The Miner Enquirer: The Utah Hurricane

Thursday, December 1, 2011

The Utah Hurricane

We have had the craziest Utah weather! It actually Dec. 30 (I am going to post this on the date it actually happened so my blog is in order) and it has only snowed once this winter! I think it is God’s way of easing my new California blood into Utah winters. I prepared for snowy holidays, even got new tires on the Pathfinder, but alas it was a green and old white snow Christmas.

Okay back to Dec. 1st. I was excited for this day! I had just volunteered at the festival of trees. My mom and I got to work together making Divinity (delicious!) then my whole family came to watch Holly and her girls perform. JoAnn had taken Maddie and Anna for me and met us there as well. We ate, walked around and saw the trees and had a great time. I was feeling all festive and excited for the next day because Lori was going to bring the girls up and we were going to make Christmas Advent calendars a lot like what Dave’s Mom had made years ago. But alas the Hurricane Wind storms changed a lot of people’s plans that day.

I was woken up throughout the night by the wind storm. I kept looking out the windows worried something was going to happen. Little did I know what the rest of the day would bring. The power went out so Dave woke up late (it was back on by then). I was trying to figure out if Anna was going to have school or not and if I really wanted to drive in it. Dave called me on his way to work saying there were garbage cans everywhere, traffic lights out, the Chevron Gas station’s windows were blown out and power lines were down.

Then I get a call from my friend Amber who lives in Layton and works in Sandy. She was on her way to work. She said a whole pine tree in her yard fell and was blocking the street. There were trees and signs down everywhere. She was getting on the Freeway and the traffic was insane. I watched the news and went back and forth between the front room window and the back slider door just watching. wondering. when was this craziness going to stop!

I couldn’t focus on anything all day. I called Anna’s preschool, most likely cancelled. Okay by me, except how was I going to get this beloved advent done? perhaps it will be a fun craft/movie day. I watched the news. It was the worst in Centerville with 90 mph winds. (after the day was over we heard 110 mph winds were documented.). I called Melissa. Her power was out and had been for a while. They were wondering what they would do, go to SLC, or hunker down. There were already lots of trees and fences down in her neighborhood. And their window upstairs had broken. geez.

Talked to Amber multiple times with different updates from her and from me. In the morning there were 6 semi trucks that had blown over on the freeway, I told Amber, she saw them later. When news reports came in that night they said that 16-18 semi’s had blown over and that was even with restrictions of no more high profile vehicles on the road. Amber was worried about her house and I told her I would check it later.

Talked to Lori and told her not to come. Then I lost power. She kept me updated with the news. I spent most of the day looking out the window and on the phone with various people. I thought I was dying down early in the afternoon, but when I went to drive around it was still so windy. I took lots of photos as we drove around. It was crazy to see the aftermath of the storm. We lost shingles on the shed and the gate of the fence is broken. Our bountiful home has some fence damage as well from large branches falling on it. But those things were minimal compared to huge trees down all over the place, fences gone, and roofs stripped.

Centerville got hit the worst. You drive past it on the freeway and the McDonald’s sign as well as multiple businesses are missing the inside of the signs. I went and drove through Centerville and it was amazing to see the aftermath. There were multiple groups of people cleaning up yards and trees. streets filled with debris. It seemed surreal.

The worst that I saw was when I drove down to check on Amber’s house. I had the unfortunate responsibility in telling her the other pine tree had fallen and on her home. They had to stay in a hotel for a few days and Brady did most of the work to cut it all down, since so many companies were so busy. Our ward worked hard for days to help with cleanup, Church was even shortened in Davis county so people could go out and help. It was incredible to see.

I still cannot believe it happened. Here are some photos….

Layton backyard with shingles all over…