This winter has been one of the most brutal in the United States. Polar Vortexes brought record-colds to nearly every region of the country, and the cold hasn’t subsided yet. Even now in March, winter storms continue to pummel a number of states.
On Sunday and Monday, the aptly named Winter Storm Titan plowed through parts of the U.S., including Kentucky. The storm “was a battle between a strong southern jet stream and an intense wave of low pressure moving in from the west coast versus a huge arctic high pumping cold air in the U.S.,” said a CBS report.
Sleet and snow caused Morehead State University, Eastern Kentucky University, and the University of Kentucky to suspend classes and office hours. The biggest issue was poor road conditions that are dangerous to every driver and passenger on the road. Even a plow truck in Morehead slid off the road in the icy conditions.
For residents of the area, the hope is that Titan will be the last blast of winter. “Old man winter is going out, we hope, with a bang,” Mayor David Perkins said.
Of course, Kentucky is not the only area that got hit by the vicious storm. The areas around D.C., Philadelphia, and Richmond also saw snowfall. In fact, predictions said that D.C. could see one of its snowiest March days of all time.
“In a narrow swath, all or part of the storm will deliver snow that may be difficult to shovel and plow, due to its accumulation and weight,” AccuWeather.com Chief Meteorologist Elliot Abrams said.
He also notes that, “Because of the great amount of moisture available to this storm, a narrow zone of heavy ice can occur with downed trees and power outages.”
While the storm itself provides lots of challenges, homeowners should also be concerned about protecting their home from water damage if possible. As winter subsides and temperatures warm, the snow and ice will melt, and could work its way into basements and other areas of a home. Just a couple inches of water could do significant damage and cost homeowners hundreds, if not thousands. Waterproofing and working to stop water damage before it becomes extensive is always a must when spring arrives.
Winter Storm Titan and the cold of January might have made it hard for people to realize that spring and warm weather is on the horizon. However, as the calendar turns to March and the first day of the new season is just a couple weeks away, the end is in sight.