Tag Archives: Snow Storm

Rare July Snowfall Hits Rockies

The National Weather Service (NWS) says ‘this pattern should not happen in July.”

The pattern? A weather front that brought several inches of snow to elevations over 8,000 feet in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho.

The NWS also said the front was bringing the “windiest July day ever” to the region.

“In my 27 years as the chief meteorologist for KXLF/KBZK, I have only reported a few times that snow is falling in SW Montana in July,” Mike Heard, a television meteorologist for the affiliate serving Bozeman and southwest Montana, told the Washington Post. “Today [Monday] is one of those days.”

The weather system was a combination of moisture and cold air from Alaska and Canada that stalled over the region. The NWS says those weather patterns usually do not appear until late August or early September.

The famed Jackson Hole, Wyoming ski resort said they had over an inch of snow and farmers throughout the region had to scramble to cover crops. Other resorts reported a mix of rain and snow depending on the elevation.

“This morning it was snowing right where the ski lifts start and all the way up the mountain,” said Tom Conway, assistant golf pro at Big Sky Resort south of Bozeman. “At our elevation on the golf course, about 6,500 feet, it was raining. But at 9,000 feet there was about an inch or two of accumulation.”

“We’ve covered our melons and cukes and closed the greenhouses. We are saying to the fruits and veggies, ‘Stay warm, everybody,'” Jessica McAleese, co-owner of Swift River Farm said to Yahoo.

Baby Of Stranded Couple Delivered During Buffalo Snowstorm

The parents of a baby girl in Buffalo are praising God for sending who they called “two angels” after the massive snowstorms stranded them before they could reach a hospital.

Bethany and Jared Hojnacki tried to rush to a hospital when Bethany went into labor early Tuesday morning.  She and her husband ended up stranded on the highway when the snow became too heavy.

The couple ended up being stranded near a woman who was a labor and delivery nurse.  Jared told CNN the nurse stayed with his wife throughout her labor and delivered the baby girl at a nearby firehouse.

Stranded at the firehouse was a maternity nurse who was able to take care of the new baby.

“It was kind of incredible,” Hojnacki said on Wednesday. “God really put the people who needed to be in the right spot for us at the right time.”

The baby was named Lucy Grace Johnacki.

Seven Dead From Great Lakes Storm

At least seven people are confirmed dead from the massive snowstorm that slammed several Great Lakes states.

The storm has dumped massive amounts of snow on New York including six feet of snow on the Buffalo area.  A state of emergency exists for 10 counties in New York.

“This storm is an extraordinarily difficult situation, with snowfall that may break records. We are prepared, but we need residents to stay off the roads so that first responders can do their work and keep people safe,” New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo said.

“Although the sun may be shining, we are using this opening to clear roads before the snow begins falling again. This is an opportunity to be a good neighbor and check on your fellow New Yorkers to see if they need assistance, but I urge everyone to stay off the road.”

One of the deaths was a 46-year-old man found inside a buried car. A Pennsylvania man was killed when a high lift attempting to free the man’s car ended up pinning him to the car.

Forecasters say that another two to three feet of snow could hit the Buffalo area.

Snowstorm Leaves 135,000 Without Power

The first major snowstorm of the season struck Maine Sunday night leaving over 135,000 without power.

The National Weather Service said that Bangor, Maine received 12 inches of snow before the storm weakened and some outlying areas reported more than a foot.  A Portland television station reported they passed a foot by 5:30 p.m.

Heavy snow and gusty winds combined to bring down trees, snapping power lines and in some cases poles.  Roads across Bangor were closed because of the downed lines blocking major roadways.

Power officials hope to have all the darkened customers back on by Wednesday.

“The utility placed extra crews on standby for the weekend in anticipation of the storm,” Emera spokesman Bob Potts said in a news release. “They will remain in the field addressing problems and working to restore service to customers as safely and quickly as possible.”

Emera had 57,000 customers without power in their region.

Forecasters say the temperatures will rise into the 50s by midweek so the snow will quickly disappear.

Idaho Families Walk 19 Miles In Cold

A fun outing for two Idaho fathers and their children turned into a nightmare when their SUV ended up stuck in the snow.

The men and their children ended up walking 19 miles in the bitter cold for nine hours to reach help.

Will Murkle and his 10-year-old daughter Megun were traveling with John Julian and his 8-year-old daughter Samantha and 7-year-old son Isaac when they realized they had no cellphone service or supplies after the accident.

The group said they sang songs to try and pass the time during the hike and would huddle together for warmth.  They said the only time they really became scared was around midnight when they found fresh wolf tracks in the snow along their path.

“We could tell wolves had been in the area recently,” Murkle told ABC.   The group ended up not encountering any wolves.

The fathers said they promised the children cheeseburgers, hot chocolate, fries and soda after the walk was over.

10-year-old Megun said she won’t be leaving the house again without an extra blanket, sleeping bags, food and water.

Massive snowstorm shuts down Jerusalem

Heavy storms continued throughout Israel on Friday, causing traffic disruptions and power outages across the country, floods in southern regions, a brief closure of Ben-Gurion International Airport, and a measure of excitement among the nation’s many snow-lovers.

Thousands of people in and around Jerusalem were left without power. A hastily assembled array of relief services, beefed up by Israeli army troops, came to the aid of hundreds of motorists who were trapped in their vehicles, some for up to 10 hours.

Speaking on the radio, Jerusalem mayor Nir Barkat described the snowstorm as a “tsunami,” for which the municipality was unprepared. The city set up several improvised snow-havens, granting shelter to hundreds of the snowed-in masses, many of whom had come to the capital to celebrate what is usually a much less torrid event.

Roads to and from Jerusalem were closed Thursday night and school there was cancelled for Friday as the heaviest December storm since 1953 fell on the capital city.

Source: Haaretz – Massive snowstorm shuts down Jerusalem

Historic snow storm slams Israel and neighboring countries

The biggest December snow and rain storm in the modern history of Israel and the Palestinian territories hit on Wednesday night. Now a storm three times worse is bearing down on the epicenter.

For the many of the kids of Jerusalem, the storm has been much fun. Building snow men. Having snow ball fights. Sledding. Walking through and playing in the cold white stuff they rarely experience. Continue reading →

Winter Storm Death Toll Rises To 11

The major storm making its way across the U.S. is now officially blamed for 11 deaths as it bears down on the East Coast in sync with Thanksgiving travel times.

Over half the deaths are in Texas with most released to ice covered roads. One woman was killed when a tree weighed down by ice fell onto her car.

The National Weather Service has issued winter storm warnings for large parts of the eastern United States through Wednesday afternoon. Forecasters predict big delays at some of the nation’s largest airports – New York, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Boston and Charlotte, North Carolina – are very likely.

Thanksgiving is one of the peak travel times of the year. Airlines for America, the industry’s lobbying group, say this year could see the most air travellers since 2007 with an estimated 2.56 million passengers. AAA estimates as many as 39 million people will be traveling by car Wednesday and Thursday.

The storm is expected to bring heavy rain to the south that could cause delays at southern airports like Atlanta.