It was 80 on Wednesday afternoon when we did the December siren testing. Freezing rain/ Ice was already accumulating on my car by 5pm Thursday.
I've got 1+ inches of solid ice (some of it formerly sleet) in my driveway. It happens so rarely, we just aren't prepared for that sort of weather around here in North Texas so, as you've seen on TV, traffic is a mess and I'm stuck indoors for the duration. A shovel won't work. I'd need a pick-axe to clear my driveway, then chop my way another 150 feet down the street just to get to the corner. 30% chance for more sleet or snow today.
With the wintry weather predictions earlier in the week I'd already let people know if it was icy I wouldn't be there. "Oh no," they all proclaimed, "we'll proceed regardless of the weather!" They've since all been cancelled. This includes some volunteer activties for and with the City of Arlington's Christkindle Market, Fort Worth's Jingle Bell Run (since lots of people don't register in advance, they are $100,000 short this year - for an online donation you can "Jingle in Your Jammies" and they will send you a cute T-shirt), Dallas's Marathon and Children's Christmas Parade (I wasn't involved, but they were cancelled none-the-less losing $ for their sponsors as well), and church on Sunday (our special English/Spanish service - we are "nesting" a new Puerto Rican/Hispanic congregation who was going to provide lunch - all moved to moved to next Sunday) . And pretty much every other activity taking place in North Texas was cancelled as well. Starting tomorrow high temps should slowly rise through the 30's, but lows will remain in the teens and 20's until Wednesday. At least one can hope it might warm a bit by then.
Either is is going to be a horribly cold and wicket winter across the country, or spring will arrive before the end of January. Last Christmas we had weather like this - for the first time in 83 years. Maybe this year it will be 75 and gorgeous!
Merry Christmas everyone!
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