This happy little boy exuded joy that even more snow was falling as he built some frozen sentinels on his home’s front lawn. Submitted photo
Mother Nature gifted the Parkland with about a half inch of ice and up to eight inches of snow in some areas, the product of Winter Storm Blair that passed through just a few days after the New Year celebrations had ended. Adults were burdened with challenges presented by intermittent power outages as ice-encrusted trees shed their limbs into power lines. Emergency services responded to seemingly non-stop calls for reports of downed and arcing power lines while utility crews and linemen braved the elements in an attempt to keep the grid operational.
Travel was treacherous, keeping road crews on overtime shifts to clean and clear roadways, and creating a general state of emergency across the state prompting MoDOT to close some highways and issue warnings and travel advisories. Even though by Wednesday, backroads were clear enough for school buses to travel routes for some districts like Farmington and Central, districts with more rural roadways like Arcadia Valley remain closed.
Oblivious to the anxiety felt by adults, area children were delighted with six or more snow days to escape the confines of school classrooms. Apparently enjoying immunity from the freezing temperatures, many Parkland kids took advantage of the snowfall to build new icy friends in their yards for passersby to appreciate.
Warmer temperatures are in the forecast by Friday. Expect snow and ice to melt intermittently and refreeze ahead of an arctic blast anticipated to arrive during the latter part of the weekend. High temperatures are being predicted to not reach the freezing point on the thermometer with nighttime lows falling into the single digits for the first time this winter season.
Lisa Brotherton-Barnes is a staff writer for the Daily Journal. She can be reached at lbarnes@dailyjournalonline.com.
