Tuesday, February 01, 2011

This is the big one...

...this is the one we've all been waiting for!

OK well maybe we haven't all been waiting for it, but I certainly have.  I've been doing snow dances every time any kind of system moves through our area and this time, it seems to have finally worked!

If you didn't already know, teachers (including student teachers like me) LOVE snow days!!

This is what greeted me on weatherbug dot com a few minutes ago:

BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 PM EST WEDNESDAY


• A Blizzard Warning Means Severe Winter Weather Conditions Are Expected Or Occurring. Falling And Blowing Snow With Strong Winds And Poor Visibilities Are Likely. This Will Lead To Whiteout Conditions...Making Travel Extremely Dangerous. Do Not Travel. If You Must Travel...Have A Winter Survival Kit With You. If You Get Stranded...Stay With Your Vehicle.
Urgent - Winter Weather Message, National Weather Service MI
 

Impacts...

• Heavy Snow...Strong Gusty Winds...And Widespread Blowing And
Drifting Snow Will Make Travel Dangerous Tonight And
Wednesday.

• White-Out Conditions With Visibilities Of One-Quarter Of Mile
Or Less Due To Intense Snowfall And Blowing Snow.

• Quickly Accumulating Snow And Blowing And Drifting Snow Will
Make Roads Very Hard To Clear.

• Untreated Roads Will Become Slippery...Snowpacked...And
Dangerous.

• Heavy Snow And Strong Winds May Cause Power Outages.

Hazardous Weather...

• Snow Will Spread North Into Southeast Michigan Late This
Evening And Become Heavy Overnight Into Wednesday.

• Northeast Winds Will Gust In Excess Of 35 Mph Tonight And
Wednesday Morning...Creating Areas Of Blowing And Drifting
Snow...And Widespread Blizzard Conditions.

• The Heaviest Snow And Strongest Wind Gusts Are Expected To
Coincide Between Midnight Tonight And 10 AM Wednesday.

• Heavy Storm Total Snow Accumulations Between 8 And 12 Inches
Are Expected.

• Wind Chills Are Forecasted To Range Between 0 And 5 Degrees
Below Zero Tonight.


I've also already learned that Eastern Michigan University has closed for tonight and tomorrow, which is VERY rare and the public libraries in our area have all closed for tomorrow.  Obviously my first and most important concern is for everyone to stay safe and warm...and to stay OFF the roads if at all possible.  Bearing that in mind, bring on the snow!  I'm guessing the preschool where I'm currently student teaching will close for two days, based on what my CT and other veterans had to say this morning.  Two days of unexpected time off?  That definitely works for me!!  

I'll be sure and post pictures and updates later, assuming I'm not buried under the white stuff!