It's Been a Slow Start

Weather has been fickle.  Here we are on April 14, and really only one marginal severe thunderstorm warning that crashed and burned slowly after being issued.  Last week came a group of storms that woke everyone up, then turned to sleet and ice.

We are still in the clutches of a winter that won't go away, but everything is starting to turn green.  Storms are expected today in front of a cold front, we will see what happens.

Ice and Lightning

The first big stormy week of chase season was a bust. Storms either didn't show up or turned into ice spewing monsters. The following photos were taken today in the Wichita area after a half inch glaze.

Snow day IV: A New Hope

Went to bed last night knowing we were getting snow, just unaware that at one point it became thundersnow and the front stalled out overhead.  We received somewhere in the 6-7" range depending on where you live. Luckily, only about four inches stuck to the driveway this morning.  Roads are a little slick but should clear up since the sun is out.

Lollipop 

Infrared shot IR950. Not sure why the band is there. 

Similar shot without infrared

Snow blown through the lattice 

Snow

Last week gave us the #2 snowstorm in Wichita history.  The record was 15" in 1962, last Wednesday into Friday storm dumped 14.2".  That was Q, then Randy, his irritating cousin, showed up yesterday.  This prompted the Wichita area to go into Snowmageddon  mode.  No fistfights, but rows of empty grocery shelves.  Those that bet on Zombies for the end of the world lost out, you can't shoot snowflakes.

Luckily, with the Weather Channel in town, Randy turned out to be a little bit of a bore.  Projections of upwards to 15 to 18" have turned into maybe 4" to 7" by morning.  Wichita schools are on their fourth day of being closed.

Infrared taken a couple days before Q

Spotted my first cardinals of the near spring

Macro of snow on seat cushion. 

Meet Luthur the Weather Dog.  Yes, he's a pup and wondering what this white stuff is.

Learn to Swim

Snowmaggedon Warning 2011

Massive snow and ice storm affecting middle America at the moment.  We dodged the big ice and most of the snow but the current temp is 4 degrees with a -20 wind chill. 

Fail.

My snow trolls failed me.  While up on the roof manically yelling "Minion's more ice!" They decided to hitch a ride Northeast and laugh all the way.

Now my snowman looks hungry, and sad.

Frozen Fog 1/12/2010

Luckily, it wasn't slick.

The frost stayed until around 2pm when the sun finally came out.

Come to the land of the ice and snow . . .

Went Tornado chasing on Monday, on Friday they sent us home from work to avoid another Kansas apocalyptical snow/ice storm. I’m not sure how much ice accumulation we received as sleet or ice or rain.

I think my neighbor has a magic yard, or she went out and mowed it late in the afternoon.

There is a little thing I learned about living in a small town outside of a big city. When the lights flicker, and you can still hear the steady tink of ice/sleet hitting the windows, get ready because the opera is about to start.

We lost power around midnight.

We fled early Saturday morning to my brother-in-laws and hunkered down for the snowstorm. I hate being an ice refugee, but I love his fireplace. Luckily, the power was restored by 6pm. Yeah, Kansas Linemen. You rock.



We had an impressive snow for this late in the season. All together the National Weather Service said 6.8 inches of snow for the Kechi area. Seemed about one inch of that was ice.

As typical for Kansas by late afternoon the weather had changed again. Sun was out, the streets were (for the most part) cleared, and ice was falling off of roofs looking for victims.