They are predicting a bunch of snow today. And true to their predictions it starts snowing at 12 NOON on the dot. Between 12N and 6:30 we received about 6 inches of heavy stuff. Which means high moisture content. We are to receive around 14" total by Tuesday 8 p.m.
The reason for the shots out the apartment window this morning is to compare what it looked like when I left for work, around 8:30 a.m. and what it looked like when I returned... about 6:30 p.m. Compare the first picture and the last picture of the group.
Today we had a faculty and administration meeting to develop a plan on how to salvage the semester for our students. We think we came up with a good plan, providing we can get through this weekend with no major difficulty. We did CLOSE school Tuesday and Wednesday this week to help with keeping roads clear during this storm. With all the city crews being used around the clock for flood duty, there is no one left to plow the snow we will be getting tonight and tomorrow. So to minimize the impact we closed school. Our new president sure has her head on straight.
Closing school means only Weather Essential Personnel show up, as opposed to cancellation of classes which means all staff and faculty need to show up.
So, we are CLOSED for two days this week. But I scored a press pass from the University's Director of Communications, or I should say a "Media Representative" pass. Heck works for me. AND, I got a lanyard to hang it around my neck! LOL
The pictures today are for the most part are taken in Moorhead, MN, specifically MSUM, Concordia College and the neighborhood between them and the Main Ave Bridge. Both campuses are empty, a dorm has port-a-johns outside the entrance, Concordia shut down all water before they sent their students packing.
You see how the weather deteriorates on the walk home. You can interpret the weather and the images for yourself, they are self explanatory I am sure. If it wasn't for all the sandbags and water one would think we are having a pleasant spring snow storm. It was beautiful and serene.... and then terrifying to think what could come of all this snow.
The common sound is that of generators running pumps to clear out water, interupts the beautiful snow coverd walk. Oh, the gentleman on the bridge being interviewed is our own Dennis Walaker, Mayor of Fargo.
Tonight there is NO TRAVEL Advised anywhere. Although outside my window at this time, 7th Street looks passable. Poor Oakport Township has had its only accessible road blocked off by authorities. The roads out there are in such poor shape that they have blocked the only road left in and out. It is so bad that the trains are blowing their whistles while going through town.
The big fear is that all this new snow will melt rapidly and fill the river again. One forecaster tonight said the river will go back up to 41' with this snow event. The rest of the week the temperatures are to be above 32F.
Lastly:
"Weather Statement as of 4:23 PM CDT on March 30, 2009 ... Secondary crest likely throughout the Red River valley...
Due to the remaining snow cover... frozen ground... and an experimental long range weather and hydrologic outlook... there is strong confidence that a secondary flood crest will occur in the Red River valley in the mid April time frame.
Ice in the fields... coupled with new snow expected in the next couple of days will eventually melt and combine with precipitation from any future storm systems. A large percentage of this water will likely be added into the Red River system. At Fargo... there is strong confidence in the secondary crest exceeding 37 feet. At the present time... the best estimate of a worst case scenario is based upon adding two to two and one half inches of additional precipitation into the Red River basin. This could result in a secondary crest at Fargo climbing back to the 40 to 41 foot range some time in mid April."
I don't know how the people in the city can deal with another 40'+ event like this so soon. That will be almost a month of 24 hours a day monitoring dikes, levees and pumps.
Ah, to think that last Wednesday morning the only snow around was the dwindling piles.
Mike
Page 1 | Page 2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|