Truly, a Historic Winter Storm

NOTE: This is such a major winter event that we will try to post more often with reports from all over. I plan to do it in short note form (three-dot stuff) (incomplete sentences) so you will not have to read so much. It is my favorite style of writing. I have an idea that I will be awake for 24 hours. I don’t mind, used to that, dozens of times in the years (centuries?) that I have been in weather.

Bill Murray, our official weather historian, will be writing about this storm when he is 90 years old! I won’t be here!

…Late last night, I scanned all 50 states and discovered that only 12 states out of 50 did not have a winter weather threat. Most of those had very serious threats and in some cases life threatening. The warning map has changed little overnight.

…42 below zero this morning, Chinook, Mont., every weather station in Montana was below zero except one.

…Extremes last 24 hours. High of 88, Laredo Monday, 42 below this morning at Chinook, Mont.

…NWS, Chicago warns that “a multifaceted and life threatening winter storm” begins this afternoon. They warn that final preparations MUST be completed this morning. A Blizzard Warning” for the Chicago area from late this morning until late afternoon Wednesday. Snow accumulations 10 to 18 inches but up to two feet in some areas! Wind gusts as high as 50 mph tonight. (translation, huge drifts making travel almost impossible)

CURRENT SPOT REPORTS
…Des Moines, 17 degrees, snow, wind chill 1
…Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), 20, snow, wind NW, gusts 44, wind chill 1. They have also has some freezing rain this morning
…McKinney, Tex., 20 degrees, NW wind gusts to 46
…Oklahoma City, 9 above, heavy snow, visibility only 1/8 mile, wind north, gusts 43, wind chill 15 below (that is near whiteout conditions)
…St Louis, 25, sleet
…Milwaukee, 12, snow, Blizzard today and tomorrow, temperature below freezing for next several days in a row, low tonight 20, low tomorrow night 2
…Denver, 12 below zero now, high today 1 below and low tonight 21 below. That is very cold even for Denver.
…Houston, 74 high yesterday, low tonight 21, very cold for Houston
…Little Rock, low of 13 tomorrow night
…Chicago, 22, snow (see note from NWS above)
…Des Moines, NWS posted a Blizzard Warning from noon today until noon Wednesday. Snow accumulating 5 to 9 inches, with visibility less than 1/4 mile at times, with a wind chill of 20 below

More later…

Category: Headlines