Here’s my contribution for this week’s Tuesdays of Texture over at de monte y mar.
These were taken from our driveway the day after an ice storm last week.
Ice storms make for great sparkly photos with lots of cool reflections and lens flare, and the results are very pretty to look at on a clear sunny day.
For those not familiar with them, ice storms occur when the air in the clouds is above freezing while the air on or near the ground is below freezing.
The moisture in the clouds falls as rain but as these water droplets make contact with things on the ground they freeze, forming a clear coat of ice on everything.
But there’s a not-so-nice side to ice storms as well: the longer it rains with the ground temperatures in the right range, the thicker and heavier the accumulating ice becomes.
Branches become heavier and sometimes break right off, or cause entire trees to topple over, falling onto power lines and causing blackouts.
We were lucky to be spared in our neighbourhood, but last week’s storm knocked out power to over 66,000 residences in southwestern Quebec leaving some people in the freezing cold without power for as long as 48 hours. Not fun.
But it sure makes for pretty pictures doesn’t it?
As always, thanks for looking 🙂
Can’t recall ever been in an ice storm, for sure not in California and neither in Holland (?)
They make for brilliant views!
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I’m late on comments this week Norm (but I tweeted early!) but your crystals are stunning! Thanks so much for sharing your images on Tuesdays of Texture!
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Beautiful.
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Absolutely gorgeous photos (and nice to look at the when I sit warm and cozy around my fireplace).Thanks for sharing!
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Thank you 😃
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A lot prettier to look at than to experience! We were without power for 9 days a few years ago. My mom has a gas-powered stove, so we cooked there. Everybody else went to our house to sleep, because we had wood heat. Mom wouldn’t go, so she and I bundled up and stuck it out at her house. It was an adventure!
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9 day! Oh my that is not fun. The worst I’ve experienced in winter is 5 days without power. Thank goodness for the wood stove. Sounds like you guys had quite the adventure
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I had to drive into town to the library to do my blog posts!
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Remember those ice storms too clearly from years in Iowa. Beautiful to look at but, treacherous to walk or drive in, not to mention the destructiveness they left behind.
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Not my favourite part of winter 🙂
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I haven’t been in an ice storm since the 1960’s. Never see one since moving to the UK. The photos remind of them. I hate taking photo’s in winter, especially here, where the sun is so low that a lot of shots even with filters there’s this harsh glare and often it doesn’t enhance the image (the UK is about the same latitude as southern to mid Alaska, just not as cold). Roll on Spring
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Soon enough Ted – thanks for stopping by 🙂
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You really captured the spirit and heart of ice storms with these wonderful photos and narrative.
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Thank you Charles 🙂
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Reading your blog this morning was a big eye-opener for me. I had no idea what an ice storm was! Gorgeous photos and descriptions. What do people do who actually have to go out in an ice storm? Do these storms last long?
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Just like a typical rain or snow storm they normally don’t last more than a few hours. But every once in a while under the right conditions one can last as long as half a day up to a few days – that’s when things start to get dangerous.
Usually the de-icing crews do a good job of keeping the sidewalks, highways, and major roads clear. But when you do have to drive in those conditions it’s best to slow down and leave a lot more space between cars.
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I know ice storms can leave such a path of destruction & inconvenience but man, they provide such gorgeous beauty for the eye to behold!
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I know Lynn, but every time I see one in the forecast now, I still flash back to 1998 😦
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Yes, that was a nightmare, that’s for sure!
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Beautiful photos. We had one ice storm last year. It was quite lovely until the branches started snapping! This snow has left the roads icy…cars in ditches everywhere. Luckily, I can just stay home.
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As long as the power doesn’t go off and you don’t have to drive in it, it sure can be pretty to look at 🙂
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They are beautiful!
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Merci Nathalie 🙂
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I agree with Judy: love the beauty when no one loses power. The very wet, heavy snow can have similar results. The photos are beautiful, though.
janet
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You’re right Janet, wet heavy snow = similar effects.
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Like so many things in nature, more beauty is more danger. What a sight to behold though. You got some fantastic shots! 🙂
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Thanks Joey. It was fun playing with all the bright sparkly reflections from the sunlight 🙂
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GORGEOUS! I know it’s brutal when you’re sitting without heat and power …. not to mention really dangerous for getting around …. but no one can deny how breathtakingly beautiful it is!
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The last one that knocked out power for us was last February – we were in the dark for only 36 hours but in the winter it just feels like forever.
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36 hours is a LONG time, but especially in winter!!
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I’m going on a snow holiday in just under four weeks’ time, so these beautifully icy photos have me grinning ear to ear 😀 Hope I don’t get stuck in an ice storm though!
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Most folks travel to get away from the snow and then some folks…well, some folks are downright crazy 😉
😀
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Ice storms leave us with a beautiful, albeit dangerous world, Norm. We haven;t had one yet this year. Thanks for sharing your pictures – I know how hard these can be to get.
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Thanks Dan. We seem to be getting them more often these days, like 3-5 times per winter. Every time brings back flashbacks of the big one in 1998.
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I LOVE photos of ice, but I really like them the most when the heat stays on. Glad your power wasn’t cut, and that you ventured outside. 🙂
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We’ve got a woodstove as well as the forced-air electric furnace so we can function reasonably well on the short term without power, but I’d still rather have it than not 🙂
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We have a serious flaw at our house – the pellet stove blower runs on electricity. 😦
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Not only are the pictures lovely, your explanation of an ice storm is wonderfully clear and simple.
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Thanks Corina – glad you enjoyed 🙂
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The clear blue sky adds pop to the ice crystals. Nice pics.
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Thanks!
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