

 

[Dallas Volunteer]

The mail has not been delivered since last Saturday.

Mail delivery has returned to my Dallas neighborhood today FYI.

 

[dixiegirl1035]

I've gone down the rabbit hole to try to understand (ignorant here) why Texas doesn't want to join the others. Bottom line, is it cheaper for folks living there? I just keep seeing articles stating "independence from the government" but that doesn't make sense to me. There are times that one area can give to another, and get $$ for sharing...

This is one article that I've tried to educate myself, and may be slanted? I have no idea. I just don't understand why any state would not want to share and cost share.

Can anyone enlighten me past this article for which I'm just learning? Why does Texas have its own power grid?

 

[Dallas Volunteer]

The insulation required to make air conditioning work should do fine in cold weather. But there may be problems such as water lines not protected from the cold and heating systems that can only handle moderate weather.

BBM THE main issue at this time in my neighborhood. Pipes bursting/tap dripping causing a strain on our water supply as well as destroying homes and causing icy conditions when bursting onto the street like the main by the Y. Waiting until warmer temperatures to test washing machine and other exterior facing and residing lines.

 

[Dallas Volunteer]

.
Can anyone enlighten me past this article for which I'm just learning? Why does Texas have its own power grid?

30 years of warnings to winterize Texas power plants, yet they still froze. Will Austin finally require it? | wfaa.com

Experts say the grid, by design, is cut off from the rest of the country’s supply and driven largely by market forces that prioritize cheap electricity rates over reliability

 

[nao]

You really should open all taps in your house just a bit. It will save some pipes from bursting. Standing water will remain frozen. Moving water will unfreeze itself. You may get some spluttering from taps that is just air. Once tap is trickling a bit you can shut then open till normal. If you do not open taps pipes are much more likely to burst ..then you have no control. If people had left their taps open just a bit when the cold started they would not of frozen in first place. Manitoba information it was minus 46 the other week. Skin freezes in 30 seconds at that temp. They know how to do cold.

 

[Marysmith]

I’m so sorry for everyone going through this. It’s so wrong and it’s awful that there is not drinking water delivery yet. It is a lesson for everyone to always be prepared. At this time I don’t have bottled water in my home either and my child and I would be suffering too if this happened to us.

 

[Dallas Volunteer]

You really should open all taps in your house just a bit.

I'm not having issues but many homeowners are even after following the advice such as what you mention. Mainly due to power loss/lack of heat.

Frozen pipes from winter storm in Texas could burst later this week | wfaa.com

Water pipe bursts expected to get 'exponentially worse' as things start to thaw out | wfaa.com

 

[MimosaMornings]

You really should open all taps in your house just a bit. It will save some pipes from bursting. Standing water will remain frozen. Moving water will unfreeze itself. You may get some spluttering from taps that is just air. Once tap is trickling a bit you can shut then open till normal. If you do not open taps pipes are much more likely to burst ..then you have no control. If people had left their taps open just a bit when the cold started they would not of frozen in first place. Manitoba information it was minus 46 the other week. Skin freezes in 30 seconds at that temp. They know how to do cold.

Lots of us are on well water - water will not move or go to the tap if the well pump does not work or is frozen.

 

[nao]

Deleted double post

 

[nao]

I apologise for canadian onfo Texas does not want you to keep water dribbling. I cannot cannot delete but moderators are welcome to delete it. I have had well water so no power no water.

 

[EGirl]

The inside of my house was 28 degrees on tuesday. We did have bottled water and food on hand. The problem is none of us thought that ERCOT would turn off power to millions of people in freezing temps. Our power didn't 'go out', our power was shut off. Then our water. It has been an absolute nightmare. Hopefully after pipes are fixed we can get water. Our stores are completely bare.