Weather Whiplash in West Michigan: Tornado Watch, Warning & 10 Shovelings!

[JAE]

We're under a tornado watch here in West Michigan. Muskegon county is under a tornado warning. It's thundering and lightening. It was 63 degrees when I picked my kids up from school, today. Last Thursday I shoveled my driveway in 16 degree weather. I must have shoveled my driveway 10 times last week. That's Michigan for you.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Isn't it crazy? It's just bizarre to be seeing Tornado Warnings in January....when we would usually have a greater chance for blizzard warnings!

 

[JAE]

Not happy about the flood warnings. My host for tomorrow asked me if I have 4 wheel drive because her driveway is 1/4 mile long. She said she may have to give her guests rides up her driveway. UGH!

 

[JAE]

Tornado in Wisconsin, or funnel cloud, anyway. Is there a difference?

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Tornado in Wisconsin, or funnel cloud, anyway. Is there a difference?

They aren't touching down - so that's why it's a funnel cloud - I think....

I had a show one time where everyone had to park alongside the driveway, and the ground was really soggy and muddy. 3 of them got stuck in the mud, and the hosts 2 teenage daughters pushed them all out - they were covered in mud at the end of the evening!

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Take it seriously - there is an incredible amount of damage in Kenosha - right across the pond from you.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

The Weather report was just talking about that, KG!

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

There is amateur video taken of one of the tornadoes in Kenosha - you can see the flashes as the tornado touches down and hits power lines and transformers.It's on the website of WITI Fox 6 in Milwaukee.

 

[redsoxgirl]

We had the same thing as you - snow last week and sunny skies today!

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

There was lots of property damage but there were no fatalities and no major injuries. There are several reports ranging from three to six tornadoes.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

There is amateur video taken of one of the tornadoes in Kenosha - you can see the flashes as the tornado touches down and hits power lines and transformers.It's on the website of WITI Fox 6 in Milwaukee.

Wow - what a mess, and obviously injuries - with those ambulances - sure hope the injuries weren't too bad.eta - oops, just read your next post!

 

[JAE]

Need to get the basement finished. If I have to go down there, I'd like to be comfy, at least. I've always had an aversion to unfinished basements.

 

[MissChef]

I'm in Washington and it's been snowing all day! :yuck: Suppossed to snow tonight too and tomorrow might get up to about 6 more inches!:cry: :cry:

 

[JAE]

This may be a silly question, but is snow normal in Spokane Washington? I picture rain. I don't know my geography very well especially if I've never visited the place. I've been to many places in the U.S., but never to Washington.

 

[pampchefrhondab]

We're having the same weather as those in WI and MI, under tornado watch now. I hate tornado watches!! I would prefer a blizzard!! We were 65 degrees today. It was nice to have the windows open though! I actually did some spring cleaning. Makes me have so much more energy!

I pray everyone will be safe tonight!

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Tornadoes in January - after a cold December with record snowfall.I can hardly wait to see what February brings.

 

[jjgrands1]

We are in tornado alley (Okla) & have tornado warnings all around us. It was 10 degrees less than a week ago, and has been in the 70s & low 80s the last three days. Never know what kind of weather to expect here.

 

[cvaccaro]

Today it was a balmy 14 degrees C which is about 57 F bright and sunny here in Ontario. This time of year it is usually very cold and snowy.
Crazy but love it!

 

[MissChef]

This may be a silly question, but is snow normal in Spokane Washington? I picture rain. I don't know my geography very well especially if I've never visited the place. I've been to many places in the U.S., but never to Washington.

We get A LOT of snow! We are real close to Idaho! About 12 miles away! In fact just north of spokane they reallly get the snow. We are about 2 1/2 hours south of Canada! The west side, Seattle, is where it rains!
No, we get snow! About 7 months out of the year!:yuck: :grumpy:
I'm from Southern California, this snow seems to get harder every year and we've lived here for almost 15 years! :grumpy:

 

[JAE]

Southern California sounds so good to me. I know it's quite expensive to live there, but if I have sun, I think I could be happy in a house half the size of the one I'm living in. I've always lived in West Michigan, except a couple years in east Michigan where there was less snow, more sun, but a bit colder. I think it's bad to live here because I don't like cold, but I can't imagine knowing what it's like to live in southern Cal., but living in a cold and snowy place. Do you get to visit? During the winter?

 

[Chef Endora]

And Buffalo NY gets alot of grief about the weather here!

We play up the four seasons angle. Saturday I shoveled the deck and threw snowballs for the dog to chase. Sunday there was a big thaw & all is green & mud now. Today was 61°setting a record. Tomorrow I expect to see convertibles w/the tops down.

 

[MissChef]

Southern California sounds so good to me. I know it's quite expensive to live there, but if I have sun, I think I could be happy in a house half the size of the one I'm living in. I've always lived in West Michigan, except a couple years in east Michigan where there was less snow, more sun, but a bit colder. I think it's bad to live here because I don't like cold, but I can't imagine knowing what it's like to live in southern Cal., but living in a cold and snowy place. Do you get to visit? During the winter?

I have mixed feelings about southern calif.!! I lived there for my first 22 years of life! When we moved we didn't miss it, I missed my Mom and Dad and a few friends but I didn't miss the place! It is so crowded and so smoggy! It is also a lot more violent there and a very fast pace of living. At my old job there I was in management and I was robbed at gun point twice within 6 months! And that was almost 15 years now, you know it's gotten worse!
My parents just moved from there after living there for for over 45 years, they moved to Tennessee. They were seeking the quieter life too and less grief and less crowds!
So, no I don't see myself going back there! The last time I was there was 1998! My parents come to see us, it's easier that way! My 20 year reunion is coming up in 2009 and I doubt I'll go. I only have one really good friend left out there! Ironically, my childhood best friend lives in Washington too! But she lives on the west side, near Seattle!
Sooooo, even though the snow sucks, I will take it over the fast pace life of Calif! No offense to California cheffers! This is just how we feel, my hubby and I. After one visit out here (his parents moved here a year before we did to be near family) we were hooked. Of course we came in August when it's beautiful! Not flipping mid winter! Everyone is way nicer out here and it is such a dog eat dog world out there in Calif! Not everyone but quite a lot of the population are not very nice!:grumpy:
Plus we wanted to start a family in a place where it wasn't so crazy! I guess I just had a lot of experiences that were scarey, far more than I could mention here and we just are better off here, even in the snow! LOL!
I hope I explained myself well, and didn't offend anyone! But you asked and it wasn't a simple question for me!
I don't like the snow but I don't love the intense heat of southern Calif either, so Washingtoin was and still is perfect for us!

 

[MissChef]

When I woke up this morning, I saw on the news that there was some devistation from tornadoes.. .... How is everyone, are you all okay?
Please check in! My prayers go out to all of you for your safety!:angel:

 

[pkd09]

I am in NW Ohio and yesterday it was 66 degrees - a record high (beating it by 5 degrees). Are we sure it is January?

 

[JAE]

Just a lot of rain here, today. It just keeps raining and raining and raining....If it were normal January temps, we'd probably be snowed in.

 

[janetupnorth]

Not happy about the flood warnings. My host for tomorrow asked me if I have 4 wheel drive because her driveway is 1/4 mile long. She said she may have to give her guests rides up her driveway. UGH!

My very first show was 2/28...host had a VERY steep driveway. We all parked at the bottom and her DH shuttled us up...including all my kitchen stuff!

 

[janetupnorth]

There is amateur video taken of one of the tornadoes in Kenosha - you can see the flashes as the tornado touches down and hits power lines and transformers.

It's on the website of WITI Fox 6 in Milwaukee.

This article was also interesting: ARRLWeb: Wisconsin ARES Members Activated to Assist with Tornado Aftermath


DH sent it to me today because he got his operating license recently and was going to join our local ARES group...

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Woke up this morning to winter again here.....I'm thinking JAE is probably out shoveling her driveway again!

 

[janetupnorth]

Woke up this morning to winter again here.....I'm thinking JAE is probably out shoveling her driveway again!

Would you PLEASE send the snow here!

 

[MissChef]

Oh I have a bunch you could take too! :grumpy:

 

[JAE]

By the time Becky posted that, I was taking my kids to school because of a 2 hour delay. The weather here is so strange. We had a lot of heavy wet snow on the ground starting last night around 7 or 8 pm. Not sure when it stopped. I did shovel, but it was so heavy and about 4 inches deep. One ds tried to help and I just told him to build a snowman instead. Then I'd have less to shovel. He made two. It was raining on us! It's still misting a bit, and the snow is dripping off the roof. My car needs a wash so very bad. I need gloves just to touch the handles.