Document text
http:// --> Ashland, Oregon HOME Valley & State Sports Nation & World Opinion/Editorial Classifieds Business Columnists Local Issues Obituaries Weather Archive Revels Etcetera Backpage Hot Topics Most Viewed Forum Photo Galleries Video Readers Polls O-Zone Online Games Movie Preview Special Sections Real Estate Guide Menu Guide Shakespeare Subscribe Contact Us Rate Card Place an Ad Top Galleries: February 22, 2007 Ashland enjoys the snow! Videos by Orville Hector Ashland Daily Tidings Locals enjoyed playing in the record-setting snowstorm that left a foot of fresh snow on Ashland streets and hills. Mt. Ashland received 22 inches, but traffic heading toward the Siskiyou Pass was treacherous. Many decided to make use of the snowfall left in the streets and grassy knolls about town. Lithia Park and other public areas became playgrounds for thrill seekers. Sledding, snowboarding and snowball fights helped many students pass away the day while schools were closed and traffic slowed to a crawl around town. Video above: Sledders have a fun moment until one plants his face in the snow after a jump. RECORD SNOW FALLS ON ROGUE VALLEY By Alan Panebaker and Robert Plain Ashland Daily Tidings A record snow fell on the Rogue Valley this morning, burying Ashland in a wet and slippery winter wonderland. The National Weather Service recorded 4.5 inches of snowfall from this storm at the airport in Medford. 3.5 inches fell after midnight making this the most snow the valley has ever seen on Feb. 22. The storm is the fourth heaviest snow fall that the area has ever had in the month of February. The most snow ever in this month came on Feb. 17, 1956 when 4.4 inches fell on the Rogue Valley. Ashland received a total of 6 inches of snow during the storm, so far. Lincoln stands tall in the snow at the entrance of Lithia Park. See photos in the Tidings PHOTO GALLERY . Orville Hector | Daily Tidings “It’s an impressive storm,” said Ryan Sandler, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. “We beat the old record pretty easily.” Meteorologists anticipated the snow, but they didn’t think quite this much down in the valley, Sandler said. “We were expecting snow on the valley floor but not in the amounts we got,” he said. “We were a little behind the 8-ball on the valley floor.” There was a snow advisory for the mountains and the Siskiyou Pass, but the weather service did not implement a heavy snow warning for the valley until after midnight. Sandler said the temperature and precipitation made a perfect combination to bring a lot of wet and heavy snow down into the valley. He said a mix of snow and rain will continue to fall today and by tomorrow residents should see patches of blue sky again. “The heavy stuff is done,” he added. “By tomorrow there should be some blue sky.” The Siskiyou Pass, where Interstate 5 crosses the mountains into California, was closed from 8 p.m. last night until 4 a.m., according to Gary Leaming, of the Oregon Department of Transportation. “They really got hit hard in northern California,” he said. The Mt. Shasta and Yreka, Calif., areas received more than 20 inches of snow. “We held up traffic for them. The freeway pass is open now, but there are still chain requirements in effect, meaning motorists who want to cross the pass must have chains on their tires. “We’re going to keep the chain requirements in effect until the snow subsides,” Leaming said. While many commuters may be cursing the snow this morning, at the Mt. Ashland Ski Area, where more than 22 inches fell over the past 24 hours, they are praising it. “It should be a phenomenal day,” said Marketing Director Rick Saul. As of this morning, the ski area only had enough power to operate lights and base area facilities, but it was poised for a 10 a.m. opening with hopes of opening Ariel Chair at noon. “We just want to make sure we have reliable power,” Saul added. Ashland police reported only one car accident over the stormy night. A vehicle skidded out on South Mountain Avenue into Siskiyou Boulevard hitting a utility pole and a small tree. Deputy Police Chief Rich Walsh said people should avoid driving on the slippery roads, if possible. “People should remember to take well travelled roads instead of the backroads,” he said. “Don’t travel unless you absolutely have to. When you have weather like this, if you can take part of the day off, do it.” Ashland Public Works Director Paula Brown said her staff is busy dealing with at least 36 trees and tree limbs that fell during the storm. “It’s messy,” she said. “That’s going to be the word for the day.” Public works is also working to plow the roads free of snow. For the city streets at higher elevations, such as the top of Morton Street, Ridgeway and Park Street, may take longer to get to, she said. Residents there are advised to be patient. Staff writer Robert Plain can be reached at 482-3456 x. 226 or [email protected]. Current Comments: Awoke this morning to discover Al Gore and his Eco base are right on with this Global Warming stuff. Can't even go get a coffee at Starbucks. All across the country this year there were record snows, early snows, late snows...when was the last time we had this much in Ashland with more on the way? Has to be Global WARMING.....I want to believe Mr. Gore. I want to fall prey to the lefts scare tactics...Its just too hard right now to jump on your wagon because I have to go shovel snow. Steve L. Iverson - Ashland, Jefferson - February 22nd, 9:39 AM so what you are saying is that you know nothing of global warming. what it does is cause very erratic and intense weather patterns. do your homework, my friend. mr. completely - ashland - February 22nd, 10:04 AM Steve, it is climate CHANGE not Global WARMING. Climate change is what the scientists agree on, Global Warming is what the oil companies and industry polluters call it when they try to deny it's existence. Since this is the most snow anyone has seen here in over a decade that would be a climactic CHANGE. Way to throw politicis into a beautiful, white, Starbucks free day:) Go make a snow angel in your yard and enjoy the weather. todd e. - ashland, or - February 22nd, 10:05 AM Todd-I've been out playing in the snow baby. Funny, the last two comments are exactly what I was expecting...watch how the Global Warmers shift gears to "Climate Change". Unless the end of the world is coming or some other catastraphe...we just aren't happy. We need crisis in America, we thrive on it. Global Warming is outside our windows this morning...I feel the heat wave and the melting of the planet...I made a snow angel in it. Just not buying the lefts B.S. Steve L. Iverson - Ashland, Jefferson - February 22nd, 12:39 PM Steve, You have to me kidding me. It is people like you that astound me. But your comment here is just to cause problems, not to offer anything constructive. Oh, and it is not "lefts" B.S. An international report from over 300 scientists all agree - completely - that there are major climatic changes ahead. Those are not "lefts" but "scientists". You know, smart people. You probably see them all the time but don't understand them. Sad. Brian! - Ashland - February 22nd, 1:47 PM Steve~ So, uh, look... If you want to knock holes in the theories of Global Warming, great. I'm open to it. But saying snow in Ashland is proof that Global Warming isn't real is like saying terrorists don't exist because you've never met one. I am wary of anyone who wants to boil the complexity of any scientific study down to "LEFT" or "RIGHT." If you mock an idea without understanding it, you simply sound ignorant and closed-minded. That said, I can still agree that living in fear is silly. D. Thomas - Ashland, OR - February 22nd, 1:58 PM Hey, Steve, bro! You are showing your ignorance here, man! Even we AZians understand that global climate change has little to do with day to day ups and downs and everything to do with long-term trends. But I still love ya! EC - AZ - February 22nd, 2:09 PM Us folks raised in South Dakota find the belief that a big snow means its really cold to be pretty funny. When it REALLY gets cold, it doesn't snow much. Where I'm from, snow means its getting warmer. Gregory Scott - Medford OR - February 22nd, 4:19 PM My theory is that this "global warming" is just a weather pattern. I mean we have only been recording weather for how many years? Who is to say this hasn't happened before? I remember about 10-15 years ago we were putting a hole in the ozone and the world was never going to recover... now it is shrinking... Maybe this too will pass and things will get back to "normal" or maybe this is normal in the whole scheme of things and all the years our planet has been around ugh - Ashland, OR - February 22nd, 5:49 PM Steve, you should know by now not to present facts, evaluate evidence or otherwise stray from Approved Thinking. The left replaced Dialetical Materialism with Deep Ecology in the early 70s. It's their religion, man! Show some respect! The Debate is Over! Our Gore said so, and that's that! Now shut up and pay your taxes � our Annointed Masters will handle everything! Armed, I mean Ahmed - ashland, OR - February 22nd, 5:52 PM Umm Steve, I think it might be time for you to take a course on climatology...it is all inter-related. You wanna see "WSYWIG" evidence of global warming? Go to Alaska or anywhere else in the Arctic where the effects are so pronounced you can't miss them. Yu'Pik Eskimos in western Alaska are now seeing warm climate beetle species that have never been seen there before. Trees are growing on the tundra. Permafrost ain't so Perma anymore... Jon - Ashland - February 22nd, 6:56 PM Statistical evidence links changes in our weather to changing solar activity. Since the late 1970s, three Sun-watching satellites recorded surprising changes in heat, ultraviolet radiation, and solar wind. Dr Sam Solanski, director of the renowned Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, said, "The Sun has been at its strongest over the past 60 years and may now be affecting global temperatures." To wit we really do not properly understand the physics of the luminosity of the Sun. Colestine mafia - Hilt, Ca. - February 22nd, 7:24 PM Al Gore has been given poor advice. Global warming has been deemed a fact. However, the inconvenient truth is that humans are not causing it. Like Darwin's theory of evolution and Big Bang cosmology, global warming by greenhouse gas emissions has undergone that curious social process in which a scientific theory is promoted to a secular myth. When the argument is based on fact, science is ignorant about the source of the heat - The fact is really that global warming is caused by the Sun. Colestine mafia - Hilt, Ca. - February 22nd, 7:40 PM Love ya Steve. Those crazy scientists at MIT and Stanford are all crazy lefties!!! Not. Heather - Ashland, Ore - February 22nd, 8:16 PM Hey Steve, I am only writing again because I am stuck at MFR due to fog. You would be confused to know that I don't by the left or right BS, support Mt. A expansion, don't agree that pollution is safe (wether it causes climate change/global warming or not), don't believe that affordable housing in Ashland is possible and I love to write comments because it is fun. I would never pigeonhole you based on your comments you should not try to do it to me. todd e. - ashland, or - February 23rd, 6:58 AM Relax folks....not trying to get you worked up. I just live in a world where I have to see things to believe it. Brian-Are these the same 300 Scientists who predicted the hole in the ozone was going to kill all of us? I remember that big scare...if it isn't bird flu its Global (sorry-Climate Change). Just making an observation, if "Climate Change" keeps bringing us snow...cool. G.Scott-Its all perspective. Here, when snow covers the palm trees on campus @ SOU - Its getting colder... Steve L. Iverson - Ashland, Jefferson - February 23rd, 8:50 AM Thanks D Thomas. I have been having this same discussion with my dad for awhile. I keep telling him that it is like he is pointing out one black hair to prove that he is not going grey. I like your terrorist analogy. Maybe that will make more sense to him as he believes THEY exist. I have been reading your paper online for awhile now with an eye towards living there someday. Coming from where I am, I am glad to see that this much snow seems to be a rarity. Karen - FL - February 23rd, 9:11 AM The fact is that the universities are staffed and run by leftie elitists who are trying to control the agenda by converting our young people into politically correct socialists. If anyone dares to question the media hype that the world is going to burn up, they are labeled an evil Republican addicted to oil. Look at George Taylor, Oregon's climatologist. He questions the hype and cause of climate change, and is about to get canned by the gov. because he is not politically correct enough. AR - Ashland - February 23rd, 1:21 PM Anyone remember that it's still February!! I think that means it's still winter! JD - Ashland, OR - February 23rd, 4:08 PM big bang cosmology - i am confused - thought it was a new hair style. boy it's cold outside, time to throw another log in the open fireplace. pat latham - ashland, or - February 23rd, 5:59 PM If you only believe what you see, lets talk again in July when it is 113 degrees and forest fires are raging all around. Some oceanographers predict that global warming could mess up the gulf stream that carries warm water north and plunge Europe into an ice age. Colder weather doesn't disprove global warming, wierd weather of all kinds can result. Hank - Ashland, OR - February 23rd, 8:26 PM Todd-Sorry man, just playing. No insult intended. Heather-Scientists at those universities live in a world where they rely on grants for their existence. What's politically correct keeps the money flowing in.I'm sure the scientists spouting holes in the ozone doomsday theories all came from highly acclaimed schools with fancy titles too. Karen-climate in Ashland is awesome.Snow like this is rare.Terrorists I believe in because I see them,not because scientists tell me they exist. Steve L. Iverson - Ashland, Winter Wonderland - February 23rd, 10:01 PM Hank-They predicted a lot of hurricanes for this year and they never came...you predict 113 degrees and forest fires. More doomsday end of the world stuff. People like me who don't buy the Gore world and the Global Warming fear mongering will be laughed at and called stupid by the educated elitists...until another twenty years goes by and we see they were wrong again (think ozone scare). They'll move onto to something else to get your money and your vote. Only time will tell. Steve L. Iverson - Ashland, Winter Wonderland - February 23rd, 10:06 PM I used to believe in evolution. Then we get comments like Steve's. I no longer believe in evolution. Some of us are obviously still monkeys. :) Me N. Durthal - Ashland, Oregon - February 23rd, 10:54 PM The colder it gets the more important it is that the libraries remain open so people have a place to go who otherwise have no affordable housing. Gas prices are still cheap adjusted for inflation even though we are told that inflation is near zero. Oil is going way higher guys the easy stuff has already been found. Put a tax on gas to help the library and another tax on small businesses they seem to be doing really good these days. Then spend it it will all come back in the economy. Fred - Talent, OR - February 24th, 12:56 AM "..obviously still monkeys." Me N. Derthal is obviously revealing the SocGreenDem ultimate strategy a bit early: "Those who disagree with us are not wrong, they're subhuman!" You're supposed to wait until AFTER the next election to announce the Final Solution! Too bad you strayed from the plan � see you in Camp Hillary! nofreelunch - ashland, OR - February 24th, 8:12 AM Leave a Comment: Advertisement: Advertisement: Paid Advertising: Debt Help Inkjet Printers Payday Loans Free Ringtones Debt Consolidation Security Systems Debt Relief Advertisement: Copyright © 2007 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers. All Rights Reserved. Del.icio.us