Malae o Letalu: Freezing rain ...

... there is a Samoan word for it - “timu ‘aisa” - though it doesn’t happen there. Only timu (rain) without 'aisa (ice).

This morning, rush hour was slush hour and the commute was a headache. Freezing rain. It’s an unusual weather phenomenon. It’s rare and comes with a scare that no one should dare. I have driven in snow - in blizzards and occasional snowstorms. I have driven in heavy downpours, but this was the first time I’ve driven in freezing rain. On my windshield, rain turned to ice once it hit the glass. Ice before my eyes.

The road was deceptively clear and looked dry but it’s a treacherous sheet of ice. Luckily I was in the backup that stretched for miles which made me slow down to 5-10 mph. I decided to get off the freeway because it was both a parking lot and a demolition derby. I drove down the ramp - slowly. I rested my foot on the brake pedal and the car immediately started to skid and slide, and there were already cars everywhere - on and off the road. I let the car slide... and slide. No hard or sudden braking otherwise I would have done a 360 much less a donut right there. The rain was mostly mizzle and drizzle - but e laikiki ae ma’igi (skimpy yet stinging) especially because of the ice. Well, I managed to avoid having to call the kamupagi igisiua (insurance company).

Here are some of the pictures of the mess this morning of which I was not a part - luckily!!!