North Texas Ice Closes Roads Leaving Motorists Stuck & Me Slipping

What you are looking at on the left is the fountain that spouts water into the cool  pool I usually go swimming in, weather permitting.

To the left of the fountain is the hot tub I use to get hot if I get too cool in the cool pool.

This morning, what with it being a measly 16 degrees, I thought some hydro-therapy in the hot tub might have a salubrious effect.

It did.

My original plan had been to get in the hot tub and then try one dip in the cool pool, curious was I as to how that would feel, what with the water being much warmer than the air. However, the ice cover had grown more slippery overnight. I did not think it a good idea to try and walk, barefoot, from a hot tub to a cool pool over thick ice.

Whilst in the hot tub I noticed the icicles you see in the picture. After finishing the hot tubbing I returned to my warm abode and outfitted myself in proper attire suitable for not getting cold in air chilled to 16 degrees, then returned to the outer world to take the above picture and to check on the icy condition of my motorized transport device.

Well.

It was on my way to that aforementioned motorized transport device that I discovered I'd made the right decision not to walk barefoot on ice. I was barely on the ice, with my slip resistant waffle stompers over my formerly bare feet, when I had myself a sudden fall from the vertical position. I had a fairly smooth landing and am fairly optimistic no damage was done, other than startling me out of my peaceful frame of mind.

Reading the news this morning I should have realized the level of slipperiness had amped up overnight, what with the news that I-20 west of Weatherford had turned into a treacherous thick ice impassable mess after the melted ice re-froze.

I-35 north of Denton, to the Oklahoma border, also had to be closed, with a lot of travelers stranded on those sections of road, and other locations.

So, for the first time in a long time I will not be going on my regularly scheduled Saturday treasure hunt at Town Talk.

Today I don't think it is safe even to take myself on a neighborhood walkabout. I don't think I could make it to Albertsons without falling.

An Icy Walk In My Neighborhood Dodging Falling Branches & Sliding Cars

With the outer world coated with ice I was not among those who thought it a good idea to roll the wheels of my mechanized transport anywhere today.

I opted to take an icy walking tour of my neighborhood and found myself surprised to find people risking driving on the ice, with that risk being too risky for several that my eyes witnessed.

As you can see my pool is looking particularly cool today, with its new white and turquoise color scheme.

I quickly realized walking on the ice of this Ice Storm was not as difficult as other ice storms I've walked on. And so I decided to try to walk and slide to Albertsons.

I quickly came upon the scene below, on the hill below Albertsons, with cars spinning their tires, with various levels of success, trying to get up the hill on Boca Raton Boulevard.

I learned later the white car on the right slid to that location hours previous and was abandoned by its driver. Not a good place to leave ones car. I saw several incidents of near misses as cars and trucks careened up and down the hill. The car on the far left was also stuck, but the driver was still behind the wheel. The blue car was trying to push it to no avail. Eventually a truck with two big burly guys showed up who were able to push the car enough to get it moving on its own.

As you can see, Albertsons is open, with a few people successfully managing to slide their way to the parking lot. I only saw two Albertsons checkout people checking people out. Both were dressed as if they were out in the cold, complete with stocking caps.

Leaving Albertsons I soon came upon Miss Puerto Rico. None of her co-workers were able to make it in today. Miss Puerto Rico asked if I wanted to tour her property with her, looking for ice damage. That sounded possibly entertaining, so I walked along, for awhile.

The only problem found whilst I was part of the Miss Puerto Rico inspection team was a big branch which had broken off and on to two vehicles. Neither vehicle appeared to have suffered any damage.

After I abandoned Miss Puerto Rico's inspection team I tried to open the door of my own personal mechanized transportation device, to no avail. The driver's side lock was covered with ice, with more ice sealing the door shut solid.

I was able to get the key in the passenger's side door and unlock it. But that door was also sealed shut with ice.

I then got myself a pitcher full of hot water which was able to do enough melting that I got the passenger door open and then was able to open the driver's side door by pushing from the inside.

I wanted to get my vehicle motion ready in case of an emergency need to drive somewhere. Apparently we are not scheduled to get any addition ice coverage. What we get to deal with now is continuing below freezing temperatures which will prevent much of the ice cover from melting.

I am sort of already over winter and winter has not even yet made its official arrival...

The Great White Friday North Texas Ice Storm Has Arrived With A Vengeance

On the left you are looking at the early morning view of my usual swimming venue on this first Friday of the last month of 2013.

On a normal day at this point in time I would be up close and personal with that cool pool.

But today that cool pool is way too cool.

As in the predicted Ice Storm has stormed in with a White Vengeance.

Icicles formed over night on various surfaces. Frozen water pellets pummel relentlessly, making a tinkling noise as they make earth contact.

The outer world at my location, according to my computer based temperature monitoring device, is currently frozen to 26 degrees.

I have not lost power.

Yet.

But, apparently, over 100,000 in North Texas are currently in shiver mode without electricity.

It just occurred to me I should make a big pot of coffee for backup purposes, kept in the refrigerator, for emergency iced coffee medication if the power goes out for an extended time.

I really don't want to suffer caffeine withdrawal in addition to Ice Storm misery.

China's Dragon King Harbor River Vision Sees A Cooler Bridge Than The Trinity River Vision Boondoggle Sees

When I saw the architect's rendering, on the left, of what one of the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle's signature bridges across the un-needed Trinity River flood diversion channel was going to look like, I had myself a rare moment of feeling totally wrong to have so wrong-headedly, stridently besmirched this apparently mighty fine public works project.

And then it was explained to me that this is not one of the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle's bridges to nowhere.

Instead it is a bridge, called the "Mobius" bridge, that is part of the Dragon King Harbor River Vision in the town of Meixi Lake in a place called Changsha, China.

What with China being a thriving progressive democracy, I assume, unlike in totalitarian Fort Worth, the Chinese public voted to support the funding mechanism needed to build this amazing looking public works project.

I wonder if the Dragon King Harbor River Vision has Rockin' the River Happy Hour Inner Tube Floats at a place called Dragon King Harbor Pavilion?

I also wonder if the Dragon King Harbor River Vision's executive director is the unqualified son of a local politician?

I suspect not, what with China being, like I already said, a thriving, progressive democracy....

The Ice Storm Has Arrived On Schedule At My Location In Texas

The Ice Storm no longer cometh.

The Ice Storm hath arrived.

Soon after the sun left for the day, rain began slowly dripping.

A short while after the departure of the sun, and the arrival of the drippage, the temperature dropped below freezing.

The temperature continues to drop.

I called my mom today to let her know I may be heading into primitive caveman status for the unforeseeable future, due to predictions of wide Ice Storm caused power outages and so I may be incommunicado due to the fact that all my communicado devices require electricity.

Except for my carrier pigeons.

My mom does not like to get messages via carrier pigeons due to her irrational flea phobia.

I just returned from stepping outside. The ice is already coating the outer world like clear slippery frosting on a very cold cake.

I have a bad feeling about this, a very bad feeling.

However, I do take comfort in the fact that my bad feelings are rarely validated by reality....

A Cold Weather Tale Of Three Cities

Methinks the cold that has descended upon the western half of the United States is portentous for some icy times ahead, what with the fact that we are still 16 days from the start winter. As you can see, above, my current town of residence, Fort Worth, has a similar 7 day forecast to my former town of residence, Mount Vernon, Washington, as you can see below.

A major difference between the Fort Worth forecast and the Mount Vernon forecast is there is no Ice Storm scheduled for Mount Vernon. I don't know if an Ice Storm has ever happened in the Skagit Valley. I know I never experienced such a thing until I experienced Texas, with my first Ice Storm wreaking havoc about two weeks after my Lone Star State arrival. A shocking, unexpected, welcome to Texas.

And then we have the 7 day forecast for the zone of Arizona where my parental units, sister, favorite brother-in-law and my two youngest nephews live.

Also cold, with some Phoenix area temperature predictors issuing freeze warnings.

I am preparing for the coming deep freeze and potential power loss. I have located extra blankets. I have so far been unsuccessful at finding firewood. I have never burned firewood in my fireplace.

I have a gas-fired lantern ready to be lit. A gas-fired cook stove ready for emergency cooking. An ice chest ready for emergency chilling.

And I have located my previously lost long underwear. I think I am ready....

Texas Storm Spotter Dangerous Ice Storm Update

Thursday, December 5, when I woke up my computer I saw an email had arrived at 6:55, this morning, from Texas Storm Spotter, John Basham, with the subject line of DANGEROUS ICE STORM.

The part of this update I find most worrisome is the case made for the possibility I may be without power for several days, with the suggestiion that preparations be made, such as making sure I have enough blankets.

But, what about all the food in my freezer and refrigerator? Move the frozen stuff outside into the natural freezer til the power comes back on?

Below is the Dangerous Ice Storm Update....

ICE STORM UPDATE
TEXAS - NORTH CENTRAL, CENTRAL & NORTHWEST  TEXAS
STORM SPOTTER METOPS FORT WORTH TX
655 AM CST WED DEC 5 2013

...THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION...
...WHILE THE NWS ALREADY HAS A WINTER STORM WARNING ISSUED...
...THIS EVENT MEETS ICE STORM WARNING CRITERIA AND COULD BE UPGRADED AT
ANY TIME...

AN ARCTIC COLD FRONT WAS SWEEPING INTO CENTRAL TEXAS THIS MORNING WITH A CONTINUED SURGE OF MUCH COLDER AIR FILTERING ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PLAINS AND MOVING INTO FAR NORTH TEXAS BY AFTERNOON. THIS EXTREMELY COLD LAYER OF AIR IS VERY SHALLOW AND IS TOPPED BY A RELATIVELY WARM AREA JUST OFF THE SURFACE. AN APPROACHING UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE CURRENTLY IN MEXICO WILL CONTINUE TO APPROACH THE REGION FROM THE SOUTHWEST BRINGING AN INCREASING AREA OF WIDESPREAD RAIN WITH IT. BY AROUND 6PM TEMPERATURES IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS, INCLUDING THE DFW METRO WILL BEGIN TO DROP BELOW FREEZING. THIS COMBINED WITH INCREASING RAINFALL RATES WILL START A DANGEROUS PROCESS OF FREEZING RAIN. SINCE THE WARM AIR JUST OFF THE SURFACE WILL NOT ALLOW FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE RAIN TO FREEZE INTO SLEET PELLETS OR SNOW, IT WILL HIT THE SURFACE AS WATER AND THEN FREEZE. THE EVENT SHOULD BEGIN SLOWLY AFTER SUNSET AND THE MAJORITY OF ICE DEVELOPMENT WILL LIKELY OCCUR BETWEEN MIDNIGHT AND 4AM ON FRIDAY MORNING. WHILE ALL COMPUTER MODELS ARE IN AGREEMENT THE MAJORITY OF THE REGION WILL BE IN THE 20'S THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT DISAGREEMENT ABOUT THE OVERALL COVERAGE AND LOCATION OF THE ICE AND SLEET. COMPUTER MODELS DO AGREE THAT THE ENTIRE REGION SHOULD SEE OVER .10" OF ICE WITH SOME AREAS SEEING ALONG AN AXIS FROM SHERMAN TO DFW AIRPORT TO FORT WORTH TO GRANBURY RECEIVING IN EXCESS OF .75". ALL AREAS SHOULD SEE DANGEROUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS, HOWEVER AREAS WHERE THE GREATEST FREEZING RAIN OCCURS WILL LIKELY SEE WIDE-SPREAD POWER OUTAGES AS POWER-LINES ARE BROUGHT DOWN BY THE WEIGHT OF ICE AND TREES WEIGHTED WITH ICE COLLAPSE ONTO THE LINES. ADDITIONALLY THESE AREAS COULD BE WITHOUT POWER FOR DAYS AS TEMPERATURES REMAIN IN THE 20'S AND 30'S. CLIENTS WHO RELY ON POWER FOR THEIR HEATING SHOULD RUSH PREPARATIONS FOR THIS EVENT. CLIENTS WITH DRIVERS WHO WILL BE IN THE REGION BETWEEN 9PM THURSDAY AND 6AM FRIDAY SHOULD PREPARE TO HAVE THOSE DRIVERS STRANDED. EMERGENCY LIFE-SAVING SUPPLIES ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT ESPECIALLY WARM BLANKETS. AGAIN, WHILE THE EXACT AMOUNT OF ICE AND THE INDIVIDUAL COUNTIES WHERE THE GREATEST ACCUMULATION CANNOT BE EXPRESSED WITH A GREATER DEGREE OF CONFIDENCE, IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT NOT TO IGNORE THIS FORECAST. LAST WEEKS VERY WEAK ICING EVENT IN NORTH TEXAS, WHERE NO DISRUPTIONS OF TRANSPORTATION OCCURRED CAUSED OVER 30,000 PERSONS TO LOSE ELECTRICAL POWER. THIS EVENT WILL BE OF A MUCH GREATER MAGNITUDE AND CANNOT BE UNDER-ESTIMATED. FOR SPECIFIC SPOT-CASTS OR SITE-SPECIFIC TIMING PLEASE CONTACT YOUR ASSIGNED METEOROLOGIST OR THE STORM SPOTTER METOPS FORECAST CENTER. UPDATES WILL FOLLOW AS CONDITIONS WARRANT. THIS IS NOT A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PRODUCT. METEOROLOGIST: BASHAM

The Shadow Of The Tandy Hills Thin Man Getting HOT Before Getting Icy Info From Texas Storm Spotter

With today being possibly the last day of the year that gets heated to being in the 80 degree range, with a predicted incoming ice storm with predicted potential bad things, like widespread power outages, detailed below, I decided to take what may be my last HOT sans-shirt Tandy Hills hike of the year.

What you are looking at on the left is the Shadow of the Tandy Hills Thin Man, surrounded by the colors of fall.

I had myself a mighty fine hiking time today. I am so overfilled with endorphins right now I don't think anything could aggravate me at this particular point in time.

This aggravation free bliss is usually of short duration. Likely to last through lunch, maybe.

Below is the aforementioned incoming weather calamity details, from my favorite Storm Spotter, John Basham------

WINTER WEATHER UPDATE
TEXAS - NORTH CENTRAL & NORTHWEST
STORM SPOTTER METOPS FORT WORTH TX
1030 AM CST WED DEC 4 2013

A STRONG ARCTIC COLD FRONT WILL ARRIVE IN NORTH TEXAS TODAY WITH A MUCH STRONGER SURGE OF COLD AIR MOVING INTO THE AREA OVERNIGHT TONIGHT WITH GUSTY NORTHERLY WINDS IN EXCESS OF 25MPH. BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON A COLD RAIN WILL BEGIN ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS WITH AREAS OF SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN NORTHWEST OF A LINE FROM BOWIE TO MINERAL WELLS. OVERNIGHT THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING CONTINUED PERIODS OF RAIN AND SURFACE TEMPERATURES DROPPING BELOW FREEZING FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST WILL BEGIN A TRANSITION FROM COLD RAIN AND MIXED SLEET TO FREEZING RAIN ACROSS ALL OF NORTH TEXAS. BY SUNRISE FRIDAY MORNING AREAS NORTHWEST OF A LINE FROM GAINESVILLE TO DENTON TO DFW AIRPORT TO LAKE WHITNEY SHOULD ALREADY SEE SIGNIFICANT ICING OCCURRING WITH AREAS OF 1/2" OF ICE OR MORE POSSIBLE THE FARTHER NORTHWEST YOU TRAVEL. HEAVIEST RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL BE CENTERED OVER THE DFW METRO HOWEVER THIS AREA SHOULD REMAIN WARMER LONGER THAN REMAINING OUTLYING AREAS DUE TO THE SURFACE HEAT ISLAND' EFFECT CAUSED BY METROPOLITAN AREAS. THIS WILL NOT HOWEVER PROTECT TREES AND POWER-LINES FOR LONG AFTER TEMPERATURES DROP FROM AROUND 30 TO THE UPPER 20'S. INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS TRAVEL IS LIKELY ACROSS THE NORTHWESTERN 2/3 OF NORTH TEXAS BY EARLY FRIDAY MORNING.

ADDITIONALLY WIDE-SCALE POWER OUTAGES ARE POSSIBLE AS TREES AND POWER LINES BECOME HEAVY FROM ICE AND FAIL. THIS EVENT IS NOT SIMILAR TO LAST WEEKS WINTER WEATHER EVENT FOR NORTH TEXAS AS TEMPERATURES ARE GENERALLY EXPECTED TO BE WELL BELOW FREEZING RATHER THAN HOVERING AT OR NEAR THE FREEZING MARK. ENERGY, TRANSPORTATION, MUNICIPAL, AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT CLIENTS NEED TO RUSH PREPARATIONS TO COMPLETION FOR THIS EVENT. LATEST MODEL DATA SHOWS THE POSSIBILITY OF A 'WORST CASE SCENARIO' OF ICE ACCUMULATIONS ALONG A LINE CENTERED FROM MCKINNEY TO DFW AIRPORT TO FORT WORTH TO GRANBURY AT ITS PEAK FROM MIDNIGHT TO 3AM EARLY FRIDAY MORNING. WHILE THERE ARE STILL A NUMBER OF SCENARIOS THAT COULD MATERIALIZE IT NOW SEEMS QUITE CLEAR THAT ANY ONE WILL CAUSE SIGNIFICANT DISRUPTIONS ACROSS A LARGE PART OF NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHWEST TEXAS. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT IF ACCUMULATED ICE DOES INTERRUPT POWER THEN CLIENTS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR TEMPERATURE DROPS INTO THE UPPER 20'S. CLIENTS WHO RELY ON ELECTRICITY FOR HEAT NEED TO PREPARE FOR THE EVENTUALITY OF NO HEAT FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. TRANSPORTATION CLIENTS SHOULD PREPARE FOR DRIVERS TO BE STRANDED IN THEIR VEHICLES FOR EXTENDED PERIODS. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION> THAT SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN LIGHTLY. FOR SPECIFIC SPOT-CASTS OR SITE-SPECIFIC TIMING PLEASE CONTACT YOUR ASSIGNED METEOROLOGIST OR THE STORM SPOTTER METOPS FORECAST CENTER. UPDATES WILL FOLLOW AS CONDITIONS WARRANT. THIS IS NOT A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PRODUCT. METEOROLOGIST: BASHAM

A Look At The Amazing Stage 3 Of The Trinity River Vision Boondoggle's Panther Island Pavilion

 I can't be the only person who finds it odd that out of the blue someone decided it was clever to call a location, located in part of the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle project zone, "Panther Island".

And then give the name "Panther Island Pavilion" to what the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle's chief propagandist, J.D. Granger, has described, and I am working from memory here, as "a rare downtown urban waterfront music venue".

Which is sort of true, actually. I mean what other town in America encourages people to drink beer while floating on inner tubes in a polluted river while listening to live music?

So, the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle really has created a rare downtown urban waterfront venue.

I do not know what decade in the future that which is referred to as Panther Island will actually become a faux island. The un-needed flood diversion channel is what will create the faux island. And that un-needed, un-voted for, flood diversion channel is nothing but an un-funded pipe dream, at present, with no known project timeline for its construction.

A couple months ago I pedaled my bike to the Panther Island Pavilion area. At that point in time I was focused on what a mess of cyclone fences and clutter the area was.

Last week I discovered that the cyclone fencing is now gone, and the clutter is greatly reduced.

And I noticed something else.

I do not know why the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle has not trumpeted the fact that, apparently, their Panther Island Pavilion operation is of the recycling, green sort.

Very admirable.

Several of the long gone Tandy Subway's train boarding stations have been re-purposed as Panther Island Pavilion music stages.

You are looking at STAGE 3 in the picture.

STAGE 3 with a couple Panther Island Pavilion outhouses to the left.

Classy.

Can we conclude that this type development is indicative of the quality level we can expect from any of the other parts of the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle that actually ever become anything anyone is able to see?

I Am Already Shivering Just Thinking About The Incoming Ice Storm

I am not liking that 16 degrees I am seeing in the forecast  for Friday. Followed by two days of not going above freezing, with sleet and an ice storm currently scheduled for Saturday.

The predicted pre-Thanksgiving ice storm failed to materialize as predicted. I have a bad feeling that the current ice storm prediction is going to materialize as predicted.

The outer world was heated to nearly 60 when I exited my abode to make my regularly scheduled daily morning trek to the cool pool for a bout of cold and hot stimulation.

Tomorrow morning I suspect I may be deciding not to to be making my daily morning trek to the cool pool, due to being too cool.