One of the hardest blog posts I have had to write. While I was out on assignment up in International Falls, MN earlier this month, my sister called me as I was setting up for the daylight -42F video package and told me that I needed to head back to Minneapolis as soon as possible today since my dad took a turn for the worse.
My father was in the hospital for Phenomena and COPD for the last half of December and the start of this month. When the doctors did an X-Ray on this chest, they found several blockages of his heart along with the phenomena and the damage from the COPD.
It was not looking good but he had come back form this before several years ago so I thought maybe this time he could beat it again. This time we were told several times to come on down to say goodbye and then when we were there, they just said they wanted to update us on his condition and it was not serious.
So on the morning of January 2nd, this time the tone was different in my Sisters voice and after wrapping up the last of the video, I headed back from the Canadian Boarder to Minneapolis in record time. I was not able to make it back in time before he passed away and missed him by 45 minutes.
1/2/2014 Extreme cold temps at sunrise in International Falls, MN
BRRRRRRRR, at sunrise this morning it was pretty freaking cold. The official report from the airport as -42F with outlying areas a few degree’s colder.
I did find out the the Jeep temperature sensor bottoms out at -40F.
Now I’m heading home to get cleaned up then to head down to Minneapolis to see my Dad in the hospital.
1/2/2014 On assignment in International Falls, MN
Trying to keep my New Years Resolution about updating my personal blog and site as much as I do the Facebook and Twitter feed, here is the footage I just shot in northern Minnesota in the city of International Falls, MN.
I’m on assignment up here after getting a request to come up here and document the cold temps.
Happy New Year
Happy New Year
Happy New Year from downtown Saint Cloud, MN with fireworks over Lake George.
2013 was a great year in some ways but it also sucked big time in other ways.
For 2014 I am not planning on working out and getting into shape, that was 2013’s plan and I can now say I can bench more then my body weight and squat twice my weight.
No, 2014 is about business. I have a lot of plans for the business in 2014 that were started in 2013 and are finally coming together. It is going to be an exciting year.
Also my new years resolution is simple. Just update this site about as often as I update my Facebook Fan Page. Wow, I let this page go for about 2 months again. Time to start with the back dated updates.
10/9/2013 Auroras and working out.
Another video blog and another week back at the gym.
Last night was another great aurora or Northern Lights event. We were just north of Saint Cloud, MN when the Auroras kicked in before midnight.
And now at the gym. I’m still hitting the gym and its showing some major results.
Here is a photo of me yesterday working out at the gym on a leg day. Yes, that is 1,000 pounds on the sled. No artificial enhancements for working out, just vitamins and protein, fueled with some haters and hard work. A few more months and I should have the last of the body fat off me.
Wrapping up the blizzard chase in Wall, SD.
Wow, yes I am really posting a blog and updating the site. I am just finishing up the chase in Wall, SD for the Winter Storm and Blizzard. Weather Channel is calling this Winter Storm Atlas and it is living up to it’s name as putting Winter Storm Season 2013-2014 on the map.
I did laugh my ass off at the hype over Tropical Storm Karen and the forecast computer models verified the weakening of the system. The real story was the storm system the caused the tornadic storms in Nebraska and Iowa yesterday and the major Blizzard that hit Wyoming and South Dakota.
This storm system has dumped an insane amount of moisture on the area in the last 48 hour’s with heavy wet snow but the upper Midwest need’s the moisture.
This morning I got up to a dark hotel room as the power was out. The power got knocked out late last night and it did not come back on until late this morning. The road’s are pretty much screwed until Sunday morning when South Dakota Department of Transportation workers told me that they plan on opening the roads after sunrise.
The area has insane huge snow drifts all over the place. Some of the drifts are over 15 feet high on the main roads.
Here is the footage I shot this morning. I tried to get out of the parking lot, nope, not happening.
Just as fast as the wind was blowing, the storm moved on our of the area. The aftermath of the massive amount of snow is pretty impressive.
After the powerful blizzard moved out of the area, the cleanup of the massive snow drifts and impassible roads has begun.
Staff from the South Dakota, DOT said that Interstate 90 would not be open until Sunday morning as the blowing and drifting has created a nightmare situation throughout the region.
Footage shows the cleanup on the south side of Wall, South Dakota after the winds died down. The roads are still impassible for the most part as major snow drifts are blocking every roadway.
Check out the photo gallery for images from this chase.
10/4/2013 Wall, SD Major Blizzard B-Roll
A major blizzard has shut down half of the state of South Dakota on Friday as the powerful winter storm system the brought tornadoes to eastern Nebraska and western Iowa, brought several feet of snow to western South Dakota.
B-Roll footage starts out on Interstate 90 in the major whiteout conditions just outside of Wall, SD.
Heavy snow is still falling in Wall with wind gusts as high as 60 miles per hour.
Currently the area is without power as the powerful storm slams the region.
Another month of no posts, here is an update on stuff.
Wow, Facebook and Twitter updates are really getting in the way of updating my personal website. So while I kill time before taking Gustav to the vet today, I thought “Hey, maybe I should update my website”…
So what has been going on? Lot’s of stuff. I have been very busy with work and that is a good thing. Will try can get this site rebooted soon.
10/1/2013 Saint Cloud, MN Vivid Northern Lights
The Aurora Borealis brought autumn colors that filled the fall skies in central Minnesota tonight. The Northern Lights were spectacular with bright red, green, whites, purple and some orange color filling the sky.
The Auroras are from the latest geomagnetic storm that arrived earlier then expected and from the CME that burst from the sun a few days ago. At one point the Auroras were directly over head and even pointed into the southern sky.
9/27/2013 Lutsen, MN Sawtooth Mountains Fall Colors
Footage of the rapidly changing fall colors from Northern Minnesota around Lutsen, MN in the Sawtooth Mountain range along the north shore of Lake Superior.
Various footage of wide and very close up from on top of Moose Mountain and along the Temperance River valley.
Clip 1 Shot of the National Forest sign welcoming visitors to the Fall Color Tour in the Sawtooth Mountains.
Clip 2 Fall colors from on top of Moose Mountain
Clip 3 Pan shot on top of Moose Mountain
Clip 4 – 5 Fall colors along the Temperance River valley.
Clip 6 Driving along the Temperance River valley.
Clip 7 Traffic checking out the colors
Clip 8 – 9 Fall colors from on top of Moose Mountain
Clip 10 Tight shot with a fast pull back on top of the mountain.
Clip 11 Medium shot of lots of color
Clip 12 Tight shot of lots of color
Clip 13 – 18 Wide shot of lots of color
Clip 19 – 20 Medium shot of lots of color
Clip 21 – 25 Tight shots of colors
Clip 26 – 27 Wide shot of color and Lake Superior in the distance
Clip 28 Wide shot of colors from on top of the mountain
Clip 29 Medium shot of contrasting colors of Orange and Green showing the 50% color change.
Clip 30 – 31 Tight shots of color
Clip 32 POV driving shots under a canopy of color.
Clip 33 36 Tight shots of fall colors.
SID: Douglas Kiesling
StormChasingVideo.com