Yes, the Moon Did Look Really Big

"Spectacular 'Supermoon' Wows Skywatchers Around the World"
Tariq Malik, SPACE.com Managing Editor, SPACE.com (May 6, 2012)

"The biggest full moon of the year, a so-called "supermoon," rose into the night sky Saturday to the delight of skywatchers around the world, who captured the lunar sight in dazzling amateur astronomy photos.

"Because of a fluke of orbital timing, the full moon of May peaked late Saturday just as the moon was passing its perigee, the closest point to Earth of its orbit. The result was the biggest full moon of the year, which NASA and other scientists nicknamed the supermoon of 2012.

"In Amman, Jordan, the bright moon amazed skywatcher Carra Almond of Canton, N.C., who is currently living in Jordan with her husband. Almond said the moon was a captivating sight from her apartment balcony. Her photo shows a crystal clear moon shining bright against a black night sky. [Supermoon 2012 Photos from Around the World]..."


(Imelda Joson and Edwin Aguirre, via SPACE.com, used w/o permission)
"Veteran astrophotographers Imelda Joson and Edwin Aguirre captured this view of the supermoon of 2012, the full moon of May, on May 5, 2012, from Woburn, Mass."

The Lemming missed the 'supermoon.' Here in central Minnesota, the sky was overcast yesterday. Occasionally the clouds wrung themselves out, and there's a rumor that blue sky was visible around mid-afternoon. Which would have been a really bad time for trying to see that whacking great moon.

Not that the moon really was bigger: Like the SPACE.com article said, it looked bigger because the moon was at its closest approach to Earth in its orbit, right about when it was full.

One of the "Supermoon 2012 Photos from Around the World" caught the Lemming's eye:

"Supermoon 2012 in Manchester, Wash.: Tonya Traylor"

(Tonya Traylor, via SPACE.com, used w/o permission)
"The supermoon of 2012 shines bright in a cloud-spattered sky in this view from skywatcher Tonya Traylor from Manchester, Wash., on May 5, 2012. "

That was a happy coincidence of moon, cloud, camera: and someone ready to capture an image.

One more thing: the "around the world" pictures include an infographic that shows just how much bigger than normal the moon looked. Or would have looked, if the Lemming's home hadn't been under a soggy blanket. Oh, well: at least the tornado missed us. And that's another topic.

Related (sort of) posts:

• "NASA's Six-Legged Roving Lunar Base"
  (August 19, 2010)
• "Farms: On the Moon? Quite Likely"
  (July 29, 2010)
• "A Hole in the Ground! Big Deal? It's on the Moon"
  (January 2, 2010)
• "Blue Moon, Lunacy, the Dark Side of the Moon, and More"
  (January 1, 2010)
• "The Moon, Cheese, Aristotle, and What We've Known"
  (October 5, 2009)

Lemming Tracks: Northeast Storm, New York City, and All That

"In Central Park, Snow That Collected on Still-Leafy Branches Fells Even Hardy Trees"
Matt Flegenheimer, The New York Times (October 30, 2011)

"The storm struck trees of all ages and sizes in Central Park: oaks and elms outside the boathouse, birches and dogwoods near Belvedere Castle, magnolias and mulberries beside the obelisk.

"The damage was spread across about half of Central Park’s 840 acres, making it the worst devastation that Douglas Blonsky, president of the Central Park Conservancy, had seen in his 27 years there.

"In all, as many as 1,000 of the park’s trees may be lost to the freak October snowstorm; in contrast, Tropical Storm Irene — which work crews only recently finished cleaning up after — cost the park 125 trees...."

Meanwhile, North of Manhattan - - -

"Governor Declares State Of Emergency"
Hartford Courant (October 30, 2011)

"The rare October snowstorm that smacked the state this weekend eclipsed tropical storm Irene in power outages, leaving as many as 884,000 customers without electricity and resulting in dire estimates that it may take more than a week for many to have their service restored...."

"Police report 2nd death in Conn. due to Oct. storm"
Associated Press, via 7online.com (October 31, 2011)

"State police report a second death in Connecticut related to the weekend's rare October snowstorm.

"Spokesman Lt. Paul Vance tells WFSB-TV that the fatality occurred due to a crash on Interstate 91 in the Hartford area. No details were available Monday morning.

"One person was killed Saturday in a crash on Route 85 in Colchester.

"Connecticut Light and Power reported Monday that about 751,000 customers were without power, down from more than 830,000....

"...The utility says it has more than 300 crews working to restore power and plans to add 450 crews from out of state. Spokesman Al Lara told Fox Connecticut News that downed trees are slowing the work.

"The United Illuminating Co. reported about 8,600 customers without electricity and has said it expects to restore power to all customers by Monday night.

"The power outages shattered the record for a single event that was set when the remnants of Hurricane Irene hit in August. It may take more than a week to restore power to everyone, Connecticut Light & Power said....

"...The storm smashed a record for October snowfall in Connecticut, dropping 12.3 inches Saturday at Bradley International Airport, said Charlie Foley, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Taunton, Mass...."

This sounds like a genuinely serious storm. A little over a foot of snow isn't all that much, here in central Minnesota: and Connecticut has noticeable winter weather, too. But in October? That's a lot of snow. Particularly, the Lemming understands, since leaves were still on many or most trees: letting snow accumulate on the branches, which eventually snapped off.

As for what this 'really means?' The Lemming has opined on that sort of thing before.

Somewhat-related posts:

• "Lemming Tracks: Sauk Centre Storm and the Lemming"
  (July 13, 2011)
• "Heavy Weather Weekend"
  (May 22, 2011)
• "North Dakota Winter Storm Wimps Out: Only a Foot of Snow"
  (March 22, 2011)
• "Blizzard, Cold, and Walking in to Fetch the Tractor"
  (January 31, 2011)
• The Lemming opines on the 'meaning' of storms
  • "Lemming Tracks: Hurricane Irene and Getting a Grip"
    (August 26, 2011)
  • "Arizona Dust Storm: THIS MAY BE THE END OF CIVILIZATION AS WE KNOW IT!!!!! - or, not"
    (July 6, 2011)

Lemming Tracks: Hurricane Irene and Getting a Grip

Hurricane Irene's wind and rain are hitting North Carolina. Massachusetts got declared a disaster area by the President - and the storm isn't even there yet. New York City authorities are evacuating the city: low-lying parts, anyway.

This is going to be an interesting weekend. The Lemming put links to a few news items under - what else? - "In the news," near the end of this post.

Disaster Declaration: Before the Storm Hits?

Irene is a very real hurricane, and evacuating low-lying areas of New York City could save lives. Even that disaster area declaration - before the storm hits - isn't as daft as it might seem. It's a way to make the state "eligible for federal funds to help in cleanup and other needs." (boston.com) Right now, odds are that Massachusetts will have a lot of cleaning to do.

As far as I know, we didn't get that kind of outside help after last month's storm pulled up trees here in Sauk Centre, Minnesota. But there's a lot of city folks in Massachusetts: and they could probably use all the help they can get.

"Things Fall Apart"

Folks getting tense about current events is nothing new:

"...Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world...."
("The Second Coming," W. B. Yeats, via Poets.org)

That was published a little after WWI - which seems to have shaken up a lot of folks. Understandably, in the Lemming's opinion. Since then, we've had another 'war to end all wars,' Vietnam, and Disco. And yet, somehow, humanity is still here.

So far.

If you believe what you see in the movies, killer solar neutrinos from outer space will blow up the Earth next year. But it won't matter, since we're all really living in an scheming computer's virtual reality.

Finding Fault, Getting a Grip

The Lemming's gotten used to dire predictions: secular and otherwise. Taking pages from several playbooks, here are a few 'reasons' why Hurricane Irene is threatening to trash parts of America's east coast. Remember, the Lemming doesn't believe any of this:

• Hurricane Irene is the fault of
  • Heartless industrialists
    • Who are destroying Earth's climate
      • With hair spray
  • A secret armada of commie cloud-seeding planes
    • No mention of the artificial origins of Irene is in the news
      • Which proves there's a conspiracy
• New York City is threatened because
  • They voted for
    • Obama
    • Bush
  • They're wicked sinners
  • The end of the world is at hand
    • Preacher Bob Bombast says so
    • Anonymous experts say so

The 'secret armada' story might have found traction a few decades back.

The storm that flushed a residential area away 'just happened' to have been near a cloud-seeding experiment. Survivors sued the Institute of Atmospheric Sciences. The Institute said it was pure coincidence: and a judge agreed.

Win in Court; Lose Public Support

Maybe the IAS - and victims of the storm - were involved in a wild coincidence. In a way, winning the lawsuit was an empty victory for the weather modification researchers.

Enthusiasm for weather modification experiments waned after the 1972 storm - and the Lemming doesn't think that's a coincidence. Too many folks where too uneasy, and weren't willing to risk more lives.

B-Movie Divine Retribution?

About commies fiddling with Hurricane Irene, or the storm being a sort of B-movie divine retribution? The Lemming doesn't think so. 'End of the world' predictions, secular and otherwise, make nifty stories - and that's about it. The Lemming's posted about apocalyptic angst before:

• "Apocalypse Whenever"
  A Catholic Citizen in America (June 14, 2011)
• "Lemming Tracks: Blasphemy! Or, 'We're All Gonna Die' Predictions That Fizzled"
  (December 30, 2010)

Ending on a serious note, Hurricane Irene is a serious storm: and will almost certainly continue to be, whether it ends by setting new records or not. What's important right now is getting ready, in the case of folks who still have a few hours to work with; or staying out of the way of rain, floods, lightning, and flying debris.

Related posts:

• Storms, a quake, and a duck
  
  • "Irene, New York City, and Altruism as Enlightened Self-Interest"
    A Catholic Citizen in America (August 26, 2011)
  • "Arizona Dust Storm: THIS MAY BE THE END OF CIVILIZATION AS WE KNOW IT!!!!! - or, not"
    (July 6, 2011)
  • "Japan, Good Taste, Common Sense, and a Duck"
    A Catholic Citizen in America (March 15, 2011)
  • "Midwest Blizzard: Dome's Down; Next Stop, East Coast"
    (December 12, 2010)
  • "Tornadoes in New York City: No Joke"
    (September 18, 2010)
  • "One More Thing: A Hurricane's Coming to the American Northeast"
    (September 3, 2010)
• 'And we're all gonna die?'
  • " 'Cancer Causes Cell Phones!' - or, not"
    (July 18, 2011)
  • "Lemming Tracks: Soap Operas and the End of Civilization As We Know It"
    (April 20, 2011)
  • "Lemming Tracks: Climate Change is the New Global Warming?"
    (December 6, 2010)
  • "Global Warming, End Times - 'We're All Gonna Die' Over the Last 45 Years Or So"
    A Catholic Citizen in America (October 3, 2009)
  • " 'My Mind's Made Up: Don't Confuse Me With the Facts' "
    (March 3, 2008)

In the news:

• "Obama declares emergency for Mass. ahead of Irene"
  boston.com (August 27, 2011)
• "North Carolina Catholics prepare for Hurricane Irene's wake"
  Kevin J. Jones, CNA (Catholic News Agency) (August 26, 2011)
• "Hurricane Irene: Heavy rains, wind begin to lash N.C. coast"
  Los Angeles Times (August 26, 2011)
• "Stocks eye perfect storm of Irene and jobs"
  Reuters (August 27, 2011)
• "Hurricane Irene: Obama warns of 'historic' storm"
  BBC News US & Canada (August 26, 2011)
• "Hurricane Irene: New York issues evacuation orders"
  BBC News US & Canada (August 26, 2011)

Background:

• "Hurricane Preparedness"
  National Hurricane Center, NOAA
• "Frequently Asked Questions"
  Hurricane Research Division, NOAA
• "Most Extreme Cyclones"
  Hurricane Research Division, NOAA

Sinclair Lewis Days Parade - Webcam, Weather, and All That

"Sinclair Lewis Days Parade: July 18, 2009"
A Sauk Centre Journal Realreel
video, 3:44

This is blatant self-promotion by the Lemming. And, possibly, your best bet for seeing at least part of a Sinclair Lewis Days parade this year, in comfort. Even if you live in Sauk Centre, or are visiting for the festivities.

As an alternative to that short video of the 2009 parade, you could check out this eye-on-the street webcam in Sauk Centre, right on this year's parade route, provided by - you guessed it - the Lemming:

Small Town America: Minnesota

Just one downside about Small Town America: Minnesota - there isn't any sound.

Dropping the Editorial 'We' -

My video feed supports audio - but I haven't figured out how to get a microphone outside the window - and keep the thing in working order. I may use the inside mike, and give a sort of 'color commentary,' in the tradition of those televised Macy's Thanksgiving Day parades.

Or, I may think better of it.

When? Sauk Centre's Sinclair Lewis Days parade is scheduled for "7pm on Saturday July 16th," on the Sauk Centre Chamber of Commerce website.

I'm lucky, in a way - the parade route was moved away from this end of town a few years ago. Which was, for most folks, an improvement. The reason it's back in its old path is the Minnesota government shutdown. I understand that, since the state services are gone - temporarily, I trust - we "can't" close Highway 71 for the parade.

I'm pretty sure local law enforcement could handle the situation: My guess is that it's more a case of we aren't allowed to close Highway 71.

The Weather - Good News, Bad News

First, the good news.

Right now, it looks like we probably won't have another storm tomorrow evening. Not even rain.

Now, the bad news.

There's a heat advisory out for this part of the state - effective through Wednesday Evening. Todd county, just north of us, is one of the few counties around here that's not in the advisory - so we may get away with merely oppressive heat.

That's not good news for folks in the parade - or watching it. Oh, well: It could be worse.

Part of the Advisory

"Statement as of 3:46 PM CDT on July 15, 2011

"... Excessive heat watch remains in effect from Saturday afternoon
through Wednesday evening...

"An excessive heat watch remains in effect from Saturday afternoon
through Wednesday evening.

"* Temperature... afternoon highs in the low to mid 90s with low
temperatures in the mid to upper 70s

"* heat index... 105 to 110 degrees in the afternoon and early
evening...."
(via wunderground.com)

Vaguely-related posts:

• "Lemming Tracks: Sauk Centre Storm and the Lemming"
  (July 13, 2011)
• "Lemming Tracks: The Lemming Gets Transparent"
  (April 18, 2011)
• "New York City Blizzard, New Jersey Common Sense, and Central Minnesota Routines"
  (December 28, 2010)
• "Repairing Violins in Small Town America: This One's Personal"
  (December 21, 2010)
• "Another Tornado Warning: Second This Week"
  (July 17, 2010)

Lemming Tracks: Sauk Centre Storm and the Lemming

Last week the Lemming opined about a serious dust storm in the American southwest:

"Arizona Dust Storm: THIS MAY BE THE END OF CIVILIZATION AS WE KNOW IT!!!!! - or, not"
(July 6, 2011)

Then, Sunday evening, about 8:10 or so, the power went out. And stayed that way for 21 hours. Restoring data connections - telephone, television, and Internet - took several more hours.

The Lemming didn't have to guess why the power failed. Wind was whooshing past, first from the south, then from the northwest, more or less. Street lighting was out, but visibility wasn't a problem. a bit of greenish sunlight filtered through the clouds, and lightning was going like photoflash at a celebrity event.

Part of a tree was in the street, in front of the Lemming's house. Happily, those three lovely trees had been taken out during the 2008 Ash Street Project. One of them was practically hollow, and would have snapped off during the storm. The other two? They'd either have blocked the street or fallen on the house - maybe both.


("Thursday: Ash Street Project Takes Trees," Through One Dad's Eye (June 13, 2008))
Much better - a controlled fall, back in 2008.

I miss those trees: but I also like having an intact house, and a clear view westwards. (Through One Dad's Eye (June 13, 2008)

What's remarkable is that nobody got hurt or killed in town. With 90-mile-an-hour winds, hundreds of trees down, quite a few on vehicles or houses: that's really good news. The Lemming opined about that in another blog. ("Storm in Sauk Centre, Minnesota: Trees Down, Property Damage, No Injury," A Catholic Citizen in America (July 12, 2011))

With all that going on, you'd think the Lemming would have photos to show.

Well, the Lemming does have some photos: but they're not posted yet. Remember, the power was out for almost 24 hours, the house was offline for longer than that - and the Lemming had a whole lot of catching up to do when power came back.

Like the Monday and Tuesday posts for this blog, that aren't there. Check back in a few hours: the Lemming plans to poke around and see what's worth posting.

Related posts:

• "Joplin, Missouri, Tornado: Minneapolis, Too"
  (May 23, 2011)
• "Heavy Weather Weekend"
  (May 22, 2011)
• "Winter Weather, Chicago, and a Really Big Storm"
  (February 2, 2011)
• "New York City Blizzard, New Jersey Common Sense, and Central Minnesota Routines"
  (December 28, 2010)
• "Midwest Blizzard: Dome's Down; Next Stop, East Coast"
  (December 12, 2010)

Arizona Dust Storm: THIS MAY BE THE END OF CIVILIZATION AS WE KNOW IT!!!!! - or, not

Let's see, a line of heavy thunderstorms rolled across South Dakota, North Dakota, and Minnesota on the night of July 4, 2011.

And last night a big dust storm overwhelmed Phoenix, Arizona.

Oh no! The forces of nature have rebelled against acid rain or something! "...the center cannot hold; mere anarchy is loosed upon the world...." (Yeats)

AND WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!!!

Aiiiiiii!!!!!!!!

The End of Civilization As We Know It?

None of the news about last night's dust storm had that angle on the story. Not what the Lemming read, anyway.

The events are quite dramatic, without flourishes:

"Big Dust Storm Rolls Through Phoenix"
myFOX9.com (July 6, 2011)

"A massive dust cloud rolled into Phoenix from the southeast Tuesday night, blanketing the sky with gray and brown dust and reducing visibility.

"A dust storm warning was in effect until 9:15 p.m. Gusting winds at speeds up to 50 mph pushed the dust and debris cloud along.

"The dust storm was approximately 50 miles wide in some spots and 1 mile high, and it stretched from the Estrella Mountains in the west to the Superstition Mountains in the east...."

Here's the video that picture is from:


Big Dust Storm Rolls Through Phoenix: MyFoxTWINCITIES.com

The storm's made international news:

"Giant dust storm bowls in"
nzherald.co.nz (July 7, 2011)

"A giant dust storm covers Phoenix.

"A massive dust storm has swept into the Phoenix area and drastically reduced visibility across the valley....

"...KSAZ-TV reported the storm appeared to be 80km wide.

"The National Weather Service says strong winds with gusts of more than 100km/h...."

No question about it - that was a serious storm.

Bad Weather and Getting a Grip

That still from the myfoxPHOENIX.com video may look like something from a Hollywood disaster movie. Old-school, that is, before things like Disaster Movie (2008). Or maybe one of the more over-the-top science fiction movies about neutrinos from Asteroid Wazoo-10 destroying the ozone layer because reckless developers bulldozed the last forest. Or whatever.

Don't worry, the Lemming's not going to rant.

On the other hand, if you want the Lemming's take on sounding crazy - also killer bees, nuclear reactors, and mutant frogs - check these posts out:

• "How to Not Sound Crazy - or - THE PARANOIDS ARE AFTER ME!!!"
  (June 12, 2011)
• "HAL 9000, Skynet, and C3PO"
  Drifting at the Edge of Time and Space (January 26, 2010)
  Particularly
  • A Person Can Learn a Lot From the Movies

The dust storm was serious - a Phoenix airport shut down for a while, and motorists were encouraged to pull off the road and wait it out.

But, as far as the Lemming knows, Phoenix is still there.

Or maybe that's just what They want us to think.

Somewhat-related posts:

• "Crab Nebula Superflare: It's Not Supposed to Do That"
  (May 13, 2011)
• "Apathy is Rampant, But Who Cares? - The Sequel"
  (February 7, 2011)
• "Blizzard, Cold, and Walking in to Fetch the Tractor"
  (January 31, 2011)
• "Not Many 2010 Tornadoes So Far: Good News or Crisis"
  (April 18, 2010)
• "Recycle Lint and Save Earth!"
  (April 17, 2010)

Joplin, Missouri, Tornado: Minneapolis, Too

The Lemming isn't about to start a 'disaster blog,' full of bad news and angst.

What happened in Missouri yesterday, though, is quite unusual. Also tragic and sobering.

The Lemming plans to do a fluffier post next. Maybe a picture of a cute gerbil or something.

---

Joplin, Missouri: Worst Twister Since 1953

"Tornado devastates Joplin, Missouri, leaves 89 dead"
Kevin Murphy, Edition: U.S., Reuters (May 23, 2011)

"A monster tornado nearly a mile wide killed at least 89 people in Joplin, Missouri when it tore through the heart of the small Midwestern city, ripping the roof off a hospital and destroying thousands of homes and businesses, local officials said on Monday.

"U.S. weather officials said the tornado that hit at dinnertime on Sunday may have been the single deadliest in the country since 1953...."

"...More than 500 people were confirmed injured, many with massive internal injuries, officials said. The number of dead and injured was expected to climb as rescue workers dig through collapsed homes and businesses...."

"...The city's residents were given about 20 minutes notice when 25 warning sirens sounded throughout the southwest Missouri town around 6 p.m. CDT, said Jasper County Emergency Management Director Keith Stammers.

"But the governor said many people likely were unable to get to shelter in time. "The bottom line was the storm was so loud you probably couldn't hear the sirens going off." He declared a state of emergency and called out the Missouri National Guard to help...."

Folks living in other parts of the world might wonder if the Missouri governor is making excuses, or exaggerating. The Lemming doesn't think so. Warning sirens here in the American Midwest are loud. But so are the storms. Particularly since folks aren't likely to step outside in high winds, driving rain, and hail to listen - the Lemming thinks it's quite unlikely that some of the folks simply didn't hear the sirens.

As for not being able to get out of the way?

Buildings in Minnesota and the Dakotas - the parts the Lemming's been in, anyway - generally have basements. The Lemming, for example, lives in what used to be a farmhouse: and we've designated part of the basement as our storm shelter. It's a smallish room with field stone walls on three sides: not tornado-proof, maybe; but the Lemming thinks it's tornado-resistant.

Not all folks in the Midwest have built like that, or been able to. Soil conditions, economics, and the occasional daft development decision are factors. In the Lemming's opinion.

The death toll in Missouri - the Lemming's heard that it's 90, but hasn't verified that - is unusually high these days.

---

Weather Satellites, Radar, Tornadoes, and the 'Good Old Days'

"Factbox: Deadliest single tornadoes in U.S. history"
Edition: U.S., Reuters (May 23, 2011)

"The Joplin tornado is the deadliest single twister since Worcester, Massachusetts in June 1953.

"Here is a list of the deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history:

"1. Mar 18, 1925 Missouri/Illinois/Indiana; 695 dead

"2. May 6, 1840 Natchez, Mississippi; 317 dead

"3. May 27, 1896 St. Louis, Missouri; 255 dead..."

Of the 21 storms listed, one is this weekend's Joplin, Missouri, tornado; three were in 1953:

• May 11, 1953 Waco, Texas
  • 114 dead
• June 3, 1953 Flint, Michigan
  • 115 dead
• June 9, 1953 Worcester, Massachusetts
  • 90 dead

The others happened in the first half of the 20th century, or before.

One reason that the Lemming doesn't miss the 'good old days' is that the Lemming remembers when life was 'simpler and more tranquil.'

That was before:

• Weather satellites kept an eye on global weather patterns
• Radar showed what was happening inside clouds
• Meteorologists worked with
  • Massive amounts of data
  • Powerful software
• Weather forecasts were
  • Pretty good for the next 24 hours
  • Good-enough for the next five days

The warning sirens help, too, in the Lemming's opinion.

Is the system we've got in America perfect? Obviously not. About 90 people were killed in Joplin last evening. Folks have to notice the warnings, be able to move fast enough, and have a hardened shelter to move to.

The Lemming thinks that folks will never have a 'perfect' system. Not while the universe is the way it is now. It's just not in the nature of things.

We can, however, learn what didn't work, what did, change what needs changing, and get ready for the next emergency. In the Lemming's opinion.

---

Meanwhile, in Minneapolis

"2 Dead, Minneapolis Tornado Devastates North Side"
Mike Durkin, FOX 9 News (May 23, 2011)

"A north Minneapolis tornado killed one person and injured 31 others Sunday, while displacing hundreds of residents and leaving their neighborhoods in ruins. A second person died during the cleanup efforts.

"One person was killed when a tree smashed through a window of their minivan during the storm. Two others were seriously injured in separate incidents. North Memorial Medical Center saw 31 patients following the storm, admitting two -- a pregnant woman who was evaluated and released, and an 83-year-old who was treated for asthma-related breathing difficulties.

"The second tornado-related death was a man who brought his chainsaw next door to help his neighbor, despite having his own home destroyed in the storm. According to family members, 52-year-old Rob MacIntyre collapsed from either a heart attack or stroke. He had no underlying health problems.

"At least 100 homes were significantly damaged on the city's north side, but downed power lines remain one of the biggest public safety concerns. To keep the public safe, all exits off Interstate 94 to downtown Minneapolis are closed, and a 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew will remain in effect for several days....

"...About 200 northsiders displaced by the tornado are staying at the Northeast Minneapolis Armory and are receiving food and medical care, along with assistance of mental health professionals and the police chaplain service. You can help tornado victims by donating at www.redcrosstc.org .

"Patrick Henry High School, North High School and Folwell Middle School are also open for shelter and clean water....

"...Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak was joined by Gov. Mark Dayton, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Rep. Keith Ellison and other city leaders on a tour of tornado damage Monday morning. Rybak made a plea for employers to remain flexible in the wake of the storm. He said many people at the shelters overnight were worried about getting to work, on top of having no home or car....

"..Xcel energy says 22,000 customers in the Twin Cities lost power at the height of Sunday's storm, with mos of the outages in Brooklyn Center, Fridley, Golden Valley and north Minneapolis. Xcel spokeswoman Mary Sandok said about 10,000 customers were still without power Monday morning....

"...There were reports of looting in north Minneapolis in the wake of the storm, but the only confirmed case of looting was at Broadway Liquor Outlet, where cash, cigarettes and liquor were stolen...."

The article says that emergency responders were going block by block through the wreckage, looking for gas leaks and downed power lines, and checking for structural damage.

Considering what happened down in Missouri, Minnesota's storm was comparatively minor. Still, there's a huge mess to clean up.


(FOX 9 News, used w/o permission)


(FOX 9 News, used w/o permission)


(FOX 9 News, used w/o permission)


(Heidi Bergdahl, via FOX 9 News, used w/o permission)


(Nathan Robinson, via FOX 9 News, used w/o permission)

Now, the Lemming's off to find some nice, breezy item.

Related post:

• "Heavy Weather Weekend"
  (May 22, 2011)

More:

• "2011 Spring Flood, Wild Weather, and the Lemming"

Heavy Weather Weekend

"Heavy storms maul Minnesota; 1 dead, 22 hurt"
CNN (May 22, 2011)

"High winds and possible tornadoes struck Minneapolis and other parts of Minnesota on Sunday afternoon, leaving at least one person dead and injuring nearly two dozen others, police said.

"The system was part of a line of severe weather that swept across the Midwest on Sunday. The National Weather Service warned of tornadoes, large hail and damaging winds from the Ozarks to the Great Lakes as the storms moved in...."

This probably won't affect the whole country as much as flooding at the other end of the Mississippi River, but today's storm is a whole lot closer to the Lemming's home.

Which may not be the best reason for writing a post, but it'll do for the Lemming.

---

"Mpls. sets curfew, offers help for tornado victims"
KARE11 (May 22,2011)

"Chaos has triggered a curfew on the north side of Minneapolis, where police and public safety crews are working to help victims of a suspected tornado Sunday.

"Police will enforce that curfew for a wide section of the North Side beginning at 9 p.m., and ending at 6 a.m. Monday. The area under curfew stretches from Penn Avenue to Interstate 94, from Dowling Avenue to Plymouth Avenue....

"...'Our number one concern is for the health and safety of our residents,' said Mayor R.T. Rybak. 'Emergency responders have been working hard on the scene, going door to door to check on the well-being of folks in this area.'...

"...The city has set up a shelter at the Northeast Armory, near the intersection of Broadway and Central, and is sending so-called 'rescue buses' out to transport residents who have been left without shelter as a result of Sunday's storm. The first two buses, each carrying nearly 3 dozen people, arrived at the armory shortly after 7 p.m.. The shelter has a capacity of 400, and more people are expected to pour in when the 9 p.m. curfew kicks in.

"A Family Assistance Center is also open at the Northeast Armory at 1025 Broadway St. NE. Family members who want to check on loved ones should not go to the neighborhood, but instead should go to the center or call 651-268-8537...."

There's a few angles the Lemming could play up on the KARE11 article, including but not limited to:

1. Shock and dismay at police threatening the residents of Minneapolis
2. Interest in the Northeast Armory shelter and 'rescue buses' carrying folks there
3. Sadness at the death of someone in today's storms

The Lemming's picks are numbers two and three, for what that's worth.

Meanwhile, in Kansas

"Kansas tornado kills 1, destroys 20 homes"
Rick Martin, CNN (May 22, 2011)

"One person was killed and at least 20 homes destroyed after a weekend tornado that struck a town in eastern Kansas, state officials said.

"The storm also damaged another 200 homes around Reading, about 100 miles southwest of Kansas City, said Sharon Watson of the Kansas Division of Emergency Management. She said the agency received a report of a tornado touching down at 9:15 p.m. Saturday.

"The agency said five others were injured in addition to the fatality, and power was knocked out to much of the town of about 250. Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback issued a disaster declaration for 16 counties on Sunday, a step toward getting state and federal aid for the affected areas...."

The Lemming will omit the obvious, and insensitive, references to Dorothy and Toto. Saturday's Kansas storm isn't funny. Certainly not for friends and families of the person who was killed.

After catching up on the news, this weekend's rain and drizzle here in central Minnesota doesn't seem quite so important.

More:

• "2011 Spring Flood, Wild Weather, and the Lemming"

2011 Spring Flood, Wild Weather, and the Lemming

Spring, 2011, hasn't been a good season for folks living on the lower reaches of the Mississippi River. Other folks in America may get affected by the flood, indirectly, as crops that didn't get planted, products that didn't get manufactured, businesses that didn't buy supplies, and shipments that took longer and cost more, affect prices.

The Lemming hasn't been posting much about this year's spring flood. National news in this country has been doing a pretty good job of keeping track of what's flooded and who's affected. There's a sort-of-related post coming up, though, so the Lemming figured this would be a good time to get a 'link page' set up:

• "Joplin, Missouri, Tornado: Charity Opportunity; Prayer; and Common Sense"
  A Catholic Citizen in America (May 25, 2011)
• "Joplin, Missouri, Tornado"
  (May 23, 2011)
• "Heavy Weather Weekend"
  (May 22, 2011)
• "Lemming Tracks: Mississippi Flood, Cajun Country, and Decisions"
  (May 15, 2011)

North Dakota Blizzard Warning: April 30

"Blizzard Warning"
Watches, Warnings & Advisories, National Weather Service, NOAA (April 30, 2011)

"URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
346 AM CDT SAT APR 30 2011

"...A BLIZZARD WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR WESTERN AND PORTIONS OF
CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...AND A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT
FOR PORTIONS OF FAR SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA TODAY AND EARLY
TONIGHT......"

Snow in April isn't all that unusual here in the upper Midwest. Like last weekend's April (snow) showers. (Sauk Centre Jounal Blog (April 17, 2011)

A full-scale blizzard? with a forecast of 6 to 9 inches in northwest and north central North Dakota? "...WITH ONLY 1 TO 2 INCHES EXPECTED FROM
ASHLEY TO ELLENDALE IN FAR SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...." "Only one to two inches?" It does seem a paltry amount: it's the wind that makes it a storm. And that's another topic.

Somewhat-related posts:

• "April Showers: Minnesota Style"
  Sauk Centre Jounal Blog (April 17, 2011)
• "North Dakota Winter Storm Wimps Out: Only a Foot of Snow"
  (March 22, 2011)
• "Blizzard, Cold, and Walking in to Fetch the Tractor"
  (January 31, 2011)
• "New York City Blizzard, New Jersey Common Sense, and Central Minnesota Routines"
  (December 28, 2010)
• "April Showers Bring May Snow: In Minnesota"
  (May 6, 2010)
• "Oops! 15-Ton Pay Loader Poor Choice for Ice House Trail Maintenance"
  (December 30, 2008)

North Dakota Winter Storm Wimps Out: Only a Foot of Snow

"Winter storm arrives later, weaker than expected"
Stephen J. Leem GrandForksHerald.com (March 22, 2011)

"The winter storm hit eastern North Dakota a little later than expected and doesn't have quite the punch earlier predicted.

"But it's got enough to drop a foot or more of snow on the Devils Lake Basin by Wednesday morning, according to the National Weather Service's report about 7:20 p.m. Tuesday. From six inches to 12 inches could fall across much of eastern North Dakota and northwest Minnesota, the weather service said...."

The Lemming's #3 daughter and son-in-law live about 40 miles south of Grand Forks: They've got about nine inches of snow on the ground now, and expect about eight more before the storm passes. That's on top of freezing rain that came earlier.

Roads won't be open for a while there - but they've got a snowmobile, so getting to town shouldn't be a problem.

Back to that article.

"...By Tuesday evening, Interstate 94 from Fargo to Bismarck was closed by the Highway Patrol. U.S Highway 83 from Bismarck to the Canadian border was closed, and a stretch of U.S. Highway 2 from just west of Minot to east of Rugby was closed. State highway officials put a no-travel advisory out for most of the state's highways, and a travel alert for the remainder.

"The winter storm warning that went into effect at noon Tuesday remains in effect until 7 p.m. Wednesday....

"...Power outages were reported in several cities in central and southwest North Dakota beginning Tuesday morning as ice formed on power lines, state officials said. But most outages were repaired within a few hours....

"...No Delta airline flights to and from Grand Forks were canceled for Tuesday or Wednesday, according to the Grand Forks Airport Authority's website. In Minot, some flights were canceled Tuesday because of icy, slushy conditions....

"...Williston, N.D., and Dickinson, N.D., broke records Tuesday for precipitation that dated to 1975 for the date. By 7 p.m. Tuesday 0.45 inch of precipitation fell at Williston and 0.41 inch at Dickinson, breaking records set in 1975, according to the weather service. The 5.2 inches of snow that fell on Williston by 7 p.m. also set a record."

One reason the Lemming loves living in this part of the world is that we have blizzards, howling winds, raging thunderstorms, freezing rain, and the occasional tornado - often enough so that we're prepared for them.

Or should be: and that's another topic.

Slightly-related posts:

• "Accura Commercial; Baudette, Minnesota; and Weather That's Not Boring"
  (February 15, 2011)
• "Winter Weather, Chicago, and a Really Big Storm"
  (February 2, 2011)
• "Blizzard, Cold, and Walking in to Fetch the Tractor"
  (January 31, 2011)
• "Minnesota Winters: Bitter Cold, Springlike Warmth, and Everything in Between"
  (February 1, 2009)
• "Minnesota Seasons: Inspiration and Tourism"
  (February 8, 2010)

Weather on Titan: New Season, New Knowledge

"On Saturn's Moon Titan, Methane Rains on the Desert"
Denise Chow, Space.com (March 17, 2011)

"When photos showed a large patch near the equator of Titan mysteriously darken and then grow lighter within a couple of weeks, scientists knew something big was happening on Saturn's largest moon. But what they found was something they didn't expect: a methane rainstorm in a region of Titan thought to be covered by vast, arid dunes.

"While the large moon is known to have methane lakes at its north and south poles, scientists thought Titan's equatorial region was mostly dry, but the likely cause of the darkness was determined to be an outburst of clouds and methane rain - which suggests Titan's equator has a rainy season.

"The photos taken by NASA's Cassini spacecraft on Sept. 27, 2010, showed a decrease in brightness over an area measuring over 1,200 miles (2,000 kilometers) long and 62 miles (100 km) wide...."

A key word in the article, in the Lemming's opinion, is "suggests." Rain on that part of Titan isn't guesswork, though:

"...Turtle and her colleagues examined other explanations for the darkening seen in Cassini's images, including strong windstorms and volcanism. Through their analyses, however, the researchers found that the effects of possible windstorms and volcanism on Titan were not consistent with the changes observed over such a large area...."

At this point, it looks like Titan's weather systems are like Earth's - but not quite. There's a diagram that shows what seems to be a reasonable model for how Titan's weather works:


(P. Huey/Science © 2011 AAAS, via Space.com, used w/o permission)
"Cloudy with rain. Simplified global atmospheric circulation and precipitation pattern on Titan and Earth. Most precipitation occurs at the intertropical convergence zone, or ITCZ, where air ascends as a result of convergence of surface winds from the northern and southern directions. Titan's ITCZ was previously near the south pole (A) but is currently on its way to the north pole (B). The seasonal migration of the ITCZ on Earth is much smaller (C and D). This image appears in a Perspective by Tetsuya Tokano titled, 'Precipitation Climatology on Titan.'
"CREDIT: P. Huey/Science © 2011 AAAS"

Saturn, and Saturn's moon Titan, go around our sun once for every 29 trips Earth makes - which means that it's going to be a while before we get a full year's worth of seasonal data. The Space.com article notes that Cassini got the Saturn system in 2004 - so data from that probe covers about a quarter of the Saturn/Titan year.

Still, it's more than we knew before.

Related posts:

• " 'Arsenic and Old Lakes' - What a Catchy Title!"
  (January 26, 2011)
• "NASA, Extraterrestrial Life: and Titan is a Moon of Saturn, not Mars"
  (December 1, 2010)
• "Ah,to be On Titan in the Spring"
  (September 25, 2010)
• "Life on Titan! Or, Not"
  (June 7, 2010)
• "Titan, Life Without Water, and 'Messing With Old Definitions' "
  (March 24, 2010)

Wind!

---

"O wild West Wind, thou breath of Autumn's being,
Thou, from whose unseen presence the leaves dead
Are driven, like ghosts from an enchanter fleeing....

"...Thou dirge

"Of the dying year, to which this closing night
Will be the dome of a vast sepulchre,
Vaulted with all thy congregated might

"Of vapours, from whose solid atmosphere
Black rain, and fire, and hail will burst: oh, hear!"

Ode to the West Wind, Percy Bysshe Shelley, via LoudLit.org

---

"...Til day rose; then under an orange sky
The hills had new places, and wind wielded
Blade-like, luminous black and emerald,
Flexing like the lens of a mad eye...."

Wind, Ted Hughes

---

"Air Pressure and Wind"
John P. Stimac, Department of Geology/Geography, Eastern Illinois University College of Sciences

"We know that standard atmospheric pressure is 14.7 pounds per square inch. We also know that air pressure decreases as we rise in the atmosphere.

"1013.25 mb = 101.325 kPa = 29.92 inches Hg = 14.7 pounds per in² = 760 mm of Hg = 34 feet of water...."

There's quite a bit more about air pressure. Quite informative, too.

Then the page turns to wind:

"...Wind results from a horizontal difference in air pressure and since the sun heats different parts of the Earth differently, causing pressure differences, the Sun is the driving force for most winds.

"The wind is a result of forces acting on the atmosphere:

1. "Pressure Gradient Force (PGF) - causes horizontal pressure differences and winds
2. "Gravity (G) - causes vertical pressure differences and winds
3. "Coriolis Force (Co) - causes all moving objects, such as air, to diverge, or veer, to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.
4. "Friction (Fr) - very little effect on air high in the atmosphere, but more important closer to the ground.
5. "Centrifugal Force (Ce) - objects in motion tend to travel in straight lines, unless acted upon by an outside force.

"The Net force = PGF + G + Co + Fr + Ce...."

All of which is rather technical.

Comparisons

Which helps the reader understand wind?

The poetry?

The mathematics?

The Lemming thinks the answer is - both.

But not the same sort of understanding.

Wind in Minnesota

The Lemming, sitting by a dark window in central Minnesota, hears wind rubbing against the sky, patting the house with nebulous paws.

Accura Commercial; Baudette, Minnesota; and Weather That's Not Boring

An Accura television commercial's narration caught the Lemming's attention:

"Every year year we travel to Baudette, Minnesota, to see how our luxury vehicles ... perform under the most brutal, punishing conditions. If your winters are tougher than this, you don't need a new car: You need a new place to live."

Baudette, Minnesota, is near the Canadian border, a bit south of Lake of the Woods. The Lemming thought you might like to see what current conditions are in Baudette:


Despite what that Acura commercial showed, temperatures around 25 below Fahrenheit aren't quite typical. The Lemming checked the Wunderground.com almanack for today (February 15) in Baudette, and found that the average high today is 19 degrees above, with a low of minus five . Fahrenheit, that is. Celsius, that'd be be about minus seven down to minus 20.

Here in central Minnesota, where the Lemming lives, the average is a comparatively balmy 25 degrees for a high and three for a low. Celsius, about minus four and minus 16.

We're both in Minnesota, so "average" weather is more of a mathematical abstraction than something that actually happens. According to the Wunderground.com records, a place near here had a record high of 45 °F in 1981, and a record low of -23 °F in 1970, 'on this day in history.'

For Baudette, Minnesota, it's a record high of 47 °F in 1981 (that was a warm year), and low of -45 °F in 1939.

Say what one may about Minnesota, our weather isn't boring.

Lest Acura be accused of exaggerating the ruggedness of Baudette's winters, today's average high and low in Winnepeg, Manitoba are 22 °F and 2 °F. The records were 32 °F in 1998 and -31 °F in 2003.

Of course, there are places with colder winters than Minnesota. Like the IceCube Neutrino Observatory at the South Pole. And that's another topic.

More:

• City of Baudette, Minnesota
• lakeofthewoodsmn.com

Winter Weather, Chicago, and a Really Big Storm

"Hardy Chicago brought to standstill by blizzard"
Mary Wisniewski, Edition: U.S. (February 2, 2011)

"Chicago, a city that usually sneers at winter, was brought to a near standstill on Wednesday by a blizzard packing the third highest snowfall in the city's history.

"Chicago public schools, which hadn't closed since 1999, were shut on Wednesday and will be closed again Thursday. Courts were closed. Five suburban commuter rail lines were down.

"Lake Shore Drive, the city's main north-south thoroughfare, was closed and still littered with over 100 abandoned cars late Wednesday afternoon. Many side streets were impassable, and even plowed arterial streets and highways were eerily empty.

" 'This is pretty unbelievable,' said John Paczesny, 48, a maintenance worker at a Chicago church. He was out with a snowblower clearing a path Wednesday morning, snow clinging to his mustache and eyebrows.

" 'I was around in '67 but this is really crazy,' he said.

"The highest snowfall on record in Chicago was in January 1967, with 23 inches, followed by January 1999 with 21.6 inches. The 2011 blizzard's total was 20.2 inches at O'Hare Airport, according to the National Weather Service. The blizzard is expected to be followed by bitter cold, with wind chill temperatures forecast to plunge to 20 to 30 below zero Wednesday night...."

Brush fires on the north side of the Los Angeles area? Unpleasant, at best, for folks living in the tinderlands: but a seasonal routine in the news. New York City having trouble dealing with snow, traffic - and occasionally garbage? Again, not all that unusual a news item. You'd think they'd have included alleys in the city's street plan - and that's another topic.

Chicago having trouble digging out? That's news. One of the advantages to living in the American Midwest is that harsh weather is a seasonal routine: Folks learn to deal with it. Then there's Minnesota, that's north of the flyover states and this storm - and the Lemming will get back to that.

---

"Storm Leaves Much of Country Shivering, Shoveling and Awaiting More"
Michael Cooper, The New York Times (February 3, 2011)
('Third?' It's only 8:50 p.m. in New York City as the Lemming's writing this post)

"The blizzard that dropped a foot or more of snow across a staggeringly wide area of the country, from Oklahoma up through a paralyzed Chicago and across parts of an ice-glazed New England, finally began to weaken Wednesday. It left behind a long trail of spun-out cars, darkened homes, closed schools and stranded fliers...."

Schools in central Minnesota were two hours late - and then not opening at all - because of this storm. Not all the schools, but a fair percentage.

Which brings the Lemming to this bit of blatant self-promotion:

• "Small Town America: Minnesota"
  "From the heart of darkest Minnesota: my view of small town America
  "The first view-on-the-street webcam in Sauk Centre, Minnesota"

That's a link to the Lemming's webcam, looking out on the corner of Ash and South 9th in Sauk Centre, Minnesota. Right now, there's not much to see but a whole lot of dark. And it'll be off for a few hours, later in the evening. But the Lemming plans to have the view available again, well before morning.

Back to Minnesota and weather. It's like the joke goes: 'here in Minnesota, we don't have a climate, we have weather.' This is a state where it's typically hot, cold, wet, dry, and anything in between. One of the Lemming's favorite Minnesota headlines, from decades past, was "National Guard Arctic Maneuvers Canceled Due to Inclement Weather."

This time, happily, the 'storm' part of this weather system stayed mostly to the south of us Minnesotans. The part we did get, most of us dealt with the same way we do every time: Get inside (except for winter sports enthusiasts - another topic), wait for the storm to pass, then dig out.

Then there are the folks who operate the road-clearing machinery. They're out clearing snow as it comes down - unless it gets really bad.

Blizzard, Cold, and Walking in to Fetch the Tractor

"Blizzard, Ice Storm, Nasty Cold All Aiming for Midwest"
Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather.com (January 31, 2011)

"Both a major blizzard and an ice storm will hit a large portion of the Midwest just ahead of Groundhog Day. Arctic air will charge in during the storm in some areas and after the storm in others, leading to additional concerns.

"For some locations, the storm may be a two-day event or much longer than a typical winter storm.

"An area of snow streaking eastward from the northern Plains and spotty ice breaking out over the middle Mississippi Valley Monday is just the start of the storm that will grow much worse with time...."

The Lemming lives in central Minnesota, north of most of the excitement this time. Even so, quite a few area schools were opening two hours late - and changed that to 'closed for the day' a little later. Sauk Centre, Minnesota, schools didn't - and that's another topic.

On a personal note, the Lemming's daughter, a brother-in-law and son-in-law made it all the way to my daughter & son-in-law's place this afternoon. Then they got stuck in the driveway. No crisis. The last I heard, the young men were walking in to get the tractor/plow. The Lemming's daughter called to talk with my wife - Information Age communications is wonderful.

And that's another topic.

Winter Storm: Here It Comes Again!

The Lemming opined on the way New York City, New Jersey, and central Minnesota deal with winter storms, yesterday:

• "New York City Blizzard, New Jersey Common Sense, and Central Minnesota Routines"
  (December 28, 2010)

It's not that high winds, bone-chilling cold, and smothering snow don't affect us. We freeze to death as easily as someone living in lower Manhattan.

The difference, in the Lemming's opinion, is that we've learned how to deal with inclement weather. Most of us, anyway. Those who don't, get rescued, move to places like New York City, or, well: die.

Here's a sample of how folks here in Minnesota and North Dakota are handling the current storm:

Winter Storm: North Dakota, Minnesota, December 30, 2010

"Stay Home!"
Valley News Live (December 29, 2010, updated December 30, 2010)

"UPDATED - 7:00PM THURSDAY, DECEMBER 30

"Interstate 94, Highway 10 to close at 7 p.m.

"DETROIT LAKES, Minn.— (6:30 p.m.) The Minnesota Department of Transportation and the Minnesota State Patrol will close Interstate 94 from Moorhead to Alexandria and Highway 10 from Moorhead to Detroit Lakes at 7 p.m. due to hazardous road conditions. The highways will remain closed until further notice.

"Snow plows will be pulled from all area state highways and interstates in Mahnomen, Clay, Becker, Wilkin, Otter Tail, Traverse, Grant, Douglas, Big Stone, Stevens, Pope and Swift counties. Motorists are advised not to travel until conditions improve and Mn/DOT and the Minnesota State Patrol open the roads.

"Motorists should plan accordingly. When a road is closed it is illegal to travel in that area. Motorists can be fined up to $1,000 and/or sentenced to 90 days in jail. In addition, if travelers need to be rescued from a closed road, other expenses and penalties will apply.

"UPDATED - 4:00PM THURSDAY, DECEMBER 30

"I-29 closed from SD border to Grand Forks; plows being pulled in south central and eastern part of state due to areas of zero visibility

"The North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) has CLOSED I-29 both northbound and southbound roadways from the South Dakota border to Grand Forks due to high winds causing near zero visibility. Conditions are such that they are creating a life-threatening danger to motorists. The roadway is impassable and it is against the law to drive past a road closure device on a closed road.

"South Dakota Department of Transportation has also closed I-29 from the North Dakota border to Brookings. For more information on South Dakota road conditions go to www.safetravelusa.com.

"Other road closures and notices issued by NDDOT:

"DDOT snowplows will be pulled from the roads at dark due to areas of zero visibility in Bismarck, Jamestown, Valley City, Fargo, Wahpeton, Hillsboro, and Grand Forks areas. The plows will resume operation early tomorrow morning if conditions are safe to be out.

"I-94 closed on both eastbound and westbound roadways from Jamestown to Fargo due to high winds causing near zero visibility along with glare ice conditions. Conditions are such that they are creating a life-threatening danger to motorists. The roadway is impassable and it is against the law to drive past a road closure device on a closed road.

"No Travel Advisory in effect for the south central and eastern portion of the state due to high winds causing blowing snow and areas of near zero visibility. Motorists should be advised that roadways may be reduced to a single lane or become blocked by snow drifts at structures and sheltered areas..

"Cities affected by the No Travel Advisory include: East of Bismarck, Flasher, Selfridge, Fort Yates, Linton, Napoleon, Steele, Jamestown, Valley City, Edgeley, Ellendale, Devils Lake, Carrington, Rugby, Rolla, Langdon, Casselton, Fargo, Wahpeton, Hillsboro, Grand Forks, Drayton, Cavalier, and surrounding areas.

"A Travel Alert is in effect for central North Dakota through Saturday morning. Conditions are such that motorists can still travel, but may experience hazardous winter driving conditions due to high winds causing blowing and drifting snow and reduced visibility. Motorists should be advised that snow drifts may be encountered at structures and sheltered areas and are encouraged to reduce speeds.

Cities affected by the Travel Alert include: Minot, Devils Lake, west of Bismarck and surrounding areas...."

New York City Blizzard, New Jersey Common Sense, and Central Minnesota Routines

"Nearly 10,000 flights canceled since holiday blizzard began"
CNN (December 28, 2010)

"Close to 10,000 total flights have been canceled since the beginning of a holiday blizzard that blanketed much of the U.S. northeast with snow and left thousands stranded.

"Airline representatives from AirTran, American, Continental, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, United, U.S. Airways, Spirit and Southwest reported a total of at least 9,726 trips were called off due to weather since Saturday.

"Of those, at least 1,335 flights were canceled on Tuesday as major airports across the region slowly got back to normal...."

"...By early Tuesday evening, LaGuardia was still operating well below its normal 70 flights per hour, he said.

"John F. Kennedy Airport, in the New York City borough of Queens, and Newark Liberty International, in northern New Jersey, opened to incoming and departing traffic at 6 p.m. Monday, Port Authority spokeswoman Sara Joren said...."

The Lemming acknowledges that heavy snow in America's largest east coast city is news: and isn't a strictly 'local' matter, since so many folks travel to, from, and through there.

The Lemming is also profoundly glad to live in central Minnesota, where this sort of thing isn't all that unusual: and where folks are prepared, for the most part.

Another look at New York City, the weather, and what to do when it snows:

"One Blizzard, Two Markedly Different Approaches in NJ and NYC"
Bob Hennelly, WNYC News (December 28, 2010)

"On Tuesday, Mayor Bloomberg was careful not to overpromise. With dozens of ambulances and hundreds of buses still stranded, he was trying to manage expectations. Outer borough council members said constituents had not yet seen a snow plow.

" 'I don't know that you ever get everything plowed because there always are streets, there are streets not even on the map... but I think you can expect another 24 hours before we'll get to everyone, and even then I'm not so sure,' he said.

"That was quite a contrast to the mayor's stoic detachment a day earlier, when he didn't seem to fully grasp just how dysfunctional things had become for most New Yorkers...."

"...Mayor Bloomberg kept the city open for business on Monday and held the NYPD's graduation ceremony for more than 1,100 police cadets and their families at Madison Square Garden.

"Meanwhile, west of the Hudson in New Jersey, Acting New Jersey Governor Steve Sweeney had declared a statewide snow emergency the night before (New Jersey Governor Chris Christie was out of state.) That declaration marshalled all of the state's resources including the National Guard. He bought himself time by granting the state workforce a two-hour delayed opening.

" 'The State of Emergency gives us the ability to get a lot of vehicles off the road where we can get our roads cleaned up as fast as possible and this evening there are going to be some really high winds so we are going to have blizzard conditions this evening so it is best for people to get off the road,' Sweeney told WNYC Sunday night.

"The next moning, Sweeney closed state government except for the state's essential emergency personnel...."

There's quite a bit more detail, that's probably of considerable interest to folks living in and around New York City.

The op ed has a distinct point of view - and the Lemming doesn't know enough about the personalities and situations to have an informed opinion.

On the other hand, it seems daft deal with a blizzard by declaring that everything's fine.

Warning! Old Coot Reminiscing

Which reminds the Lemming of a store manager in Fargo, North Dakota, several decades back, who didn't kill his employees by forcing them out of the store at closing time.

He locked them out - in a blizzard - at night. Maybe he didn't realized that the shopping center was on the outskirts, and that employees were required to park their cars on the opposite side of a parking lot that was filling in with snowdrifts.

They survived, but weren't all that cheerful about the incident. Managers take note: If you kill your employees, you'll have all the fuss and bother of hiring new ones.

Back to New York City and the Real World

The lemming doesn't envy folks who run a city - or town. Or keep emergency services running.

Back to that op ed from WNYC:

"...On Monday, the city's 311 phone line had 250,000 calls. One major problem was that out of the close to 50,000 911 calls the NYPD received, only 10,000, or one in five, were actual emergencies.

"Floating in the background is the question of whether cutting of 400 Sanitation Department slots was part of what slowed the response...."

On the whole, the Lemming would rather live in central Minnesota, than either New York City or New Jersey.

But, judging from what's been in the news about the east coast blizzard, if it was New Jersey, New York City, or nothing: The Lemming would pick New Jersey. It sounds like folks running the place are a tad more firmly attached to the space-time continuum there.

Meanwhile, in Sauk Centre, Minnesota

This isn't likely to get into national news: Sauk Centre's street department was out shortly after snow stopped falling, plowed the streets clear, spread sand upstream of intersections, and went on with their other tasks. Most folks got their own walks and driveways cleared - or had someone do it for them. It's a legal requirement, and simple common sense, too.

But that's not news: It's the routine we go through, to keep our town in working order.

Storm Baby in Michigan: Born in a Car

"Baby born in car during storm"
Alex Piazza, Brian McGillivary, Traverse City Record-Eagle (December 14, 2010)

"Bradley Porter will have quite a story to tell his friends about the first major snowstorm of the winter.

"First, though, he'll have to learn how to talk.

"Jessica Porter went into labor with newborn son Bradley early Sunday morning, just as the weekend blizzard was picking up steam. Her husband, Greg, packed up their belongings, and the couple started the treacherous trek from their home in East Jordan to Munson Medical Center in Traverse City....

"...The Porters pulled to the side of the road in Elk Rapids because of slick road conditions and called authorities. Village police arrived, and Officer Michael Courson helped deliver Bradley in the Porter's vehicle. The baby and mother finished their long, snowy trip to Munson in the back of a North Flight ambulance....

"...'This is the best birthday present,' he[Greg Porter] said of his 8-pound baby boy with a full head of hair. 'It's a good story for the whole family.'

"The Porters' trip took them into the teeth of the fierce winter storm, which hit Grand Traverse and Wexford counties the hardest, the National Weather Service reported...."

The Lemming checked: East Jordan, Michigan, is roughly 40 miles northeast of Traverse City.


View Larger Map

Driving would be longer, since Grand Traverse Bay is in the way.

The Lemming is glad to hear that everybody involved is okay.

Related post:

• "Midwest Blizzard: Dome's Down; Next Stop, East Coast"
  (December 12, 2010)

Midwest Blizzard: Dome's Down; Next Stop, East Coast

"Blizzard Conditions Blanket Midwest"
Associated Press, via FoxNews.com (December 12, 2010)

"The inflatable roof of the Minnesota Vikings' stadium collapsed Sunday and roads were closed throughout the upper Midwest as a storm that dumped nearly 2 feet of snow in some areas continued to crawl across the region.

"A blizzard warning was in effect for parts of eastern Iowa, southeastern Wisconsin, northwestern Illinois, and northern Michigan, according to the National Weather Service. Surrounding areas including Chicago were under winter storm warnings.

"The Metrodome's Teflon roof collapsed after Minneapolis got more than 17 inches of snow. No injuries were reported. The snowfall that ended Saturday night was one of the five biggest in Twin Cities history, National Weather Service meteorologist James McQuirter said. Some surrounding communities got more than 21 inches of snow, he said...."

Here in central Minnesota, where the Lemming lives, we've got a wind chill advisory. At the moment, it's a comparatively balmy eight degrees above zero, Fahrenheit: with the wind making it feel like about minus six. Hence "wind chill" of minus six.

The sun is setting: and we're told to expect wind chill overnight of around minus 25 or 30 degrees Fahrenheit. The advisory helpfully suggests, to folks out taking a stroll: "...make sure you wear a hat and gloves."

It's good advice, actually.


(WunderMap® by wunderground.com, used w/o permission)

A Minneapolis, Minnesota, news station, WITI, was at the right/wrong place at the right/wrong time, and got video of the Metrodome collapse.

Good news: nobody got hurt. Bad news: there's a lot of rescheduling going on.

"VIDEO: FOX exclusive video of the Metrodome collapse in Minneapolis"
WITI / FOX6NOW.com (December 12, 2010)



More:

"Metrodome Collapses; Massive Blizzard Hits Midwest"
Kevin Dolak, ABC News/US (December 12, 2010)

"Harsh weather has caused massive road closures across the Midwest, caused the cancellation of all inbound and outbound flights in a number of Midwestern airports and has collapsed the Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minn.

"The panels of the Metrodome roof started giving way around 5 a.m. and deflated after the storm, which dumped more than 17 inches of snow on the city, Chairman of the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission Roy Terwilliger told ABC News affiliate KSTP in Minneapolis - St. Paul.

"A Sunday NFL football game between the New York Giants and the Minnesota Vikings had already been pushed to Monday, as the Giants were stranded in Kansas City, unable to reach Minneapolis after the Twin Cities' airport was closed.

"Terwilliger says this has only happened three other times in the Metrodome history, the last being on April 14, 1983...."

"Winter storm packs snow, sleet, wind across area"
Sven Sundgaard, KARE11.com (December 12, 2010)

"The Twin Cities area including Minneapolis and St. Paul, remains under a Winter Storm Warning as a major winter storm continues to roll through the region Saturday, causing event cancellations, snow emergencies and slippery driving conditions.

"Snow fell throughout Friday night in the southern and central part of Minnesota and into western Wisconsin. Ice and sleet have been mixing in throughout the night and into Saturday along the Interstate 90 (I-90) corridor in southern Minnesota creating slick driving conditions. At 11 a.m., the Minnesota Department of Transportation closed I-90 from Albert Lea to the South Dakota border and advise no travel in southeastern Minnesota.

"Snowfall amounts range from 12 to 20 inches across the metro with an official total of 16.5" at MSP Airport through 6:00 PM Saturday...."

There isn't quite so much snow here in central Minnesota. As for the wind chill? The Lemming grew up near the North Dakota/Minnesota border: so this isn't particularly unfamiliar weather.

And the Lemming has been wearing a hat and gloves.