02/01/11 Blizzard 2011: Snowmageddon

Rural-Stark County, IL outside Kewanee, IL picked up
around 17" inches of snow during the blizzard on Feb. 1-2, 2011...

A little over a week ago, a massive winter storm/blizzard took aim on central and northern Illinois. This one was epic and indeed one for the record books. A once-in-a-10-year kind of winter storm! The last storm of this intensity that at least I can remember in this area was in 1999 when most of central Illinois received over a foot of snow. This storm (February 1-2, 2011) produced over 12" inches of snow across much of the area (17.6" Kewanee, IL) (15" Peoria, IL). Add thunder snow and 50mph winds and much of the area was crippled which left utter chaos in its wake. Many roads were left impassible and snow drifts neared 5 ft. in some areas. Talk about an Old Man Winter stranglehold! Click here to access a full write-up of the event via the NWS (ILX). Also, check out this animation/time-lapse via NASA of the massive winter storm seen from space here! I didn't get any "post worthy" photos during the event to my dismay. Frankly, it was nearly impossible with heavy snow and 50mph winds blastin' you in the face. I did manage to get some photos after the storm however from my hometown of Kewanee, IL and around Peoria, IL. This simply was an amazing storm! Bad weather seems to follow me wherever I tend to go to my liking ;)...I moved here in the fall and thanks to the blizzard we've set a record for the second snowiest winter here in Peoria, IL. Enough about the winter though because right now I'm looking forward to a very active spring severe weather season that will be here before you know it. Photos from the blizzard can be found below:

Snow drifts even burying John Deere
tractors...are you kiddin' me?

A rather nice winter scene (after the storm)...
Scenes like this really makes you want to enjoy that
moment in time with someone whether it's watching a tornado
majestically dance along the ground, a supercell traversing
in an open field, a stellar sunset, or like above a simple winter scene...

A snowy landscape outside Bradford, IL
at this local wind farm

Rural-roads had to be impassible during the storm
after seeing the depth of this snowbank (above)

A lil' bit of hoar frost I came across here
which is great for winter photography

Sunrise in Peoria, IL on the fresh
and undisturbed snow-pack here

Another shot of the wind farm gettin' plowed out interesting enough...
(This photo was taken on a sub-zero morning (-15°F) brr...)

More hoar frost under a deep blue sky...

One of my favorite shots!

You rarely get a winter storm that buries road signs...well
this was one that you could find signs nearly buried
everywhere thanks to the enormous snow piles

My family's house back home with a massive snow
drift 3 ft. deep on our outdoor deck (above)

Another awesome photo (after the storm) illustrating a fairly
big snow removal problem...frankly, where do you put
17" inches of snow seriously?!

I bet this road was fun driving on during the
peak of the storm don't you think?!

I'm a science nerd...wait a sec...I really said that?
Anyhow, on a sub-zero morning after the storm I tossed some
boiling water into the air (not my first rodeo when
it comes to this stuff) the result can be seen (above) and (below)

Look closely and the sun behind me is creating a ghostly silhouette
to my right...pretty cool to say the least

This process is a liquid-to-gas phase change and
a form of vaporization...in this case it's evaporation since the change
is occurring below the boiling point...
oh, and yes I was freezing my a** off!

Picturesque winter scene at this farm near my hometown

Another hoar frost photo here...

A dead end...that's what a lot of drivers found about two weeks ago

This statue was nearly buried by a snowdrift

I've never seen this...and I've documented many winter storms
in this area...the snow drifts went yes...over the fence in our pasture
...that's about 4-5 ft. high...simply amazing!

A winter photo here where I graduated high school in 2004
which feels like an eternity ago...damn I'm freakin' old...

The apartment complex where I live here in
Peoria, IL after the storm

Our outdoor pool enclosure...can't wait to do some stargazing
this summer here (kind of like having your very
own observatory in a way)...

Apartments at Grand Prairie in Peoria, IL
(This guy couldn't make it out of the parking lot too far)...

Well, finally I ended up getting around to some winter photography. The main reason I haven't been able to do much photography this winter is work truthfully, but working hard now is important. Why? Well, I'll have all the time in the world come May-June...at least we can all dream can't we? A vacation sure sounds good right about now though...