Monday, January 31, 2011

Pardon Me for Not Getting All Worked Up.

Yahoo news feed.

Chicago Tribune--"Blizzard May be 'Life-Threatening'".

Daily Herald-"Storm Could be Bigger than Blizzard of '67".

The Chicago Sun-Times was a bit less dramatic. "Blizzard Watch in Effect".

We have a storm bearing down on us. It's coming from the west and has the potential to merge over us with a weak front coming up from the south. The snow starts today, this afternoon actually, with freezing rain upon waking up on Tuesday morning, giving over to all snow, very heavy at times, overnight on Tuesday. Then the winds kick up to blow around whatever has fallen and the temperatures will drop as they are want to do after a blizzard.

The National Weather Service says the following:
TIMING...SNOW WILL INCREASE IN INTENSITY AND BECOME HEAVY AT
TIMES SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 80 TUESDAY AFTERNOON...GRADUALLY
SPREADING NORTH INTO NORTHERN ILLINOIS BY TUESDAY EVENING.
SNOW...HEAVY AT TIMES...WILL CONTINUE TUESDAY NIGHT INTO
WEDNESDAY MORNING. SNOW SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE NEAR LAKE MICHIGAN
IN NORTHEAST LLINOIS WEDNESDAY MORNING...SHIFTING INTO NORTHWEST
INDIANA DURING THE AFTERNOON. NORTHEAST WINDS OF 25 TO 40 MPH
WITH STRONGER GUSTS WILL RESULT IN BLIZZARD CONDITIONS
DEVELOPING TUESDAY EVENING AND CONTINUING THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT
HOURS.

* ACCUMULATIONS...SNOW ACCUMULATIONS IN EXCESS OF A FOOT ARE
EXPECTED OVER MUCH OF THE WATCH AREA FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. LOCALIZED TOTALS IN EXCESS OF 18
INCHES ARE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY NEAR THE LAKE.
 I don't know why it's in all caps. It's hard to read. I guess they figure people will get their main weather info from other sources. Whatever the case, we are to have some weather requiring the removal of frozen water.

I don't mean to make light of the situation, too much. I feel for police, ambulance, fire and hospital personnel who have to be out in this. I anticipate the city snow plows will be pulled off the streets until Wednesday some time.I don't expect mail delivery or a newspaper on Wednesday. It's really not a laughing matter other than come on people, let's be sane about this. I'm going to the grocery after work. I had planned to anyway because I got paid and it's the end of the month and I'm out of stuff. Stuff is important to have. But it sure seems as if heavier than partly cloudy with a 5 mph breeze out of the south is ground for the ramping up of hyperbole.

I live in the Upper Midwest. We know snow, at least, we should. Take necessary precautions and don't go out if you don't have to. We're talking of shutting down the office mid-afternoon on Tuesday so we can all make it home safely. Prudent. I'm going to the grocery tonight. Prudent. It's the end of the month so I will pay my bills online. Prudent.

I guess it's true. Common sense isn't really so common. I'm going to see if I have more snow pictures from the past. It will be interesting to compare.

Beverage:  China Black tea

Deb

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