Welcome to the Deep Freeze Called Texas

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Nineteen vehicle pileup, one death, and numerous road closings.

 

There are a lot of people on here who think Texas is a tropical paradise. Well, Texas is a BIG state. Down south its a bit warmer. But up here in the frozen tundra called the Texas Panhandle, welcome to reality.

 

 

http://media.amarillo.com/photos/index.php?xml=210

 

http://www.amarillo.com/stories/120908/web_pileup.shtml

 

http://www.amarillo.com/stories/120908/web_roadclose.shtml/B]

Edited December 10, 2008 by tx2sturgis

[Vance]

Those photos are impressive. You guys got clobbered. Brrrrrr.......

[Venturous Randy]

I drove to work this morning in a hard rain and the weather channel says it is 60°. Warmest weather since Oct. But, there is a cold front behind this rain that you are seeing. Friday is to be in the 30's and that is more in line with the 15 to 20° below normal we have seen for a month. We do need the rain here in east Tennessee as we are still in drought mode.

RandyA

[cecdoo]

59 deg. this morning in Pa, too bad its raining!!

[BEER30]

As many years I lived in snowy Alaska , never have seen a pile up like the one they have in Texas . But like they say in Texas , "Everything is BIG in Texas" !

 

 

BEER30

[BoomerCPO]

When we get our 1st snow of the season here I don't go on the road with any vehicle. Folks just refuse to slow down and the pileups are everywhere! So much injury/death just because folks are in a hurry...........can't make any sense of it .

[sdive]

Been down there on the bike when freezing rain and ice hit San Antonio,not nice at all but you could come up here and walk a mile in our moccassins tenps hovering around -20C 2" snow have fallen in the last 2 Day's and temps falling to -30C by the weekend.

 

Ron

[MAINEAC]

Wow that's quite a snowstorm... Here in Maine we call that a "dusting"... Did anyone there ever hear of sand... Last time I was in West Texas that's all I saw was sand... You see if you sprinkle some sand on the roads the cars won't slip as much... Then if you mix a little salt or calcium chloride in the sand it will help melt the ice... Hey Brian you could get in on the ground floor on this...

[CrazyHorse]

Ive driven the panhandle in winter man do you boys get some ice storms being from Northern Illinois I'm used to driving in snow but I gotta admit a panhandle ice storm is scarier.

[nelsonrl]

I am tired of winter, be glad when the weekend gets here.

[MAINEAC]

I am tired of winter, be glad when the weekend gets here.

 

Newsflash Rick... Winter ain't here yet.... On December 21st you can officialy be tired of winter...

[lonestarmedic]

Well, last night Mochalady was throwing snowballs at work. Snow stuck to the tops of the vehicles. This morning it was about 35 when I put the kickstand up and headed to work. It is a lot colder north of San Antonio. A couple degrees colder and even I would have used the truck. Don't like ice patches too well. It will be about 50 by late afternoon. Probably about 45 whe I go home. Tonight it is predicted to drop to freezing. Up where Brian is it gets nasty. Not much snow but a lot of ice type frozen slush. Keep warm y'all - spring will be here sooner or later.

 

JB

[Guest tx2sturgis]

You see if you sprinkle some sand on the roads the cars won't slip as much... Then if you mix a little salt or calcium chloride in the sand it will help melt the ice... Hey Brian you could get in on the ground floor on this...

 

Well the problem is that I-40 is a major Interstate, and it runs thru some long stretches of open country, and the freezing rain combined with the 40 and 50 mph north winds make it a hazard that even sand wont fix. Just that stretch of I-40 that runs between Tucumcari, NM and Amarillo, TX is about 125 miles of east-west highway with nothing out there to block the winds, and since most of the cars and trucks are used to doing 80 mph, its a mess when it gets its first ice storm of the year. The salt and sand trucks just cant keep up. After the storm passes, then the blades and sand trucks can do some effective work.

 

Edited December 10, 2008 by tx2sturgis

[MAINEAC]

Yeah I know... I've been across I-40... I was just jokin around... Hence the Comic Font... I've seen that road get pretty slick during a hard rain after a dry spell... Keep it between the lines Man..

[kevin-vic-b.c.]

Rode the Venture to work today.... it is not sunny and warm.... heated vest....polish the wind screen..... nice cruze to work.... suposed to be sunny this after noon but will be dark for the ride home also... about 48*F for the high today.......

[flb_78]

70 degrees Monday, snow and 29 degrees Tuesday, and an expected high of 60 degrees today with lots of sunshine.

[Aimhigh]

Sure glad we decided on the San Antonio area...I do NOT miss those storms!

[MAINEAC]

I Can't help it... Everytime I hear Tucumcari I think of this song and Lowell George (4/13/45 - 6/29/79) R.I.P. ... I included the lyrics in case anyone wants to sing along at home

 

 

 

 

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrCMlSWlDX8&fmt=18]YouTube - Little Feat - Willin'[/ame]

 

Willin'

 

Lowell George

 

 

I been warped by the rain, driven by the snow

I'm drunk and dirty don't ya know, and I'm still, willin'

Out on the road late at night, Seen my pretty Alice in every head light

Alice, Dallas Alice

 

I've been from Tuscon to Tucumcari

Tehachapi to Tonapah

Driven every kind of rig that's ever been made

Driven the back roads so I wouldn't get weighed

And if you give me: weed, whites, and wine

And you show me a sign

I'll be willin', to be movin'

 

I've been kicked by the wind, robbed by the sleet

Had my head stoved in, but I'm still on my feet and I'm still... willin'

Now I smuggled some smokes and folks from Mexico

Baked by the sun, every time I go to Mexico, and I'm still

 

And I been from Tuscon to Tucumcari

Tehachapi to Tonapah

Driven every kind of rig that's ever been made

Driven the back roads so I wouldn't get weighed

And if you give me: weed, whites, and wine

And you show me a sign

I'll be willin', to be movin

[timgray]

Been down there on the bike when freezing rain and ice hit San Antonio,not nice at all but you could come up here and walk a mile in our moccassins tenps hovering around -20C 2" snow have fallen in the last 2 Day's and temps falling to -30C by the weekend.

 

Ron

 

I have 18-22 inches of snow on the ground here. It has not stopped snowing for a week now. we typically get from 49-60 inches of snow by the end of the winter. Then my friends in Marquette,MI they typically get 12 feet or more.

 

Having a giant lake next to you feeding the snow machine from November to April just does not help. That said, most everyone here can drive a compact car through 1 foot of snow easily. we get at least 4 ice storms a year, I guess we are really used to it. I just wish it was still legal to run studded tires.

[hipshot]

HIGH. here yesterday was 75*F.

low tonight is forecast to be middle 20's,low tomorrow night 33*!

Rick, i'll be glad when the weekend gets here, TOO!

lol

just jt:backinmyday:

[Squidley]

Those are some ugly pics....can't go slow enough with some of them storms. Fortunately for you folks, it will be melted in a few days....we'll have ours for 4 months

[BuddyRich]

Few days, Heck Brad, It was gone in couple of hours this morning.

 

:rotf:

[Squidley]

Few days, Heck Brad, It was gone in couple of hours this morning.

 

:rotf:

 

 

You sure know how to hurt a guy deep Buddy

[Kregerdoodle]

It is Snowing in Waller,tx today... man, I moved from Montana to Texas to get away from this!!! But like they say, it will be close to 70 in a few days...

[Schlepporello]

70 degrees Monday, snow and 29 degrees Tuesday, and an expected high of 60 degrees today with lots of sunshine.

At least we're warming up for a little while. I'm gonna try to take the day off tomorrow. Might try to ride the bike a bit.