The Ice Dragon Passes By

Tonight's weather advisory isn't nearly so URGENT as last night's. Hardly worth quoting, but I will anyway: A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF FREEZING RAIN OR FREEZING DRIZZLE WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS. SLOW DOWN AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING. That's all we get. A freezing rain advisory. Namby-pamby stuff if you asked we. It should be: A LITTLE MORE ICE TONIGHT. DON'T DRIVE LIKE A MORON TOMORROW.

We did not, in fact, feel the full crystal breath of the Ice Dragon here in metro Chicago last night anyway. We got a scattering of the Dragon's scales; not like Oklahoma and Kansas and Missouri, where I heard the trees are groaning under the ice. Our trees got a nice light coating. Very pretty, actually.

Mostly today it was warm enough to rain. Cold, cold rain, but liquid all the same, and it made for an ice slush on the sidewalks and driveways.