January 31, 2007

It's The Storm Of The Century Of The Week!

Run for your lives, Dee Cee!

Thursday

Snow developing. Around an inch of snow accumulation expected. Highs in the lower 30s. South winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 80 percent.

Thursday Night

Snow...rain and freezing rain likely. Additional snow and ice accumulations possible. Lows in the upper 20s. Northeast winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation 70 percent.

Friday

Mostly cloudy. A chance of rain...freezing rain and snow in the morning. Highs in the lower 40s. Northwest winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation 30 percent.

There were some patches of black ice on the Murrland highways that played absolute hell with the commute this morning. The approaching storm oughta shut us down completely. Stock up on the t-p and batteries right now!

And speaking of the End of the World, Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Mr. James Lileks:

I’m not surprised that the latest [climate change] predictions are more dire than the last. Panic is useful. As people of my age and ideological disposition are so tiresomely fond of reminding everyone, global cooling was the big fear way back when; mastodons would burst from glaciers and stomp our houses flat. After that came the population bomb, which would make the earth look like a crouton covered with a billion ants. (People would be literally hanging off the edge of the planet! The editorial cartoons said so!) Then came resource depletion (I still remember debating this in high school tournaments; if the affirmative side came up with a shale oil solution, I would confidently cite sources that proved shale oil would never be economically viable. Never. Never ever. So don’t even try. We – are – screwed.) Then came nuclear winter, which was the subject of a very special edition of the New Yorker and greatly influenced the lyrics of a cautionary song by Sting. In the 90s, when things were good, we worried about meteors, or “undocumented geological visitors.” I’m not saying the planet isn’t warming; probably is. I’m not saying man has no role; quite possible. But I’m stupid enough to believe that natural climate cycles and/or solar influence cannot be ruled out, and that the complex mysteries of the global climate cannot be influenced by a handful of Gauls foreswearing machine-made espresso-foam for a 300 seconds.

If I’m wrong, I’m wrong. I have more pressing concerns, to be honest. I’m all scared out when it comes to Imminent Planet Death Scenarios.

'Zactly.



Posted by Robert at January 31, 2007 09:45 AM | TrackBack
Comments

Don't forget the bread and the milk.

Actually, when it comes to ice, I do get concerned. Snow I can drive through (go slow & don't use the brake much, shift down -- another reason to go stick instead of automatic) but ice, that's a different story.

Posted by: rbj at January 31, 2007 10:56 AM

Priorities, man! I'm stopping off at Total Wine this evening to stock up on anti-freeze.

Posted by: Robbo the LB at January 31, 2007 11:39 AM

Dang, we have a trip to the pediatrician Friday morning. We've already become paranoid new parent drivers, but add the snow/ice thing? Lord, help us!

Posted by: jen at January 31, 2007 12:21 PM