It wasn’t quite the same as the last snowstorm that engulfed the area, but the results were similar-motorist unable to navigate the highways because of blowing snow. Winds gusted up to 55 mph, making travel at times impossible.
Highway 4, 30, 60 and 15, all major roads around St. James, remained closed until 7:30 a.m, Tuesday morning, January 26th.
The Armory in St. James provided shelter for the night to 25 stranded motorists. The last stranded motorist to leave the Armory was at 9:00 am the morning after the storm. Several truckers pulled off at the St. James exit to wait out the howling winds and drifting snow.
White-out conditions were experienced by motorists at various times while driving Monday afternoon. White-out can be caused in a number of ways. Typically white-out is caused by an even dense layer of low cloud over a snow field. The sunlight is diffused through the cloud, and then further scattered while reflecting between the snow surface and cloud layer. The lack of a single light source results in a lack of definition. Faced with white-out conditions drivers will not have many of the cues used for judging depth and large objects in the distance may look like near small objects, and visa versa. The complete lack of shadows will result in light and white colored objects blending in to the snow surface making walking on uneven surfaces, such as caused by snow ridges, very difficult. See more in the Jan. 28 Plaindealer.
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It wasn’t quite the same as the last snowstorm that engulfed the area, but the results were similar-motorist unable to navigate the highways because of blowing snow. Winds gusted up to 55 mph, making travel at times impossible.
Highway 4, 30, 60 and 15, all major roads around St. James, remained closed until 7:30 a.m, Tuesday morning, January 26th.
The Armory in St. James provided shelter for the night to 25 stranded motorists. The last stranded motorist to leave the Armory was at 9:00 am the morning after the storm. Several truckers pulled off at the St. James exit to wait out the howling winds and drifting snow.
White-out conditions were experienced by motorists at various times while driving Monday afternoon. White-out can be caused in a number of ways. Typically white-out is caused by an even dense layer of low cloud over a snow field. The sunlight is diffused through the cloud, and then further scattered while reflecting between the snow surface and cloud layer. The lack of a single light source results in a lack of definition. Faced with white-out conditions drivers will not have many of the cues used for judging depth and large objects in the distance may look like near small objects, and visa versa. The complete lack of shadows will result in light and white colored objects blending in to the snow surface making walking on uneven surfaces, such as caused by snow ridges, very difficult. See more in the Jan. 28 Plaindealer.
