Deadly Ice Storm Glazes Midsection Of U.S.

Storm Snaps Power Lines, Closes Schools In Midwest; 23 Deaths Blamed On Weather

(CBS/AP)  Schools closed for thousands of youngsters, Iowa's biggest airport shut down and thick layers of ice brought down more power lines Tuesday as a major ice storm glazed the nation's midsection.

At least 23 deaths had been blamed on the storm system since the waves of sleet and freezing rain started during the weekend. Hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses had no electricity.

The ice storm is marching north, leaving behind states of emergency in Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma, where more than 500,000 homes and businesses lost power -- the largest outage in state history, reports CBS News correspondent Nancy Cordes.

President Bush declared an emergency in Oklahoma on Tuesday, ordering federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts.

Food and drinking water are on the way to Oklahoma, says the Federal Emergency Management Agency, along with blankets, cots and generators, adds Cordes.

Iowa's largest school district closed for the day in Des Moines, telling its nearly 31,000 students to stay home, and kids across most of Oklahoma and in the Kansas City, Mo., area stayed home for a second day.

Schools also were closed in parts of Wisconsin, including Milwaukee Public Schools with 85,000 students. "We thought about our kids on foot," said Milwaukee schools spokeswoman Roseann St. Aubin. Some drivers couldn't even get to their buses, she said.

About an inch of ice was expected Tuesday over parts of Iowa, followed by up to 5 inches of sleet and snow. "It's a pretty good ice-maker," said Frank Boksa, a National Weather Service forecaster.

Ice as much as an inch thick had accumulated on trees, power lines, streets and car windshields Monday in parts of Oklahoma and Missouri, with thinner layers elsewhere.

Utilities in Missouri reported more than 100,000 homes and business without power and Kansas utilities said probably more than 70,000 were blacked out Tuesday, with some in the dark since Sunday.

Public Service of Oklahoma spokesman Stan Whiteford told CBS News it's going to take a long time to restore everyone's electricity because the tree and power line damage is so severe and widespread. So, what are families left in the cold to do?

"We're encouraging people to go to a shelter rather than to do something risky in their home and try to stay there, especially if they have health problems," Whiteford said. "But a lot of people are just hunkering down and using their fireplaces to keep warm.

Iowa's two major utilities reported over 17,000 customers without power Tuesday.

The storm even put a crimp on presidential campaigning, with Republican Mike Huckabee canceling stops in western Iowa and former President Bill Clinton calling off appearances in eastern Iowa on behalf of his wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Des Moines International Airport closed because of ice late Monday and could be closed most of Tuesday, said spokesman Roy Criss. The airport, which also was shut down by winter weather two weeks ago, has 138 arrivals and departures per day, he said.

"This rain keeps refreezing. We put chemicals down, it melts and then freezes again. We can't stay ahead of it," Criss said. "This is not fun."

Many travelers also were grounded at Chicago, where about 250 flights were canceled Tuesday morning at O'Hare International Airport and departure delays averaging 15 to 30 minutes, said Karen Pride of the city's Department of Aviation.

Weather Channel meteorologist Mike Seidel said on CBS News' The Early Show Tuesday he expects hundreds of more flights to be canceled as the ice storm spreads to the Chicago area.

However, the storm "is not heading to the East Coast and you do not have to worry about it in Philadelphia, D.C., and Baltimore," Seidel said.

Kansas City International Airport in Missouri canceled more than 90 flights Tuesday morning, but spokesman Joe McBride said that was probably due to problems at other airports.

Southeastern Nebraska also had power outages Tuesday and some flights in and out of Omaha's Eppley Airfield were canceled.

FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers sent 50 generators and three truckloads of bottled water from Texas to distribute to blacked-out areas of Oklahoma.

At least 22 deaths - most of them in traffic accidents - had been blamed on the ice and cold since the weekend, including 15 in Oklahoma, four in Kansas, and three in Missouri.

[sbb2211]

You NEVER hear it reported that the first warm day of the season was responsible for 22 deaths, hundreds of thousands without power, and closed roads.

We need global warming to reduce the number of deaths from the cold.

SBB2211, you don''t understand the concept of global warming. Global warming is causing the ice caps on the poles to melt, which is causing abnormal fresh water flow in the Atlantic ocean. This reduces the warm water flow from the southern hemisphere to the north sea. This give us our tempid climate in the norther hemisphere. When that is disrupted, we get a cooling of areas that are normally warm and visa versa. The weather we''re having here in Oklahoma has been happening for years.

[sbb2211]

http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Minority.Blogs&ContentRecord_id=c9554887-802a-23ad-4303-68f67ebd151c

[sbb2211]

Skeptical Scientists Urge World To %u2018Have the Courage to Do Nothing'' At UN Conference

http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Minority.Blogs&ContentRecord_id=c9554887-802a-23ad-4303-68f67ebd151c

[hawksprings]

You Global Warming Sheep are trying to have it both ways.
All we''ve heard about from the Church of Global Warming is doom and gloom, we''re going to heat up so many degrees, the sea is going to rise 20 feet, terrible drought, blah blah blah.

But when it''s colder than ''normal'', you say that''s Global Warming too. When it''s wetter than ''normal'', you say that''s Global Warming too.

You all act like the Climate has always been a beautiful 72 degrees and sunny.

The Inconvenient Truth is that the Climate has ALWAYS varied wildly.
There have ALWAYS been wicked killer storms, killer droughts, killer floods, killer heat, killer cold.
But now, thanks to the CHurch of Global Warming, and it''s High PRiest Algore, any of these events are now blamed on humans.

YOu people are so gullible, you deserve the taxes and controls that are going to be forced on you in the name of saving the planet.

Pathetic.

[cmp271]

Is Illinois''s US Senator showing any interest in his own state, or is he too busy running for President to be concerned?

This is typical winter weather. In December 79, all the midwest states were under a blizzard and were closed down-was that global warming too? Or was it just winter!!!!

[displeased]

Hey Hawksprings, try viewing global warming with a global perspective and not just your backyard. And even if global warming is overrated, it still wouldn''t kill us to conserve or utilize more effective resources.

[slim1h2o]

YOu people are so gullible, you deserve the taxes and controls that are going to be forced on you in the name of saving the planet.

Pathetic.

Posted by hawksprings at 09:25 AM : Dec 11, 2007

Yup,,, I agree,,,,and also I can''t believe that they gave Big Al The Nobel Peace Prize, with all those lies he''s been telling.
With their selection, they have diminished the value of the peace prize.

[mudrose-2009]

Yes, for all those climate lackeys out there, I just want you to know - this is really the effects of global warming. Can you feel the heat?

[hawksprings]

So what was the cause of big ice storms and blizzards before Algore and Human-Caused Global Warming?

Can anyone tell us?

[slim1h2o]

Back in the 70''s the "Experts" had us going into major ice age. Now, a mere 30 yrs later, we''re going to heat up and flair out, because we''re getting so hot.

[aaabee-2009]

So what was the cause of big ice storms and blizzards before Algore and Human-Caused Global Warming?
Can anyone tell us?
Posted by hawksprings at 11:07 AM : Dec 11, 2007

You know, if you closed your mouth, that would cut some serious CO2 emissions right there. :)

[displeased]

So what was the cause of big ice storms and blizzards before Algore and Human-Caused Global Warming?
Posted by hawksprings

Weather systems cause storms. Always have, always will. The problem is some areas may experience less or more of them thanks to events such as El Nino and La Nina. I''m guessing global warming may affect or cause these weather phenomenons. I''m no expert so I can''t say. But either way, we still need to recycle resources and reduce our addiction to oil, for obvious reasons.

[aaabee-2009]

Boy, we have a lot of scientific experts posting on here today.

So, what are you boys credentials, your education, your field work, and publications in the evironmental sciences? Do fill us all in, since you are so in-the-know about all things global.

Don''t have any creditials to speak on global warming? Didn''t think so. Naa. You are just a bunch of unintelligent lazy scaredy-cats totally afraid that you might have to give up your chrome plated wide-rimmed V-6 substitutes for authentic manhood.

You are probably the kind of people who won''t give up their beer and cigarette habits to put money away so your kids can go to college, so it isn''t surprising that you fight NOT to do anything to even remotely ensure that your kids will still have a planet to live on.

Just as well, given that they are your spawn, only headed for prison anyway.

Have a great Bush day.

[hawksprings]

AaaBee,
My mouth is closed when I''m typing. :)

[slim1h2o]

But either way, we still need to recycle resources and reduce our addiction to oil, for obvious reasons.

Posted by Displeased at 11:35 AM : Dec 11, 2007

Ther obvious reason would be saving money. But would not stop global warming.
The earth is always going to warm up/cool down no matter what we do.

And AaaBee, I think I felt the earth warm up 10 degrees on your rant. LOL

[andor3]

If you want to criticize the theories of human-caused climate change, you need to at least have some basic familiarity with it.

The favorite tactic seems to build a straw man out of non-truths and tear it apart and act like you killed a dragon.

For example, if you don''t understand how climate shifts can change the number, location, and severity of ice storms and hurricanes, then you look like a fool commenting.

Not that I care, fools arguing ignorantly against climate change in public help get people to hear what the science really says and tune out the wackos.

[aaabee-2009]

AaaBee,
My mouth is closed when I''''m typing. :)
Posted by hawksprings at 11:52 AM : Dec 11, 2007

LOL. May Santa put an extra something good in your stocking this year, preferably a non-evironmentally related item such as coal.

[nordeck52]

Yep, sounds like global warming to me!

Seriously though, there are far too many theories on what''s causing the warming. How are we to actively do something about it when we can''t even be sure what the cause is?

[andor3]

"How are we to actively do something about it when we can`t even be sure what the cause is?"

We know the cause. It is good you want to do something. Watch "An Inconvenient Truth." It is a good, easily accessible starting point for understanding and has some ideas to help.

[one_american]

That''s the thing about liberals - they can believe a lie like "Global Warming", in spite of the facts or an overwhelming preponderance of real scientific observations to the contrary.

The poor suckers are being taken for a ride by Al Gore.

[aaabee-2009]

help get people to hear what the science really says and tune out the wackos. Posted by andor3 at 11:59 AM : Dec 11, 2007

Al got out into the big wide world and looked at the evidence. He has traveled from the Arctic to the Antarctic.

His facts come not from imagination, but from the field workers who are drilling the ice-core samples, who are collecting, as scientists have done for years, data from the earth itself. He went to NASA, he went to the military, he went and stood on what''s left of the glaciers.

How easy is it for posters to refute his work, when they themselves have been nowhere, read nothing, haven''t taken a semester of anything environmental.

They get their information from someone else, someone equally as ignorant of evironmental issues as themselves, refusing to listen to those who work in the field and have collected data, published, earned degrees in evironmental studies, and want people to know so we can reverse the damage while there is still time.

Global warming aside, any measures we take will help the overall pollution issue in general. Taking any action at all would benefit this planet and we who live on it.

Al Gore''s life work is trying to reduce pollution impacts to this planet. Nothing in what he is trying to do is out to "Get" people or hurt people, what he is working for would help the human race, and allow them to live better and longer. And people are skinning him for it.

[one_american]

That''''s the thing about liberals - they can believe a lie like "Global Warming", in spite of the facts or an overwhelming preponderance of real scientific observations to the contrary.

The poor suckers are being taken for a ride by Al Gore.

[one_american]

Al Gore is to science what Fidel Castro is to democracy.

[aaabee-2009]

WHAT A CROCK...NPR...BEATING THE GORE DRUM....
Posted by tiddsanbeer at 12:27 PM : Dec 11, 2007

What were you doing on NPR? Why weren''t you supporting your local Talk Radio station? Are you a closet liberal!

Respectable conservatives listen to Talk Radio. Limbaugh and Hannity will tell you exactly what you want to hear, so your morning wouldn''t get upset by unpalatable realities.

[middleman8]

There are a bunch of "rubes" on here spouting off about the weather. If the rubes ever got out of their own back yard and visited the north they would be able to see what is happening. During my working days when I went too work it was between 20 below to fifty below. Now my grand kids go to work in Tee shirts. If you can''t get out of your home town, at least open your eyes and ears.

[one_american]

Maybe one of you Al Gore worshipers wants to explain the "inconvenient truth" about how, unlike the Arctic, the Antarctic ice sheets are actually growing?

Makes you sick to know you''ve been had, doesn''t it?

[likeitis5050]

Every year we hear this. In the mid-west, we get ice because...well, we''re in the mid-west. Go further north and you get snow...go further south and you get rain...travel to the mid-west between the first of December and the first of January and you might be up to your eyeballs in ice.

Global warming is nothing to flip out over, unless you want to convince people the world is coming to an end. How did Gore explain the little ice age in Europe during the 16th Century? It surprises me that people who claim to be such devout followers of evolution simply find it impossible to accept that evolution is at work now. Doesn''t hurt to cut back on carbon emissions or to recycle...ideas that have been around since the 60s...Gore didn''t invent the idea of conservation any more than he invented the internet. Go ahead and believe the weather now is directly related to global warming if it gives you something to live for, but the Native Americans were taking note of weird weather patterns long before Gore decided to make it is his own invention;

Thunder in February...expect frost in May. In other words...c.rap happens but don''t plant anything that bears fruit on top of the soil until after the last frost...in May. Seldom were they wrong. Ooops...there went another tree limb downed by ice...guess who will be more vigilant in pruning next summer?

[andor3]

"... they can believe a lie like "Global Warming", in spite of the facts or an overwhelming preponderance of real scientific observations... The poor suckers are being taken for a ride by Al Gore."

Yes this is what happens when people make comments without bothering to understand what the subject--just comes across as foolish.

Al Gore is not the source of information on human-caused climate change. That comes from a consensus of scientists and decades of research. Mr. Gore has tried to spread the information, educate, and more importantly, step up and show courage and leadership when it is badly needed.

His critics are poster children for lazy, ignorant people who stick their heads in the sand and hope their mommy will save them. So much of their argument boils down to "it''s hard. I''m lazy and scared of change. Science confuses me so I pretend. And I hate real leaders and moral courage causes it makes me look bad."

[aaabee-2009]

the Antarctic ice sheets are actually growing?
Posted by One_American at 12:49 PM : Dec 11, 2007

May I see your link or where you got this? I want to read the whole thing.

[andor3]

"How did Gore explain the little ice age in Europe during the 16th Century?"

Another one--it just looks foolish to post a comment without some basic understanding of the topic.

Why would Al Gore explain this? He is not a scientist and doesn''t claim to be. He is a Nobel winner but not in science. He is a leader and visionary.

However the scientists who work in the field have explained this very well and it is in the literature. Look into it and you see that it does nothing to take away from the theory of human-caused climate change.

[likeitis5050]

His critics are poster children for lazy, ignorant people who stick their heads in the sand and hope their mommy will save them. So much of their argument boils down to "it''''s hard. I''''m lazy and scared of change. Science confuses me so I pretend. And I hate real leaders and moral courage causes it makes me look bad."
-----------

Posted by andor3

And then there are those who choose to actually research ''facts provided from a consensus of scientists'' because they know just adding the title scientist to one''s name doesn''t make it valid. Equal numbers of ''scientists'' disagree with the ''scientists'' who provided the data that confirms global warming...so many in fact that they created an ''error'' list. Check it out, unless you''re too lazy or too scared, or maybe it would just confuse you to have alternate views of something to have to look into for yourself.

[aaabee-2009]

Makes you sick to know you''''ve been had, doesn''''t it?
Posted by One_American at 12:49 PM : Dec 11, 2007

I would rather be taken by Al Gore, who is trying to save the planet, than be in your shoes. You are being taken by George Bush, who is busy destroying the planet so he and Cheney can put a few more dollars in their already-bulging pockets.

I buy the pollution-is-changing-our-planet story with the same loyalty as you bought the bringing-democracy-to-Iraq story. That makes us both suckers. LOL

[likeitis5050]

However the scientists who work in the field have explained this very well and it is in the literature. Look into it and you see that it does nothing to take away from the theory of human-caused climate change.

----------

Posted by andor

The sky is falling...you are correct...how stupid of us not to all be out there with you stopping all this. Have fun spending your hours on line chastising ''ignorance''...everyone has to have something that gives them reasons to breath. Tah tah...

[aaabee-2009]

Equal numbers of ''''scientists'''' disagree with the ''''scientists'''' who provided the data that confirms global warming.Posted by likeitis5050 at 01:18 PM : Dec 11, 2007

No, they don''t. Those scientists could well be bought experts, most of whom have not come forward to let the public examine their evironmental credentials nor have they allowed investigation into their ties to non-envirnmental corporations. What is allowed is the publishing of their "expert" opinion in the news.

You have only been told that there is an "error" list without even knowing who is on it. Try to find out who the participants are and see if there is disclosure about the careers and ambitions of those so-called anti-GW "experts". If you can find reasonable accreditation for even a small percentage of them, I will give you this point, but you can''t. I have researched the french trial and their errors and little is being let out about it, which lends NO credibility to claims of errors if the claiments don''t show themselves and the record of their own expertice.

Cemented world views, encapsulated by fear and greed, are not a American-only danger.

[cmp271]

No wonder we had an ice storm, Hillary was nearby. In the summer Iowa never needed any air conditioning, she was always around.

What are any of these candidates doing for anyone?

[andor3]

"Equal numbers of ''scientists'' disagree with the ''scientists'' who provided the data that confirms global warming...so many in fact that they created an ''error'' list. Check it out,..."

Simply not true. I checked it out. You got any facts? There is consensus in the scientific community on human activity as a primary cause in climate change. It is not being debated in any serious forum. A few people are claiming scientific credentials and opposition just because it gets attention because their view is considered wacky, and also because there is big money pushing to get ANYONE to speak up and oppose the science.

[gslinger3]

Geeze,

This has to terrible news for all you Global warmed enviromentalist nuts cases in here!

[nolalou]

One_American , it makes me sick to have to admit that under our form of goverment, even morons like you have voice! Don''t get me wrong, I respect your right to state your opinion, but that doesn''t mean I consider you any less of an IDIOT!

[gslinger3]

Gore is not a visionaly, Bush is a visionary and has freed IRAQ!

FREEDOM FOR THE IRAQIS!!!!

[one_american]

Liberals can''t handle the truth.

[andor3]

Time to start just ignoring these climate-change denyers.

The pattern seems to be--a vague assertion of "scientists" and "research" that cast doubt on the accepted theories. Several people respond asking for facts, names, references, qualifications--anything to back up the story.

Then, as likeitis5050 says: "Tah tah..."

Probably suddenly remembered she left her SUV double-parked with the engine running.

[andor3]

"Liberals can`t handle the truth. "

Oh yeah and name calling. When you are REALLY backed in a corner and got no facts on your side, you can always call someone a name like liberal-- has zero relevance to the science or the discussion, but an ad hominem attack is the classic way to admit defeat in a debate without waving a white flag.

[trey2166]

What kind of fool would ever reference Al Gore as a visionary and leader. He''s a fraud.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/bush/house.asp

Check it out.

[aaabee-2009]

Posted by skykk at 02:07 PM : Dec 11, 2007

Don''t get it, sorry. Mine was just kidding around anyway.

[aaabee-2009]

What kind of fool would ever reference Al Gore as a visionary and leader. He''''s a fraud.

http://www.snopes.com/politics
/bush/house.asp

Check it out.
Posted by trey2166 at 02:57 PM : Dec 11, 2007

And while you are there, read the one on Bush. It is far better and has more green dots than Al''s red dots. :)

[aaabee-2009]

That''''s because liberals do not deal with facts,
liberals deal with emotions. Posted by skykk at 02:04 PM : Dec 11, 2007

Wow, this was a clearly unemotional fact-driven post itself.

[hawksprings]

Here''s an article explaining that Carbon Emissions Don''t Cause Global Warming
http://icecap.us/images/uploads/Evans-CO2DoesNotCauseGW.pdf

Here''s an article stating: Climate Warming Is Naturally Caused And Shows No Human Influence.
http://science-sepp.blogspot.com/2007/12/press-release-dec-10-2007.html

Here''s an article about a prominent scientist reversing his views on Global Warming after looking at the latest research:
http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Minority.Blogs&ContentRecord_id=927b9303-802a-23ad-494b-dccb00b51a12

Here''s an article by scientists calling for a review of the UN''s IPCC''s and it''s procedures:
http://nzclimatescience.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=155&Itemid=1


If all you Human-Caused Global Warming Sheep dare to read these articles, there''s plenty more where they came from.
Your Consensus is Melting, Melting, MELTING!!!!!

[andor3]

"If all you Human-Caused Global Warming Sheep dare to read these articles..."

I did. Don''t think you really wanted anyone to since the URLs are fractured and not usable without some work. Didn''t find anything convincing or even eyebrow raising. We got a scientist with no affiliation or credentials listed, a paper with author funding ties to Exxon, a random blogpost where the blog clearly has an agenda...

Is is just supply and demand. A demand has been created for scientists who will oppose the consensus and research on global warming. The demand is paired with funding. Not surprisingly a supply of these critters arises. It does not change the majority consensus or the truth.

There is also a demand for the truth, and that has produced quite a different supply.

[missingamerica]

hawksprings -

Just for the sake of argument, assume all of the scientists - the vast majority of the world''s scientists - who believe that humans are causing or increasing global warming are wrong.

What is it going to hurt to play it safe for the sake of our descendants?

Your profits?

They are more important than the world''s children?

You drive your kids around without a car seat because you KNOW you''ll never cause an accident?