User-agent: Mediapartners-Google* Disallow: Trucks World News
Google
 
Loading

Apr 1, 2017

WEATHER TROUBLES * Australia: Cyclone, flood water, etc.

* NSW - Pacific Highway cut by flood water

--- Flood waters have blocked the Pacific Highway in both directions at South Grafton... The remnants of Tropical Cyclone Debbie have moved south, severely impacting on a number of roads in Northern NSW... Light vehicles on the cut off highway route are being diverted to Centenary Drive to rejoin pacific highway... According to NSW traffic heavy vehicles are still being allowed through the flooded area at this stage, however conditions are constantly being monitored... 
(Photo - WATCH OUT: Flooding on major roads has been reported in Northern NSW) -- South Grafton, NSW, Australia - Big Rigs, by Barry Longland - 30th Mar 2017

Labels: ,

posted by Unknown @ 6:35 AM  0 comments

Mar 28, 2017

CICLONE DEBBIE * Australia: TIPS FOR DRIVING IN STORMS

* Canberra - ATA Safety Alert: Hurricane Debbie

--- The ATA is urging everyone on the roads, travelling within and to Queensland to drive carefully... As there are additional dangers and difficulties created during a storm, a responsible driver should plan their driving time and route to ensure they are not on the road during a storm event... Due to the unpredictable road conditions that Cyclone Debbie may generate, Transport and Main Roads, (TMR) and Queensland Police Service (QPS) have restricted heavy vehicle movement. 

 * TIPS FOR DRIVING IN STORMS 
- Plan the time and route of travel to avoid threatening storms 
- If you cannot avoid the storm; consider stopping 
- Remember it is better to arrive late than not arrive at all! 
- Be prepared for the reckless actions of other drivers 
- Turn your headlights on, see and be seen 
- Hold the steering wheel in both hands ready for aquaplaning 
- Leave room to manoeuvre 
- Drive to the prevailing conditions 
- Be ready for the unexpected 
- Never drive through flood waters 

 The ATA wishes everyone and their families all the best in this difficult time and to stay safe... 
(Photo: Cyclone Debbie, a monster category 4 storm, is currently barrelling its way towards the Queensland coast)   --  Canberra, Australia Capitol Territory - Australia Trucking Associations - 27 March 2017

Labels: ,

posted by Unknown @ 4:33 AM  0 comments

Jan 19, 2017

DANGEROUS DRIVER on DANGEROUS ROAD * USA

* Utah - Scary dashcam video shows a truck cut off this snowplow, sending it straight into a canyon

  (Video from The Salt Lake Tribune - Jan 13, 2017: On Thursday, according to the Utah Department of Transportation, a semi truck driver tried to pass a snow plow in Spanish Fork Canyon — but clipped the plow and sent it over a 300-foot embankment in Spanish Fork Canyon)

 --- The driver of the snowplow, identified by UDOT as 59-year-old Terry Jacobson, survived the crash but suffered serious injuries. He was hospitalized with serious injuries in Provo’s Utah Valley Hospital; Jacobson has worked for the department for more than 23 years... “He says he doesn’t remember very much other than going through the rail and rolling down the hill,” Neil Lundell, a UDOT supervisor... Utah Highway Patrol Trooper, Jeff Toney, told KUTV that the truck driver that caused the accident is William Owens of Owens Brothers trucking, a company from Monroe, Utah... Toney said Owens confirmed he tried to pass the snowplow but couldn’t offer a reason why. Owens was cited for improper passing and failure to maintain a single lane of travel... 
Provo, Utah, USA - Rare - January 16, 2017

Labels: , , ,

posted by Unknown @ 5:55 AM  0 comments

Jan 5, 2017

VOLVO's COOL SLEEPERS * Australia

* NSW - To keeping cool in the bunk

--- It’s summer on one of the hottest continents on the planet, so we check out some of the main systems for keeping cool in the bunk... Perhaps surprisingly, truck manufacturers don’t supply factory-fitted bunk coolers for Australia, and there’s no peak body for after-market bunk cooling suppliers... So we visited supplier Truck Art at Wagga Wagga in southern NSW on the crossroads between Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane. Believe me, it doesn’t get much hotter in Australia than in Wagga... Truck Art owner Terry Gibbs also has cooler installation workshops in Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth... One of his early ventures was manufacturing sleeper cabs in the days before widespread bunk air cooling, about 15 years ago... 
 (Photo: A diesel powered “Ecowind” system on the ATA’s Volvo safety truck)   --   Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia - ATN, by Steve Skinner - 5 Jan 2017

Labels: ,

posted by Unknown @ 3:53 PM  0 comments

Jun 7, 2016

WEATHER TROUBLES * France - Floods on the Centre-Val de Loire

* Loiret - Carriers on the front of floods. Inefficiency of the motorway concession ?

--- Detours, traffic bans, blocked vehicles, premises under water: the weather penalized - or even paralyzed - the activity of many transport companies. Loiret particularly "toasted"... On the A10 motorway, cut off by floods in the north of Orleans and after six days of detention, removal of the some 200 vehicles - about a third of trucks - blocked since May 31, ended last Monday, June 6, 2016 in the morning. The Orléans-North route - Artenay remains possible in both directions of movement... The establishment of a "dry corridor" ended on the night of June 4 to 5, allowing tow trucks to access the morning to the area between the junction of the A10 / A19 and Saran. VL were identified before the truck drivers will find, too, their material... Vinci Autoroutes will assume some responsibility in this episode, not having allowed vehicle access on this axis while there was still time, it is too early to tell. If it was not open an investigation to demonstrate the inefficiency of the motorway concession understands Elisabeth Charrier, the Secretary of State for Transport, Alain Vidal , called a "feedback" (sic) on RTL, two days after the beginning of the episode... Companies Tendron and faucet were affected. In many other departments also, many carriers have been fully or partially stopped their activities, such Transports Charbonnier in Romorantin or the company Sabatté to Malesherbes... Not to mention all those who have suffered bans and other deviations. "We ask that DIRRECTE, like that of the Centre / Val-de-Loire, grant the faster partial activity layout recognition for employees who can not work", said the regional delegate. "The allowance by Pôle Emploi avoid the draw of companies paid leave and having to deal with only the financial consequences of these storms"... 
 (Photo: Floods at Valls et Cazeneuve, France)  --  Orleans, Loiret, France - WK TL, by Anne MADJARIAN - 6 June 2016

Labels:

posted by Unknown @ 5:46 AM  0 comments

Jun 1, 2016

TRUCKS GETS STUCK * New Zealand: WEATHER TROUBLES

* South Islands - 'We've got a bit of a jam' - trucks gets stuck as snow causes problems in South Island passes

  (Video by Geoff Mackley / Bradley Ambrose - Jun 7, 2012: General scenes in Arthurs Pass on 07 June 2012 after a major snow dump isolates the town) 

-- Snow is starting to create problems for travellers on the South Island alpine passes, with vehicles held up on the Lindis Pass between Tarras and Omarama today... The temperature was about one degree Celsius in the area this morning, with snow on the road stopping two trucks which held up some drivers... "We've got a bit of a jam," she said in a clip she sent from Lindis Pass where two trucks had got stuck in the ice... Lindis Pass was closed for about an hour from 11am while the trucks blocked the road, but has since reopened... Snowfall on State Highway 73 from the Canterbury town of Springfield through Arthurs Pass is expected to reach 10-15cm... NZTA says travellers should carry chains if driving through the area due to the changing weather conditions... Queenstown Lakes District Council says chains are essential when passing through the Crown Range and on Coronet Peak Rd... Meanwhile, farther south at Milford Rd in Te Anau, one to two centimetres of snow could fall until 3pm... 
Christchurch, South Islands, NZ - One News/Seven Sharp, by Kristin Hall - May 30, 2016

Labels: , ,

posted by Unknown @ 4:39 AM  0 comments

Feb 4, 2016

Dozens of semis were stranded in Sioux Falls, S.D. * USA

* South Dakota - Storm puts the brakes on the trucking industry


-- All those closures and cancellations brought the trucking industry in the area to a stand-still... Dozens of semis were stranded in Sioux Falls... Many drivers found shelter from the storm at the Flying J gas station... Trucks parked side by side in long rows, as drivers prepared to stay the night... State officials have closed Interstate 29 from Tea Exit 73 to the Iowa border... Officials with the state Departments of Transportation and Public Safety say heavy snow and high winds are creating white-out conditions with zero to near zero visibility and making roads in this area impassible... Currently, “No Travel Advisories” are also posted on many state highways in this area... Officials are also cautioning drivers as snow continues to move north into the Sioux Falls area, along with 25-45 mph winds, travel will continue to become increasingly difficult throughout the day...
(Photo: Truckers sheltered at the Flying J gas station)  --  Sioux Falls, S.D., USA - KSFY abc, by Kelley Smith - Feb 03, 2016

Labels: ,

posted by Unknown @ 6:29 AM  0 comments

Feb 3, 2016

* WEATHER TROUBLES at USA's S.E. Seaboard - ** N.E. & Center States too

* Virginia - The Blizzard of 2016
-- It has been anything but business as usual along the Eastern Seaboard the past few weeks. As the massive dig out continues into this week from the historic blizzard, the event served as another reminder of the critical role that trucking quietly plays in maintaining a sense of normalcy. Formally Winter Storm Jonas — but also nicknamed “Snowzilla” — this monster system actually formed out in the Pacific. As it crossed the United States, picking up moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, the warnings came across loud and clear days in advance: Stock up now. Residents of the region responded by flooding grocery and hardware stores and gasoline stations with long lines that stretched for hours. That sudden spike in demand for everything from frozen pizza to shovels could have been met only by fast logistical planning and expedited shipments to stores by truckers. Then the snow started. It kept going. And then it snowed some more... 
(Photo: Scene in Roanoke, VA, monster winter storm pounding Eastern U.S. with snow, and wind. Trucks and cars make their way through the blizzard)   --  Arlington, VA, USA - Transport Topics - Feb. 1, 2016


* Colorado - Denver hit with first big snowstorm of the season

-- A weather system that blew in from California is leaving air travelers stranded and dumping steady snow on the Denver area Monday in what is expected to be the first big snowstorm of the season... Forecasters warned that the evening commute in the Denver area could be difficult and street conditions could worsen, but roads mainly were open around Colorado. Between 3 to 4 feet of snow is possible in the state's southwestern mountains, which typically get slammed by storms moving out of the Pacific... Snow also was falling in parts of Wyoming, New Mexico and Arizona, and it's expected to spread into Iowa after voters have gathered for the state's leadoff presidential caucuses... Possible blizzard conditions could complicate candidates' plans to leave Tuesday, when snow was likely in Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The forecast prompted Nebraska state lawmakers to cancel hearings and debates, and some schools in Minnesota and Wisconsin announced closures for Tuesday... But this storm will pack winds that are forecast to shift and blow up against the east side of the mountains, producing much more snow in populated areas... 
(Photo by Mark Reis/The Gazette via AP - Tri Lakes Battalion Chief Jamey Bumgarner works at the scene of a jackknifed truck that had all southbound lanes of I-25 north of Colorado Springs, Colo. blocked for more than an hour Monday, Feb. 1, 2016)  --  Denver, COL, USA - Associated Press/Fox News - February 01, 2016

Labels:

posted by Unknown @ 5:30 AM  0 comments

Jan 25, 2016

WEATHER TROUBLES * USA: BLIZZARD in South/Eastern STATES

-- A blizzard menacing the Eastern United States started dumping snow in Virginia, Tennessee and other parts of the South on Friday as millions of people in the storm's path prepared for icy roads, possible power outages and other treacherous conditions... Snowfall as heavy as 1 to 3 inches an hour could last for 24 hours or more in some areas, said meteorologist Paul Kocin with the National Weather Service. That puts estimates at more than 2 feet for Washington, a foot to 18 inches for Philadelphia and 8 inches to a foot in New York... While some people and businesses worried about the snow, at least one industry could see a potential boom: ski resorts. Many got a late start on the season because of record high temperatures in December... 
 (Alex Wong/Getty Images - A front-end loader piles snow on the East Front of the U.S. Capitol)  --   Washington, DC, USA -The Associated Press/The Trucker, by BEN NUCKOLS and SETH BORENSTEIN - 22 Jan 2016


 * Pennsylvania - Stranded motorists dug out of snow on P.Turnpike 

(WTAE-TV Pittsburgh - Jan 23, 2016: Duquesne University's men's basketball team was stuck overnight on the snow-closed Pennsylvania Turnpike as traffic stoppages stretched back miles in a massive snowstorm climbing up the East Coast)
-- Snowbound college athletes and teenage parishioners spent a night stranded in a miles-long backup on the Pennsylvania Turnpike with hundreds of other motorists, munching on snacks and watching movies to pass the time, before National Guard members and heavy construction equipment began digging vehicles out Saturday... More than 500 cars, trucks and buses, some carrying the Duquesne University men's basketball team and the Temple University women's gymnastics squad, got stuck Friday night as snow started to fall. The Duquesne and Temple buses were freed Saturday night, and Duquesne posted online video of 15 basketball players, coaches and support staff members helping to push their bus... 
(Photo: Athletes, trucks, cars halted on snowed-in Pa. Turnpike)   --  Philadelphia, PENN, USA - AP/abc news, by BEN FINLEY and RON TODT - Jan 23, 2016


* Wisconsin - Trucking company hit by eastern storm
-- The big storm in the eastern U.S. is also having an impact here in Wisconsin... Truck drivers won't be able to make their deliveries to the east coast... Schneider National in Brown County has 11 operating centers in the path the storm... And about 8,000 drivers are out on the roads. Many of them will be delayed... "Our drivers control if they run or not, so it's safety first. The motoring public's safety is absolutely number one concern for us, so they'll stop and they will park," said network director Dick Ritchie to WBAY-TV... Ritchie says the company is sending out warnings and weather updates to the entire fleet, asking drivers to stay in contact and use caution... 
Green Bay, WIS, USA - WKOW - Jan 23, 2016 


* Tennesese - Trucks stuck for days following snowstorm



 -- Multiple trucks were stuck for days following Friday's snowstorm in Nashville after slipping on ice in Joelton... Many trucks were on the road during the storm despite warnings from officials to stay off of the roadways... Devil's curve is the nickname for one of the stretches of road along Whites Creek Pike. “I was climbing the hill, got stuck in the ice, lost my traction, and that was the end of me,” Brittin Lang, one of the truck drivers, recalled... A tow truck came out Saturday morning to try to help the trucks out, but even the tow truck got stuck and had to be helped, so on Sunday night, two days later, the trucks were still sitting on the road, waiting for help... According to Lang, the county won’t treat the road to make it drive-able until the trucks are removed, and the tow company said it won’t remove the trucks until the road is treated... We reached out to Metro Police about the situation, but had not heard back as of Sunday afternoon... 
 Nashville, TNN, USA --  News Channel 5, by Jesse Knutson - Jan 24, 2016

Labels: ,

posted by Unknown @ 7:37 AM  0 comments

Jul 23, 2015

WEATHER TROUBLES * South Africa: Blowed, whipped, trucks at tunnel

* South Africa - Winds blow trucks over at Huguenot Tunnel
-- Gale-force winds (A gale is a very strong wind, as high as 90 knots/170 km/h) tore through the Western Cape on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, uprooting trees, flipping over trucks and leaving key routes barred to commuters... Four trucks travelling over the bridge just before the Huguenot Tunnel were whipped by the winds and eventually flipped on to their sides... The tunnel was still closed on Wednesday morning... While the truck drivers managed to escape unharmed, on Wednesday morning their vehicles were still lying where they fell, the gale force winds making it too dangerous for teams to retrieve the toppled vehicles, said Bergh...

... Bain's Kloof pass, situated on the R301 between Wellington and Ceres, was also closed on Tuesday night after the winds uprooted trees, sending them crashing into the road... Chapman's Peak was closed to motorists after tons of weathered sandstone became dislodged in the windy conditions... 
(Photos by Rays Towing/Arrive Alive, via Facebook: Winds blow trucks over at the Huguenot Tunnel on the N1 in the Western Cape) -- Western Cape, Cape Town, SA - RDM News Wire - 22 July, 2015

Labels:

posted by Unknown @ 11:48 AM  0 comments

Jul 14, 2015

WEATHER TROUBLES * USA

* Kentucky - Watch trucks plow through high water

-- The driver of a car thought twice before trying to drive through about 6 inches of water covering a section of Highway 125 south of Rogersville. Trucks and SUVs plow through the high water... 
Rogersville, KY, USA - KY3 - Jul 10, 2015

Labels:

posted by Unknown @ 2:34 AM  0 comments

WEATHER TROUBLES * New Zealand: Icy road, truck rolled

* Auckland - Trucks block SH6 after icy skids

-- State Highway 6 is blocked near Owen River, north of Murchison, after two trucks lost control in icy conditions this afternoon... A log truck has rolled and a second truck has jack-knifed, with logs spilled across the highway... The driver of the log truck was initially trapped in the cab and has since been airlifted to hospital... The road is expected to remain closed for several hours, and police are warning motorists to drive with extreme caution as roading conditions in the region are treacherous... 
(Photo by Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter: One of the crashes near Owen River, north of Murchison, on the West Coast)  --  Auckland, N.Z. - Radio N.Z. - 13 July 2015

Labels:

posted by Unknown @ 2:17 AM  0 comments

Apr 17, 2015

WEATHER TROUBLES * USA: April Blizzard

* Wyoming - Winter weather causes 70-Vehicle Pile-Up on Wyoming Interstate
(Apr 16, 2015 - This video was shared with the PitchEngine Communities by Sherzod Kutfiddinov, whose trucker friend shot it. This wreck involved more than 30 vehicles and injured more 20.The scene of a 70-vehicle pile-up Thursday in Wyoming between Laramie and Cheyenne)
  -- As many as 70 vehicles piled up in one spot of a Wyoming interstate Thursday after a heavy April storm dropped almost 10 inches of snow on the area, authorities said... An almost 150-mile-long stretch of Interstate 80 remained closed in both directions Thursday afternoon between Cheyenne in southeast Wyoming and Rawlins in the central part of the state because of treacherous, slick conditions that caused accidents across the area, officials said. The worst spot was near mile post 342, between Cheyenne and Laramie, two of the state's major population centers... The state Highway Patrol said three major accidents happened in blizzard conditions. As many as 50 commercial vehicles and 20 passenger vehicles were piled up at the scene, it said... The National Weather Service said parts of Laramie County along I-80 got up to 9.8 inches of snow — and things could get worse...
(Facebook/Trista Stiles - An ice imprint left behind by a jeep) 
... Winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories were ineffect for much of the region Thursday evening... 
Laramie, WY, USA - NBC News - 15 April 2015

Labels: ,

posted by Unknown @ 4:59 AM  0 comments

Apr 12, 2015

WEATHER TROUBLES * USA / Alaska: Dalton Highway flood

* Alaska - North Slope truckers in limbo as Dalton Highway flood persists

(YouTube Video, by Push Back - 2 April 2015: Wait till breakup really hits the arctic) 
-- A 15-mile stretch of the Dalton Highway remains indefinitely closed due to a persistent flood of ice and water that has waylaid truck drivers and raised the cost of transporting commodities to the oil-producing North Slope... Some trucks have been reported dropping trailers and turning south for Fairbanks, while others remain queued at rest stops or in lines... At one point, an estimated 100 trucks waited in limbo on both sides of the closed section, Mile 390 to Mile 405, according to Alaska Trucking Association Executive Director, Aves Thompson... Crews are working around the clock in an attempt to clear a stretch of the Dalton Highway inundated by water from Sagavanirktok River. The road remains impassible. Department of Transportation officials plan to issue an update Sunday afternoon... 

(Photo courtesy of Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, taken April 4 - Near Mile 400 of the Dalton Highway. The road was open at the time, but you can see the overflow and drifting) 
 ... On March 13 the Sagavanirktok, or Sag River, began depositing water and ice on the highway. DOT Northern Region spokeswoman Meadow Bailey said, some sections of the roadway are buried beneath 3 to 4 feet of ice, or up to 30 inches of water. The road has been impassable since Sunday... Snowfall, temperatures and winds are all believed to have contributed to the flooding, described by DOT as "unprecedented" ... Helzer, of Colville trucking, said increased demand has caused the cost of transporting goods to skyrocket — small helicopters are no longer available, forcing the use of larger ones that can cost 20 times more... Thompson said the governor's disaster declaration has helped what he calls a serious and daunting flood... 
Dalton Highway, Fairbanks, Alaska - News Miner, by Robin Wood - Apr 11, 2015

Labels:

posted by Unknown @ 7:29 AM  0 comments

Apr 1, 2015

WEATHER TROUBLES * Europe / Holland & * USA - KNOCKED TRUCKS OVER

* The Netherlands - Light trucks should stay off roads
-- Drivers of empty or lightly-loaded trucks are advised to stay off the roads Tuesday, a message from the Dutch infrastructure agency Rijkswaterstaat states. Strong winds have knocked trucks over on several highways, especially the A50, NOS reports... Heavy winds put the country under a Code Yellow weather warning for much of Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, and a Code Orange advisory for northern provinces on Tuesday. Heavy winds up to 100 km/h are still expected on Wednesday, especially in the provinces of Noord-Holland, Zuid-Holland, Zeeland, Friesland, Flevoland and Groningen, official government meteorology agency KNMI says... The winds do not only tilt trucks, but loosen the tarpaulins on trucks and trailers, which also leads to delays. Dutch driving association ANWB reported thirteen blown over trucks over the course of Tuesday, and supports Rijkswaterstaat’s advice. No serious injuries occurred as of Tuesday afternoon... The Traffic Information Service (VID) reported a total of sixteen fallen trucks and also encourages truck drivers to stay home...
(Photo: Jongen Rodenhuis / Twitter - Blown over truck on A6 highway. Mar. 31, 2015) -- Rijkswaterstaat states, Holland - The Netherland Times, by Taneli Savela - Mar 31, 2015


* Montana / USA - High winds topple two trucks on I-15 near Dillon
-- Extreme winds north of Dillon caused two semi trucks to tip over on Interstate 15 around noon Saturday... Two drivers were in the southern truck, and both were taken to the Dillon Hospital by ambulance. Neither had critical injuries... Half mile north of that another truck was blown over. There was one driver, no hospitalization was required... The Dillon Fire Department and Beaverhead County Sheriff Office were at the scene... 
(Photo by Gordon Voit-MTN News - Semi blown over on I-15) -- Dillon,MONT,USA - KPAX, by John Sherer - 30 March 2015

Labels:

posted by Unknown @ 6:05 AM  0 comments

Mar 9, 2015

WEATHER TROUBLES * USA: Kentucky's - Ohio's - New York's & * Canada

* Kentucky - Wrecks keep traffic snarled on icy Kentucky interstates
-- Temperatures in Kentucky plunged below zero early Friday, and ongoing wrecks had highway crews struggling to keep traffic flowing on interstates that turned into parking lots and agonizingly long waits for motorists a day earlier... Travelers make the journey back to their vehicles Thursday after walking from Interstate 24 to a rest stop at Exit 16 in Paducah, Ky. Hundreds of motorists were stranded for agonizingly long waits Thursday as a late winter storm walloped Kentucky with up to 2 feet of snow, forcing National Guard soldiers and other emergency workers to make safety checks on snow-clogged interstates as road crews struggled to clear roads and wrecks...
(Photo Thousands stranded on snowy roads after crashes. Traffic moves south on Interstate 75 past a hill covered with ice today in Covington)  Paducah,KY,USA -The Associated Press/Transport Toppics, by BRUCE SCHREINER -6 March 2015


* Ohio - Trucker, 6 in family hurt in crash on Turnpike near Swanton. Turnpike wreck causes 5-mile backup

-- Seven people were injured when a tractor-trailer crashed into a minivan stopped on the Ohio Turnpike’s eastbound shoulder near Swanton early Friday afternoon, causing a five-mile backup, authorities said...  The truck driver, who was conscious and alert after the crash but had to be extricated from his vehicle’s wreckage, was taken to Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center... As of Friday evening, only the truck driver, Alfred Cruz, 55, of Portage, Ind., had been identified. The people in the minivan were members of an extended family from Minnesota, according to a highway patrol statement, and all were taken to the hospital even though only six were believed injured, two seriously... (Photo: Poor visibility likely played role in Ohio Turnpike pileup ... Crews clean the remains of a multivehicle accident in the eastbound lane of the Ohio Turnpike near the County Road 268 overpass near Clyde on Thursday) - Swanton,OH,USA -The Toledo Blade -7 March 2015


* New York - Cuomo rescue trucks 'costly exercise in futility' - Emergency trucks do best under sunny skies
-- Gov. Andrew Cuomo's fortified Chevrolet Suburban was no match for the swollen rivers overwhelming the Southern Tier... It was late in the summer of 2011, and two successive tropical storms, Irene and Lee, ripped through New York, bringing torrential rains that caused massive flooding, widespread evacuations and hundreds of millions of dollars in damages... Cuomo viewed some of the hardest-hit areas from a State Police helicopter. But the aerial tour limited his ability to get first-hand accounts from local officials and to interact with grief-stricken residents. So he switched to his black Suburban... 
(Photo AP/The Buffalo News, by Sharon Cantillon - Gov. Andrew Cuomo's motorcade drives on the Thruway past abandoned vehicles near Cheektowaga, N.Y., Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2014)  -- Albany,NY,USA -Times Union, by Brendan J. Lyons -March 8, 2015


* Canada

Labels: ,

posted by Unknown @ 6:02 AM  0 comments

Mar 6, 2015

WEATHER TROUBLES * USA & Canada: Winter Storm Thor causing havoc in wide area

* Truckers need to be extreme careful while traveling highways from Texas to New England
(Photo by TARA BOWIE/QMI AGENCY - A Mt. Elgin, Ont., firetruck attempts to make it's way through the maze of transport trucks backed up in the westbound lanes of Highway 401 just outside of Ingersoll, around 10:30 a.m. Thursday)
-- Winter Storm Thor is sweeping across the country in what many hope will be the final extreme winter blast storm of the season. As a result, truckers need to be extreme careful while traveling highways from Texas to New England. Below is a round up of Associated Press reports from across the country. 

* Texas - Flights canceled, some schools close amid winter storm


(Photo: Push and pull stranded drivers to safety in North Texas on Thursday) 
Dallas,TXS -- A late winter storm dumped up to 7 inches of snow, making roads icy... The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for the Dallas-Fort Worth area until midday. Sunny skies broke through Thursday morning, with temperatures expected in the mid-30s by afternoon as the system moves on... High temperatures usually average in the mid-60s in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in early March... The system plunged temperatures into the 20s before dawn Thursday after a night of freezing rain that turned to snow, dropping 2-4 inches... Grapevine, just west of Dallas, had the most snow for the area, recording 7 inches... Austin had freezing rain, which can be treacherous for drivers...

* Delaware -  Suggests motorists stay off roads during snowstorm


(Photo: Emergency personnel respond to an accident on southbound Interstate 43)
Wilmington, DEL -- Officials in Delaware are suggesting that drivers stay off the roads during a winter storm, particularly during the heaviest snowfall. Delaware closed state offices Thursday and New Castle and Sussex counties closed county government offices. City of Wilmington offices are also closed. Kent County planned to open on time, but the liberal leave policy is in effect...  Gov. Jack Markell warns that roads may be clear during the morning rush, but heavy midday snowfall may mean a tough afternoon commute. Markell suggests drivers who don't need to travel stay off the roads to allow crews to work on clearing snow. The National Weather Service is predicting snowfall of 4 to 8 inches across Delaware. State officials say it is already snowing in northern New Castle County.

* West Virginia - Storm knocks out power, closes roads and schools in


(Photo from DailyMail - Slippery: storm system coming out of Virginia is expected to cause freezing rain Monday morning in Philadelphia, North New Jersey and New York. Above, an icy Interstate 66 near Manassas, Virginia Sunday)
Charleston, W.Va. -- A late-winter storm has left more than 50,000 customers in West Virginia without power and closed roads and schools across the state. The National Weather Service says some areas could receive up to 10 inches of snow by Thursday night. As of Thursday morning, preliminary reports show more than 9 inches of snow in Point Pleasant and more than 8 inches in Parkersburg... High water from heavy rains has closed roads in at least 30 counties...

* Ohio: Snow leads to southern school closures, cancels flights


(Photo from Newsnet5 - Ohio snowplows spreading salt) Cincinnati,OH -- A winter storm has brought heavy snowfall to the Cincinnati area and other parts of southern Ohio, closing schools and creating hazardous travel conditions. Most of southern Ohio was under a winter storm warning until at least midday Thursday. The National Weather Service said some parts of the area would have up to a foot of snow accumulation. The snow was expected to taper off by afternoon...

* Classes canceled in Kentucky, Tennessee as winter storm hits 

(Photo from KENTUCKY TRANSPORTATION CABINET/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS - A still image from a Kentucky Transportation Cabinet camera shows a line of trucks stranded on Interstate 65 south of Louisville, Kentucky, March 5, 2015)
Memphis,TENN -- Schools are closed and flights have been cancelled as a winter storm drops frozen precipitation in Kentucky and Tennessee. Many areas in both states are under a winter storm warning due to a system that has generated sleet, freezing rain and snow. The precipitation is accompanied by sub-freezing temperatures that can create icy conditions on roads and highways. Motorists are being asked to use extreme caution in driving on slick roads. Emergency officials in both states say trucks will disperse sand and salt to treat icy roads. Officials in both states have warned of flooding and power outages. Some roads in northeastern Kentucky were closed due to flooding...

* Flights canceled as 6 inches of snow hit Central Arkansas


(Photo from Concord Monitor: Motorists stranded on icy eastern Arkansas roads. This March 3, 2014, Ariel photo shows semitrailers filling a truck stops in eastern Arkansas) 
Little Rock,ARK -- Little Rock airport officials say 19 flights have been canceled after up to six inches of snow and sleet fell across central Arkansas, hampering travel on Interstate 40, one of the nation's busiest trucking corridors. Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport spokesman Shane Carter said Thursday at the airport is open and the taxiways have been cleared... The National Weather Service reports snowfall in the area should stop by about noon. Freezing temperatures are projected to linger until Saturday afternoon...

 New York,NY,USA -The Associated Press/The Trucker - 5 March 2015

Labels: ,

posted by Unknown @ 5:48 AM  0 comments

Mar 3, 2015

WEATHER TROUBLES * USA: Highways with severe or difficult driving conditions Friday

* New Mexico: Latest winter storm's snow, ice cover highways in 

  -- The latest winter storm to hit New Mexico is covering highways with snow and ice and closing schools in some areas. Highways with severe or difficult driving conditions Friday include a 161-mile stretch of Interstate 25 between Glorieta and Raton Pass in northern New Mexico and a 155-mile stretch of Interstate 40 between Milagro and the Texas line... The state Department of Transportation says its crews are plowing, salting and cindering. Areas were schools are closed include Rio Rancho and Albuquerque's east mountains. The National Weather Service says snowfall will gradually diminish across northeastern and east-central New Mexico Friday morning but that another storm will bring significant snowfall to central and eastern New Mexico starting Friday night. Some areas may get snowfall of an inch an hour... Video from Youtube, by StormChasingVideo - Jan 21, 2015: Snow continues to fall over northeast New Mexico into the Texas Panhandle - Albuquerque, N.M., USA - The Associated Press - 27 Feb 2015

Labels: ,

posted by Unknown @ 11:29 AM  0 comments

Feb 26, 2015

WEATHER TROUBLES * USA: Winter precipitation could hamper commute across South

* Texas - More cold, snow, ice, wintry mix ...


-- Winter weather has been a problem for the trucking industry recently as storm after storm crossed the U.S.A. ... A wide swath of the country was shivering in freezing, record-breaking temperatures while other areas were expecting more winter precipitation Tuesday... A mix of snow, sleet, rain and freezing rain was expected in parts of the southern Plains and the South, where school districts in more than a half-dozen states from Texas eastward canceled or delayed classes. Even parts of the coastal Carolinas were bracing for some precipitation... Meanwhile, the East Coast was enduring colder-than-usual weather. Temperatures were well below average in many spots, and even far below zero... (Photo from The Abilene Reporter-News, by Nellie Doneva: An ambulance drives on the snow as seen through a window, Monday, Feb. 23, 2015, in Abilene, Texas. Freezing rain affected travel in nearly half of Texas on Monday, and winter storm warnings were issued in the northern part of the state) -Indianápolis,IND,USA -The Associated Press/The Trucker -24 Feb 2015


* Georgia -  Officials concerned about commercial trucks ahead of winter weather

-- Emergency officials are particularly worried about big commercial trucks out on the interstates during the potential snow and ice... Much of metro Atlanta and north Georgia are under a winter storm warning from 10 a.m. Wednesday until 10 a.m. Thursday... With the expected winter weather, the state is being proactive already in contact with trucking companies letting them know they could be ordered off the interstates... Truck drivers we spoke with on Tuesday night said they will take caution... If the state decides to divert truck drivers, police will likely have the drivers wait it out in area parking lots... (Photo: Why Atlanta was so ill-prepared for a snow storm that gridlocked highway traffic) - Atlanta,GA,USA -WSB TV, by Rachel Stockman -Feb. 25, 2015

Labels: ,

posted by Unknown @ 7:25 AM  0 comments

Feb 23, 2015

WEATHER TROUBLES * USA: America encased in ice

* New York - Stunning shot from space captures scale of the Siberian Express deep freeze gripping the nation

(Shivering states: This satellite image was taken 200 miles up from Earth on Friday, when record low temperatures were set across much of the Midwest, East Coast and South) 

--  The NASA satellite photo was taken on Friday, when record low temperatures were set in several states... Cold is expected to continue, with another 'Siberian Express' expected to hit on Sunday... In frost-hit Tennessee 21 people died in the past week from the weather, while in Kentucky the death toll was 10... Americans living in the eastern U.S. have certainly been feeling the cold this past week, but now they can see it... 
(Frozen harbor: The waters around New York City's financial district were covered in ice this week due to the frigid weather)


(Magical: This photo, captured by CBS, shows ice floes surrounding skyscrapers in Lower Manhattan, including One World Trade Center)

 ... The new round of harsh weather is part of a system that has cut a curving, 2,000-mile path from southern Missouri to Maine. Snow and ice contributed to major delays at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York Saturday, with some arriving flights delayed more than two hours, and flights destined for Newark International Airport in New Jersey were delayed more than three hours, according to a Federal Aviation Administration advisory. Winter weather advisories and winter storm warnings were in effect until Sunday for parts of West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts, Maine and New Hampshire, the NWS said...

(Incredible: Heavy snow and treachorous ice cover Central Park, which plummeted to a record low of two degrees on Friday morning)

 ... The system dropped steady snow on Washington and Baltimore as it pushed up the East Coast Saturday. West Virginia saw 18 inches of snow, according to state officials... 


( A city truck grades snow as it drives south on US 81 in Enid, Oklahoma Sunday, February 22, 2015) 

 ... Six inches or more of fresh snow was forecast for parts of the Northeast by early Sunday, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). Bitter cold is also expected, but conditions should start to ease in many areas by mid-morning, the service said. Following nearly a week of cold and ice in Tennessee, Governor Bill Haslam elevated the state on Saturday to a higher level of emergency... New York,NY,USA -The DAILY MAIL (UK)/REUTERS, by ASHLEY COLLMAN -22 February 2015

Labels: ,

posted by Unknown @ 7:19 AM  0 comments