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Winter Weather in Middle Tennessee

Winter weather here in Middle Tennessee isn’t like winter weather in East or West Tennessee.  We don’t get much snow. So, when we do get it, it’s an exciting event.  Usually though we just get that dreaded ice. We’re right there where the Jet Stream dips down into the south.

When the Jet Stream dips very far into the south, the upper portions of Tennessee can get very cold and, if there is precipitation, we can have snow.

When it dips just a bit, and we have precipitation, we get ice. The colder it is the better because we like snow better than we like ice!

The forecast this coming week is precipitation Tuesday evening for 5 hours and they’re saying that the Jet Stream will dip down into Tennessee and cause it to be snow. I sure hope so. I like some snow. Especially now that I am not going as much as I was. I can stay indoors most of the time and look out at the snow instead of driving in it.

Ice causes so many problems. Not just with driving, but power outages. Power lines break, tree limbs break and fall and cause damage.  Roads are pretty much impassable.

Ice can cause those with animals to have to work extra hard to get them fed and watered.  We’re still pretty agrarian around here, lots of farms all around us even though we live in a city.

We live in an old neighborhood and the power goes out if the wind blows hard so ice will definitely be an issue. Thankfully we had all the big tree limbs cut back this past summer so if we have ice, it isn’t likely that limbs will fall on the house.

In 1994 we had an ice storm and limbs on trees were cracking and falling constantly for days. We were out of power for 11 days with 3 children at home and me very pregnant.  The scars on the landscape were evident for years in the neighborhoods and up and down the interstate.

We’re not expecting anything like that this week but I’ve been working on getting our act together for the cold weather. The gas tank on the cooker is filled, the Jeep is full of gas, we have plenty of blankets and clothes and we’re heading out today to get more kerosene for the heaters in case the power goes out.

I’ve got plenty of bread baked, lots of fruit, cans of soup and my ice chests are clean and ready to hold food out on the deck in case the power goes out and stays out very long, though our refrigerator stays cold a long time.

I’ve pulled out my big thermos. Did you know that you can cook in a thermos? Search for it here on my blog I have done it for years. I cook rice, pasta and keep coffee or tea hot for days.

I hope you’re prepared for cold weather and the possibility that your electricity will go out. Probably ought to make some plans.

One thing I’m not looking forward to is taking the short-legged dog out in the snow and I don’t think he is looking forward to it either.

 

1 Comment

  1. Kathy Jones

    Thank you for the reminder about things to do to get ready for power outages and winter weather. I have never thought about cooking in a thermos. That’s a good idea! We live in central Alabama, and our temperatures are going well below normal next week. My husband is wonderful about preparing our stock of firewood, as we heat mainly with our fireplace. We aren’t expecting snow yet but hope that we will have some snow this winter – enough to look beautiful, but not to cause problems. God bless you, Sylvia!