“Cold weather slams West, Northwest; tips for pets, plants and pipes - Oregonian” plus 1 more

Cold weather slams West, Northwest; tips for pets, plants and pipes - Oregonian

Posted: 30 Dec 2010 05:49 PM PST

Published: Thursday, December 30, 2010, 6:00 PM Updated: Friday, December 31, 2010, 7:47 AM

A winter storm pummeled the western U.S. on Thursday with fierce winds, heavy rain and more than 2 feet of snow, including 28 inches in Meacham.

Officials closed a road into Yosemite National Park in California after a rock the size of a dump truck tumbled onto the pavement.

Snow and ice forced an hours-long closure of the two major thoroughfares in northern Arizona, stranding motorists south of Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon. People in Phoenix were stunned at the sight of flurries that the National Weather Service said were a combination of hail and snow.

Major highways were also shut down in parts of Colorado, Montana, Nevada and Wyoming.

The National Weather Service said snow could fall at a rate close to an inch an hour starting Thursday evening in the Denver area. The area usually has about 25 inches of snow by this time of year but received just 1.5 inches before Thursday.

United Airlines, the dominant carrier at Denver International Airport, canceled 32 flights out Thursday, spokesman Rahsaan Johnson said.

In Idaho, a Boy Scout troop had to be rescued after a snowstorm stranded them on a campout near Pocatello, and a snowmobiler was found dead after an avalanche northeast of Calder. Shane St. John of Farmington, Wash., went missing about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, and a friend noticed tracks leading into the slide but none coming out.

Avalanche conditions in the Idaho high country were extreme with 4 to 5 feet of powder snow sitting on hard-packed snow.

In the Portland area, the forecast is for overnight lows in the low 20s tonight, Friday night and Saturday night, with highs each day in the mid-30s with sunshine. Gusty winds are expected in the Columbia River Gorge. The National Weather Service says the next chance of rain isn't due until Wednesday.

Weathering the cold
How to protect people, pets, plants and pipes during the cold spell:

People
The Oregon Trail Chapter, American Red Cross will open its emergency warming shelter for Portland's homeless at Imago Dei Community, 1302 S.E. Ankeny St. It will operate from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. today and Saturday, with a capacity of 150 people and their pets.

For other warming shelters in the Portland area for families and individuals, dial 2-1-1 from a land-line phone or 503-222-5555 from a cell phone.

Pets
Bring pets indoors when temperatures drop below 30 degrees.

Outdoor dogs need a dry, elevated shelter with clean, dry bedding and a flap over the opening.

Consider adding a dog door to the garage. Place a soft cushion in the garage's warmest corner.

Use plastic food and water bowls rather than metal, and make sure water bowls are not frozen.

Use pet-friendly antifreeze products.

Never leave a dog or cat alone in a car during cold weather.

If you have chickens, use a red heat lamp to keep them warm.

Plants
If the forecast calls for temperatures below 20 degrees, cover tender plants with an old sheet, tablecloth or even plastic, anchored with rocks or other weights. If temperatures are expected to stay below 20 the next day, leave the protection in place; if not, take it off.

Shake heavy snow off shrubs and trees to keep branches from breaking or bending. Leave snow at the base of plants, however, because it insulates roots.

It sounds counterintuitive, but if plants are dried out, water them.

Mulching can help plants, especially hardy fuchsias and roses.

Pipes
Disconnect, drain and store garden hoses.

Caulk around pipes where they enter the house.

Seal foundation vents, probably the greatest cause of frozen or split water lines, by cutting wood or plastic foam blocks to fit vent openings, then sliding them in. Open the vents in the spring to prevent dry rot.

-- Stuart Tomlinson, Lynne Terry, Kym Pokorny and Michael Russell

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Petside Poll: Most Pet Owners See a 6th Sense - KKTV

Posted: 11 Jan 2011 05:32 AM PST

Two-thirds of U.S. pet owners say their animals have a sixth sense about bad weather, while 43 percent say their pets can sense bad news.

An Associated Press-Petside.com poll shows that 72 percent of dog owners report weather warnings from their pets, compared with 66 percent of cat owners.

Forty-seven percent of dog owners and 41 percent of cat owners say they have gotten bad news alerts from their pets.

The poll conducted by GfK Roper Public Affairs and Corporate Communications in October shows pets convey these warnings in many ways.

Sixty-four percent of those polled say pets hide, 56 percent say they whine or cry, 52 percent say they become hyperactive, erratic or make unpredictable movements, and 36 percent say they bark or meow persistently.

Pets Zone

Tuesday, January 11, 2011