THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 11, 1996 TAG: 9602110044
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE STONE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 109 lines
It was easy - and pleasurable - to forget winter Saturday.
The mercury soared from an overnight low of 30 to a high of 61 under generally sunny skies. And the only evidence that a week earlier ice and a half-foot of snow had paralyzed the region were the swiftly shrinking mountains of snow left here and there by plows.
``Now this is winter weather I can live with,'' said Chip Hedgepeth of Chesapeake as he sprayed down his pickup at a car wash on Military Highway.
He drove in with a vehicle coated with dirt and white and gray residue from chemicals used on icy roads. It looked like it had been in a battle. He drove out with a shiny blue pickup.
``That's better. Lots better,'' he said. ``Now I can mess it up again.'' he said.
Messing things up again is the last thing on most people's minds, however, especially those who spent hours clearing yards of debris left behind by the storms.
Those with pine trees in their yards fared the worst. The heavy ice proved too much for many pines, and limbs crashed down.
Some people also found that, with yards and driveways turned white by snow, they didn't do so well on judging where pavement ended and lawn began. Some spent the day filling and leveling muddy ruts left on lawns.
For many, however, the day was one to enjoy.
Some people took to the streets on bikes, and joggers relished not having to worry about slipping on ice.
Batting cages came alive with the crack of balls on bats as kids and adults started honing their skills in anticipation of spring. Golfers, too, were out in force.
But, of course, winter isn't over yet.
High pressure over the Southeast that steered warmer air into the region Saturday was forecast to weaken overnight as a cold front pushed east. The front is expected to reach the coast before sundown.
And with its arrival, more seasonal February weather will return. There is even a chance for a few snow flurries in the mountains today as colder air moves in.
The National Weather Service forecast for Hampton Roads today calls for mostly cloudy skies with showers likely, followed by partial clearing late in the day. The high should be in the upper 50s.
Tonight is expected to be mostly clear and breezy with a low in the lower 30s.
Monday should be mostly sunny but windy and chilly, with a high of only around 40.
Wednesday, if you're looking that far down the road, should bring increasing cloudiness with a chance of rain - and snow flurries in western Virginia. The low should be in the 20s; the high, in the 40s.
It was easy - and pleasurable - to forget winter Saturday.
The mercury soared from an overnight low of 30 to a high of 61 under generally sunny skies. And the only evidence that a week earlier ice and a half-foot of snow had paralyzed the region were the swiftly shrinking mountains of snow left here and there by plows.
``Now this is winter weather I can live with,'' said Chip Hedgepeth of Chesapeake as he sprayed down his pickup at a car wash on Military Highway.
He drove in with a vehicle coated with dirt and white and gray residue from chemicals used on icy roads. It looked like it had been in a battle. He drove out with a shiny blue pickup.
``That's better. Lots better,'' he said. ``Now I can mess it up again.''
Messing things up again is the last thing on most people's minds, especially those who spent hours clearing yards of debris left behind by the storms.
Those with pine trees in their yards fared the worst. The heavy ice proved too much for many pines, and limbs crashed down.
Some people also found that, with yards and driveways turned white by snow, they didn't do so well on judging where pavement ended and lawn began. Some spent the day filling and leveling muddy ruts left on lawns.
For many, however, the day was one to enjoy.
Some people took to the streets on bikes, and joggers relished not having to worry about slipping on ice.
Batting cages came alive with the crack of balls on bats as kids and adults started honing their skills in anticipation of spring. Golfers, too, were out in force.
But, of course, winter isn't over yet.
High pressure over the Southeast that steered warmer air into the region Saturday was forecast to weaken overnight as a cold front pushed east. The front is expected to reach the coast before sundown.
And with its arrival, more seasonal February weather will return. There is even a chance for a few snow flurries in the mountains today as colder air moves in.
The National Weather Service forecast for Hampton Roads today calls for mostly cloudy skies with showers likely, followed by partial clearing late in the day. The high should be in the upper 50s.
Tonight is expected to be mostly clear and breezy with a low in the lower 30s.
Monday should be mostly sunny but windy and chilly, with a high of only around 40.
Wednesday, if you're looking that far down the road, should bring increasing cloudiness with a chance of rain - and snow flurries in western Virginia. The low should be in the 20s; the high, in the 40s. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
MARTIN SMITH-RODDEN/The Virginian-Pilot
Karl Blumfelder, 7, is happy to be able - finally - to shoot some
hoops Saturday in his yard in the Las Gaviotas area of Chesapeake.
Graphic
A LOOK AHEAD
[For complete graphic, please see microfilm]
by CNB