Fogbow

Members of the US national guard went door-to-door in some neighborhoods of Buffalo, New York, on Wednesday to check on residents who lost power during a winter storm earlier this week that killed nearly three dozen residents of the region.

As the national guard made their way from house to house, members were confronted with the bleak possibility of encountering still more victims in frigid homes and piles of melting snow, according to the Associated Press.

“We are fearful that there are individuals who may have perished, living alone, or people who are not doing well,” said Mark Poloncarz, the highest-ranking official of Erie county, New York. Authorities in the Buffalo region said there were 34 known fatalities, making this storm deadlier than the blizzard of 1977, which left up to 29 dead.

While the historic storm brought blizzard-like conditions to much of the US, including record snowfalls and hurricane-force winds, western New York found itself the epicenter of destruction. A total of 65 people are known to have died across the country due to the storm, CNBC reported.

Buffalo police launch anti-looting unit amid deadly winter storm: 'You’re destroying your community'
Eight arrests for looting have already been made in Buffalo, New York, police said

By Paul Best | Fox News
Published December 27, 2022 10:01pm EST

The Buffalo Police Department launched an anti-looting unit that has already made eight arrests in the wake of a deadly winter storm that buried the city in snow over the Christmas weekend.

"This isn’t people stealing food and medicine and diapers. They are destroying stores. They are stealing televisions, couches, whatever else they can get their hands on. They’re opportunists," Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said at a press conference on Tuesday.

"All you’re doing is destroying the resource you have when you need to go to the store again and buy food or whatever else that you need. You’re destroying your community. It will not be tolerated."





https://www.foxnews.com/us/buffalo-poli ... -community

Cops Find Man Who Broke into N.Y. School to Save Motorists Stranded in Blizzard — And Thank Him

Police in New York are praising a man for his "heroic actions" during the holiday weekend blizzard after he forced his way into a school to help two dozen people escape the storm.

Jay Withey, 27, of Kenmore, N.Y., found himself stranded east of Buffalo in Cheektowaga on Friday as the winter storm bore down around him, according to NBC News.

On Christmas Eve, Withey journeyed through the snow to Pine Hill School after his car began running low on fuel, and broke a window to get himself inside, per the report. Then, he went back for others who were stranded and needed help.

"My mission was just to keep going out and grabbing as many people as I can and to just keep going," Withey said, according to NBC News. "I just kept walking, and I walked until I cried and I couldn't walk any further. I was just beat."

The Cheektowaga Police Department said it learned of the forced entry after a keyholder for the school was alerted to the broken glass on Friday. An officer was not able to reach the school until everyone had left the premises — but he did find a note that Withey had left behind.

"I'm terribly sorry about breaking the school window and for breaking in the kitchen," Withey wrote in the note, as seen in a photo shared by the CPD on Facebook.

The CPD also shared a photo from the night Withey and others were stuck inside the school. They said the individuals stuck at Pine Hill are now bonded together.

"Jay said they are all now like family and planning a SUMMER get together. ," the department wrote alongside the image.

A powerful Pacific storm is set to slam into Southern California Wednesday, prompting officials to issue evacuation warnings in some of the region’s burn scar areas.

The event, being described as an atmospheric river or bomb cyclone by weather officials, could bring 2 to 4 inches of rain to much of the Southland, according to the National Weather Service.

Although showers will fall throughout the day Wednesday, the heaviest rain is expected to arrive in Southern California during the evening hours and into Thursday.

Up to 8 inches of snow could fall at the higher mountain elevations. Snow levels are expected to remain above 6,500 feet but could lower as temperatures drop later in the week.

Azastan wrote: ↑Wed Jan 04, 2023 7:31 pm We're having high winds here in the foothills of the Cascades. I went out to the front gate to retrieve my recycle bin, and noticed, to my great horror, that the Douglas fir closest to my front gate is trying to uproot itself. I've been watching the root ball move up and down as the wind blows, and so far it's holding on. I am hoping it doesn't fall tonight because it *might* hit the power lines, but it's going to be an emergency removal tomorrow.

much ado wrote: ↑Wed Jan 04, 2023 8:02 pm The bomb cyclone is hitting the central California coast. Wind and rain increasing here now. Here is the current local doppler radar at about 5pm PST.



We're at the blue dot. It's going to be a very wet next few hours.

Kendra wrote: ↑Wed Jan 04, 2023 8:23 pm No bomb cyclone, but really windy all afternoon and now the rain's picked up and pelting the windows from the east.

AndyinPA wrote: ↑Thu Jan 05, 2023 12:27 am Those are handy. I want to get one that size, but we have a Halo in the car. It powers quite a few things at once.

If you put the key in the ignition and don't turn it on immediately, the battery dies. Weird. But the Halo has saved us many times.

RTH10260 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 05, 2023 12:36 am

AndyinPA wrote: ↑Thu Jan 05, 2023 12:27 am Those are handy. I want to get one that size, but we have a Halo in the car. It powers quite a few things at once.

If you put the key in the ignition and don't turn it on immediately, the battery dies. Weird. But the Halo has saved us many times.

Sounds to me from far far away like a battery at end of its life (>4 year?). Or else there is a short in the cabling and I would urgently recommend a visit to the mechanic before you get to see smoke signals. Critters may have enjoyed a meal on the insulation.

Kendra wrote: ↑Thu Jan 05, 2023 12:11 pm I just walked by the open bay door at the office that faces east. It's not howling, but pretty breezy.

Azastan wrote: ↑Thu Jan 05, 2023 1:03 pm

Kendra wrote: ↑Thu Jan 05, 2023 12:11 pm I just walked by the open bay door at the office that faces east. It's not howling, but pretty breezy.

It's still fairly windy where I am. We bought our place from a couple where the husband owned and operated a tree service (they now live in eastern Washington). His brother ALSO owns and operates a local tree service, so the brother came out and thinks he can get our Douglas fir down this afternoon.

The tree is half out of the ground, and hung up on some other Douglas firs, so still a bit dangerous with the winds causing it to sway a bit.