Old Man Winter Bombs North Central Texas

On By AngeliaIn Timeless Treasures, Wee Wee Wee all the way home!

Are the snow flakes bigger in Texas?

Why yes, yes they are. Because in big ol’ Texas? Go big or go home! At least that’s what the snowfall said THIS year. Our measly two to four inches predicted that I scoffed at. Scoffed? Yes I scoffed. How many times have they predicted a HUGE Winter storm that dusted an inch of snow that immediately turns to treacherous ice then disappears by mid-day, leaving a wake of destruction in its path. We get robbed of snowmen, snowforts, and beautiful white landscapes. Instead we get to watch cars get banged up and crunched from either a) going to FAST b) going to SLOW c) realizing your are on an icy bridge so you HIT THE BRAKES (Huh?). That’s right. This is North central Texas. No one knows how to drive in ice and snow. Even the airport can’t function.

Imagine my utter amazement as the snowfall of one to two inches predicted actually started falling sometime after midnight on Wednesday. We woke up Thursday morning to the standard dusting. Whooppee! It happened. The weather man was right? Cool! Much to Sydney’s disappointment school did not cancel. Then, as the day wore on, much to our astonishment, it KEPT FALLING.

Texas sized snowflakes were floating down outside my fourth floor window ALL day. Oh.Em.Gee. It didn’t stop after an hour or two. It kept falling, and falling, and falling. I’ve been at work ALL morning and the snow has not let up. It’s gotten heavier. The trees are now coated. The ante upped to 4-6 inches. I look out my window and take a photo with my iPhone.

Later in the afternoon as the forever ending flakes came down, I hear it’s now predicted at 8-10 inches of snow. WHAT? In Texas???? I knew then the client I was on the phone with trying to fly to Fort Wayne Indiana was going nowhere. I helped him and three buddies get out the next day. You want an early morning flight? HEH! My advice, as your travel agent, wait until noon then you have a shot. Early morning flights get canceled. Trust me, I’ve been doing this for twenty years.

This week, with the endless snow storms across the country, rescheduling passengers has been a nonstop job. It kills me. The disappointment, and the frustration from them and their loved ones. Mother nature is unkind to airline passengers. On the other hand, I am HAPPY there are rules in place to keep our precious cargo safe. If there weren’t rules in place, you might have pilots trying to get people home when they shouldn’t risk it. I’d rather you suffer a delay then never get home at all. So thank you FAA.

I took a slushy road trip to Jason’s at lunch. I was dying to get my camera and check it out through that lens. Quite honestly I felt like a REAL photographer out in the backyard with an umbrella, to keep the camera dry, while I carried it mounted on a monopod. This is a few that I shot.


Back at work, the winter snow saga continues. A week of canceled flights. First Chicago, then the entire Northeast corridor, THEN DALLAS. Which was a HUGE surprise. I leave work about 630pm. I drive a Toyota Matrix. A cracker car. The temp is hanging at freezing which is great. Nothing is FROZEN but snow has piled up and turned the road into a 7-11 brain freeze. My little car RULED the road. I passed RAM trucks going 20mph. I don’t even think I slid but one time. My little car rocks or maybe it’s my driving skills (haha).

Here is what my drive home looked like that night, because our office does NOT close when it snows. We are there for our travelers, just like the mailman.

Quite a change from the usual commute. And guess what? The snow is still coming down. I keep looking out the window thinking it will stop any moment. Not so. NOW we hear it might be 12 INCHES. It’s 830pm with 9 inches on the ground. I know anyone reading this who lives where it snows is going – What’s the big freakin’ deal? – and you would be right. Where you live, this is no big deal. But HERE? This hasn’t happened in 30 years. 30 YEARS. Snow is an urban legend. Someone may or may not have seen a flake west of downtown in the year 1984. *slightly exaggerated*

It’s possible we could get snow that sticks – ONE time a winter. It could happen. BUT, we had ALREADY gotten our ONE possible winter snowfall Christmas Eve. Remember that? It was magical. So magical, I wrote a poem, and I don’t even write poetry Christmas Dreams. We had our snow. There is no more, right?

These are photos taken in the still of the morning after a record snowfall in Dallas/Fort Worth. A record 12.5 inches. A historic weather year in 2010. The year I am marrying my sweetheart. What MEMORIES. I am not worthy of the beauty or significance. Stunned and awed, I crunch through the quiet trying to capture an unbelievable winter moment of our lifetime. The rare and solemn beauty may never witness again outside our back door.

A friend on Facebook heard a radio broadcast mention, there was snow in all fifty states yesterday. You know what? I believe that! We got snow bombed. It melted some but not all the way. Even today TWO days later there is still snow on the ground. The roads have stayed clear and ice-free (a miracle in itself). The only road hazards happened in the driveway, because without any equipment, it’s hard to move snow. Apparently cardboard box pieces work wonders. Did you know there are no sleds, nor snow shovels in stores? Not to mention, if you go looking for rain/snow boots – you will only find displays of FLIP FLOPS? Yeah, welcome to Texas. Where the snow never falls, but when it does…..it’s bigger and better y’all.

28 thoughts on “Old Man Winter Bombs North Central Texas”

  1. Happy SITS Saturday Sharefest!

    I’ve been burried beneath Old Man Winter for a while now here at the Jersey Shore. We’ve been pounded by storm after storm. Three blizzards in less than 1 1/2 months with some smaller snow falls in between.

    My cousin who relocated to Texas was “laughing” at us, so sorry….we may have had something to do with your snow fall….we laughed right back at her when she was complaining of sleet and wished her some flurries.

    Great pics you captured!

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  2. You should consider going into photography! You are getting some fabulous shots. You also have the writing skills to go along! 🙂 I love your energy! Keep it going! Meet any cute snowmen lately?

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  4. holy snow! we got some last night too– but not this!

    as funny and persuasive as my sits comment was . . . still no commenting from the person after me. let the godfathering begin . . .

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  6. It was a treat for us in North Central Texas. But folks in the east cost probably had a totally different experience. Amazing pictures (proofs for those who had a hard time to believe it).

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  13. Lovely pictures! It seems that the whole northern hemisphere is getting covered in snow. We’ve had snowfall since October which makes a total of at least half a metre (though most of that melted before this week) and it has again been snowing continuosly since Wednesday.
    Be save and have a wonderful Sunday

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  17. I remember that last big storm we had in Waxahachie, it was 84′ the first time I saw snow in Texas. Here in San Antonio we have had nothing but cold rain and lots of it.

    Just talked to daughter in Denton and the grandkids are loving it!

    I truely think you could be a professional photographer! Such wonderful pics!

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  19. Gosh those pictures are gorgeous! I was talking to my sister last night who lives outside of Dallas and she was telling me about that crazy snow storm. Here in my branch of Canada we haven’t even had that much in one storm yet.

    I love winter. I love being able to look out the window of my cozy warm home with a steaming cup of coffee and gaze at everything covered in white.

    What’s great for you is that it only lasts a day or two!

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  21. gotta love the snow. i’ve lived in snow my whole life so that’s nothing new. it’s gorgeous and pictures do it justice 🙂 sounds hectic. i know the companies we answer phones for were definitely closed and sent us pictures too. crazyness. er, craziness. winter wonders 🙂 it doesn’t really snow here in portland, oregon. and when it does it’s not real snow…and no one can drive! glad you made it home safely! go toyota!

    p.s i’ve also fallen UP stairs…and tripped over many a curb. 😉

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  23. blissbait

    Hey Lovely! WOWOWOWWOW! Your pictures are AMAZINGLY GORGEOUS. They look like magazine shots. And I LOVE the new header! And Your new picture. All so beautiful. My mind is blown by all the snow everywhere. I love that Your car, I mean, Your driving skills! were rockin! Thank You for all Your kindness and Love while I was gone. Big Hugs and Cheers and Namaste. 🙂

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  25. Peggy Nolan

    FABULOUS photos Ang!

    I’m dying to get my hands on a better camera!

    SEND snow my way. It’s just not right not having a foot or more of snow on my front lawn in the middle of February!

    And I live in New Hampshire for pete’s sake!

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  28. The whole world is having different weather. In Europe they haven’t had snow that much this year. The loved it but now they hate it. They want sunshine. Here, in Southern California, we have not had snow in the valleys, only on the top of the mountains. The pictures are very, very pretty!

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