Welcome to our second ever live weather blog, where the news is made up and the weather doesn't really matter. Here are the facts -- it's cold. How cold, you ask? Well, imaginary internet person, it's really very cold. Cold enough that, were Jack Nicholson to head outside with an axe right now and encounter a complex maze, he would be unlikely to survive long enough to murder anyone.
Do we have facts for you, figures, maybe? No. We do not. We are not competent meteorologists, or even journalists. What we do have for you, though, is rampant speculation, self-pity, some pictures of snow, and if you're lucky, there will be a dog or two frolicking in a winter wonderland. So stay tuned.
10:00
The city is expected to luckily fall in between two intimidatingly drawn clouds of bad stuff today.
Here it comes!! RT @NWSFortWorth: Winter precipitation is developing! Here is the latest forecast map. #txwx pic.twitter.com/RS6XBUOn8C
— Pete Delkus (@wfaaweather) February 7, 2014As you can see, a purple thing will move forward, while a white thing has already moved forward. This weather lark is easy.
Meanwhile, Jackson loves the snow --
@spcaoftexas Jackson LOVES the snow!!! #snowday pic.twitter.com/byFQT0zKsK
— Tara Eskridge (@MustangsATC) February 7, 2014And Cane Rosso has made a tribute to yesterday's forecast. Never forget.
#ICEFORCELEVELTWO @wfaaweather @Dallas_Observer Things are getting worse! pic.twitter.com/4FKX7KpISf
— Cane Rosso DeepEllum (@canerosso) February 7, 2014Friday Feb 7, 09:00
As snow moves in later this morning toward lunchtime, I've outlined where the heaviest snow should fall. pic.twitter.com/K3OgmAXL6E
— Jeff Jamison (@CBS11JeffJam) February 7, 2014After the snow penis had its way with us, now The Shoddily Drawn Blue Pickle of Reckoning is on its way.
17:45
Updates from Delkus on Snow Penis Penetration Levels -
Updated official snow total for DFW today: 1 inch! Here's some other totals. Tweet us with your amounts! pic.twitter.com/85aXnN62Ah
— Pete Delkus (@wfaaweather) February 6, 2014As you can see, we've all had better.
Unfortunately, this man was the first victim of the power outages, ironically near the end of a tweet about how he was being smug about power outages.
@Dallas_Observer when most people hear this, they turn there thermostat up a few degrees that way the house will stay warmer during the outa
— chuck nelson (@soonerclone) February 6, 201417:30
Word reaches us from ERCOT that you might not want to use so much electricity tonight, in case you spoil electricity for everyone else. They ask you to turn your thermostat down to a maximum 68 degrees.
Now, I'm not going to do that because I have the vital job of keeping you updated on ICE FORCE LEVEL TWO, but you should, because they're threatening rolling blackouts of 15-45 minutes each, across neighborhoods, if their conditions are not met. The electricity terrorists.
15:30
The sheer awfulness of this snowman perfectly captures the horror and dangers of #ICEFORCELEVELTWO.
The best we could muster during #iceforceleveltwo. I fear the food will run out soon @Common_Table #prayforus pic.twitter.com/ZhjbHBTekp
— Oliver DuBose (@TheBrewthedral) February 6, 2014He looks as if he's seen the terror that awaits Dallas, because apparently temperatures won't be back above freezing until tomorrow afternoon. Have a nice commute.
15:10
If you're thinking about driving home from work, you might want to start out about, ooh, three hours ago.
Meanwhile, a dog fight is going on --
@Dallas_Observer #ICEFORCELEVELTWO Dog on left, a foster thru @HSFMtweets, giving our permadog an icy right hook. pic.twitter.com/Cdpbp6X2pa
— Heather R. Green (@piangenti) February 6, 2014and a second wave of wintry "dusting" has been reported, soon to BURY Dallas. We'll keep you posted.
14:30
Delkus says it's over.
Final band of significant snow now crossing Dallas County. Within 30 mins, the snow will be mostly over. #wfaasnow pic.twitter.com/nYxPgg3h5f
— Pete Delkus (@wfaaweather) February 6, 2014BUT WHAT DAMAGE HAS REALLY BEEN DONE, PETE?!
#ICEFORCELEVELTWO we will rebuild! Stay hard DFW!!! pic.twitter.com/Wy039WbTgE
— Cane Rosso DeepEllum (@canerosso) February 6, 2014Will Cane Rosso ever recover? I suspect not.
W no food @ house, was ready to brave 99ft to @DickeysBarBQ...But now that Dallas has enacted #ICEFORCELEVELTWO, will slowly starve to death
— RunLove (@RunLove) February 6, 2014Dickey's Barbecue wasn't worth the 99ft anyway, mate.
13:35
Due to the current weather conditions, the City of Dallas Department of Street Services has elevated its sanding operations to Ice Force Level 2 as of 12:30pm.
This could be the end. The end, everyone. A second snow penis is undoubtedly on the way, my cat thinks he can see a bird out of the window, and my mouse wheel still won't work.
13:30
Our favorite tweets of #ICEFORCELEVELONE so far --
#ICEFORCELEVELONE MY GODDAMNED SOCKS ARE FUCKING WET.
— Txnewsprincess (@txnewsprincess) February 6, 2014This is it you guys. The end is near. #ICEFORCELEVELONE pic.twitter.com/SaIGxRccQK
— Chelsea Thionnet (@chelseathionnet) February 6, 2014A man who lives across the road has come out in his slippers & a trapper hat to retrieve a toilet brush from his car #ICEFORCELEVELONE
— Anne-Marie L (@havanaclub_soda) February 6, 2014I'm still going to chipotle. #ICEFORCELEVELONE
— Nelson Oribhabor (@nel_o) February 6, 2014NEVER IN MY LIFE HAVE I SEEN A WEATHER RADAR THAT LOOKS LIKE STRAIGHT UP WHITE BOY DICK.
— SWEET V (@pronailprincesa) February 6, 201412:30
Bad news for any school-age Marxists hoping to protest in the northern suburbs -
@Plano_Schools just announced all after school activists canceled @NBCDFW
— Catherine Ross (@CatherineNBC5) February 6, 2014WFAA's wonderfully named Bryan Titsworth reports that there are no delays at DFW Airport right now, although there is some serious de-icing going on.
Dallas County have also just announced there will be no refuse collections today --
"Due to deteriorating weather conditions Sanitation Services is suspending collection services (garbage & recycling) for Thursday, February 6, 2014"
So, if your dinner last night smelled really bad and you want it gone, you'll just have to bury it in snow for the next two days, because they won't be around until Saturday.
In more serious news, the wheel on my computer mouse has stopped working. Speculation on whether it has iced over or not is rampant within the Cleaver household, with opinion split.
11:50
We at the Dallas Observer would like to announce that we've hired our own weather forecaster. He will read you the news in simple words, while illustrating said weather with appropriate clothing. Here he is.
He will only accept payment in milkbones.
11:30
We would like to take a minute to salute this man.
@Dallas_Observer This guy... pic.twitter.com/3JZm1tX6s8
— Steve Estes (@ShiftyFive) February 6, 2014The sheer bravery. What a guy. This is the only real way to react to ICE FORCE LEVEL ONE.
Although you may not be outside, cows are.
The cattle prefer these temps, but the danger is the steers walking on the snow, soon to ice @nbcdfw @fwssr pic.twitter.com/n0zwkZQs7u
— Chris Van Horne (@CVHReports) February 6, 2014Take a minute to think of the cows.
On a more serious note, no really, most northern suburbs are letting out kids early. Check your local ISD's website or Twitter for more info. DISD seems to be the exception.
Also, Eric Nicholson has safely returned from Albertson's on his bicycle, and reports here.
10:50
It's official. Dallas is being attacked by a giant snow penis.
Total snow for DFW still expected around 1". Snow is light/fluffy but easily sticking to roads; expect slick spots! pic.twitter.com/1P6rIarxin
— Pete Delkus (@wfaaweather) February 6, 2014WFAA have helpfully provided the depth the penis will travel, presumably into you, during ICE FORCE LEVEL ONE.
10:30
We've called it. The official name of this storm is definitely #ICEFORCELEVELONE , and it must be all capital letters and you must include a hashtag, because we are living in the digital age. We already got Delkus to re-tweet this vital piece of information --
.@wfaaweather Pete, we're going with #ICEFORCELEVELONE for the name of today's weather, OK? Please adjust future tweets.
— Dallas Observer (@Dallas_Observer) February 6, 2014A re-tweet is basically a contract, especially if there's no legal disclaimer in Pete's twitter bio. Which there isn't.
Some brave people have made it to work, but at what personal cost?
@Dallas_Observer My commute to work this morning. #IceForceLevelOne. pic.twitter.com/B5EY3LqQlc
— Jennifer Alderman (@JifferAlderman) February 6, 2014Delkus has taken to insulting people on Twitter -
Were you hiding in a cave the last 2 days?? RT @ShelbySkrhak: I so wasn't expecting this. @wfaaweather #snowday pic.twitter.com/ZkWWpX12IQ
— Pete Delkus (@wfaaweather) February 6, 2014And RIP Jeff Smith, of NBC
@JifferAlderman @Dallas_Observer I hear ya. What happened to my body after 8 hours of live reporting pic.twitter.com/oWOSBBwyOU
— Jeff Smith (@JeffSmithNBC5) February 6, 201410:00
Here at ICE FORCE LEVEL ONE, we're wondering what to call this event. If you remember last time, Jim Cantore from the Weather Channel turned up and bafflingly named it Winter Storm Cleon. Although I will never get tired of typing ICE FORCE LEVEL ONE, we threw it out to Twitter for some suitably dramatic suggestions. The winner gets a hashtag and Observer immortality.
@Dallas_Observer Winter Storm Nika, the adopted child of Cleon and Leon
— TheSportsSatirist (@umg0blue) February 6, 2014@Dallas_Observer "The Unfortunate Lovemaking Style of Mr. Freeze"
— Christopher Cantwell (@ifyoucantwell) February 6, 2014@Dallas_Observer Flaketribulation
— Mark Haslett (@MarkHaslett) February 6, 2014Some people, meanwhile, just aren't understanding the seriousness of this situation
ICYMI: Ludacris will headline this year's Dallas Observer St. Patrick's Day Concert @DC9AtNight @Dallas_Observer
— Blessing Grant (@BlessingGrant) February 6, 2014WE MIGHT ALL BE DEAD BEFORE LUDACRIS CAN MAKE IT HERE
This dog is unimpressed with today.
@Dallas_Observer "It's snow. Stop freaking out Dallas." - Dublin the Dog #notimpressed pic.twitter.com/IgOkEmtPrH
— RunLove (@RunLove) February 6, 201409:35
News reaches us that the city has declared ICE FORCE LEVEL ONE is in effect, a term so dramatic I couldn't have made it up myself. What does this mean, you ask? Well, they're going to start putting sand on things. Why SANDING THINGS TIME couldn't have been used we'll never know, but ICE FORCE LEVEL ONE (which should never, ever be written in lower case) is a much better term. In the press release I have it's written in red and underlined, which is amazing.
Our music editor sends a picture of the devastation where he is, somewhere in a hip and happening part of East Dallas, although he seems to have taken to hiding behind bushes. Possibly this is to scare passers-by, we can't be sure. Anything we would write here is rampant speculation, so we're going to say this - our music editor, Kiernan Maletsky, enjoys hiding behind bushes.
09:20
We are advised that there is a wind chill advisory in effect until noon. Whether this means that, when it's cold, the wind is also likely to be cold, is unclear. That would seem to be a common sense statement that does not require WFAA to use capital letters *and* bold, a tactic which is normally only deployed by furious editors.
As far as we can make out, the current snowfall can best be described by the word "dusting," which as you can see is now very popular.
'dusting' is now trending in #Dallas http://t.co/WwqK3kHNMD
— Trendsmap Dallas (@TrendsDallas) February 6, 2014We need a term which is more dramatic than this, though, to really describe the full devastation happening out there on the street, so we're going to go with "buried," as in Dallas is BURIED in snow right now. It's not buried very deep, obviously, but there's not really a scale to describe burying, and this is far more dramatic.
As you can see, the situation out there is pretty bad --
@Dallas_Observer Ok Ok, here are my palm trees, have to get the wiener outside to get his picture pic.twitter.com/BXpMcTDkA0
— Pete Delkus Sleeves (@DelkusSleeves) February 6, 2014and Delkus has lost the plot already, so early on in this crisis --
Yes...eat away...you don't want to dehydrate! RT @Samtlt: @wfaaweather @kk1095 I'm confused, so don't eat the yellow snow?
— Pete Delkus (@wfaaweather) February 6, 2014We will keep an eye on his sleeves, as always. Night gathers, and now my watch begins.
