well from what the weather man says we are about to be hit by a big one or just maybe it will go around us. I figure it this way....we have a doe due any day now and we are getting low on firewood so we will get hit.Does anyone know of a GOOD site that has weather reports? around here if you listen to the 3 local stations you will get 3 different stories. Off the post here but how much firewood does evryone go through? this winter we are heating w/ wood only all day and night and have used 3 cords all ready, seems like alot but it also has been really cold.

-- renee oneill{md.} (oneillsr@home.com), December 28, 2000

Answers

For severe weather try http://www.wunderground.com/ or go to a search engine and type in wunderground.com by state farm will bring up all the u.s. and any severe weather thats happening in any of the states.

-- Linda (hesscat@cot.net), December 28, 2000.

For quick reference I use the site Linda gave, http://www.wunderground.com

For a more complete look at the weather, and I believe a little more accurate, I use the National Weather Service. You can locate your location at http://weather.noaa.gov/weather/ccus.html

I especially like the hourly observations available through NOAA.

I just called a cousin in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and they anticipate being without electricity another couple of days. They have no heat. They have a kerosene heater, but it keeps setting off the smoke detector so can't use it.

Good luck renee with the next go-around.

-- Notforprint (Not@thekeyboard.com), December 28, 2000.

Check out weather.com or do a search for the "weather channel". We're waiting to see what will hit us. Without electric only two days so far this winter. Re-stocked our supplies today in the sunshine. Hope your tinder is dry and you are all safe and warm.

-- Anne (HT@HM.com), December 28, 2000.

Notforprint, I would disconnect the smoke alarm and run the heater rather than be cold. Might also keep the pipes from freezing.

-- Darren in Idaho (darrencindy2000@yahoo.com), December 28, 2000.

For weather info I like to use www.weather.com. I like being able to pull up the doppler images both regionally and locally to see what's coming at me. Their predictions have proven to be much more accurate than my local TV station, which seems to be specializing in fearmongering as opposed to factual reporting.

We experienced that same type of TV weather hype down in Florida with any and every hurricane that approached from the Atlantic. It really irritates me; not only the atmosphere of fear they are trying to create, but I worry that they are setting up a "crying wolf" attitude among the generally unprepared public who will then ignore any genuine warnings the always hysterical news broadcasters pass on.

-- Lori in SE Ohio (klnprice@yahoo.com), December 28, 2000.

MY husband has weather.com posts being sent to him and it has proven itself time and again...I think that there is always the chance of severe weather "going around" but I still like to know what I might be facing...We keep a eye on the animals(wild and domestic) so that is an excellent indication of whether the weather-pardon that!!!-is going to get bad. If you see alot of deer or squirrels out feeding,better follow suit and ready!

-- Tammy S.South in Western KY (w-feather40@webtv.net), December 28, 2000.

One thing I noticed this past summer that was perhaps a sign of the winter to come, but I ignored; was that in June our goats began shedding. Now i would not have thought this unusal except for we live in VA, the southern part and they had already shedded in the spring. i was clipping and grooming them for the national goat show. I figured... well.. maybe its just their coats or something as I had never seen this before, but wondered. But what put the pieces together was earlier in the month of june our buck went into rut and stunk to high heavens... he is a stinky thing and earned the affectionate nickname of, "stinky" Well.. still i didn't put it together. then in September we noticed our older does had come into heat in june when we were away... they snuck out of their pen and got into the buck pen. now you know that thread about goats being smart? well... they were smart! Our son was taking care of them and just said, "hey mom.. the girls got out but I put them back in!" We also at this time had the lights on in the barn all day and night. Hubby was so proud of his electrical work he left them on and for security too. well.. we recently had kids at Thanksgiving.

I also noticed that our trees were filled with fruit and nuts and the squirrls were really working overtime gathering. i had to fight with them to get Black Walnuts this year. I also noticed the ticks, which are very abundant here had suddenly disappeared by July... no more frontline for the dogs.. YEA!!! But all of this was I guess nature telling us that we were in for a cold winter. it began cooling off in october and by November it was cold, something unusual for here. i recall in the 7 yrs we have lived here that the winters have always been basically mild except for a few storms, didn't last long. I noticed this yr it got cold early and stayed cold. its usually in the 50's or 60's here this time of yr. So far we have dodged 3 storms... wonder how many morwe we can dodge.

i guess when we can't see it nature does and knows before we do about the weather.

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), December 29, 2000.

I can understand the wood problems. We were snowed in for a while and used a lot of wood. All of the wood we had in fact. I wasn't expecting this kind of winter. I had to cut down some trees close to the house and burn green wood. It doesn't give off near as much heat. I'm hoping a fellow I know will have time to deliver me some slabs tomorrow. We can buy slabs for $3 for a huge bundle you might want to check with some saw mills in your area.

-- Amanda in Mo (aseley@townsqr.com), December 29, 2000.

With the bad weather we've been having and continue to get, All you wood burners should call around and check w/ local tree trimming services for wood. Maybe your city, county, state or utility company does there own. Whoever does it generally has to get rid of it somewhere and sometimes, if your not too far off the beaten path, will even deliver it.

This may not help a lot now but could get you going on next years supply. I've gotten a lot of freebie wood this way. Sometimes you have to go pick it up. Not a big deal. Be careful out there, John

-- John in S. IN (jsmengel@hotmail.com), December 29, 2000.

Another good source of free wood is the elderly. Generally, they can't / don't want to be bothered with firewood, and if it is known that you're willing to come clean up limbs, etc. in exchange for the wood, the grapevine will provide you with plenty! I've gotten a few truck loads this way in the past.

The sawmill is also another good source. The local mill here gives away the slab wood.

Renee, the most wood I've ever burnt was 11 cords one really cold winter when I lived in NJ. October through April, 24/7. Typically though, 4 to 5 cords was average for me.

Can't wait to get the wood stove in this house, and can stop depending on the heat pump and the propane heater.

-- Eric in TN (eric_m_stone@yahoo.com), December 29, 2000.

Might try www.geocities.com/weatherfocus. It has links to the national weather service, so you can get all the warnings and advisories and also watch as the weather moves your way.

-- (ratdogs10@yahoo.com), December 29, 2000.

John, Everything ok here just a sprinkle of rain and some snow flakes.We get most of our snow and ice after the new year Worked on fence yesterday,getting everything ready for my donkeys new cow and goats.

-- Bettie Ferguson (jobett@dixie-net.com), December 29, 2000.

I have used about 100 gallons of full in 1 week along with wood .Granted this is a drafty old house but gee wiz.

-- Patty (fodfarms@slic.com), December 29, 2000.

Eric, The recent energy posting really got me going. I'm in the same boat, heat pump and electric heat. I'm going to begin a real active search for a stove to put in the house next week. I would be in deep doo doo if we had an extended power outage. I had a real great fireplace at the house I just moved from. Nervously watching the ice build up on the wires in S. IN, John

-- John in S. IN (jsmengel@hotmail.com), December 30, 2000.

We live in central Arkansas and have found that the National Weather Service provides the best no hype weather. We have an emergency radio programed for our county and surrounding ones. It has woke us in the night more than once in the spring in time to see the skinny lady on the bike yelling,"I'll get you my pretty". The little radios are inexpensive and with battery back up are great when the power goes down. When we had our home built a couple of years back I insisted on a Buck Stove in the fire place. It is wired so I can power the blower off my portable generator. Always have a few days fuel standing by. So far we have survived both rounds of ice with only a couple of blinks of power. One of my nieghbors has a three foot oak through their trailer. Thank goodness no one was hurt. We are the only ones on our power line so I know it would be the last priority if it ever goes down. Some communities here have been without power from the first ice storm and dont expect to get power until Jan. 8th. Plenty of fire wood here laying in the roads and yards everywhere. Happy Holidays and stay warm all!

-- Bob (bksl@cyberback.com), January 01, 2001.