"Snow...!!!" 28•Feb•10

More on the snowstorm of February 2010.

I can't write on just one specific day of snowstorm coverage this week, so this is sort of a recap of the last 3-4 days, if you will. Basically it hammered us. We have two deaths reported here in our ciculation area of Orange County, NY. I couldn't keep track of the days I was out there shoveling, shoveling again and then shoveling some more. 200,000 utility customers lost power during the week and I was one of them. Late Thursday night I lost power and was expected to be out and about making images early Friday morning. As difficult as it was to get going that cold morning - the bigger problem was finding a reliable wi-fi location so I could move images to the paper. Walking the neighborhood those first few hours on Friday was even a challenge, so making images close to home sort of became an adventure of sorts.
Once we realized that there was electrical power in a neighboring town, and specifically in a business / strip mall area, I headed to the local Panera Bread shop to utilize their wi-fi, have a good, hot lunch and meet with colleagues and friends who all had the same ideas. All in all, some 30" or more fell just in my area here in the eastern most part of Orange County, along the Hudson River. Friday's workday ended with a search for an open gas station, as well as a few supplies from the supermarket (which was powered by their own generator, and I remembered how odd it was to see this huge building all lit up in the snowstorm, while every other business establishment was dark on Friday night.)

There is really nothing nice about having to work out in the elements. Blowing winds, moisture, fallen trees, and treacherous driving conditions make even the simplest of days and getting around my coverage area a nightmare.

Here are a few more images from the week in no particular order: