The Day After Tomorrow Came A Day Early

In what can only be described as "holy crap that sucks", the entire state of Kansas has been transformed into one large ice cube. A devastating ice storm, followed by arctic air that dropped temperatures into single digits and brought with it a wind chill below zero, snapped trees, dropped power lines and encased the region in a wintry hell. The Chairman of the Board of Sedgwick County Commissioners summed up the situation last night in an exclusive interview with the BDS.

"Yeah, it's cold."

According to the Wichita Eagle, over 73,000 people in the Wichita area are without power. Goddard has also fallen off the grid. Over 60,000 people in the Kansas City area overslept this morning because the power running their alarm clocks didn't show up for work, either. Businesses, schools and local government buildings are closed. It's a safe bet few people are sipping Summer Beer up there right now.

After picking up the Bat-Phone and getting an earful from an irate commissioner, President Bush is expected to issue a federal disaster declaration for Lake Waltana (pictured here) and the rest of Sedgwick County. That makes the areas eligible for federal money to help clean up storm damange. Crews from Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, even West Virginia are en route at this moment to help restore power to the 56 counties affected by the storms.

But the Sunflower State doesn't have a patent on mumbled cusswords and frozen toes today. Omaha is digging out from 14 inches of snow. Chicago is dealing with at least 7 inches. Lower Michigan is bracing for the system to hit them this afternoon. Kind of reminds you of Hollywood's prediction last summer. So if anyone spies Dennis Quaid walking across the frozen plains of southcentral Kansas on his way to New York, you'll know Tinsel Town controls more than your entertainment.