Sunset Gazette - December 2005

ANOAA EXTREME WEATHER ALERT

Severe Ice Storm Warning for Dragonlair Mountains. All dragons are advised to stay drounded and indoors as all times. This storm is expected to last through this week.

Local Weather Report

Click on the name of the town to see its weather report for this week.

Weather report provided by the Animalia National Oceanic and Atmospheric Accosiation (ANOAA).

Reported by Jason McWhisker

Dragonlair Mtns. - The predicted ice storm has been anything but mild since it hit yesterday morning. Already, it has caused numerous problems around the mountains, and has made landing a real experience.
"The existing hard packed snow in combination with the ice coating makes conditions extermely slippery," said flight safety administrator, Daniel Flamethrower. "Solid landings are next to impossible, without foot crampons. We've already has over sixty crashes on Dragonlair Mountain alone."

And as if slippery landings weren't enough, the ice, which continues to fall, can coat wings, resulting in flight impairment. In addition, high winds can make flights dangerous. Medical experts advise all dragons to stay indoors, unless it's an absolute emergency. If you must go outside, wear wing guards.

"At least those you can wash. If your wings get coated with ice, they have to be thawed out by a medical professional, which can be, at the least, inconvenient and costly," said Dr. M. Smoulder, Dragon Surgeon General. "And then there's the risk

of frostbite. It's best not to take chances."
All dragons are advised to stay grounded due to these conditions. According to the Dragon Flight Safety Administration, there have been over 800 storm-related accidents, 79% of which result in serious injury.
"I was flying home after getting some necessary groceries to last me through the storm, and hadn't realized that the rain has already started," Samantha Drake explained. "I hadn't flown a mile when my wings became heavy from the ice, forcing me to land. I slid about fifty feet before crashing into a tree." Samantha is now at the Dragonlair Regional Hospital suffering from a broken foreleg, and obviously, frozen wings. "I lost all my groceries, too, not that it matters now."
Fallen branches, trees, and power lines all over the Dragonlair Mountains post let another threat to dragons who attempt to fly in this storm, not to mention leaving many customers without power, phone service, or both.
Food shortages have already taken their toll in the rural areas of the mountains, as conditions are too dangerous to be made, whether by foot, wing, or vehicle. This shortage is expected to spread to more urban areas by Wednesday. The only thing left now to do is hunker down and wait for the storm to pass. If you have to go out and get groceries, again,
wear wing covers and crampons, and avoid flying at all costs.
The ice storm is expected to be over by Friday, and will move northwest to Badgerville County. There goes the winter wheat.

27 Dragon Pile-Up Snags Traffic

Reported by Jason & Annie McWhisker

Smoldering Falls - The ice storm in the Dragonlair Mtns. resulted in a dragon pile-up in the parking lot of the Draconian Custom Fencing Company. 27 employees were wing-pooling to work, including 6 of the head welders. The storm had calmed down a bit after two days of continuous freezing rain, leaving the parking lot slick with ice. The result was the entire group ending up in a tangle.

"I was putting the finishing touches on the month's spreadsheet when I heard a crash against the outer wall," reported company secretary Martha Eldkastare. "I looked out my window and saw [the employees] tangled up. That's when I called 9-9-1." A mountain goat rescue crew, as well as the famous Mouse Rescue Team, were called to the scene.

"When we arrived at the scene, I understood why my crew was called," Matt Souris, MRT member. "Those dragons were in such incredible knots."

The mice immediately began untying necks and tails, as the mountain goats removed each dragon. The process took over three tedious hours.

"It isn't easy to breathe when you're under 26 of your co-workers," stated Christopher Enxofre, welder at Draconian Custom Fencing. "And the weight made my already injured hind leg all the worse. I'm just glad it's over." Christopher is currently recovering at home.

Samantha Rato, not realizing one dragon's allergy to rodents, was helping untangle his neck when the dragon sneezed, throwing her off balance.

She fell right into the middle of the group. "I was terrified, knowing that I could be unintentionally squished. Matt and one of the goat rescuers threw a rope down to me, and I was able to climb out," Samantha

told reporters. "That's the last time I work with dragons without a harness."

Samantha wasn't the only one affected by the sneeze. Daniel Kiko, one of the mountain goat rescuers, got his fur singed. "It's a good thing I wasn't standing any closer." Daniel, though his fur is blackened, is fine, and is still on the job.

The victims were transported to the Dragonlair Regional Hospital, just five miles away. 14 of the 27 dragons involved are still in the hospital. Due to the shortage on workers, Draconian Custom Fencing will not be accepting any new orders at this time.