Re: [gardeners] The Freezing Rain Warning Has Ended
Cheryl & Erich Schaefer (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Sat, 10 Jan 1998 23:50:47 -0500 (EST)
>Thank god.
>
>The freezing rain warning for most of eastern Ontario has ended, the first
>time it's been off here since Tuesday afternoon. We have a weekend of
>flurries and then more freezing rain is anticipated for Monday.
>
>Eastern Ontario and Quebec has been devestated by ice rain for the last 4
>or 5 days. In my area we escaped the earlier storms, but were visited by
>this last round that started on Wednesday night. I was very lucky to be at
>the western-most end of the warned area and have come through virtually
>unscathed. I took a little drive this afternoon, and, starting just 5 miles
>to the east of me, it looks like there's been a war. The further east I
>drove the worse it got. Large trees are completely denuded of branches, on
>some the branches have broken and torn away, ripping large strips of bark
>along the length of the trunk. Smaller trees are uprooted and down over
>power lines, fences and barns. Even the smallest twig is carrying an inch
>or more of ice on it. The power is out for most people, out in the country
>they've been told to expect no power until at least the middle of next
>week, maybe longer.
>
>I've been keeping in touch by phone with friends in the city of Kingston.
>They have been told not to expect their power back until possibly Sunday.
>I've heard estimates that over 40 percent of the trees in the worst hit
>areas will be lost. Kingston, Ottawa and Montreal are heavily treed cities,
>much of their charm comes from these old and stately maples and oaks. It's
>unbearably tragic.
>
>Marianne
>Southeastern Ontario AgCan zone 5b
I was hoping to hear news of what's going on in Canada but the focus was on
the north country in upstate New York and not a word about what's happening
across the border. Really sorry to hear about the devastation. I visited
the Rochester area the last time an ice storm wreaked havoc there and it
was a terrible sight. This storm is worse yet, and people recover far
faster than the trees.
Cheryl Schaefer
schaefer @epix.net
Zone 5 in the fabulous Finger Lakes of NY