MILWAUKEE — Highways were treacherous for holiday travelers Monday in the upper Midwest in the aftermath of a blustery snowstorm that blacked out thousands of homes and businesses and snarled air travel.
At least 11 deaths were blamed on the weekend-long storm, which led to multi-car pileups that closed parts of several major highways on the Plains.
Strong winds blew snow into whiteout conditions during the weekend, but conditions had eased Monday.
That wouldn’t necessarily mean safer roads, authorities cautioned.
“The roads aren’t quite as ice-covered but we’re still telling people not to drive unless they have to,” Sgt. Tim Elve of the Dane County Sheriff’s Office said early Monday. “The interstate is still slick and the rural roads are really bad.”
Authorities had issued urgent pleas for travelers to stay home Sunday, but officials worried that people would insist on driving Monday, regardless of the weather, to get to Christmas Eve destinations.
“I know it’s the holidays, but we hope people use some common sense when traveling,” said Sgt. Chad Breuer of the Grant County Sheriff’s Department in southwest Wisconsin. “There are a lot of people saying, ‘I’ll just leave that much earlier,’ but still, the roads are not favorable for traveling.”
The storm rolled through Colorado and Wyoming on Friday, then spread snow and ice on Saturday from the Texas Panhandle to Wisconsin. On Sunday, snow fell across much of Wisconsin and eastern Minnesota and parts of Michigan and Indiana.
Up to 6 inches of snow fell on western Michigan, and freezing drizzle glazed some highways Monday morning in counties along Lake Michigan. The area of Madison, Wis., got three to four hours of freezing rain early Sunday, making driving treacherous.
The storm system had blown out to sea Monday morning, but in its wake wind blowing at 25 mph picked up moisture from Lake Erie to create lake-effect snow in Buffalo, N.Y. Five to 10 inches of snow was possible there and in other parts of western New York by Tuesday morning, the weather service said.
Wind was measured at 88 mph over Lake Michigan, with gusts of 50 to 68 mph across the Chicago region, according to the National Weather Service.
Because of the wind, airlines canceled more than 300 flights Sunday at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, the city Aviation Department said. Municipal officials said the wind had knocked out nearly 170 traffic signals, and there were more than 500 reports of fallen trees and limbs.
More than 11,000 homes and businesses were without power at some point Saturday in Wisconsin because of the freezing rain, ice, gusty wind and heavy snow, utilities said. Michigan utilities reported some 31,000 customers were still without power Monday morning, and in Illinois about 15,000 customers had been blacked out.
At least three people in Minnesota, three in Wyoming, three in Wisconsin and one person each in Texas and Kansas were killed in traffic accidents that authorities blamed on the storm.
The fatality in Texas came in a chain-reaction pileup involving more than 50 vehicles, including several tractor-trailer rigs, on Interstate 40, police said. At least 16 people were taken to hospitals, police said.
Authorities believe the pileup, which shut down the highway for most of the day, was caused by near zero visibility in blowing snow and slippery pavement. Multi-vehicle wrecks on Saturday also temporarily blocked sections of I-70 in Kansas and I-29 in Missouri.
HELLO??? Paging algore and the ‘global warming’ moonbats. Not only is the weather going contrary to your ‘theories’, but there’s a lot of scientists who also beg to differ:
Over 400 prominent scientists from more than two dozen countries recently voiced significant objections to major aspects of the so-called “consensus” on man-made global warming. These scientists, many of whom are current and former participants in the UN IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), criticized the climate claims made by the UN IPCC and former Vice President Al Gore.
The new report issued by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee’s office of the GOP Ranking Member details the views of the scientists, the overwhelming majority of whom spoke out in 2007.
Even some in the establishment media now appear to be taking notice of the growing number of skeptical scientists. In October, the Washington Post Staff Writer Juliet Eilperin conceded the obvious, writing that climate skeptics “appear to be expanding rather than shrinking.” Many scientists from around the world have dubbed 2007 as the year man-made global warming fears “bite the dust.” In addition, many scientists who are also progressive environmentalists believe climate fear promotion has “co-opted” the green movement.
This blockbuster Senate report lists the scientists by name, country of residence, and academic/institutional affiliation. It also features their own words, biographies, and weblinks to their peer reviewed studies and original source materials as gathered from public statements, various news outlets, and websites in 2007. This new “consensus busters” report is poised to redefine the debate.
Many of the scientists featured in this report consistently stated that numerous colleagues shared their views, but they will not speak out publicly for fear of retribution. Atmospheric scientist Dr. Nathan Paldor, Professor of Dynamical Meteorology and Physical Oceanography at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, author of almost 70 peer-reviewed studies, explains how many of his fellow scientists have been intimidated.
“Many of my colleagues with whom I spoke share these views and report on their inability to publish their skepticism in the scientific or public media,” Paldor wrote. [Note: See also July 2007 Senate report detailing how skeptical scientists have faced threats and intimidation – LINK ]
Scientists from Around the World Dissent
This new report details how teams of international scientists are dissenting from the UN IPCC’s view of climate science. In such nations as Germany, Brazil, the Netherlands, Russia, New Zealand and France, nations, scientists banded together in 2007 to oppose climate alarmism. In addition, over 100 prominent international scientists sent an open letter in December 2007 to the UN stating attempts to control climate were “futile.”
Paleoclimatologist Dr. Tim Patterson, professor in the department of Earth Sciences at Carleton University in Ottawa, recently converted from a believer in man-made climate change to a skeptic. Patterson noted that the notion of a “consensus” of scientists aligned with the UN IPCC or former Vice President Al Gore is false. “I was at the Geological Society of America meeting in Philadelphia in the fall and I would say that people with my opinion were probably in the majority.”
We’re freezing our asses off here in North East Ohio, too.
Gore should get his fat ass here and help us shovel all the ‘global warming’ off our driveways.
Oh yeah, and here’s an interesting tidbit:
Washington Post article, dated Sunday, March 19, 2000, pA01:
For all of Gore’s later fascination with science and technology, he often struggled academically in those subjects. The political champion of the natural world received that sophomore D in Natural Sciences 6 (Man’s Place in Nature) and then got a C-plus in Natural Sciences 118 his senior year. The self-proclaimed inventor of the Internet avoided all courses in mathematics and logic throughout college, despite his outstanding score on the math portion of the SAT.
Gotta wonder about the “credentials” of the scientists who buy into this crap, as well.
My post refered to man made global cooling. I remember the global cooling well as a child. That was very popular when the ozone was being destroyed. Even as a small lad I had the hair brain sceme to slowly destroy the ozone at the same rate as the cooling. Problem solved. Oh the brilliant ideas that kids come up with. Sorry about the plug for the company but I am very excited about the possibility of electricity from the sun at the same price or less than current supplies. To tell you the truth I really cannot sort out for myself weather global warming has anything to do with the actions of humanity. So much evidence on both sides and by credible people. But what is not in dispute is that the electricity that we produce today is from non renewable sources. That is a plan for disaster. We need those resources for so many other products. To make electricity from these resources when it can be made from the sun needs to be explored. Citizenre is one very possible solution and nanosolar is ther other. Either way the sooner that we can convert the better we can leave this planet for the next generations.
Reggie:
The “global cooling” theory was popular in the 70’s:
From “Ice Age Now”:
Link: http://www.iceagenow.com/Record_Lows_2007.htm
In the 1970’s there were dire predictions of “man-made” a Glacial Era:
….there was increasing awareness that estimates of global temperatures showed cooling since 1945. The general public had little awareness about carbon dioxide’s effects: at the time garbage, chemical disposal, smog, particulate pollution, and acid rain were the focus of public concern, although Paul R. Ehrlich mentions climate change from the greenhouse gases in 1968. Not long after the idea of global cooling reached the public press in the mid-1970’s, the temperature trend stopped going down. Even by the early 1970’s, there was concern in the climatological community about carbon dioxide’s effects, and it was known that both natural and man-made effects caused variations in global climate.
Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_cooling
Aside from the advertising plug for your company, I’m all for energy alternatives. But when the likes of Al Gore receives a Nobel prize for one of the most looney “scientific” theories in history, it’s a clear indication that too many people are easily manipulated.
SFC MAC
No doubt that global warming is very debated. I, however, have never heard that man is causing global cooling. For this – all I can say is that I hope that the people that believe this is natural are not wrong. But if man is causing at least part of the problem then why not do all we can. One thing not in dispute is that we cannot continue to use non-renewable sources on energy forever.
Are you familiar with the ground floor movement to take solar to the masses by a company called Citizenre? They are trying market solar with an approach similar to satellite TV, cellular telephones, and alarm systems. That is to provide the customer a complete solar system with no upfront charges and make money from a service contract. In this case the service contract would be a rent agreement. They intend to put a complete solar system on clients home. When the system produces electricity, it will lower the bill from the current utility provider. In most cases the savings from the lower bill will more than cover the rent fee that the company intends to charge. The company currently has no product available but intends to deploy in the middle of 2008. They are currently taking reservations and have over 26,000 takers so far. I have written several articles on this company in my blog and even have a couple of videos that I have recorded at http://www.solarjoules.com. Feel free to take a look. I welcome comments. As in any start up business, a chance exists that they may never get off the ground and fulfill any preorders, but if this is the case – the potential client has not lost anything. If you cannot afford the upfront cost of solar today, this may turn out to be a great alternative. This solution would mean that we could produce at least a little less pollution and would be a great step “just in case”. And hey, the fact that you will save money on your electricity bill over time is a pretty good reason to look into it as well.
If anyone would like company information you can go to http://www.jointhesolution.com/razmataz.
Lance,
When idiots like Gore (and Jimmy Carter) are awarded a Nobel for their loony, disgraceful antics, it’s apparent that what was once considered an honor, has now been relegated to a farce.
Indeed, good post, now the death total of these storms in the MidWest are up to 32. A new report has come out that 2007 on average was the coldest year on the Globe in 6 years and the third coldest over the last 16 years. Does this mean there is Global Cooling, because Ice Ages are a lot more dangerous killers than warming cycles on Earth. I say there is Global Cooling. So, can I get my Nobel Prize for making a docu-drama, because if a Hot Head can get one for a bunch of hot air, surely, I can get one for my cool discovery, “Behold – Cooling”