by Tonia, who hugs trees G.
Member since:
November 17, 2005

Viewing the Devastation - Ice Storm in NW Arkansas

January 29, 2009 04:29 PM EST (Updated: January 29, 2009 04:30 PM EST)
views: 276 | rating: 10/10 (22 votes) | comments: 41

Today I needed to drive to the bank (of course it was closed when I got there and I hadn't thought to call ahead). I took my camera along with me and captured what I saw along the way. The amount of damage is truly staggering. The following photos were all taken on one street, in one neighborhood of the small town in which I live.

 

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It really is mind boggling to think that this storm produced this sort of damage across hundreds and hundreds of miles. It really was a very bad day for trees.

 
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Comments: 41

La Lady Lisa Westerfield Jan 29, 2009, 4:32pm EST
Tonia, wow, I’ve seen that type of destruction before in Kansas City, but it never ceases to amaze me. Look at those trees, they seem to be in such pain.
mona d. Jan 29, 2009, 4:36pm EST
jeez louise...the fury of mother nature. thankfully we haven't had one like that in a few years...
Ariel Storm Jan 29, 2009, 4:39pm EST
Wow! That's a lot of damage. I noticed in the pictures the damage seemed limited to trees. Luckily none of them hit a house.
Jennifer Kirkpatrick Jan 29, 2009, 4:53pm EST
Wow...that is a lot of damage!
Mugg Muggles, "The Man With the Jive" Jan 29, 2009, 4:54pm EST
Those poor poor trees. What did they do to deserve this?
Nana to Seven Cutiepies Jan 29, 2009, 5:01pm EST
What a mess, it reminds of our mountain area back home a few years ago.
j - Frugal Mom - r. Jan 29, 2009, 5:05pm EST
Wow, there is so much damage.
Richard Frisbie Jan 29, 2009, 5:07pm EST
and all the snow/ice on the ground is gone - what devastation! So sorry to see those poor trees.
flit . Jan 29, 2009, 5:13pm EST
ouch.... those poor trees... they LOOK gorgeous, all covered in ice like that...but so much damage
Tracy Fabre Jan 29, 2009, 5:16pm EST
Wow... down here in L.R. we got a touch of freezing rain and some slick roads (with accidents) but we were definitely spared what you and points north got!
CC Miranda the artrat (or am i?) Jan 29, 2009, 5:22pm EST
i feel bad for the trees, but the ice looks so cool on them when the sun strikes them.
Rhoda S. Jan 29, 2009, 5:29pm EST
Is your yard like that too? If you have that much damage, then I am sure you are also suffering from power outages amoung other problems! Thank you for taking time out of your day to share these with us!
Faith H. Jan 29, 2009, 5:30pm EST
Looks like a frozen hurricane. What a mess! Did you lose any trees?
Debbie G. Jan 29, 2009, 5:33pm EST
Faith, that's a good description. Frozen hurricane.
Tonia, who hugs trees G. Jan 29, 2009, 5:33pm EST
We did lose the tree out front - and parts of others. We also lost power for periods of time. It has been quite something around here.

And while no houses were damaged in the photos I posted here - there are reports all over of trees falling on roofs and the occupants having to evacuate. Thousands of folks are still without power, filling up the hotels in the area, the homes of friends and relatives, and shelters.

The roads are drivable though many still have downed limbs blocking them, and power lines are sagging dangerously low in places. I did see one utility pole that was down while I was out.
Tory H. Jan 29, 2009, 5:45pm EST
Wow, that really is some impressive damage. And yet, it's beautiful, in its own way, too.
Vicky Duggins Jan 29, 2009, 5:48pm EST
Hope you have electricity and warmth and all that good stuff. Quite stunning photos.
Dannielle S. Jan 29, 2009, 5:57pm EST
Yes -- this reminds me of the ice storm from the mid-1970s up north where I lived. Some trees will pull through and recover.

We had an ice & snow day yesterday; I did fine, but my son went off the road and hit a tree. He's fine.
Wilma M. Jan 29, 2009, 6:02pm EST
We lost a lot of trees in our bad ice storm about 10 yrs ago.

The ice is pretty but so devastating. I was reading in our paper that some people might be without electricity for 2 wks!

Very dramatic photos.
Liz [site-raven] Jan 29, 2009, 6:09pm EST
There is nothing that I like less than losing trees. I am so sorry, actually this happened to us twice in a row. I think in 2007. Recovery will happen. Hopefully nature was routing out the weak and dead.
Lance L. Jan 29, 2009, 6:58pm EST
When a weather system hits an area that typically does not create such a system, the effects can be devastating even if the weather system only lasts for a short while. Looks like a lot of work ahead for a lot of people. Maybe someone will be able to use the wood for firewood or something constructive.
Tonia, this is exactly how it looked in my yard in 1991 when we had the "ice storm of the century." No power for 10 days, no water, and so many branches down we couldn't see the neighbor's houses or road from ours. Our roads were closed because of downed power lines, and it took four days for it to be legal to drive. Scary times... but we survived. After that I bought a woodstove! It was hard because my daughter Melanie (six years old at the time) had chicken pox! All I wanted to do was make her warm and comfy. It was horrible! I hope you continue to stay warm and cozy. Hugs to you and Deb.
Peter Wimsey Jan 29, 2009, 7:08pm EST
I hate to see trees broken by ice storms, Tonia.

The pictures are lovely, nevertheless.
Katrina Hall Jan 29, 2009, 7:21pm EST
Similar to our Dec. 11th ice storm in NH - every single road and highway was scattered with trees down, leaning on wires. To drive anywhere was terrifiying. Two miles from my house, a huge - and I mean HUGE, tree snapped in half, and was hanging over the road - the only way out of the village - wrapped in live wires. To go anywhere, you had to zig and zag around the live wires. You have my empathy, Tonia. It is not fun.
R B Jan 29, 2009, 7:27pm EST
Glad you could capture photos for the "remember when" archives.
marie Pinschmidt Jan 29, 2009, 7:28pm EST
These pictures reminded me of the hurricanes we had here in South Florida. "Frozen hurricane" is a perfect description. Nature has a way of restoring the damage, but it is sad to experience. Good luck to all who are suffering from weather woes. Marie Pinschmidt
Katrena M. Jan 29, 2009, 7:29pm EST
wow
Roy ☯ Hilbinger Jan 29, 2009, 7:55pm EST
That really is devastation, Tonia! Ouch!
Sue * Jan 29, 2009, 8:34pm EST
I have lived through storms like these. It is amazing how something so beautiful can really be so ugly.
Verie Sandborg Jan 29, 2009, 9:10pm EST
That was quite a storm. We tree lovers grieve for those trees.
Priscilla P. Jan 29, 2009, 10:16pm EST
How very very tragic. Your pictures are amazing
DesertDarlene L. Jan 29, 2009, 11:26pm EST
Wow, all those trees destroyed.
Granny Janny H. Jan 30, 2009, 1:08am EST
I have never witnessed this in person. It's shocking.
Digital Diva S. Jan 30, 2009, 12:20pm EST
Wow, that is really awful. Sleet is not unheard of here in the north but our trees seem to be stronger because they are tested each year. We still get damage but not you have.
Christine P. Jan 30, 2009, 12:44pm EST
My mom, Miz Lynn just got power back after three days! They had trees down on their road also. She compared the trees and ice being like you were in Narnia? Remember that movie?
Tonia, who hugs trees G. Jan 30, 2009, 12:56pm EST
Christine - I've been thinking about your mom, wondering how she was doing up there. Glad to hear that things are returning to normal. Please let her know that we're just down the road if there is anything we can do.
Marilyn M. Jan 30, 2009, 3:21pm EST
How horrible. Our snow and ice storm could have been bad, but I think only 10,000 in the Cincinnati area were without power, so we were lucky that there wasn't much damage.
Jessie L. Jan 31, 2009, 8:47am EST
We had an ice storm back in December that caused this type of destruction. The poor trees! Thanks for sharing the photos.
Lois Cochran Jan 31, 2009, 10:02am EST
It breaks my heart to see the trees so damanged - like seeing trees that have been burned in a forest fire. Great pictures, but painful.
Ada D. Jan 31, 2009, 10:14am EST
I saw the pictures of the lawn in front of Old Main and the old streets on top of Mt. Sequoia and was just sick. In the Devil's Den area the damage was (comparatively) light, but it will still take me a couple of weeks to clean up all the damage.

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