The 2010 Blizzard

No, we didn’t get a few flurries.  We didn’t even get 3 inches (as one Coloradan-not my parents-asked when he heard about Virginia’s declared state of emergency).  We got a whopping 9 inches of snow!  That’s right…9 inches!

Here’s the facts:

1. Virginia Beach received 9 inches, and the official report for the airport (Norfolk) was 5.5 inches.
2. This is the most snow our region has received in 10 years.  The last major snow was in 1989, where two different storms in the same month dumped 9 inches, and 15.4 inches.  Before that, in 1980, we received 13.7 inches.  The circus happened to be in town, giving that storm the name of “circus blizzard.”
3. In less than 24 hours, State Police reported 443 car crashes throughout the region.  Only 19 had minor injuries, and there were no fatalities.  (These statistics from the Virginian Pilot newspaper).
4. Our church services were cancelled today.  Our pastor said it’s only the second time he has cancelled services in 21 years.
5. Ben is not expecting to work tomorrow.  How can you spray a house for bugs with 8 inches of snow?

We ventured out yesterday morning, just for the sake of adventure.  There were about 4 inches at that point, and it was still coming down hard.  The main roads were a mess, and they looked as if they hadn’t been plowed.  Yet the side roads leading into Target and the grocery store were scraped clean.

People have been going in and out of our court.  Everything is a solid layer of ice.  The sun was out briefly today, and a few places started to melt.  What resulted is about 8 inches of icy water that will probably freeze tonight.

Here are some pictures.  You can see video of the beginning of the storm in my post here.

Just in case anyone was wondering!