Most heeded warnings, blizzard losses light
By ALLAN TINKER
The storm that started Tuesday, April 12, brought blocked roads, travel risks and closed businesses to a level not seen in many years. It was often compared to the blizzard of 1977, and in history to the blizzard of 1941. Snowfall on Wednesday and Thursday reached 22 inches, with scattered snowfall later in the week on Sunday adding a bit more. Heeding the warnings, the schools went to online backup plans, local stores closed early at noon on Tuesday with a flood of shoppers for Easter dining at Holens. The storm picked up steam
quickly, with strong winds out of the east, then northeast, piling snow high in drifts along the south side of buildings. Then the storm switched to winds from the north and northwest,
which nicely blocked the other side of many buildings and especially the east to west roads. The Kief farm to market road on the north end of the county was “completely blocked,” with county blade operators working diligently to clear these farm-to market main arteries first. The bus routes were scheduled next, when the smaller Sunday blizzard made that hazardous as well. The sun came out sporadically with enough warmth to seal the snow drifts. It also melted snow and made the ground softer, not adding to the ability to clear snow.
