Welcome to Minnesota, home of Bipolar Weather

So...it is currently 52 degrees outside.  Beautiful weather for almost the middle of December here in Minnesota.  A year ago yesterday it was -30 degrees (with windchill.  forget what it was without) the high today was 54, with a low of 33 (BTW, the record highs and lows are 55 in 1998 and -17 in 1989.  usually it is closer to 31 and 12)

Fun and totally unrelated side note, that was my senior year in high school.  We would go on to have a cold, snowy winter and miss 19 band practices that year, something the band director pointed out at our last concert, before saying how well we all did in spite of missing so many practices.  Like perfect score at contests good.

Now I'm a little worried about what the rest of winter has in store for us.  On well.  Might have to post about it since if I am stuck at home and can't get to work, I might as well have something to do.

Back on subject, there is a reason I posted all that.  I just heard my phone sounds a weather alert.  feeling a bit lazy, I didn't feel like getting up and walking across the room to check it, and why would I when I have my tablet right next to me.  so I checked to see what it was on there, expecting freezing rain or fog or something.  So either a winter weather advisory (for the freezing rain) or a fog advisory.

Nope.  Winter Weather Warning.

Here is the official warning from Weather.com

• .. WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM MONDAY TO MIDNIGHT CST MONDAY NIGHT...  THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR MIXED PRECIPITATION... WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM MONDAY TO MIDNIGHT CST MONDAY NIGHT.* MAIN IMPACT... TRAVEL MAY BECOME TREACHEROUS.* OTHER IMPACTS... ICING ON POWER LINES COMBINED WITH STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS MAY RESULT IN POWER OUTAGES.* ICE ACCUMULATION... AROUND A QUARTER INCH.* SNOW AMOUNTS... 4 TO LOCALLY 6 INCHES.* TIMING... BEGINNING MONDAY MORNING AND LASTING INTO THE EVENING. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW... SLEET... AND ICE ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.

We new in advance that it was supposed to snow tomorrow, but at most it was supposed to be 2 inches and most of it would be late Monday or early Tuesday.  Might make the Tuesday morning commute interesting, but that is it.   Now, starting with light rain at 3 am, turning to sleet around 6 and then snow around 9, we have a full blown winter storm on our hands!  Oh, and not just 4-6 inches of snow, but 23 MPH winds as well,

Why do I get the feeling it is a good thing I got a couple hours in at work today since I probably won't be going in tomorrow.

First storm of the years, or why I hate Minnesota Winters

I love Minnesota. I don't think I would choose to live in any other state unless I had to. But there are somethings I don't like Like the fact that our sports teams (Except for in sports no one watches, like WNBA) tend to let us down year after year. But the one I think everyone will agree on is the weather. I like Winter, but there is something I hate about it. and that is the storms.We are in a Winter Storm Warning right now (not sure why since it isn't bad out, but I thought I would give a time line for the last few days.

 BTW, in case you don't live in the Midwest (and probably other parts of the country) here are the differences between a winter storm and a blizzard.

Sunday

5:00 pm:  A customer at work tells us that we are in a warning now, not a watch, and have been for about an hour.

5:30 pm: Finally get a chance to check the Weather Channel app on my phone and as I do, it updates to say we are in a warning.  Thanks Weather Channel for keeping us up to date on this stuff.  The weather map says it is snowing right now, and has been for a while.  Not a drop of precipitation out there.

9:00 pm: Checked the weather map when I got home, this time using the weather app on my tablet.  Again, it says snowing.  Nothing out there.

11:00 pm: Finally seeing some snow.  Not much, more like the clouds have dandruff, but it is something.  At least the weather maps are finally telling the truth.

Monday

2:00 am:  Going to bed.  Checked the deck before I call it a night.  There is maybe enough snow on the deck to make an acceptable looking snow ball.  Maybe.

3:00 am:  Winter Storm warning begins and continues till Noon Tuesday.  Predicting 5-9 inches of wet, heavy snow and 15-25 MPH winds blowing it around.  Travel is not advised.

6:30 am:  Opps.  Forgot to change my alarm from yesterday.  Got up to use the bathroom and decided to check the weather.  According to the weather maps. we are in the middle of the storm, possibly the worse part of it even.  Looked outside.  Not a flake in the air.

Unknown time: Winter Storm Warning is downgraded to an advisory

9:30 am: Got up for the day.  and by got up, I mean stayed in bed and checked Facebook on my Surface.  My sister posted a pic of her kids playing in the snow.  Looks like they got a couple inches in the Cities.  Have fun guys.  A few schools are letting out early, but not many.  Looking outside, there is actually snow on the deck!  Enough for a few good snowballs this time!  Visibility is about a mile and it is windy, but not too bad.

11:00 am: Tune the radio app to the local AM station (because FM is useless unless they are in simulcast) News says there have been a bunch of accidents up north, and MNDOT has been out spreading salt for a while now.  Also it is apparently illegal to drive a front end loader on the high way because you are drunk and think it is snowing 24 hours before it is supposed to start, then explain it by paraphrasing the World's Most Interesting Man.  Most of the schools that were closing earlier have closed, and there are a bunch of stuff tonight that are canceled or postponed, but nothing too many.

11:30 am: Start writing this post after deciding "screw it.  I hate winter storms some times.  I'm going to work.  Reason I hate it is after this.

11:40 am: Made the call, Unless it gets a lot worse between now and when I leave, I'm going in to work.  Just checked, nothing in the air and I'm pretty sure there was some water dripping for the roof.  Now to see if I have to leave early.  Radio said they are expecting about 3-4 inchs at most, with some (looking outside, more like all) tonight.

Tuesday

10:00 pm: Wondering where the rest of the updates are?  I decided not to post anymore because it was stupid.  Roads were a bit slick the last couple days, but total there was maybe enough snow to make a small snow man.  and that is if you have a big yard.

The reason I hate storms some times is because they rarely seem to get bad until the last minute.  Not for most people.  It gets bad early for people with normal schedules, so they can call in or close or whatever applies, but then it tends to let up, so by the time I get up, there is the constant "do I or don't I" debate about calling in.  I tend to call in if the local school is closed, but that isn't always a good indicator.  And then there is the issue with the fact that half the time it is supposed to get bad again later, so then the question is do I go in and leave early, pack a bag in case I get stuck in town, or just stay home.Don't like having to wait till the last minute to decide that.  And then there are days like the last few where the big storm that everyone is all worked up about results in nothing.

One of the joys of living in the great state of Minnesota.