Deja vu over and over with winter 2018
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| Peachtree Parkway, January 17, 2018. Photo by Robert J. Nebel |
Here we go again with the ongoing saga of winter in the
South. After being in this region for many moons, the whole discussion is
beyond tiresome. With every snow and/or ice event, it all plays out like the
1993 Bill Murray film feature Groundhog
Day, a story where a man wakes up to the same day repeatedly. Just like the
recent December 2017 and January 17 snow events that hit the Atlanta metro
area, the Bill Murray film will constantly be playing on some television outlets,
most appropriately on, Groundhog Day, which there will be many prayers going on
with what Punxsutawney Phil will do on that day.
Speaking of groundhogs, did you know that Georgia's
groundhog will be appearing, most appropriately, in Butts County - which, by
the way, is covered in snow as I write this post. Yes, Butts County and points
north and south have been blanketed by snow on January 17. The extent of this
snowfall was unexpected to a degree. Just like the event that took place in
December 2017, the weather forecasters were not exactly on the mark with their
predictions. We were told that a dusting would occur north of I-20 and at least
one to two inches would plague folks south of that freeway. It's fun to hear
weather prognosticators use the freeways as a demarcation line as if the
impending snow storm is anthropomorphic and "knows" where I-20 is
located. I think we are giving these storms their own personalities. In fact,
The Weather Channel names every winter storm.
On both the occasions of December 2017 and January 17th's
case, these areas received more snow than expected, which is fine. We learned
from the professionals that snowfall is tough to predicted because the
approaching weather systems may change on a dime.
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| Snow hits "Abomination Island." Photo by Robert J. Nebel |
Of course with every snow event in the South, we are damned
if we do and damned if we don't. If officials like city leaders and school superintendents
choose to shut down, they are criticized for overreacting when the bad weather
misses the area. Even if they choose to shutdown and the weather hits the area,
they are criticized for not responding quickly enough to the disaster and getting
things back up and running sooner rather than later. It's even worse if nothing
happens as what took place on January 8th.
Freezing rain was predicted, but it never arrived, but school was
canceled on that day. Some thought it was a conspiracy to call off school in
order for the metro area to prepare for the College Football National
Championship which took place on the evening of January 8th at Mercedes-Benz
Stadium in downtown Atlanta.
Just about every snow event in the Atlanta metro area gets
greeted with scoffs from our northern brethren. Once again, we are left to
defend that we shut the metro area down because we have very little snow
removal equipment -- since these events are rare in the South. And every single
time we have to state that with snow in metro Atlanta means that driving is beyond
treacherous no matter drivers' experience operating vehicles on ice.
Certainly those with all-wheel drive vehicles are at an
advantage, but for the most part, it's just not smart to attempt to drive on
thoroughly untreated roadways - even though our snow totals are miniscule
compared to those who come from the Northeastern or Midwestern US and dealt
with far more snow and ice for years.
As with every snow and ice episode, I enjoy walking and
sometimes, running carefully in the snow. I have some photos that accompany this post.
Also as I write this post, school was canceled for Thursday, January 18.
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| Some ventured out on the snow and ice-covered streets of Peachtree Corners, GA. Photo by Robert J. Nebel |
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