Heading westbound on US Rt. 52/IL 64 in Lanark Wednesday, Dec. 9, one could easily see that the snowstorm blew in from the northeast, as the highway signs were snow-covered and barely visible. Schools were already given a snow day, but a wide-spread power outage that lasted for over 8 hours added to the dangerous conditions, closing most businesses in the ComEd area of Northwest Illinois. (PA photo/Tom Kocal)

Video by Tom Kocal - Produced by Brent Simmons

The ruler tells the story . . . 10-1/2 inches of snow for the first measurable snowstorm of the 2009-2010 season, and winter doesn’t officially arrive until December 21. Some areas in the PA distribution area were hit with more than a foot of snow, while some got 7 to 9 inches. By any measure, that’s still a lot of snow. (PA photo/Tom Kocal)

Jim and Sheila Wyeth’s red barn in rural Lanark is nicely framed by bright white snow sticking to trees and fence lines after the Dec. 9 snowstorm, reminding us that nature can be dangerous and extreme, yet beautiful and scenic, all at the same time. (PA photo/Tom Kocal)