Friday, February 13, 2009

We Remember the Blizzard of 2007 & Prepare for Light Snow this Weekend


This is the two year anniversary of the blizzard of 2007 and it will always be a special day for me. I remember February 13th like I would a close friend's birthday. You can see Stanley Knight's car buried in the snow. This blizzard was our s
econd biggest snowstorm of all-time in Lafayette with 17 inches of snow and snow drifts up to 4 feet high. Our weather staff did not go home for 3 days. We had 26 consecutive hours of snow with 5 hours of wind gusts of 35 mph or greater and and 8 hours of visibilities reduced to a quarter mile or less. The official definition of a blizzard is when you have 3 hours of reduced visibilities of a quarter mile or less and/or wind gusts of 35 mph or greater. We met the blizzard criteria and then some. West Point had the highest snow total in the area at 18 inches. Frankfort and WLFI both had 17 inches of snow. Monticello and Brookston checked in with 14 inches of snow while Logansport, Monon, and Remington had 12 inches of snow.

Jackie Vukobratovitch wrote a nice passage to sum up the mood around Lafayette.

Jackie wrote: "There is nothing more beautiful than to see a community come together and help get each other out after this historic storm. Some of my other neighbors went out this morning and started to shovel down the street trying to get people out. They have agreed to go back out when the plow pushes the snow back in our driveways."


Yes we live in a great community and it showed during the snowstorm. Everybody pitched in and helped each other and it is that Hoosier hospitality that always comes through when things get rough.

The horses around the area apparently loved galloping in our biggest snowstorm since 1929. This blizzard was officially our snowiest on record and outdid the blizzard of 1978 when we had 11 inches of snow in Lafayette. Some called it the Valentine's blizzard of 2007 since the snow did not stop into very early in the morning on Valentine's Day. Legend has it that many blizzard babies were born 9 months later. This was the biggest baby boom we had seen since the late 1970s blizzards. No wonder we are building all these new schools. It all goes back to the blizzard. :) This is a storm I will tell my grand kids about. Yes! Our weather team was the first to predict this blizzard and confirm blizzard conditions for the National Weather Service in Indianapolis before they issued the blizzard warning! It will go down as one of the biggest highlights of my meteorological career, especially when people thought we were crazy calling for more than a foot of snow while other media outlets had flurries in the forecast. I will not name any names, but I still have the newspaper in my closet. LOL

Now how much snow is on the way this weekend for our Valentine's Day? I will post the latest maps here for you shortly. It does not look like a big snowstorm that is for sure. So do not cancel any plans. Nature is showing us some love this time around. The bulleye still looks like it stays up near Chicago. A first estimate would be in the one to two inch range for Lafayette and two to three inches along and north of Highway 24. Extreme northern Indiana and Chicagoland I would put in the three to six inch range. This weekend's weather-maker will be a walk in the park compared to what we just experienced that is for sure. Have a nice day and I will see you and talk to you soon. Happy Anniversary Lafayette and an early Happy Valentine's Day! Also tune in tonight for the latest river levels which should be receding by late this afternoon.





17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the pictures. I do hope the snow misses Fulton County. The South Bend stations are only calling for around an inch, maybe two inches in select areas. If we do get snow, I hope the roads remain clear, so travelling does not become an issue.

F/C

Anonymous said...

I am one of those BLIZZARD PARENTS....my daughter was born in November of 2007.....my son in Novmeber of 2006!!!

Look out mid week next week....looks interesting this far out!!

Chris in Tipton

WHAT memories those blizzard pictures bring back!!

Anonymous said...

Morning all....doing housework and going to pick up daughter from school at it is half day....wonder with all the snow and cancellations, why they didn't go full day today and not take Monday off. But oh well...what do you do. She is excited for a three and a half day weekend. It is so pretty out this morning with the sun up and no wind. Little chilly, but not too bad.
Jamie

Anonymous said...

With all the snow and cancellations? HUH?

Richard said...

Chris,
Do you remember the 2 blizzards in 1997 & 1998?
It was alot worse than the blizzard of 2007!

Anonymous said...

Not here! We didn't get the accumulation OR the wind in 97 or 98....or 84! We had a great storm in late Feb of 84....about 10 inches of snow and winds up to 50mph! As far as combinations of snow, cold and wind....1978 statistically ranks #1 and 2007 #2 (for my area....and in my lifetime)

Chris in Tipton

Anonymous said...

By definition....we have only had 3 blizzards that I can find documented in my lifetime....1978, 1981 or 82 - and it was a non event....and 2007....

Chris in Tipton

Anonymous said...

I remember all that snow that was just before I started posting on your Blog Mike. I did read it though!

We was scooping out the neighbors all day! We had to keep it clear. I think we went and scooped them out three times in one day! It was a lot of work but also a lot of fun! I think we was just over 15 inches. somewhere around there.

I will never forget that! I do remember them coming on air and saying this blizzard was more snowfall then 78, However I don't think it was a dangerous for in 78 I have been told there was much higher winds!

Today looks like another good day as we look for the flakes to fly later on late tonight! Have a good one Bloggers and Mike!

Justin.

Anonymous said...

Jamie,half days are great for the students, however,half days are not for teachers, all are attending very important meetings.

Teachers and staff do not get paid for many holidays off, unlike many.. It is well deserved..Teachers and staff
a break as well as the students. So what a couple of make up days..

Hope this helps you to understand.

Anonymous said...

As Mike can attest to ...I LOVE SNOW DAYS!!! You are correct....there is an incredible period of time between Christmas and Spring Break.... surprise days off provide a much needed mental break for EVERYONE. I don't care how we make them up....it is fine with me!

Before people jump on and say how weak teachers must be...or that in the 'real world' people don't get days off for snow...or Spring...etc.....teaching isn't like any other job! It is physical and very mental....and your dealing with many young personalities....which is very fun, but can be exhausting.

Chris in Tipton

Anonymous said...

Chris in Tipton, like your post and yes teaching is exhaustig.

Richard said...

Chris,
I meant the blizzard of 1978. I thought we had blizzards back to back. I did check Indiana blizzards and it list 1978 and nothing else. Could of been a major snowstorm in 1977 or 1979.

Anonymous said...

Pretty pics Mike! nice and calm in Laf. yes!

Anonymous said...

Hey all north of Tipp co. are you getting snow?? by the radars looks like some are getting mod snow

Anonymous said...

just started random frozen pieces. Remington

Anonymous said...

No Snow here in Lafayette. I know some of the radars like Intellicast are showing snow over our area however it is not hitting the ground for there is to much Dry air in place. This is another reason why snowfall will be light and looking for around a half to three quarters of an inch here in the Lafayette area. Maybe the one to two inch range in Remington. Will most likely stay around an inch and a half in the Remington area.

My radar shows what is hitting the ground and Jasper county is seeing some snow as well as Newton and Benton counties. Tippecanoe in still nothing at this time! But we will see snow before to long. Not much but snow non the less. So be careful in the morning.

Mike my current temperature is at 35.4* degrees.

Justin.

Richard said...

Bloggers,
Some have asked me to post photos. I did sign up for blogger and have posted pictures. just click on my name and at near the bottom of the page click on Richards Photography. I am by know means a professional. If you want to leave a comment (in due respect to Mikes blog) please leave it in my photo section in my blog.
I have several more to add so keep checking back.