Central Plains Snow Storm

[S CO rancher]

NENM RANCHER: How are you getting along after the storm?

Fires last summer, now this. Pray that you are getting along alright.

[katrina]

Please everyone be safe....

[Ranchy]

All good here. First storm we got just about 9" total, this last storm where they were predicting 2+' for us, we got enough to cover the ground. By noon, it had either melted or blown off.

The only disruption of our lives was that Hubby worked a total of about 2 days the last 3 weeks, and his "cabin fever" was about to do us all in. Fortunately, I was able to work my scheduled 2 days a week, plus the Saturday before Christmas until 3 pm, so we had enough cash to continue with what we needed to do. I was kinda glad that all we have here at the house to feed now, are the 2 adoptees of the milk cow, 2 dogs, 2 goats and the 5 remaining chickens and 8 guineas. Moved the rest of the "house" stock to the lower end about the first of December, so just had to go chop ice and feed them every other day.

Hope you all are doing well, and staying safe and warm! Happy New Year!

[nenmrancher]

S CO Rancher, We are doing pretty good. The worst of it is east and north east of us. They were supposed to have NG helicopters out today doing feed drops.

[Bill]

2006 Winter Storm Assistance

NCBA sent this letter to the White House this afternoon. In the letter, NCBA asks the Bush Administration to expedite its process for getting federal assistance to producers throughout the western U.S. and the high plains states that are still gripped by the recent rounds of severe winter weather. NCBA also requested new allocations of aid for producers suffering losses as a result of these storms. NCBA will continue to work with state cattlemen’s association as this situation develops. Our first priority is to protect the interests of cattlemen especially in times of need.


www.beefusa.org/uDocs/eUpdate/06 Winter Storm Assistance-GWB.pdf

[Cowpuncher]

The storms in Colorado were quite unusual.

Here in the front range, we had about three feet of snow and not a lot of wind. People are getting about, but this stuff will last awhile. The most snow appears to be in and around Castle Rock and closer to the mountains. Our only damage here is our truck which was sideswiped by a hit and run driver while we were eating at a restuarant celebrating getting out. And we got a nice dent in the hood where a tow chain snapped trying to pull a kid out of a snowbank.

But things that don't breathe can be fixed.

Yesterday, we drove out to the ranch about 140 miles southeast of Denver. The further east we went, the less snow we found until we got to the ranch. Maybe 8-10 inches maximum and it was already melting. In the snowy areas, there were a couple of windswept hilltop literally covered with antelope - maybe 500-600 in a herd.

But the news was not all good. Even though the blizzard was not severe, we lost 18 head when they walked across a snow-covered pond. The pond was only about 50 feet across. They just followed the leader until the ice broke and down they went.

Just to the north and south of us, they took the full brunt of the storm and losses are expected to be great. One feedlot lost 1000 head near La Junta.

My guess is that the total losses will be in the tens of thousands. Our prayers are with the folks who got hit worse than we did.

[Mrs.Greg]

Boy you guys got hit hard,prayers and thoughts from Canada....anything we can do to help,we're more then willing.

[Bill]

Kansas Requests U.S. Blizzard Relief Colo. Braces For More Bad Weather



Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius has declared 44 counties in the state as disaster areas and has asked for federal aid in helping Kansas recover from a blizzard that socked the High Plains from Dec. 28 through Dec. 31.

Sebelius joins the governors of Colorado, New Mexico and Nebraska, who also have made official pleas for federal help in relief efforts. The storm stretched from portions of Texas and New Mexico up to Nebraska.

Meanwhile, in Colorado, a new storm has deposited another six inches of snow in Denver and heavy winds were expected to sweep down across the southeastern region, which took the brunt of the earlier storm’s beating.

More snowdrifts possible

Terry Fankhauser, executive vice president of the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association, told Meatingplace.com today that a broad effort to save stranded livestock made strides on Thursday, but today’s predicted winds could add further difficulty by whipping up more snowdrifts. He noted a fourth storm is on its way to Colorado.

“It’s a hurry-up game still, but we’re waiting on the presidential disaster declaration to get more equipment on the ground,“ Fankhauser said.

Between 1,000 and 1,500 head of livestock have been confirmed dead, while anecdotal reports suggest upwards of 5,000 have died as a result of the blizzard, Fankhauser said.



Source: Tom Johnston on Friday, January 05, 2007, Meatingplace.com