Wow… today, for the only time in history, the National Weather service has issued a blizzard warning from the Tulsa office. I’m not personally within the warning area, though the weather is bad enough the local schools are closed, as well as some businesses.
Never been a blizzard in OK on record before? I did not know that. Batten the hatches, stock up on food and water, make sure you can keep warm (power outages can happen), and DON’T drive if you can help it.
In mid-North Dakota as a child, I recall some blizzards lasting as long as three days running. Near-zero visibility was the norm. We literally had to dig ourselves out when they were over. Of course, we kids loved the aftermath: you could dig a pretty impressive warren of tunnels in the hard-packed snowbanks that built up against the houses, as they often went as high as the roof, and extended into the yard a good ways. Those big 'uns could be counted on to hit in early March almost like clockwork. Dunno what it’s like these days; things seem to be changing all over, weatherwise.
Most blizzards in the Great Plains aren’t as enormous as the ones I’ve experienced, but they’re dangerous to be out in all the same. Getting lost even on short, familiar walks is not at all unusual.
Even though you’re not in the anticipated zone, Walden, if you know and are in contact with anyone who is, make a call or two if you can and have them spread the word.
(editde for spellign an stuf)
Interesting that I am in Massachsets and it is 60 degrees.
we have part of that snowstorm here…schools were closed, and it’s currently in the 20’s and snowing. whee!
Luckily, being 200 miles away, we’re not catching the full brunt of it.
There is some serious-ass snow going on between Dallas and Kansas City (and points north by now). I’m stuck in Houston (and there are many worse places to be stuck, to be sure) and can’t get home, and it’s even cold here (38 degrees). I had to go buy a sweater. Hopefully, things will have settled down by tomorrow, and I can fly home.
Wanderer, you’ll appreciate this. It’s cold, but I’m only 4 blocks from Specs.
Time for some mulled mead tonight methinks.
Too bad you weren’t stuck last night you could have come by the session at the Duck.
A little sacramental sherry, actually, but mulled mead sounds good, too.
For the last year or so, I’ve lived in Houston during the week (Sun-Thurs) and in Kansas on the weekends. I’ve been to the Duck plenty; the Scotch eggs are excellent.
I’ve gone to session night several times, but not since they went to a 9:00 start instead of 8:00 sometime back. I see from the Mucky Duck site that they have returned to 8:00, so I will drop back by some Wednesday. You guys are good.
That’s when I put on a shirt! (to be fair, I’m dripping sweat over 65° F)
That was my impression, too, and Environment Canada confirms that winters now aren’t nearly as strong as when we were kids. They say that one of those old-fashioned winters now would knock just about every service out, as its been so long since we experienced the full brunt of what winter used to do to us.
djm
I saw this on the news today, and immediately thought of you Walden. I’m happy to know that you are not within the warning area, but take care anyway, ok? And thanks for posting. It’s good to know that you are safe 
Sounds like the storms are going south of us although we have some slight chances of snow predicted. It only got up to 16F today, sort of a shock after the warm fall and the kitties are not pleased—had to run them around in the house they were getting so restless—just a few days ago I was actually too warm wearing a light jacket. But the freezing rain missed us yesterday, so we were lucky there. I’ve never been in a blizzard—be careful, even if you’re outside the warning area you never know for sure what’s going to happen. And if you have to go out to the barn, tie a rope around yourself and tie it to the house. Isn’t that right?
You know, I remember my grandmother telling me something about her getting lost in a blizzard in Nebraska. I can’t remember why she was out trying to get home on foot but I seem to remember that she fell into a drift and didn’t have the strength to get up and that she thought she would die there but by some miracle there was a house right there and someone happened to see her and they came out and saved her. I’ll have to see if my mom remembers anything about that story.
We’re having a very early cold snap in Calaforny. Down to 25 last night. Usually, this doesn’t happen until mid-December.
I am inconveniently confused by the global truthiness.
lol..and here I sit in a still-semi-dry city. It’s a pain in the butt to buy anything harder than beer or wine around here. 
When I lived in Wyoming, every year there was the sad tale of someone who was driving, stopped on the side of the road because of white-out, and either died of carbon monoxide, or the car ran out of gas and they froze to death, or they got out of the car to walk to safety (Darwin Award!)
So yeah, don’t drive.
M
Officially we got half a foot. We went out and drove around. Doesn’t seem to be as bad here as the conditions being reported from Tulsa.
Here’s a photo I just took of a hydrangea plant.
