Let It Snow!

Last week we had our first "winter" storm come through the state. The weather people were saying that we're all going to get snow and be prepared. They were also making sure the snow plows were ready to go. As the storm came into the state they were all saying it's snowing here, it's snowing there. The news people were sent out to track the storm. Channel 13 had one reporter near Las Vegas, NM (maybe she was in Las Vegas, I don't remember). Anyway she was saying that it's snowing, camera person pans the area and you can see a snowflake here and there. To me, that's not 'snowing.' Then she said, "to show you how much snow has fallen, let's take a look." She then bent down and pulled up a handful of 'snow.' But it wasn't all snow. Most of it was dirt/mud. There was no snow on the ground!! Just traces here and there. You could see more of the ground than the snow!! Hello!
So next morning I turned on the radio and the traffic person said the roads in Rio Rancho were icy and slick. And to be careful. Then the report that Rio Rancho closed the schools. I went to look outside to see how much snow has fallen. NO SNOW at all. Pretty soon the radio station I was listening to had people calling in to find out about Albuquerque schools. The mountain schools were closed. Usually closes when it snows in the mountains. Then they said so far APS is in session. People were calling in asking why APS is open, Rio Rancho is closed!! Hello! There's no snow on the ground. About an hour later APS closed the schools!!! WHAT?? No school? OMG!! What has gotten into these parents demanding they close the schools! Now these same people will be crying about their kids having to go to school after Memorial Day!! And then they won't even go to school after memorial day. Seems that's what happened last year. They had to make up 4 days and after Memorial Day no one went to school. APS people said, "It's OK." No wonder our kids don't learn much. So we now know they most likely won't make up that day. Just the teachers have to show up. Anyway, I couldn't understand why all the talk about closing the schools. The traffic reports coming in said that I-40 east and west going out of the city were snow-packed, so be careful. Later on they closed the roads. Then reports about southbound I-25 getting pretty bad, too. They said "If you don't have to go any where, please stay home!!" All during the day, a snowflake would fall here and there. No snow. That afternoon my nephew needed a ride to the westside and I took him out there. Wow!! The westside got lots of snow!! There was about 3-5 inches, depending on the area we were in. More snow going towards Rio Rancho. I can see that the westside people were concerned about their kids going to school in the snow. Because of the winds coming through the mountains, the city didn't get any snow. Just the surrounding areas got the snow. A couple of days later, my niece was telling me about the snow in their area. She even had to drive to work for the first time in the snow. And she said it was scary. It's a good thing she worked just a couple of miles away, no hills to climb, either. She said the snow got blown against their door and they had a hard time getting out. So all the apartments facing north had the snow against the doors. I had to take her to work a couple of days after the snow and Juan Tabo still had lots of snow at the sides of the road. And we didn't get any snow.
We drove out to Bernalillo the day after the snow and there was lots of snow every where. I had to drive over the bridge and it was covered with snow and ice. A car spun around trying to get over the bridge. I thought about turning back and going a different route. But went ahead and got over. The Rio Rancho schools remained closed for 3 days!! APS had to go back to school the next day.
Another storm is expected tomorrow. We'll see what that brings. They said SNOW!! I'll believe it when I see it. Seems that they usually say SNOW and it doesn't snow. It doesn't feel like it's December. I think I'm still back in August or September.

December 2011

70 mph winds on Thursday! It was trash day for our area. What a mess. The wind knocked some trash cans over. Those people didn't get their trash picked up.
Weather people were saying to expect snow, but nothing happened. Just wind and then by Friday all seemed to be ok. No sign of snow, either. Sun was shining brightly and warmed us up that day. That evening we started hearing about the traffic accidents in the East Mountains and that they may close Interstate 40 soon. Then there were accidents west of Albuquerque as well. Oh, no. Is the snow coming? By 11 PM there was nothing outside. So I thought, maybe it's not going to snow. I'll believe it when I see it. 2:30 AM, there was snow on the ground! Just enough to cover the ground, though. By 9 AM, it was all gone!! Sun had come out and melted it all away.
No time to make a snowman!!