It’s hard to believe that such a small amount of snow can cause such havoc. Last Monday morning around 9, everyone at NAS Whidbey Island was surprised to see a light but continuous snow falling outside. The temperature dropped below freezing and the winds picked up. Didn’t take long before the snow plows were hauled out and Security was assessing road conditions and setting safety barriers.

Snow plows scraped paths for a couple of planes that curtailed training operations and taxied back to the hangar. Flight schedules were cancelled as commands shifted into “snow” mode.

Before they had a chance to clear and sand Charles Porter Ave., a semi-truck skidded out of control, blocking the inbound lane. Langley Blvd., well-known for its steep and treacherous incline, was quickly blocked off, leaving families who live on Apache wondering how they were going to get to and from their homes and the Home Connection and Head Start teachers, staff and students who use the former Clover Valley Elementary school, wondering how to get off the base. 

Not surprisingly, personnel began to worry about the snow, road conditions, their families, their homes and started asking when they could leave.  By 2 p.m. base operations were reduced to all but mission essential personnel. That’s not to say that some commands hadn’t already released their personnel which probably caused the initial backup, but that certainly was when base roads, county roads and State Route 20 became one big parking lot and stayed that way for at least the next three hours.

Washington State Patrol had closed the Deception Pass Bridge due to accidents on both sides of the pass causing some heavy duty gridlock” since that’s the only way. Personnel who live north of the base, in Anacortes, Mount Vernon and beyond were stuck in traffic until for hours. Those who waited until the “bridge is open” notice went out faired a little better and were just a bit late for dinner. 

Everyone will have a story to tell about the “surprise” Arctic Freeze of 2010 meteorologists are still trying to explain away. Thankfully, the air station dodged the heavy snowfall and power outages on Monday night that left our fellow Navy families over on the Olympic Peninsula cold and in the dark.

If La Nina has her way, this isn’t the last storm we’ll be living through this winter. Now’s the time to take a turn and make sure we’re well-prepared to endure whatever Mother Nature has planned and ready to support neighbors, co-workers, family and friends so we all make it safe and sound into 2011.