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[WxTech]

Yesterday at this time we had a severe thunderstorm (winds to 120 km/h) knock out power to essentially all of Ottawa. So, day one completed. I wonder if this will be like the last such event, which had my neighborhood out for nearly three days.

I'm keeping my phone alive with a jerry-rigged pack of 8 C-cell batteries connected to an automotive cigarette lighter/USB jack accessory.

[Timex62]

If you can afford one a portable generator has worked fine for me. I even have it set up to where I can hook it up directly to an outdoor receptacle in the wall that connects directly into the home wiring. Simple solution but I wouldn't say cheap.

[WxTech]

While an attractive luxury, and as a renter, I don't quite see for me the benefit to cost ratio of a generator warranting a purchase.

I went out for a walk earlier this evening and was surprised to see a bunch of businesses open along a strip of main road just a few blocks away. Took the opportunity to pick up some non perishable food, in the eventuality of a longer-than-expected delay in power restoration. I hear of a four day duration being quite possible. I'm glad I had little in the fridge to spoil.

[Epervier]

Is this kind of storm usual in Ottawa?
I thought you had more chance of heavy snowfall...
Note that even in France we had tornadoes... unbelievable here!

Good luck!

[WxTech]

The uncommon aspect was the length and 'solidity' of the line of thunderstorms, where instead of more isolated embedded thunderheads there was more of a wall. The usual aspect was that this was kicked off along a cold front, where the advancing cool, dry airmass undercuts the warm, moist airmass. At this time of year the differences between the two airmasses can be more pronounced, as was the case here. There may have been an EF0 tornado event SE of Ottawa. I see reports of some 8 or 9 people having been killed (none by the possible tornado, I'm fairly certain.)

[Kopfdorfer]

I shoulda known you were a Canacker , WX.
Hope you get your power back pronto.

Kopfdorfer

[WxTech]

He he! "Canacker." Suggestive of a Canadian cracker (a cracker being what American blacks often called whites). We up here in the Great White North call ourselves Canucks. Our base monetary instrument is the loonie, a dollar coin having on its face a loon (a coin valued at two loonies is a toonie.)

Now soon to complete day 3. Folks who escaped to cottage and camping country over this holiday weekend will generally be faring better than us bored souls who remained behind in the city.

[Cloyd]

The uncommon aspect was the length and 'solidity' of the line of thunderstorms, where instead of more isolated embedded thunderheads there was more of a wall. The usual aspect was that this was kicked off along a cold front, where the advancing cool, dry airmass undercuts the warm, moist airmass. At this time of year the differences between the two airmasses can be more pronounced, as was the case here. There may have been an EF0 tornado event SE of Ottawa. I see reports of some 8 or 9 people having been killed (none by the possible tornado, I'm fairly certain.)

A detailed description of the weather event. I would have expected nothing less from our resident weather tech. 

[WxTech]

Coming up on four days now...

[tomoose]

Well I'll be darned.

Riverside South has power back up (after 48hr) but Merivale road is a mess.  Downtown (Prince Edward area), all normal.

[Tore]

That same thing happened to me when I was on my pc. It was off until 11PM that night and I'm a few hours away from Ottawa.

Tore

[WxTech]

I'm near Merivale and Baseline, just across from the SW corner of the Central Experimental Farm. It's always been the case that we're among the last to get power restored (for the 5 years I've been here.)

I'm moving in a week to spend the summer at a cottage/astro observatory near Rideau Ferry. A much darker sky for my star gazing, and fishing is only steps away.

When I come back to Ottawa, I'll be ensconced in a different neighborhood.