Blizzard Attack! 

Will you get there from here? 

Blizzard Attack

• You are about to come face to face with a major winter storm.

• The kind of storm that you'll one day say to your grandchildren, "I remember that big storm...and boy was it radical!"

• Good luck and have a safe trip! 

Your Assignment• You are about to drive

through a major winter storm. Your mission is to travel safely through the storm.

• You will rely on weather updates from local radio and your special notebook-computer called WeatherPad. Your goals are: 

• Stay safe. • Reach your

destination

Assignment continued

• At the end of your journey, you will be asked to write an essay

• You will defend the decisions you make during your trip!

• Your "grade" will be determined by how your journey ends up and how you could have improved upon your results.  

Take a new identity• You will make the trip

as someone else! • You are about to get a

new identity.  The goal is to stay safe or get to your destination safely given your newly chosen identity.

• You will need to make your decisions based on that person's age, experience, destination, and mode of transportation.  

Sources of Information

• Weather conditions will be changing as you travel through this storm. You will, of course, have to make decisions based on what you see, but you will also have some other information. 

KDUH:"Home of Power Rock-and-Roll“ • You will get information

from a local radio disc-jockey on your favorite radio station KDUH. KDUH stands for K- Dynamite-Ultra-Hype Rock-and-Roll. 

• Dim Bulb is the jockey of record for the day and night.  You expect that Dim and the staff of KDUH will keep you safe during the storm and guide you to your destination. 

WeatherPad• To be on the safe side, you have packed the car with your WeatherPad notebook computer for all of the latest information. 

• It is hooked to a cellular phone so you can always get the latest data. 

• It relays up-to-the-minute weather reports for your area. You can track the conditions of the storm along your trip.  

Meet Your new Self

• Grandma Brown • It is your grandson’s

Birthday• Your older friends call

you young. Your younger friends call you old.

• You are Harriet Brown, a 75-year-old grandmother of one.

• You live in  Lincolnton and you've been through a lot of winters. You are not afraid of anything--including winter storms. 

Grandma Brown• You drive a 5-year-

old Overland Cruiser• You have personalized

plates for your vehicle, "OL FTHFL", for Old Faithful.

• You believe that you can go anywhere, anytime, through anything!

Plans for today • You recently switched radio stations from a classical radio station to the station that has POWER Rock and Roll, KDUH. You’re hip, but just a bit slower than you used. 

• You have big plans today.

• Your favorite grandson, James Brown, is turning 25

Travel plans• You want to visit him

for his birthday.• You called James

earlier in the day.• He’s working on a

new song called "I Feel Good." 

• You need to travel from Lincolnton to Raleigh and you want to get there by 5 p.m.

Weather problems?

• You heard that the weather could be rough later today.

• but you’ve seen it all, done it all, and even have a "NO FEAR" sticker on the window of your Overland Cruiser. 

• Ready to go?

Trip info• You think the trip

should take 2 1/2 hours on a normal day because you normally drive with the flow.

• Today it may take 4 hours to get there, so you will leave at 1 p.m.

• One last detail enters your mind as you are about leave

• You pack a winter safety kit that contains candles, matches, candy bars, a blanket, and some canned food.

Review winter storms conditions

• 1.  Snow and heavy snow 

• 2.  Rain or freezing rain 

• 3.  Sleet and snow pellets

• 4.  Wind and blowing snow

• 5.  Dangerously cold temperatures

• Blizzard: A blizzard is a storm which contains heavy snowfall, strong winds, and cold temperatures

Hit the Road• Gas Up and Get

Going!It's 1 p.m. and you're leaving home!

• With your truck now full of gas, you head out of Lincolnton at 1:15 p.m. 

• So far the weather seems to be holding up quite well, although it has started to snow a little bit.  

• You are really excited about visiting James today for his birthday& the weather doesn't seem to be that big of a deal. 

 Hey,HeyRock and Rollers…… 

• As you continue to day dream about tonight's celebration, you unconsciously flip on the radio and hit the select button to KDUH, Home of Power Rock and Roll!

• "Wow, what a day in NC! ”

• This is Dim Bulb at what else, KDUH! Hope you’re staying safe from this one this afternoon

Weather Flash• Some major winter

weather is moving in...as you probably all know by now. 

• Here’s the latest official word the National Weather Service: A Winter Weather Advisory continues in effect for our area this afternoon and tonight.

• Snow and blowing snow, possibly mixed with freezing rain will continue for the remainder of this afternoon & tonight

Conditions• Snow totals will be 1

to 4 inches.• Buuuuuuuuuuutttttttt

tt, the if this storm really gets cranked, we may be in for more than 6 inches of the white stuff

• Right now: At 2:15 p.m., radar indicates a band of snow hitting just east of us. Snowfall totals there have already reached 2 to 4 inches.  

Conditions continued

• Conditions are expected to worsen for the remainder of the afternoon in our area.

• Visibility east of us is down to 1 mile. Here at the KDUH studios, the temperature is 29 degrees with cloudy skies and light snow mixed with a light mist. Winds are east-northeast at 15 m.p.h. Only a dusting of snow has fallen so far. 

• Roads in our area are wet to normal

Your Status • Driven 58 miles

• near Salisbury.

• It is snowing lightly. 

• You are 72 miles from your destination. 

• the trip has taken you 75 minutes with have no real problems. 

• You are making good time so far but the weather is only starting to get worse

Choices

• Time to make your first travel choice! 

• You can check the WeatherPad to see what is ahead.

• Then decide to go ahead, or quit your journey now.  

Continue trip • As you continue on down the road, you decide that you've had enough of Dim Bulb for a while. 

• You pop in a CD into your Harmon-Kardon 6-plex CD player. 

• Time flies when you play your favorite tunes and what's better than the Wall on a snowy afternoon?  

Later• After a few miles, you notice that sleet, snow, and some freezing rain is beginning to coat the road.

• You begin to get curious about the weather. 

• Your constant companion in Rock and Roll is "only a flip of a switch away", so you turn on the radio and hear the following familiar voice: 

KDUH • "Goooooood Afternooooon!

• This is Dim Bulb from KDUH with the latest on the weather.

• It's now 2:45 p.m. on this snooooooowwwy afternoon! 

• I hope that life is treating you kindly.  The weather is continuing to be the big story today as more snow is expected through the evening and overnight

Update• The latest from the

National Weather Service: The storm is hitting harder west of here.

•   A Winter Storm Warning issued for just east of us.

• Some sections have already received 6 inches of snow! 

• WOW! Radar indicates that heavy snow is falling west of us

• They have near blizzard conditions at times.  

Our area • We are still under a Winter Weather Advisory

• That is now only in effect north of Salisbury

• A Freezing Rain Advisory has now been issued from Salisbury southward

• Radar shows a band of very light snow from Asheboro south to about Albemarle.  

More Conditions

• South of Albemarle, the light snow is becoming mixed with some freezing mist, sleet & a little rain at times. 

• Just south of Asheboro, the mixture has completely turned over to freezing rain. 

• Roads are becoming a bit slippery in our area

• Between Salisbury and Raleigh, roads are 25% ice/snow covered.  Between Salisbury and Lincolnton , roads are 25 to 50% ice covered.  

At KDUH studios

• 33 degrees• light snow• Winds are now

becoming north-northwest and have increased to 15 to 25 mph with higher gusts! 

• It certainly looks like another long weather day!  

CHOICES

What will you do?

Trip continued • You continue driving, but you can tell you are going to be late arriving in Raleigh

• The trip has been a long one, even for a spry grandmother like yourself.

•   Your 4x4 is performing at its best, but you are getting a little tired from all of the extra concentration it takes to navigate safely through a winter storm. 

Call to James• You are determined,

however, to get to Raleigh

• you call James from your cell phone and let him know about your current situation and location. 

• He understands and is still eager to see you tonight, though it will be later than 5 pm

• traveled about 100 miles of your total journey.  It feels like you've traveled closer to 200!  

Dim Bulb Update

• As you focus your thoughts, you hear a voice on the radio

• It's none other than Dim Bulb from KDUH:  

• Hey Hey, this is Dim Bulb from KDUH with the latest on this afternoon's weather

• It's now 3:30 p.m. on this miserable day

Weather changing

• The weather has really slowed things down this afternoon

•   Accidents, mostly minor, are being reported around the area.  

• There's been a change in the forecast for this afternoon

National Weather Service Forecast • Latest from NWS:

Blizzard Warning is now in effect for most of the area just east of here.

• It's in effect for the this afternoon and tonight! 

• Travel is not recommended in that area! 

• That area is being hit with heavy snow, strong winds, and bitter-cold temperatures!  

Our Area• Things are getting bad • Salisbury now has 4

inches of snow!• Asheboro has picked

up 3 inches in the past hour! 

•   Winter Weather Advisory is still in effect north of Asheboro

• South of Asheboro, a Freezing Rain Advisory remains in effect! 

• This storm has been changing quickly

Blizzard characteristics• the winds of 35 mph or

greater• visibility less than 1/4

mile • snow &blowing snow. • radar shows a large

area of moderate to heavy snow to the east of us

• Some thundersnow has also been reported at times! 

• Snow falling at the rate of 2 to 4 inches/hour in thundersnow area

Road Conditions

• Worse to the east of us

• There the blizzard is hitting hard

•   Many roads there are shutting down because of drifting snow.  

• Roads east of us are reported 100% snow and ice covered.  

Our Area• Our area: roads are

100% snow covered north of Salisbury

• 25 to 50% snow & ice covered between Asheboro and Raleigh

• Things will only get worse over the next few hours. 

• At the KDUH studios : 31 degrees with moderate to heavy snow

•   Winds are northwest & are gusting over 30 mph! !  We are only under a Winter Weather Advisory.  

                                                                                

Continued Trip?• Gut check time,

Grandma Brown! •  The tow truck guy is

thinking, "Go ahead, make my day!" 

• You have left Pittsboro and are now 110 miles into your journey

• Just another 20 miles and you'll be in Raleigh to celebrate James's birthday!  

What to do?• You slowly drive down

the road.  • The four-wheel drive

gives you more traction, but it won't help you stop any faster! 

• You've dropped your speed to 25 mph, as suggested by the WeatherPad computer. 

• At this rate it will take you until 4:05 pm to get to Cary , about 120 miles into your trip. 

Here’s Dim Bulb• As you see

the Swisher exit ahead, a voice from the radio rocks you out of your bucket seat

•   It is none other than Dim Bulb from KDUH

• Greetings and salutations!  It's now 4:05 p.m

• I hope that you're staying safe out there!  Looks like I may be stuck here for the night! 

Changes

• The National Weather Service has now issued a blizzard warning for us, covering the area north of Raleigh ! 

• That extra-tough weather that had been hitting east of us has now moved in to our area

• Travel is not recommended

BLIZZARD STRIKES!

• In the blizzard warning area: look for up to 6 to 9” of snow

• High winds ~ 35 mph or more will make travel nearly impossible! 

• White-out conditions exist

• Besides blizzard warnings, a winter weather advisory covers from Raleigh southward.

• There will be up to 4” of snow, mixed with sleet & freezing rain.  

Road Conditions• Roads are 100% snow and

ice covered from Asheboro through Cary

• They are 25 to 50% snow & ice covered from Cary to Raleigh

• the road conditions continue to get worse

• If you don't have to travel – stay off the roads

• If you must travel today, drive slowly and be very careful.    

Choices

Continue Trip?• Only 12 more miles to

success. • As you travel in your

4x4 Overland Cruiser, you realize that this is it!

• You either make it...or you are stuck. 

• You have decided to try to get all the way to Raleigh . 

• The next 12 miles will test not only your driving skills, but your patience as well.  

Updates • From time to time you

cannot see more than 20 feet in front of you

• The WeatherPad was certainly right and Dim Bulb hasn't let you down, either

• He's done his best to keep you up to date, even though the weather has been changing all afternoon. 

What now?• You've turned the

radio down low so it won't distract your concentration

• Cars are pulling off the road and waiting for conditions to improve

• Your "no fear" attitude is beginning to wear thin, but you press ahead anyway

• Suddenly, you hear a loud voice in the distance. 

He’s back

• Could it be... • yes, he's back with

another weather report!

• It's your constant companion for the whole trip, none other than Dim Bulb from KDUH: 

KDUH problems• Hey hey, you weather

warriors! • Stay with Dim and

show no fright!  The weather is out to get us tonight! 

• Well, we are in a real pickle here at KDUH

• No one can get to work and I can't leave because of the storm. 

• Let's get the latest on this major storm rocking our area. 

NWS Update

• We've got another update in the official warnings. 

• The blizzard is hitting our whole area!

• The National Weather Service has now extended that blizzard warning to cover all of our listening area, including Raleigh southward 

Blizzard conditions

• Blizzard conditions continue to develop south & eastward this afternoon. 

• Look for up to 9” of snow in the blizzard warning area.  High winds ~ 35 mph with blowing snow will continue as well.  

Serious complications

• Temperatures are falling quickly. 

• Temperatures east of us have dropped to 18 degrees with winds gusting to over 50 mph. 

• That weather should be here within the next 2 hours!  

• "At 5:05 p.m., the precipitation continues moving northeast at 25 mph. 

• White-out conditions continue

Road conditions• Many roads are closed east

of us.  • Vehicles reported stranded

on the highway.  • Police say that all

occupants of stranded vehicles rescued so far! 

• Our roads are 100% snow & ice covered from Lincolnton to Raleigh! 

• ~ 7 “ of snow has fallen in Asheboro, Salisbury, and Denver!

•  Cary now has 5 “ and Raleigh has 4 “ of snow!

Choices

Congratulations• Congratulations! 

You made it through the storm. 

• Your assignment now is to write an essay describing why you decided to continued driving. 

• You can include any number of reasons to defend your decision

•   The weather, comments and the forecast discussions from Dim Bulb, notes and information from the WeatherPad computer