Storms a-Comin'

Last week's snowstorm in the northeastern and mid-Atlantic states was a doozie, by all accounts. Parts of seven states received snowfall in excess of thirty inches. More than 100 million people were affected by the two-day storm. Schools and businesses were closed, traffic came to a standstill in many areas, thousands of flights were cancelled, more than 50 people lost their lives because of the widespread storm.

Over the past few days, another storm has been predicted. This one is scheduled to hit the middle of our country on Monday and Tuesday. Early models predicted as much as 30-45 inches of snow along with 20 mph winds across Iowa, with upwards of a foot of snow for much of Nebraska and the rest of the Midwest. I've noticed that the weather forecasters have tempered their predictions by insisting that the exact path of the storm and amount of snow will definitely change, but current weather patterns indicate that someone, somewhere, will get a lot of snow and probably a lot of wind. In other words, someone will get a blizzard.

Today, the forecast has moderated a bit, at least for the amount of snow that meteorologists think is on the way. Now, it seems like no one will receive more than 18 inches of the fluffy white stuff; that's still a lot of snow, but much less than 30-45 inches. It makes me wonder if weather forecasters just threw out those ridiculously high numbers to get our attention. Besides, they were right about that huge snowstorm last week, weren't they?

But wait, there's more! Today, some forecasters are saying that this storm might be accompanied by winds of 40-50 mph. That's a lot of wind. That will definitely be a blizzard!

It seems to me that Nebraska used to receive much more snow than we've had in recent years. I remember sledding down the hills at Crystal Springs every winter, sometimes every weekend, when I was growing up in Fairbury. I remember several times when school was closed because of heavy snow, often accompanied by high winds. The single largest storm, in my memory, dumped 28 inches of snow and closed school for three days. I remember shoveling a lot of snow.

Another time, my family was marooned during a three day storm, spending way too much time in our car as we followed a succession of snowplows from Norfolk to Lincoln, and finally home to Fairbury on the third day. Click here to read about that adventure.

Our oldest generations still talk about the winter of 1948-1949, when the snow just kept on coming. No one living in Nebraska since then has ever experienced such snow. It's hard for us to imagine. These days, I doubt if we would be prepared for a series of such debilitating storms. 

Think about it. Now, in the twenty-first century, our whole country is electrified, digitized, fully plumbed, and totally dependent on mechanized transportation. What if a massive snowstorm dumped so much snow that the electricity was off for many days in the middle of the winter? What if all the roads and even city streets were totally blocked with mountains of snow? How would we survive?

Very few people in Nebraska own cross country skis or snowshoes, or even snowmobiles, so most people would be stranded in their frigid homes. With no electricity, we would have no lights, no heat, no working phones. Frozen pipes mean no water, either. We would have to be innovative but, unfortunately, we wouldn't be able to google the answers to our survival questions.

My family would be better off than most. We have plenty of warm clothes and blankets and sleeping bags. We have a wood-burning fireplace and enough wood to last for several days, as long as we have enough foresight to move the woodpile close to the back door. We have a gas grill and a propane camp stove, so we wouldn't have to subsist on cold food. Our pantry and freezer are nearly full, so we would have plenty to eat, even if the meals might lack conventionality. We have a battery powered camp lantern, several flashlights with batteries, a large supply of candles and three or four kerosene lamps, as well as a bottle of lamp oil, so we would have some light. And we have a basement. Most basement temperatures stay above 55 degrees, even when unheated, so we could huddle in the basement if we had to.

But, what about the neighbors? I've noticed that people in Nebraska look out for their neighbors, especially during tough times. Once the snow stopped, I suspect that Bill would tunnel his way out the door, and strap on his cross county skis so he could explore the neighborhood and offer help when needed. That's what Nebraskans do in hard times: we help each other. So, we would share our food and blankets, maybe even our house. The whole neighborhood would work together to shovel interconnected paths through the snow. Maybe, without electricity, we would reconnect with the people who live near us. Maybe we would gather in each other's homes to share meals and play cards.

Maybe we could all use a little break from the electronic devises that rule our lives. However, I don't think that debilitating storm will be happening this time. Here in Gering, current forecasts are predicting a manageable 4-6 inch snowfall this week, perhaps with some wind. If school is closed at all, it will only be for one measly day. Parts of eastern Nebraska will probably have to endure a more major storm, but people there will only be inconvenienced for a couple of days. We will survive.

We are blessed to live at a time when most snowstorms are predicted far enough in advance that we can make sure we have everything we need to weather the storm.  So, we will be able to stock up on essentials like milk and batteries, and we will wait out the storm in our warm homes. And, once again, we will trust God to protect us from the storm, and provide everything we need.

I would hasten to my place of refuge from the stormy wind and tempest.  Psalm 55:8