Saturday, November 27, 2010

Utah SnowPocolypse 2010 (aka: Blizzard, Death Storm, or Mild Snow Fall w/Poor Visibility For One Hour?)

We started hearing rumors of a "blizzard" heading our way earlier this week.  Upon receiving this news, I began to get very worried. 

#1:  Aron was catching a flight from Reno to SLC during the very hours that the storm was to be dumping between 6 and 24 inches (depending on the station or co-worker you were listening to).  I was quite worried that his flight would be cancelled, forcing him to travel on Thanksgiving Day, assuming that there were enough flights to provide him options. 


#2:  The last time I heard the word "blizzard" was in 1996 when I lived in York, PA. 
Please see actual pictures from York during this blizzard, above.  People cross-country skiied or literally had to walk everywhere for days because the snow didn't melt and the whole city was shut down.  Very fun for school-aged children, but not so much as an adult who has to drive 30 minutes to work each day!

Fast forward to Wednesday morning.  I'm sitting at work and EVERYONE is talking about the blizzard that's to roll in around 3:00 PM.  I call Aron and encourage him to try and catch an earlier flight in order to miss the storm completely.  The best Delta can do is a 4:00 PM flight vs. 6:30.  We'll take it.  While at work, I begin to hear that city buildings and all universities around the state are closing at 2:00 to miss this storm.  My co-worker then gets a call stating that the building where her daughter goes to pre-school is closing at 3:00, per the recommendation of our weathermen who say that we should all be in our final destination for the evening by 3:00 or 4:00.  Wow, this thing sounds SERIOUS!  Therefore, I immediately head to Blockbuster and the grocery store on my way home to be sure that I had everything we needed to be completely snowed in.  5:00 comes around (4:00 in Reno) and Aron calls to tell me that the plane is taking off- still no snow for us, but the clouds get darker.  I am a bit worried since the storm is about to hit, but trust that the airport crew know whats up...ya know, since they do this everyday.  Well, at about 5:30, the snowstorm starts.  There was quick accumulation and visibility seemed pretty poor, from what we heard on the news.  Thank God, Aron lands safely, but has to take a cab because I was pretty scared of getting stuck on the freeway and freezing to death in the Volvo. 

At about 7:30, this is the sight I beheld:
*Be still my beating heart*  It had been 10 days since he was in SLC and it only gets harder when he leaves.  I was SOOO happy to have him here...and safely!

Shortly thereafter, the snow stopped.  You're reading correctly...stopped.  Altogether.  Downtown Salt Lake got about 3 inches and there were parts of the valley that didn't even see a flake.
I know, I know, "Better safe than sorry", but c'mon Utah: grow a pair and buy an ice scraper. 

2 comments:

  1. No kidding! That "storm" was such a let down! I was just upset that I didn't get a snow day on Wednesday. :(

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  2. seriously. that blizzard was so lame.

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