Roger & Elke Edwards Digital Photograph Galleries


CHRISTMAS EVE BLIZZARD (2009)

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On 24 December 2009, a rare central Oklahoma blizzard walloped the Norman area with measured gusts to 60 mph, heavy snow, occasional whiteout conditions, dangerous wind chills, and anywhere from 5-14 inches of snow, with drifts exceeding 5 feet in some areas. Numerous cars had to be abandoned to the elements. The storm killed several people, both directly from exposure and indirectly through crashes and asphyxiation in buried vehicles. I went out during and after the blizzard to observe and photograph, not only for documentation of its power and danger, but to reveal some strange and/or beautiful aspects of this event for your appreciation. A selection of those images follow, on this page and the next.

At blizzard's peak, streamers of small snow crystals roar across wind-exposed roadway
At blizzard's peak, streamers of small snow crystals roar across wind-exposed roadway at high speeds 		Depositional ripples mimic an aerial view of a huge glacier
Depositional ripples mimic an aerial view of a huge glacier 		Icicles dangle between log and lake
Icicles dangle between log and lake 		Scene repeated by the hundreds across Norman
An unfortunate scene repeated by the hundreds across Norman
Cedar limbs cradling snow
Cedar limbs cradling snow 		Name the shape. An ice sock! Or maybe, a horseleg icicle.
Name the shape. An ice sock! Or maybe, a horseleg icicle. 		Snow blasted off our roof by gusts exceeding 50 mph
Snow blasted off our roof by gusts exceeding 50 mph 		Mini-dunes of snow on otherwise bare-ice road, the next morning
Mini-dunes of snow on otherwise bare-ice road, the next morning
Duck prints on a waterside snow drift
Duck prints on a waterside snow drift, Lake Thunderbird 		Icicles drip on reddish lake water
Icicles drip on reddish lake water 		Drift over the step and against a side door
Drift over the step and against a side door 		Snowmelt makes a major, muddy mess on a rural, red-dirt road
Snowmelt makes a major, muddy mess on a rural, red-dirt road
Our front porch shortly before dawn, Christmas day
Our front porch shortly before dawn, Christmas day 		Interesting light through a layered cross-section of a drift
Interesting light through a layered cross-section of a drift 		Log gathers snow during blizzard
Barely-exposed log gathers snow, in a sheltered cove of a pond, during the blizzard 		Wintry scene the morning after
Wintry scene the morning after

PAGE TWO: OKLAHOMA BLIZZARD, CHRISTMAS EVE 2009

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Roger & Elke Edwards Digital Photo Galleries

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