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Pics from the Blizzard Frontlines

blusk
Aviator C

A month or so ago, we ran photos from Ray Stark that illustrated the first "storm of the winter" in Baltimore/Washington (BWI).  Well, the area around the nation's capital was hit again this weekend, and our folks there are calling it "Snowmageddon."

 

Here are some pics of last weekend's massive snow storm sent in from our folks at BWI, and as you can see, it looks more like Fairbanks than BWI.  The first is a look at the jetbridge steps:

 

Check out the snowcaps on the safety posts:

 

The snow is up almost halfway on the first floor of the terminal:

This jetbridge is "snowed in"

 

 

32 Comments
Jenn4
Explorer C
Oh my! Poor BWI rampers!! Been thier, done that!! So glad to be in PHX now!
Georgia_Bartlet
Explorer C
Looks like 50 yrs ago when we really had winters in all states that actually had snow or snow storms. Memories of digging out but usually the states that had these storms actually were prepared with the proper equipment like snow plows, chains, etc. and we just kept going anyway, storm or no storm. What stopped us was flooding not snow or heat. 🙂
Polly_Wally_Doo
Explorer C
Well, HALF way up the first floor...is 4 feet. I'm not sure that's accurate, but I will have to visit the South one of these days.!
Sandra_mckenna1
Explorer C
Makes me glad that I'm only flying to Phoenix is the near future!
Aaron
Explorer C
Awesome. People get pissed when their flights are delayed... Goes to show you it's usually for a good reason.
Ronda_Chewning
Explorer C
Wow is all I can say. Love you guys. Safe flying.
Jeremy4
Explorer C
WOW!!!
southwestfreak
Explorer A
they think thats bad...try living in New England.
blusk
Aviator C
Polly Waddle, maybe halfway up is an exageration, but if you look at the drifts around the jetbridge some of them are three feet high.
Pea
Explorer C
southwest freak give me a break...you didnt get the storm so why are you trying to cry...if you dont like new england then move
1buckdown
Explorer C
AND I THOUGHT IT WAS BAD IN "THE LOWER MIDWEST"!! DUH
Anonymous3588
Explorer C
WOW! that is some snow! As for 50 years ago when all states had winter - I've been in TN 50 years and some - and we never had a winter anywhere like that one! We haven't had many like this year but about every 15 years we have what some might call winter - not like that for sure! And I agree - if this is why one of my flights was canceled - sorry to those poor workers!
Anonymous3988
Explorer C
Any comments, Southwest, on your latest safety violations?? Hmm???? http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/washington/dmichaels/stories/DN-southwestprobe_09bus.ART0.State.Edition1.3f6a35a.html
southwestfreak
Explorer A
@Pea, im not complaining, the people who are calling it snowmaggedon are complaining. They think 3 feet of snow is bad, not compared to what we get some years. (this year hasnt been bad for us at all though :D)
tsaxon
Explorer C
I live here and it was 33 inches in my front yard with no drifting... the drifts were 4 to 4.5 feet... still trying to dig out with another storm starting now... another 12 - 20 inches on top of this!!!
Scott613
Explorer C
Where's the picture of the Capitals and Flyers playing hockey out on the tarmac?
ace
Explorer C
All this white stuff is why I stay in San Diego, CA. It is wonderful here 12 months out of the year, even when we have rain or a Santa Ana. To me snow is to look at through binoculars only! Good luck everyone on digging out.
Anonymous3137
Explorer C
Another reason to live in the SOUTH!!!!!!Love Southwest Airlines too!!!
NYlovesSW
Explorer C
@SWFreak: I think the point is that DC, MD and VA are NOT New England. So it's really freaky for them. Also, my family is from the NY Adirondacks, and I've also visited VT, NH and MA in the winter. NE states may get 30+" of snow, and it may stay on the ground much of the winter, but it seems rare to me that they get it all in 24 hours as did this DC storm. Buffalo, NY gets hammered like this annually, but not so much the eastern seaboard, or even inland. It's all what you're used to. Phoenix would call NE'ers wusses because we call it a heat wave if the temperature is over 95 or 100 for 3 days in a row or more - whereas they deal with 100+ temps for their whole summer season - but they're used to it, they anticipate and plan for it. It's the surprise nature of it all.
Anonymous987
Explorer A
SonicEscapd, Sure, there's a comment on it, and it's right there in the very DMN story that you linked, but you already "knew" that, right? Please go hijack a thread somewhere else...
Anonymous1436
Explorer C
and yet some of our Customers said, "why are you canceling flights? it's really not that bad down there".....riiiiiiight.
Leona
Explorer C
Wow, I flew out of Fairbanks in early January when it was -34 and it didn't look this bad!
Hoosierdaddy47
Explorer C
As a resident of one of the snowiest regions in the country (Central NY), let me congratulate all of you blizzardeers for not freaking out entirely. That is a lot of snow even for here! It would make a mess up here, and we have the equipment to deal with it! Good luck tonight & tomorrow; stay safe. We Snowbelters are pulling for you!
JasonsStorm
Explorer C
People in Maryland must think its the end of the world. In Maryland, if they predict snow, they cancel school. I use to live in Maryland, but I'm now in Minnesota. In Minnesota, they just take two days off of school.
Barbara_Quinter
Explorer C
I appreciate the pics of the snow from BWI. Several winter's ago my Husband and I were guests of BWI for the night when the entire airport was closed due to snow. Glad to say we did get out the next AM. We were going to Louisville for our Grandson's Birthday. While we were eating dinner my son called on our cell phone and asked if we were enjoying our second honeymoon..........Not funny being stranded at an airport for an overnight. We did make the best of it all and talked about it for sometime.
Cynthia22
Explorer C
Thanks for sharing! SWA is the BEST!
Anonymous3055
Explorer C
woah!!! been there!! done that-no thanks.
B_3
Explorer C
Wow, looks bad, i live in Anchorage and have about 4 ft in my yard, but we never have closed our airport since i have lived here 26 yrs.
Jan16
Explorer C
Ahh the opinions. Pittsburgh here. If you have 4 feet on the ground, it has likely collected over a period of time. Three feet hit BWI in one day. Here we had around two feet depending wher you are. One big issue is the ice. If it remains cold as up north, there is only snow removal to be concerned with. The last storm was ice, then snow --sometimes back and forth. This one was snow then ice now snow. My husband flew into The Burgh Friday night. He was not flying Southwest---someone else made the reservations. I was seriously worried because his airline was not responsible enough to cancel his flight. Southwest gets my congratulations for taking the initiative to cancel its flights when the situation was seriously threatining the safety of the people on board!
Anonymous78
Explorer C
No one likes a whiner.
Larry_Francis
Explorer C
Hey Everyone, I took these photos and let me just say that these pictures do not do this stom justice. This is hands down the most incredible Snow event I have ever seen anywhere..And also these photos were taken before round two of this storm 2 days later. Keep that in mind..At present there has been an additional 12 inches on top of what you are seening...Just Amazing Larry Francis SWA/ BWI Maintenance Employee # 56279
Karen_175
Explorer C
Terrific photos. Unfortunately the storm yesterday cancelled my flight this morning out of PVD and I was unable to rebook..I still love you SW