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Sarah Dallof reporting Snow and wind brought parts of Utah to a standstill Wednesday night, and Thursday the deep snow forced the closure of schools and businesses.
It was the perfect storm, unless of course you were in it. Blizzard conditions made things dangerous and unpredictable. People continue to dig themselves out and get back to normal.
Wednesday night caught a lot of people by surprise. We're talking about drivers stranded for hours on freeways, students spending the night at school because the buses couldn't get through. But Thursday was a time to rest, recuperate and clean up the snowy mess.
Thursday morning was bright and clear across the valley. But if you looked closer at the winter scene, you saw cars stuck and half buried, proof of Wednesday night's extreme conditions.
Rob Face, a tow truck driver, said, "The worst I've ever seen in the 28 years I've lived here." Today Face was towing cars as they were uncovered. Wednesday night he was working too; his regular job duties forgotten as he found diabetic drivers out of insulin and a pregnant woman having contractions.
"We weren't just shuttling cars, we were shuttling people to gas stations to get them the EMT help they needed," he said.
In Tooele we saw the proof mailmen still weather the weather. Homeowners got their mail but still had to dig themselves out from under feet of snow.
Homeowner Leonard Jordan said, "Last night I ran my snowblower, cleaned it all up. This morning there was as much snow as there was last night."
Every school in area was closed due to the weather; buses couldn't get out of the yard, students and teachers got a snow day.
Denise Manzione said, "I teach school and I'd rather be in school than shoveling snow, much rather."
And in Highland, about 100 teachers and students survived a night at Ridgeline Elementary after buses couldn't get them home. A few parents made it in to help, so did a local grocer and a dentist who donated food and toothbrushes. Add games and movies and the kids were more than happy.
Parent Rob Clauson said, "You want to feel for the kids, you want to help them. But they're camping, having a great time. It's the experience of a lifetime for them."
There's a positive way to look at the storm, and for students and parents, a little more information. All schools should be open Friday. We've received no information about any closures, so bundle up and drive safely.
