A Tuesday headline from one of the regional newspapers:
Area Prepared For Last Major Storm
The story explained that regional government services were absolutely prepared for mayhem as they girded their loins to take on the very last snow storm of the season.
I had to shake my head. You don't even have to go back a decade to discover three significant winter storms -- one a legitimate blizzard -- which came in mid- to late-May. I'll not name the newspaper because they're no worse and no better than any other, but they're just terrible when it comes to reporting news. Everything is sensationalized and politicized. Even worse, they're smugly certain that they're the best newspaper there's ever been, and they've got the newspaper association awards to prove it. I remember, back in the day, laughing my head off at the crap propaganda reported in Soviet Bloc "newspapers." I also remember being smugly certain that such a thing could never happen in the U.S.
As it turns out, the storm wasn't much of a storm. It was quite miserable for about 36 hours, with temps in the teens and low twenties and four or so inches of snow blown horizontally by a howling and frigid north wind, but it was no different than any other brisk April snow event in this part of the country over the last 125 years of record keeping, and probably over the last 15,000 years since the end of the last major glaciation.
NDOR did close all the roads, and there's no doubt that there was snow and ice and reduced visibility out there. I suspect that the closure decision was made by people watching the major television news channels though. They have a much clearer view and understanding from New York City.
Yesterday morning as I was going out to Mom and Dad's to check on them I got pulled over by NSP for driving on a closed road. I'm afraid I was a bit of a richard to the trooper. I understand his position, but it was clear that he was far, far more concerned about the possibility of engineering a drug stop (Colorado is a mere 12 miles south on Highway 71) than preventing an accident or even enforcing a stupid and non-necessary road closure. So I lit him up, and when he realized that there's a sick, elderly person in the mix, one relying on my personal care, I suspect his plans for drug bust glory faded a bit. Maybe when he grows up and starts to shave he'll be able to do a better job of thinking. Maybe not.
Nevertheless, I survived it all. The sun is out this morning and although it's still cold (22 degrees) we're supposed to see a warming trend. Spring will continue to be birthed, and it won't be too much longer before I'll be whining about the heat. And the newspapers will be reporting the end of life as we know it.
Modern journalism = a combination of Chicken Little and the boy who cried "wolf!"
ReplyDeleteWeather simply is, it kills you or it doesn't. Since the 24-hour news cycle began every storm is Armageddon and every bad thing is a "crisis."
I wish they'd all grow up. (I've met troopers like the one you describe, a lot of growing up left to do, hopefully he gets there.)
"This is a bomb cyclone!"
Delete"How is that different than an April snow storm?"
It's a bomb cyclone you ignorant fool!"
SMH.
However, I must admit that at times I'm behaving like the grumpy old man I promised never to be!
Evil Weed! Shortly after CO 'legalized' it, I was stopped three times going across Kansas in my car with "Greenie" plates. Bogus stops, but they wanted to check my car. No, not without a warrant. Bring out your dog, I've all the time in the world.
ReplyDeleteMay blizzard? You bet, that is why my studded tires stay on till June.
It's ironic how many in Nebraska law enforcement act as though Colorado is the biggest threat to civilization, and how drug stops are the main reason for having law enforcement.
DeleteYou can always tell the "new" folks around town, they're the ones who plant their garden in April and replant it in June!
April is when Wisconsin gets very impressive snowstorms, and two days later, there is no trace of it ever happening.
ReplyDeleteVery similar here. Some of the wildest blizzards you can imagine come in April, and as the snow melts away the blooming tulips poke through. Now that's spring for ya!
DeleteFrom Fort Collins: this storm was just about THE perfect spring snow storm. Lots of moisture in the snow to give the spring growth a kick in the a$$. The tree leaves & bush foliage just beginning to bud so little if any damage to those types of growing things (I am reminded of those late-spring / early-fall snows that break things and knock them down....)
ReplyDeleteAnd the snow is melting almost faster than it accumulated.
'Course, I am very very glad that I didn't have to go a-drivin' in it!
It was definitely a good storm to watch from inside a nice warm house. Nice moisture as you say and hopefully no damage to tree buds, although three nights of temps in the teens make me worry a bit. But nature is pretty good at the growing stuff, so my worries are usually not well founded.
DeleteWhen I worked at the feed store, we always ordered lots of tomato starts for the early planters... knowing full well they would be back in a month for more starts to replant. Could not get them to realize that the starts weren't going to make it til the soil warmed up.
ReplyDeleteAh, the new kids have a lot to learn about life in the back of beyond, and to be careful around grumpy!
Especially be careful around grumpy! Those youngsters have all that lovely time and youth to learn, something that grumpy lacks, which is at least part of why he's grumpy!
DeleteIt'll be time to get tomatoes in the ground soon. But not too soon.
"I'm afraid I was a bit of a richard to the trooper." I describe people such as that as having ' badgeitis '. Quite often they are cops, but we have one in my town who is the fire chief. " I have a badge and you don't, therefore I can do whatever I wish and you can't." Those with that attitude need to have citizens being Richards to them. ( I didn't capitalize Richards, my computer overseer did, twice. )
ReplyDeleteHappy to read that things continue to go mostly well with you.
Thanks for the post.
Paul L. Quandt
I'm afraid that I do my part from time to time.
DeleteThanks for stopping by and commenting!