I would like to write about this while it is fresh on my mind. Have any of you driven in whiteout conditions? I had heard of it and how scary it is, but experiencing it is another story! I was at work where the snow flurries came and went throughout the day. The forecast was for 35 mph winds that evening – which I thought meant after I got home at 6:20. Well, at 5:55 when I had come out of the back room with my coat, scarf, etc., I looked out the windows and saw the winds swirling! Not a good sign…and my heart sank. Within a half mile of leaving the parking lot heading west and way before the spot I started to run out of gas last week, I found myself in near-whiteout. The traffic slowed down and everyone turned on their flashers so I did the same. We crawled along as it got whiter and I lost sight of the car in front of me and ended up on the shoulder which I didn’t realize till I saw two cars and a semi pass me on the left – on a four lane (divided) highway! I got back in the right lane and tried to follow the car in front of me all the while keeping an eye in my rear view mirror for oncoming traffic….why, I don’t know….so I could brace myself if I was gonna be hit? Anyway, it took almost 20 minutes of driving in the whiteout conditions to go the 3 miles to my exit where I turn around to go east and home. I called my husband to get advice whether to get back on the freeway or to go the back roads. We decided that going the other way on the freeway and following the traffic would probably be better so I got back on and it was….for awhile. Evidently the snow was blowing really bad from the north as I was heading west, but it wasn’t as bad in the same area as I headed east….until the last 2 to 3 miles where it is all open fields. Mind you, it wasn’t snowing, but the winds were so strong, it was just blowing all the snow that was on the ground all over the freeway! I was never so scared in my life! It just seemed like I was in a very small white space, and not moving cos all you can focus on is about 2 to 3 feet in front of your face at about 5 to 10 mph. Ok, so I’m focusing and praying and trying not to think of anything negative…just that I need to get to my exit, then home. I just about missed my exit cos I couldn’t see past 3 feet. But I made it and went forward toward my gravel road about a quarter mile away. I went beyond my road and had to back up a little. Then I was on the last stretch – 8/10 of a mile to my driveway on an east-west gravel road. Oh my gosh! This was the worst whiteout conditions of the whole way home! Our road has been known to drift shut in years past. I tried to watch out my side window and look for the shoulder/ditch so I wouldn’t go too near them but at one point I felt the car go toward the ditch and thanked God when I turned away in time to not end up in it. I finally got to where I glimpsed the yellow warning sign that said “Stop Ahead” but for the life of me could not remember if it was before or after my driveway. Now that was heart-gripping. I called my husband and asked if he could see the lights of the car out the window. He could not. My heart sank. Again. I wanted to cry. I felt like I was so close yet still so so very far from being home safe! I said a quick prayer and took a guess that the yellow warning sign was after my driveway and decided to go forward. THEN I saw a flash of light in between the swirling snow and knew it was my Light Angel. I had asked my husband to install it outside our porch last week. It’s a motion sensed LED light that had flashed on due to the strong winds! I followed the light and found my driveway. Oh my God, sweet relief! So I fought the winds and made it to the house without blowing away.
By the time I got in the house I was so mad at myself for not leaving work an hour earlier like I had thought of doing, when it was still daylight and the winds weren’t blowing. Then I started shaking as I realized what I had just done. Then I cried with relief realizing that Someone had guided me home. Yes, I had prayed and He had answered and showed me my “Angel” just when I was about to really panic! I would never wish this experience on anyone. And I am 100% certain I never want to go thru this again!
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