Cloudy With A Chance Of Something

We are now in our traditionally, coldest month of the year. Looking back on the old weather records, January 23, 1940 still holds the record for the deepest snow fall in Atlanta, 10.3 inches.

If you were around for SnowJam 2014 or The Let’s All Go Home at Once when Governor Deal issued a decree to close schools and businesses by 1 p.m. Only 2.8 inches of snow fell, followed by an ice storm, but with an entire city trying to go home at once, roads became parking lots and businesses turned into temporary shelters, school children as young as five years old spent the night at school, at one time there were over 900 wrecks reported and Breaking News on national television channels were showing Atlanta in crisis.

BRRR…

SnowJam 1982, January 10th, low temperature was -2 degrees, January 11th beat that temperature at -5 degrees. Heavy snowfall started before rush hour on the 10th and as they say every flake that fell “stuck” with total snowfall at 5.8 inches. Many folks spent the night at work.

We Did Have A White Christmas

The most snow storms we have had since 1930 was five in 2010 and also the year of our only White Christmas since the 1880’s.

Blizzard Of ‘93

“Storm of the Century” This was personally a memorable one for me since I was scheduled to work downtown Atlanta, Saturday, March 12 and Sunday March 13, 1993. Snow started before dawn. Snow was falling so heavy that I got to the Avondale MARTA station parked and took the subway to work.

No one got on the train anywhere between Avondale and Five Points because the doors of the train were frozen shut. Someone pried the door open at Five Points Station so I could get off and wait in the empty, very windy, station for the North bound train.

As I exited the train at Peachtree Center, Peachtree Street was empty except for a CNN van recording me struggling to walk down the street. I made it to work on time and never went home until Monday. After that experience I carried a duffle bag in my car filled with change of clothing, essentials and FOOD. In July I received an appreciation gift from the company, a white sweater emblazoned with a patch that said “Blizzard Team.” I know there is no I in team, but isn’t a team more than one?

Warning—Prepare For The Worst, Hope For The Best

If you are a commuter, stock your vehicle trunk with essentials, a blanket, bottles of water, a flashlight, energy bars to start with. If the weather reports predict snow or ice, go into emergency mode and bring any medications you might need. And You are Welcome.

So, while waiting on the snow, remember you can’t buy happiness, but you can buy hot chocolate with marshmallows and that’s kinda the same thing.