Today’s forecast: blizzard.

Growing up in lower Michigan, I thought blizzards were reserved for the North Pole, Santa Land, Rudolph and the eight tiny reindeer. Obviously, I was wrong.

I have endured through ~four blizzards thus far. Today might have made five, but I don’t think we quite reached blizzard conditions. We don’t necessarily get a lot of snow, but the wind sometimes blows the snow off the road even when we do, so it is difficult to tell. One place may have an inch of snow and another may have a few feet.

Just what is a blizzard, anyway? A blizzard possesses the following qualities:
• Falling or blowing snow
• Wind in excess of 35 mph
• Visibility of less than ¼ mile
• Lasts more than three hours

For me, blizzards aren’t necessarily a big deal. Life still goes in. I still have to go in if the hospital needs me. I still have to go about my day-to-day activities. The blizzard doesn’t care that I have to do that stuff, and I don’t care that the blizzard doesn’t care. We both just go about our business.

I do have to clear my driveway a bit more than usual. Today, I will snowblow some tire tracks so I can pull out to the end of the driveway. That way, I can walk out there if I actually have to go somewhere, tonight.

To clarify, blizzards aren’t necessarily accompanied by lots of new snow accumulation. I’ve had bare spots on my driveway after blizzards and my snow banks really didn’t rise in height. The reason why today’s “blizzard” is a bit of a pain is because it is accompanied by lake effect snow. Add to that the fact that I live quite close to Lake Superior, at a higher elevation, and in the snow belt.

It is difficult to capture the true beauty the snow brings.

I am not complaining; quite the contrary. I am fascinated by our weather, here, and even more fascinated with how we deal with it, and we really don’t think much of it. A lot of snow? Cool! I get to ski! Snowshoeing has just gotten more exciting! The sled hill should be a blast! Better throw more wood on the fire. And the beauty…

Winter in the Keweenaw truly is a beautiful experience. Everything is bright and white. The sunlight dances across the snow and the moon lights up the night like there is magic in the air. I wish I could capture that beauty with my camera just as I experience it. Unfortunately, cameras don’t capture the experience. They only capture a just a hint. Perhaps I can give you an idea of that beauty by describing it as a scene in which you would expect to see Santa, Rudolph, and the eight tiny reindeer flying across the sky.

For more information about blizzards, check out the United States Search and Rescue Task Force’s Blizzard web page.