1/20/10 - KS/NE/IA Wintry Mix

[Mike Hollingshead]

http://www.extremeinstability.com

Images and some words on the front page, not much as I'm short on time, but you get the idea lol.

 

[Tyler Burg]

Got 20 or so images on this page, pretty crazy Ice in W IA, 1"+ in some areas...

http://tonightssky.org/accounts/012010.html

 

[Mike Hollingshead]

The Harlan to Denison area, and most likely anywhere higher up like they are in that area, haven't melted essentially at all. It's just such an abrupt change hopping on I80 near Mo Valley and heading up into the hills. Go from nothing to a good bit of ice, bam. Some of that has melted and fallen off, to the west. But that area at least around Harlan is still completely encased. It's going to have to be bad for up there, as they finally start to see wind on things tomorrow into Saturday.

I think back about the 2006 ice storm in sc NE. Most every north-south pole section held up. Most every open east-west section went down, thanks to some wind on heavy ice. It just seems everything up there right now is like those north-south sections before, since they haven't been rocked by any wind at all essentially. I'm picturing a ton of downed poles after the wind picks up out of the east. Thanks to the rime ice I'd imagine the ice on things is worse than the 2006 one. It's hard to say that though not knowing of any big transmission towers down with this one...yet. The one tree I measured in Harlan today, with the branch broken over so all smaller branches mostly pointed downward.....these small branches had upwards of 4.5 inches in diameter of ice on them. They pretty much all had 3.5 inch slabs of ice on them.

About had the windows busted clear out of the car while stopped at a stop light. The ice that slammed the pavement right next to me surely would have went clean through the windshield. It scared the crap out of me. Earlier at a rest stop while trying to take pictures, I just couldn't keep convincing myself to do so. The branch above what I wanted to shoot was not massive at all, but the ice on it was and it was constantly dropping that crap all around there.

The other thing up there is some sweet drifting. Found some farm outbuildings away from any house. The gravel road going up to it had two massive drifts over it that a tank wouldn't drive through. The one was at least 10 feet tall. Quite difficult to walk up on that given the 1.5 inch of ice/steel covering it all. You'd really have to kick down to get into it. Otherwise you'd need crampons. Right by there is a long fence line drenched in thick ice. Thing is sections of that your feet are right at the top of it, on drifting. It's just very crazy around there, the definition of a bad winter. Trees by the Pamida in town looked like a bomb was dropped on them. Power went out as I was in the gas station in Shelby.

http://www.wxcaster2.com/CENTRAL_MESO-ETA_SFC_SLPTMPDPTWINDSBLI_30HR.gif

All the ice will still be on things come tomorrow evening according to the NAM. 988mb SFC low over in ne CO. I can't help but think hundreds of poles will be crashing on over by Saturday morning. Might be worth trying to get video of it. It's high up and open north of Harlan. Just park by an open section of north-south poles and watch.

 

[Mike Hollingshead]

Took a ton of photos up there yesterday. Here are 3.

3.5 to 5 inch diameter slabs of ice on those branches. I should have tried to break them apart and study the rime ice levels in there. Couldn't ever really see the rime ice through them.

You can tell where there was still rime ice on things and where there wasn't, when the heavy freezing rain fell.

Every weather lover/storm lover has to some time in their life see areas that have ice like this. Everywhere is mind blowing, especially walking surfaces. You would not want the task of walking very far ON this "snow". Drift was as tall as this fence just left of frame, which I walked over to. If you were to fall on top of that deep snow, you will get hurt, because ice that thick on it is a whole lot like cement. Those foot marks there were only there because I kicked down into it for some traction.

Today here was really pretty amazing. Hills south of town are losing their ice as the wind picks up. Driving up the hill between any trees was like core punching a supercell if you timed the wind right. Not a chunk here or there occasionally, no, showers of the stuff. Get the right piece and it will shatter your windshield. I put on a hard hat and ventured into the trees and shot a bit of video. It was just so cool whenever the wind would gust. It had to be amazing just east of here in those extremely hard hit regions around Harlan thanks to increasing wind. Kicking myself now big time for not going over today.

 

[MatthewCarman]

Another system is moving through the Midwest and will bring some freezing rain to Iowa later tonight. Mostly for northern Iowa. The biggest problem will be 25-35 MPH winds which is already going to cause damage to limbs and power lines that are already stressed from the ice. Some people around here have been without power for 3 days now and some farms could be without power for an entire week. 4 counties in Iowa has been declared disaster areas west of Des Moines and shelters are open to those without power. I would not be surprised if I lose power tonight.

 

[Nate Gillson]

Another system is moving through the Midwest and will bring some freezing rain to Iowa later tonight. Mostly for northern Iowa. The biggest problem will be 25-35 MPH winds which is already going to cause damage to limbs and power lines that are already stressed from the ice. Some people around here have been without power for 3 days now and some farms could be without power for an entire week. 4 counties in Iowa has been declared disaster areas west of Des Moines and shelters are open to those without power. I would not be surprised if I lose power tonight.

2/24/2007 all over again except over a much smaller area.

 

[Chris Allington]

Finally got some images up here... pretty crazy to see, can't say I've ever seen that much ice!

 

[MatthewCarman]

2/24/2007 all over again except over a much smaller area.

I was without power for 2-3 days after that event. Thankfully I did not lose power this time.