The Perfect Storm

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM SATURDAY TO 7 PM EST SUNDAY.

SNOWFALL WILL DEVELOP DURING THE DAY SATURDAY...AND INTENSIFY SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY MORNING. TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 8 TO 12 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS. NORTHEAST WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 30 MPH ARE ALSO EXPECTED AND WILL CREATE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW THAT WILL SEVERELY IMPACT TRAVEL IN THE AREA THROUGH SUNDAY.

Oh boy. This sounds like fun! I don't mean to ignore the fact that storms like this can be dangerous and I hope no one is negatively impacted by it, but a good ol' midwestern snow storm like this one portends, can be kind of fun. It's like the world as you know it just stops and all you can do is stay in, stay cozy, and watch it swirl about outside your window.

That being said, I feel for those that are still without power from the last blast. I've experienced being without electricity for several days and that isn't fun after the first day or so. We are such creatures of habit! In the short days of winter, when it gets dark so early - actually, late in the afternoon - we want to flip the light switch and we're forced to strike a match to light the candles, which provide ambient lighting at best. It's romantic for about half an hour. Then it just gets frustrating. It doesn't take that long before even a nap doesn't sound like fun, let alone another fifteen-hour night.

So as we sit here waiting for the ball to drop, I'm saying a prayer that the coming storm will behave enough to keep everyone safe, yet dump enough of the white stuff to pretty up the landscape. I hope if anyone gets stranded anywhere, it's with their loved ones. And if there are any memories of the snowing and blowing and drifting that are sure to occur, I hope they're only good ones.

That's what I wish for - the perfect storm.