Ice and sleet in Austin?

Greetings. Well, its day 2 of the big Austin ice/freezing rain event. Word around town is that this doesn’t happen that often, like maybe once every few years. However, it has managed to shut down the city for 2 days running, and perhaps more according to the news. First Dallas got it (perhaps someone else had it before Dallas, but since I’m still very plugged into the major happenings in Dallas, that’s where I’m starting from), and now Austin and Central Texas has it. I still stand by the “10:00 back down theory” that I mentioned in December of 2005. Word of the pending bad weather started last Friday, and as we went through the weekend, I began to suspect that things would shut down come Monday. I didn’t figure that it would be for 2 or 3 days though., I don’t remember anything like this happening in Dallas, where the city was essentially shut down for several days. I do remember hearing of some ice or snow storms that hit in the mid or early eighties that shut things down though.

Anyway, everyone’s at home in their warm houses or apartments. The outside temperature is hovering around 32 or so, but its going to dip down below that point over night and word is that more freezing rain and sleet is coming. We’ve got a freeze or winter storm warning that currently goes through noon tomorrow.

Even though yesterday was a Holiday, we were supposed to go into work and have a semi-normal class day. However, those that did go in were sent home at 11. I find it funny and interesting that a majority of the blind staff were able to go into work, but there was a number of sighted staff that did not. Logic dictates that since the blind take busses, and thus have more reliable transit than the sighted who have to drive in this mess, some of whom come from areas with lots of icy roads. But its still funny.

Another aspect of this event that I find interesting is that the residential staff, or staff that handles activities inside the Center outside of business hours, are staying at the Center. I suppose that they were warned ahead of time and could plan accordingly. I guess all of this is standard stuff, but I’ve never had to deal with it before. Until now, I’ve simply not gone to work on bad weather days and that was it. I never thought of the implications in a rehab training environment, much less at a training center where all the students and even some staff stay on the premises.

I went outside a couple of hours ago to check things out and see how icy or snowy it was at my complex. There was some ice and sleet on the ground, but not as bad as I thought it would be. Though I’m not willing to chance that good fortune and go to much further with those other possible icy spots and patches. It was probably more icy this morning before cars got out and drove around.

It’s been nice having some days off, but I think that by the time this is over, I’ll be ready to go back to work and get back to normal. Until then, I’ve got a TV with digital Cable, a high speed Internet connection, and a warm apartment. If you’re in the Central Texas area, then stay warm. If not, then well, perhaps you’re lucky, :)