Winter storm Juno (Informational)

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[#223] Winter storm Juno (Informational)

Posted: 2015-01-27 09:11

Start: 2015-01-27 00:00:00
End : 2015-01-29 00:00:00

Affects: N/A

This is a generic warning for US connectivity. We are an NL based provider and are not directly affected. However it could be US customers have issues and you as service provider might see changes in the routing from and to that region. In case of generic outages in that region, you might even see less traffic on your service. Warning originates from Zayo (Abovenet) but is applicable for all US providers.

As you may know, Winter Storm Juno is rapidly developing and expected to become a major snowstorm today affecting the Northeastern US, presenting blizzard conditions and creating more than 2 feet of snow in areas from eastern Pennsylvania to New England, with widespread snowfall across the Northeast. The National Weather Service has issued blizzard warnings in advance of the storm in anticipation of potential historic snowfall amounts and damaging wind gusts, with significant potential for widespread power outages and extremely limited travel ability throughout the region.

Key Points of the storm:
• Moderate to heavy snow likely from portions of the coastal Mid-Atlantic (New Jersey, far eastern Pennsylvania) to New England.
• Peak impacts late Monday through Tuesday night.
• Widespread accumulations of 1 to 2 feet likely with some areas picking up over 2 feet. Snow drifts will be even higher.
• Blizzard or near-blizzard conditions will make travel dangerous and, in some areas, impossible.
• Over 3,500 U.S. flights cancelled or rescheduled

From a network perspective, this storm presents the risk of network impact due to widespread and extended power outages, coupled with the potential of fiber cuts due to falling trees and ice loading where Zayo has aerial cable facilities (primarily in the rural areas of Pennsylvania). In preparation for this storm, Zayo has initiated a Hazcon 3 condition and completed the following preparations:

• Confirming that all sites within the potentially affected area have generators that are in proper working order and filled with fuel
• Ensuring that refueling agencies are available to provide ongoing generator refueling in the event of extended power outages
• Acquiring additional temporary generators as backup power sources in the event of primary generator failures
• Fueling of all field and OSP technician vehicles including having cash on hand for emergency purchases and supplies (food, warm clothing, and snow removal equipment) for the inclement weather.
• Reaching out to vendors, contractors, and colocation providers throughout the region to confirm their state of readiness
• Cancellation of all planned maintenance activities within the area or elsewhere in the network that may result in impact to diverse or protected customer services if the network is impacted by the sinter storm; all maintenances are being canceled through Thursday and with additional cancellations likely depending on the conditions created by the storm.
• Engagement of local fiber repair contractors to review emergency dispatch and restoration procedures, confirming that appropriate fiber testing and repair materials (OTDR, fiber hardware, fiber reels, heavy equipment for transport and excavation) are on hand
• Adjustment of NCC Staffing to provide additional resources to handle increased call volumes and assist customers during the period of potential storm impact
• Creation of customer impact lists for major routes and facilities in the area, allowing us to immediately communicate with customers if there is network impact, and open trouble tickets for all affected services via automated tools

At this point, we do not anticipate service impact related to this storm though we will continue to monitor the situation closely and maintain our preparations with increased staffing levels and heightened awareness of our network facilities in the vicinity of the affected areas. The Zayo operational centers will be available 24/7 throughout this event. Additionally, the current Zayo escalation lists are attached and the operational management team will also be immediately reachable at all times for any customer questions or concerns. Zayo will continue to provide further updates on our preparations and network operations until the threat of this storm has passed. Please feel free to contact us with any specific questions or concerns that you may have.