Ice Storm 2013

Post date: Jan 9, 2014 12:47:23 AM

Finally. Is finally the right word? We got to experience our first major Ice Storm of our adult lives. Inch of ice, power on and off for days, state shut down for a weekend.No, finally isn't the right word. We all have memories of "That" major ice storm from years past. Where the community shuts down for days, inches of ice devoured trees, and the constant noise of branches crashing to earth is relentless. Almost like a shotgun followed by shattering crystal. For Mike the memory was from 1991 when one of New York's most devastating winter storms left 2" of ice followed by 2-3" of heavy, wet snow. The storm lasted less than 12 hours but shut down Western NY for a week.

Michelle's memory is of "The Great Ice Storm", when in 1998 a series of smaller, daily ice storms pelted New England. After 5 days of freezing rain, snow and more freezing rain much of New England was covered with 2-4" of heavy ice. The storm shutdown major municipalities for a week and small towns for three or more weeks.Well, our recent ice storm was not anywhere close to those. It started with 24hours of straight rain at freezing temperatures. The next morning we awoke to an inch or more of ice covering everything. Walking around the next morning we could hear the shattering trees branches falling to earth. The one saving grace was that there was no wind for 4days following the storm! This gave trees the chance to shed the ice.

Now, the ice storm happened just before Christmas followed by a snow storm just after Christmas. The trees and road crews had 48 hours to clear the ice and snow before the state fell into a winter freeze like you wouldn't believe. It was so cold for new years that the news stations posted clocks in the bottom corner of the screen showing "Hours since zero". One night we had -6 then -12, -14 and then -20! The days were a balmy -3 or colder!

As I sit writing this post the temperature has climbed to a balmy 14 (I know! 35degrees warmer than last night) with 28MPH winds!