Ice Storms in the US; NA Hit Hard by Snow

by amyjudd | December 17, 2008 at 10:08 am

1159 views | 19 Recommendations | 17 comments

School closures are happening across the US and Canada today as a cold front moves in again and hits areas with snow, freezing rain, and even ice storms.

Central Illinois might get hit by an ice storm later today, and a Winter Storm Watch is in effect for most of the country, meaning significant snow fall, sleet and ice accumulations will make travel really difficult.

The National Weather Service office in Lincoln is already heading caution by posting a Winter Storm Watch that will go into effect from Thursday afternoon through late Thursday night. Counties in the watch area include: Knox, Stark, Peoria, Marshall, Woodford, Fulton, Tazewell, and McLean. Freezing rain is expected to develop across the watch area Thursday.

Connecticut will get a mix of freezing rain and snow today, and some schools have been closed, but roads right now are clear and there are many trucks out plowing the roads.

Planes have been grounded at some airports across the US. Schools have been closed in Kentucky, Arkansas, Tennessee and Illinois, as some areas have received half a foot of snow.
Around 300 flights were cancelled at Chicago's O'Hare Airport, and highways have been shut down in Texas because they were too slippery to drive on.

There were similar problems in Oklahoma, where a glaze of ice gave surfaces a beautiful sheen - except on the roads, which became treacherous.

More than 20 centimetres of snow was expected in Washington state, from north of Seattle to the B.C. border. Some places in higher elevations got up to 2 feet.

Adding to the misery was the cold, as temperatures plunged to -35C in northern Minnesota - without the wind chill.

New England is getting the worse of the winter weather and about 106,000 people are without power in New Hampshire, and 7,800 are without power in Maine. About 70,000 people haven't had power in Massachusetts in days now.
Twenty deaths are being blamed on the winter storms so far.
Up in Canada, snow is falling in Vancouver, and a weather warning has been issued. Buses are having trouble driving here, and in Toronto they had their first major commute through the snow this morning when about 10 centimetres fell overnight.
A weather warning has also been issued for Windsor, Ontario.

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drosen7900

at 12:01 on December 17th, 2008

Unusually cold weather and snow in Vancouver BC

drosen7900 has contributed a photo to this story.

mostsmartist

at 12:20 on December 17th, 2008

This is crazy - It's also telling and important to note that the picture entitled 'Grizzly Peak' in the above album was taken in Oakland, CALIFORNIA. Elevation 1600 feet on the West Coast!

Cold across the nation, indeed.

Doug Eye

at 12:43 on December 17th, 2008

The stage was set for a major snow storm but the cold front did not arrive soon enough. A lot of rain fell and froze. Power outages across Southern VT and much of NH.

Doug Eye has contributed a photo to this story.

Deep Orbit

at 13:15 on December 17th, 2008

These are my kids playing in the snow in Palmdale, California.

Deep Orbit has contributed a photo to this story.

aspenbreezes

at 13:35 on December 17th, 2008

This buck was hiding in the woods near Ridgway, CO. He allowed me to follow him back into the snow covered forest and posed for this photo!

aspenbreezes has contributed a photo to this story.

mountainbeliever

at 14:40 on December 17th, 2008

Hello Aspenbreezes! I noticed you are in Ridgeway...we are in Durango, so I wanted to say hello! I believe you are getting it much more than we are? We have about 12-15 inches now, with more on the way...hope you are staying warm and cozy! Merry Christmas from a fellow Coloradan!!

mountainbeliever

at 14:33 on December 17th, 2008

We are getting hit here in southwest Colorado, this is about day three now! But we are not getting hit nearly like other parts of the country...I hope everyone is being safe and staying warm!

jimisurf

at 14:49 on December 17th, 2008

This photo was taken after 5cm in Kitsilano. Vancouver now we have 5cm more!

jimisurf has contributed a photo to this story.

squint left eye

at 16:25 on December 17th, 2008

First snow in Greenville, CA. What we like to call "a dusting."

squint left eye has contributed a photo to this story.

Blue Crush

at 18:12 on December 17th, 2008

Great pics! Toronto's not bad at all. We'll get the worst of it on Friday.

timkimoreo

at 08:30 on December 18th, 2008

I TOOK THIS PICTURE WHILE ON A SNOW ROAD TRIP. WE DIDNT GET ANY SNOW IN FLEMING COUNTY KENTUCKY, BUT WE KNEW THAT ABOUT 20 MILES SOUTH OF HERE GOT ABOUT 5 INCHES. MY HUSBAND AND I LOVE ROAD TRIPS JUST TO GO SEE WHAT WE CAN FIND. THE FIRST TIME WE PASSED THIS HORSE, HE WAS UP AND EATING; THE 2ND TIME HE DECIDED TO LAY DOWN TO GET WARM, I WAS ABLE TO CAPTURE THIS SHOT. I JUST WISH THE SNOWY WEEDS HADNT GOT IN THE WAY. IT WAS A GREAT PHTOGRAPHERS DREAM, LOTS OF SNOW PICTURES- FEATURED IN FLICKR. KIM H.

timkimoreo has contributed a photo to this story.