Mess in the Midwest: The Snowstorm that Covered Cleveland

Mess in the Midwest: The snowstorm that covered Cleveland

Around 10:00AM Saturday morning while at work, I receive an advisory from Tower City Security that the Coast Guard just called and stated that the first snowstorm of the season was streaming across Lake Erie and due to hit downtown at Noon.

By 2:00PM in the afternoon, there was more than a light dusting with swirling winds blowing and freezing air cutting through the city, it was time for me to go home. I watched from my downtown office window as holiday shoppers sprint across parking lots and jog into buildings. I dreaded going out there.

Once exiting the warm bus after having thawed out a bit it was my stop and time to get off. By now, the snow coming down more swiftly and the wind felt like a giant pair of hands pushing me in the opposite direction that I was walking. Too cold to jog, I stiffly made my way to the front door of my apartment.

As I looked down at my gloved hand to open the door, not only was it covered in the white stuff, but in the 1hour it took for the snow to start, the car I left out thinking I'd go Christmas shopping after work, was covered.
By 3:00PM Saturday all the local networks were issue winter warnings and updating Clevelanders that the worse was yet to come and they were right.

Sunday morning was worse. Gusting winds picked up from the day before and swirls of snow created white out conditions, ask me how I know, well you see there was this hair appointment, that's another subject though. City officials were unable to keep up with the falling flakes and the streets were left looking ugly. Travel speeds were 20-25 mph, as car traveled in a straight line using the tire tracks from the car ahead as a path. The 6 o'clock news not only announced the Brown's victory over the Bills, in an outdoor stadium, but included school closings and delays for today.

This morning ODOT had all major freeways fairly cleared and some main streets were a little easier to navigate, but public transportation ran on a slight delay and schools not closed were running 2 hours behind schedule.Boy was today a doosie, my exact words this morning on way out the door were, "it is too nasty out. No one should ever have to go out in this mess" My beloved other half, Arnez, replied in his manly tone, "you in the wrong part of the country saying that. You have to live down south for that to mean something. Here in Ohio this is just a way of life. We do this every year"

I spoke to several co-workers who all had their story of the morning commute. Lisa, whom I caught in the elevator, said she left home at 5:30AM to do a drive that normally takes her and her carpool buddy an hour. They arrived to work 15 minutes late; start time is 8:00 AM.

My commute was uneventful, I had my fun going to get my hair done the day before,remember. I ice skated to the car drove to the train and went on my usual way. The train was a little more crowded than usual as others opted to play it safe and not drive.

The most interesting part of the whole blizzard was a Myspace message I received from my best friend, Lemon Jones, yes that's her real name, and I quote, "I am pissed! I am stuck in Chicago. The plane took off and as soon as it arrived to Cleveland, it had to turn around cause it was too bad to land. I am still here hoping that tomorrow I can come home", way to use Myspace.

The forecast for my city tonight a temperature of 17 degrees with a wind chill as low as 7, tomorrow a balmy 39 with a little bit of sun and more snow. I guess Frosty will have to go to the North Pole after all. And by the way, we received 12 inches of snow in 24 hours and had winds of up to 40 miles per hour.

I guess if you're a kid this isn't so bad, after all, who doesn't love a snow day spent in Cain Park.