The Storm

Hi everyone.  After reading some comments, I thought I might be a little clearer about what was in my pictures in my last post.  I know it didn't look like much, but it was all sleet out there, and it kept coming down much of the day.  It didn't turn to snow until after dark, so I didn't take any new pics.  I think the official measurement of the sleet in our immediate area was 2".  As treacherous as it was, it could have been much worse if it had been freezing rain.  The trees were getting very heavy with the ice, and bending with the wind.  We have a pretty good snow coming down now, as I write, and the wind has been quite blustery most of the day and evening.  No telling what we'll wake up to. Some areas not far from us already had 10" to 12" of snow by about one or two in the afternoon.  Highways were closed through much of the state due to white-out conditions.  With the sleet hanging on by us as long as it did, our snow totals should be much less than some had anticipated.  Still significant, though, and our area isn't nearly as well prepared as some to handle blizzard conditions since we don't see that kind of weather too often.

 Being from Chicago, I'm no stranger to heavy city snows.  I'll never forget the first thunder snow I experienced during the two-foot dumping we got in '67.  We'd never heard of 'snow days' at that time, and we didn't ride a school bus, so we trudged off to school in the morning, arriving to the news that we had to turn around and trudge back home.  I remember dumping my books and wet coat, hat, etc., and telling whomever had passed on the news that I wasn't going anywhere until I had dried off and warmed up.  I do believe we managed to snag a city bus for part of the trip home.  They were moving really slowly, but at least they were dry.  Brings back some good memories to think about that storm.

It's well past time for me to turn in, so I'll sign off for now.   I'll pop in again later.  I hope everyone in areas hit by this weather can manage to stay safe and warm.  Be careful if you absolutely need to go out.


Hugs,
CHRISTINE