Nebraska Spring!

When we moved here last April, the locals tried to warn us of the famous Nebraska Winters. So when winter came, we braced ourselves. When nothing came that was reason to be afraid of winter, I thought, ok... these people are obviously wimps! Until now! Apparently, SPRING is when locals and others should fear Nebraska.
It started off with Sat. March 21... the day after the first day of spring (technically). We were in O'Neill for the annual St. Patty's day parade. We wore only lightweight shirts and came home all sporting nice sunburns. 67 degree was the high... beautiful! All thought that this was going to be a great spring.

Then came Monday, March 23. When I picked up Haydn and Weldon from school in O'Neill at 3pm, it began to hail. It hailed so hard that I couldn't hear the radio or the kids in the back. I knew that we were in a tornado watch and severe thunderstorm watch, so I keep an eye on the sky. As I was driving North on Hwy 281, I could barely see from all of the hail. When I say barely see, I mean it! I thought that I should just pull over and let some of the storm pass. A little voice in my head said - no.. no, push through Keep going! Thank heaven for the Spirit. As I turned off the highway onto our country road, the radio came back in - it had gone out for a few minutes - They reported that a tornado had been spotted 8 miles N of O'Neill on Hwy 281 and was heading our way! I flew down that country road to get home...When I got home I realized that where the tornado was spotted was about where I wanted to pull over and wait for the storm to pass. I can't thank Heavenly Father enough and we all said a thank you prayer in the safety of our basement. A friend called to see if we were okay, she had heard that the tornado had flattened a school house and wanted to make sure it wasn't ours! Thanks for the thoughts of dear friends.The road to the right is Hwy 281.. I drive it 4 times a day!

Then came Tuesday March 24. I took the kids to school and decided that since it was SNOWING, that I should wait and pick them up after school, and not run home like usual. After picking everyone up at 3pm, I drove north again on Hwy 281. The wind was blowing so hard that although it had stopped snowing, you still couldn't see where you were going. There was a police officer flagging us down to let us know that two cars had ended up in the ditch ahead, but you couldn't see so we needed to drive very slowly ahead. I barely missed a semi that wasn't driving as slowly - those guys are nuts! Then further north I saw another van with passengers in the ditch and a car a little further in the same predicament. What happens is that the wind blows the snow across the road and make a slush pile right were you can't see it and slow down in time. Not to mention that the wind was blowing so hard, it could blow you right off the road. As I was calling 9-1-1 to let them know of the other cars, I myself almost ended up in the ditch - since I hit a slush pile and the wind just blew me right off the road. I was able to save it by driving straight on the shoulder... but I thought I was going to have to add my own vehicle to the list of drivers needing help. So a long story made short, it isn't the Nebraska winters that the locals should have warned us of, it is the Springs that will getcha!