2010 Ice Storm - What a Week!

One week ago today Oklahoma was hearing of bad weather coming to our area.  None of us knew what the next few days would bring.

Freezing rain, sleet, snow, and falling temperatures were expected all day that day and came with a vengeance.

 Early in the day many southwest Oklahoma schools canceled classes.  Soon ice began to collect on roads, trees, and highline wires.  Little by little tens of thousands of people lost their electricity.

Our small town was without electricity for five days and six and a half hours.  Many are still without it in surrounding towns - including my parents.  Many of these pictures are actually from Altus, Oklahoma, where they live. We didn't get the destructive ice - just a coating of ice - but it's easy to see why there was so much damage to electrical lines.  My pictures of the lines on the ground were blurry, but there are thousands of electrical poles having to be replaced.

I don't think I've ever seen a chain link fence coated in ice.  Not all of this is solid, but much of it is.  An amazing sight!

The pecans were coats on this broken branch in my parent's front circular drive.

The small field on the side of our house always fills with water, but this time it was an ice-covered pond.  The boys thought it was fun!

The river west of town.

I am anxious to see if this tree makes it.  It may be standing straight up now!  This is in Altus.

Even though it was very destructive, the ice on the trees was beautiful.  It actually looked like a war zone and certainly does now that the ice has melted.

Clean-up and electrical crews are everywhere doing whatever needs to be done to restore power and clean up the neighboring towns (This is Altus again).

Thankfully our school is back in session today.  Our children weren't necessarily ready to go back after having five days off!  Many schools are still closed and some have already closed for tomorrow, as well.

I'll write more about "Surviving Without Electricity" and have more inspirational thoughts about the storm in the next few days.  But for now I just wanted to share some of the amazing pictures. Thank you for your prayers.  Continue to pray for those without power and who are working to restore power for others.  It's raining today, so it's sure to make their job even tougher.