Liveblogging the Great Christmas Storm of 2009

Wed - 15:40:
No snow yet.
Wed - 15:55:
Flurries, a little wind.
Wed - 17:01:
Roads are being glazed, numerous accidents reported.
Wed - 18:08:
Going out to check out the weather, buy ingredients for hot dish. And replacement cookies : (
Wed - 19:30 (32F):
Ack.... I lost an entry. I'll reconstruct it here.
Going out to the the store, there was no visible snow, just a light slushy breeze. Leaving the store with the hot dish ingredients, the air was full of snow and the storm was in progress.
Wed - 20:43 (28.4F):
It has been snowing steadily, not heavily, icy crystals rather than big flakes (mostly) and we have about 1.5 inches on the ground.
Wed - 21:53 (27.8):
Snow largely slacked off, still about 1.5 inches on the ground.
Thu - 08:51
A few inches of snow fell overnight. Roads are bad but few people are out. The main storm is not expected until mid day through tomorrow AM. But people interviewed on the news are already writing the storm off as nothing and noting that "This is Minnesota" and "They got more snow in DC" and so on, exactly as in this essay. We'll see.
Thu - 12:58
Just got back from a drive to Roseville and back. The road conditions are of the type that make people say "Ok, the roads are fine" and people were going the speed limit.

That includes the moron in the pontiac who spun out through the major intersection just off Route 10 because he tried to stop for ar ed light.

It also incudes the two people taken away by ambulance from the pickup truck that was crumpled like so much scrap paper by the 88 thousand pound plow truck. At least the gas tanker that was also involved in the accident did not explode. But the 12 troopers and deputies that are now investigating the accident will not be available for other needs for the rest of the afternoon. The five firetrucks on the scene will probabl be freed up shortly, though.

(With that many troopers on scene it is a reasonable guess that this was a death accident.)

Thu - 19:20 (32F)
Over the last hour (while we were out in the car) conditions changed from sprinkles to heavy snow. There's maybe six inches on the ground (in some places 8) and The Storm is starting just now. We covered about 20 miles on the highway and saw only one car spun into the ditch. Most people are driving pretty safely except t hat one guy in the pickup.

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Commentary on Minnesota storms.

Current forecast.

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The Weather Channel does say this storm could possibly maybe be comparable to THE GREAT HALLOWEEN BLIZZARD OF 1991. I'm interested to find out how the live-blogging escalates, over the next couple days...

I'll actually be paying attention to this. I have a flight into MSP tomorrow, which I am hoping is not canceled.

I promise not to be smug. Last year at this time I was in day 11 (of 13) of being snowed/iced in -- in the suburbs of Portland, Oregon, for cryin' out loud. This year we are enjoying a normal weather year: gray skies, a few showers, a little frost in the AM.

Really, though, I do feel sorry for the many people who are battling adverse weather as they try to get home for the holidays.

Sam, good luck with that. I'm about 28 miles north of the airport, up-gradient on snowfall amounts for this storm.

I recommend not being out and about tomorrow! The next day might be fine.