If you could re-experience ONE winter event....

[cyclone77]

Like the title says, just one.  If you could pick one wintry event (has to be in your own lifetime) to relive which would it be, and why? 

There's so many great events over the decade to choose from, but for me it's gotta be December 14-15 1987.  To this day I've never seen so much lightning and thunder during a blizzard.  It was truly remarkable.   Winds gusting 60-70mph, the lightning, and the incredible bombing that system did the evening of the 14th was about as good as it gets.  We even had bursts of heavy sleet mix in at times, but it didn't cut down on the snow accumulations too much.  This event is probably one of the main reasons I got into the wintry side of weather.  This would be incredible to watch unfold with today's technology.  

[sbnwx85]

I posted in the banter thread since today is the anniversary: The Monster Snow Storm of ‘99. It was relatively well-forecast, although the full extent of the storm wasn’t known until a couple days before. My grandpa passed away a few days after Christmas, and I can distinctly remember my uncle saying two days before the storm hit “God asked John what he wanted to leave behind for his family, and he said a big ass snowstorm!” 

It was a Saturday when the snow began and the tv chief meteorologists were working, cutting in occasionally with updates. That was highly unusual.

At home, there was a plastic pipe that stuck out of the ground in the neighbor’s yard about a foot up. I remember watching the snow slowly climb up and around it until it was covered… and then some.

When it was all said and done we had 18” on the ground. Still a personal record. Sadly, I didn’t get to enjoy it as I got a horrible stomach flu that night. By Tuesday, I was finally feeling better and was astonished by how brightly the sun shined off the giant blanket of snow.

There were a number off roof and structural collapses, including the patio roof at my grandma and grandpa’s house. 

Schools finally reopened on Wednesday but closed again Thursday after an advisory-level snow Wednesday night. Usually, we wouldn’t bat an eye at 4” of snow, but with 18” on the ground, it overwhelmed clean up crews. 

I was 13 and remember the snow piles in my own front yard taller than a me. It was wild seeing walls of snow on either side of me while walking through the neighborhood. 

Nothing has come close to that event. There was a one-two punch from a system and lake-effect that dropped 14” on NYD ‘08. And several events that have dropped double digits, but nothing like ‘99. (I should mention, GHD I dryslotted us, and I was living in Central IL for GHD II).

The only other storm that has had as much of an impact was the ice storm in January of 2002. That was a more localized event. Half inch of ice with 2-3” of heavy snow on top plus high winds devastated the electric grid. Countless tree limbs down and no power for four days. It took several days before temps rose above freezing. Very memorable but not sure I’d like to re-live it.

 

[sbnwx85]

3 hours ago, cyclone77 said:

Like the title says, just one.  If you could pick one wintry event (has to be in your own lifetime) to relive which would it be, and why? 

There's so many great events over the decade to choose from, but for me it's gotta be December 14-15 1987.  To this day I've never seen so much lightning and thunder during a blizzard.  It was truly remarkable.   Winds gusting 60-70mph, the lightning, and the incredible bombing that system did the evening of the 14th was about as good as it gets.  We even had bursts of heavy sleet mix in at times, but it didn't cut down on the snow accumulations too much.  This event is probably one of the main reasons I got into the wintry side of weather.  This would be incredible to watch unfold with today's technology.  

Some good articles on this one! Here’s one from Skilling: https://wgntv.com/weather/weather-blog/chicagos-heart-attack-snowstorm-of-dec-15-1987/amp/