Yesterday morning, as I was getting ready for work, I diligently watched the news in anticipation for a snow day. You’re right, teachers generally love snow days. I especially love them because I have a Frozen obsessed toddler who really wanted to build a snowman, a snow day for me means a day home with her and those days are always good.
I read the ABC 33/40 weather blog, and while my hope remained, with each forecast my chance of a snow day dwindled. I knew if the people at the central office who make the call were looking at the same forecast as me, our chances of a snow day were slim to none.
You see in Alabama, we call off school or delay openings a good bit because of the weather, and people like to laugh about that. I hear people scoff at the idea of an inch of snow literally shutting down an entire state, but that is our reality. Of course, all of the men I know have 4-wheel-drive vehicles, but they’re mainly for off-roading. The majority of people don’t have 4-wheel-drive vehicles that can handle icy terrain.
We don’t have snow chains on our tires.
We don’t have snow plows.
We don’t salt our roads.
Yesterday was different, as the snow came and the forecast changed. Our school decided to dismiss at 11:00, buses actually started coming at 10:30. I knew if I could get out of school by 10:40, I could get to Braylen and pick her up from Mother’s Day Out. I checked my back-up plans, I would be the one who could get to her first, I was the best option for getting her home safely.
My principal graciously let me leave so that I could get to her and my panic subsided as I raced out the door. The snow had been falling since about 10:00 and it was barely starting to accumulate when I hit the road. I called my husband and he warned me of the danger, and as I drove it became evident. What little snow that had fallen had quickly turned to ice and the snow kept coming and coming. I watched as people slid off the roads to avoid hitting others, tractor trailers jack-knifed in the median, and I knew that this wasn’t right at all.
I made the usual 25 minute drive in just under four hours, I was stranded on the road until some good samaritans put sand down in order for me to make it up the hill, I couldn’t get in touch with anyone because phones were jammed.
But my story? Well, it turns out it was nothing compared to what other people around me were experiencing. As teachers stayed overnight with children and parents were stranded on the interstate. And my heart ached for them, because for a brief time I felt that helplessness, that frustration, that sheer terror of not being able to get to my child or my family.
And I hear so many people play the blame game, the same people who think we’re crazy for closing school at the mere mention of snow. And they blame our meteorologists, who are human and who get the same grace for mistakes that we get. The same meteorologists who I trusted with my life in April of 2011 when tornadoes bared down our state. The same meteorologists I trust with the forecast every single morning.
If not them, it must be the school’s fault. I can tell you with certainty that I wouldn’t want that job, and I don’t think you would either. Having to make judgement calls on the safety of tens of thousands of students. As soon as the forecast started to shift, the schools did everything they could to get children home safely. They worked quickly, putting emergency plans into place and getting children home safely. And when they couldn’t? They sacrificed and stayed with those children overnight.
Indeed, it was chaos, but it also happened quickly. Very, very quickly. The events transpired so quickly that I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that I left school with hardly any snow on the road and I took this picture about an hour later.
I apologize if I’m a little sensitive to the judgmental tone of so many who “can drive in 3 feet of snow,” as I’ve been told. Or the ones who post on social media that this is comical to them.
Do you mean this?
But, you’re probably right, an inch or two of snow is no big deal. None, really.
If I were you, I wouldn’t tell that to the mother who had to sleep in her car last night with her toddler.
Or the one who couldn’t get to her child at school.
Or the reporters trying to bring the news who were stranded.
Or the people who walked miles and miles to safety.
Or the people who worked all day trying to help others.
Or the school systems.
It’s still pretty raw, and we’re still a little sensitive to the little bit of snow.
Melissa says
I think you said it perfectly well! To those of us who weren’t there, the little bit of snow we saw earlier in the day looked fun and serendipitous, but as the day went on and I learned of mamas not being able to get to their kids and people stranded on the roads, it ceased looking fun. I am glad you were able to get to BK and home safely. I actually read your post on IG and couldn’t get you out of my mind the rest of the afternoon and was relieved to see you got her ok later last evening.
Hopefully, now that you are safe and sound you can enjoy time with her and actually say yes to “do you want to build a snowman?” : )
Kristin F. says
I loved your post today!
There is such a fine line between enjoying the snow with my girlies and feeling panic for friends and neighbors still trying to make their way home today. I am so fortunate to have been home yesterday and I was able to get the girls and get to my parents’ house with little effort, but it leaves you feeling guilty for all of those still stranded. We are praying for all of our friends still out there and hoping everyone is safely reunited with their families today!!
Rachel @ Running Backwards in High Heels says
AMEN!!! Granted, we didn’t get the brunt of it in Cullman, I definitely slid in areas trying to get the girls from school. I heard a story of a woman who told her husband not to come to her OB appt and they ended up admitting her and she had the baby and her husband couldn’t get to the hospital. They had been trying for years and had multiple miscarriages along the way… the stories are insane. I’m glad y’all are safe!
Jessica G says
I hope you understand most people mean no malice in their “poking fun”. I will admit I giggled yesterday at the idea that schools were closed for a forecasted inch of snow. Born and raised and taught to drive in snow, you’re right – Pennsylvania can handle several inches without batting an eye. My heart breaks for those who were stranded, friends posting #snowedoutatlanta about people stranded on interstates for hours – that is terrifying.
All in all, glad to hear that you are safe – and you’re a better person than some for giving meteorologists some grace. I think we’ve all seen the “weather man bashing” that takes place far too often.
Marty says
You go, girl!
We live in Arkansas, and we don’t get a ton of winter weather, but we get some…and our schools usually close and the trucks usually go out and many work places usually shut down. BUT you’re right when you say that there’s only so much a person can predict. Even a very educated person. Bless you for showing grace. 🙂
My husband works for the electric utility company and when weather interrupts the power, his company is blasted by the public…because like the meteorologists, no one thinks about them too much on a pretty, sunny day. It’s just on those bad days following a weather event when things can’t be fixed fast enough. It’s cold or hot or wet. They get that. It affects their families as well. He has been threatened on more than one occasion! Yeah…that helps.
Thank you for shedding a light on the people in our communities who work tirelessly EVERY DAY for our families and friends…teachers, ministers, medical personnel, emergency responders, highway department/utility employees, store managers, restaurant owners, neighbors, truck drivers, farmers, weather forecasters and many, many more…and for the kindnesses of strangers who helped many people yesterday.
tjcdjc says
Those who poke fun need to remember, we have NO snow plows, NO salt trucks, NO sand trucks and no one has snow tires. I doubt anyone “up North” would drive any better if they didn’t have all those, by the thousands. We literally have sand on the back of a truck, with two men in the back shoveling sand onto the road. And our salt trucks? Four wheel drive trucks filled with salt, and guys in the back scooping up and tossing out salt using ten gallon buckets.
Amber Wallace says
Its so scary about snow in the south and how just a little bit does shut everything down. We have a few friends that live in the BHM area and it was just crazy to see all the pictures and how fast it really can accumulate. Glad to hear you are safe.
Savannah says
Thank you so much for posting this! I live in Tuscaloosa and attend The University of Alabama. I have many friends from the North “playfully pick” about how we deal with news of snow coming. The University closed after my first class of the day ended, and tried leaving. What usually would be a 10-15 minute drive back home turned out to take over an hour. My friend in Atlanta who works less than 2 miles from her house, took her an hour and 20 minutes. SMH. I’m so thankful for all of the meteorologists, who have saved so many in our state, including the April tornadoes, and now the snow storm. Amen.
Jessica says
Amen to that!
I am from Atlanta currently living in WV and I hear it’s a mess down there right now! People don’t understand that it’s not necessarily the snow, it’s all the ice! My husband is a college football coach and is recruiting in Atlanta right now and I was so nervous for him. He was stuck for hours trying to get to his hotel. I’m glad you made it home safely. Praying for those still stranding.
Jess Beer says
I can’t even imagine how scary this was for you, and I totally get that you’re not used to it. I just can’t help but think they must have had some warning this was coming and could’ve reached out for help from other states ahead of time. We just got a dusting here in VA, and I’m sure even half of our plows and salt trucks would’ve made a huge difference for you guys. I think states need to work together more when these kinds of things happen!
Emily says
We were out yesterday and could have actually stood to just have a half day and not lose so many hours, but like y’all deep south Louisiana is not prepared for anything in the frozen front. When I lived in North LA they actually salted the bridges and roads, here we have none of that. I was dying to get out and on our way home we had literally slid past our neighborhood… the sleet had frozen soild and there was no getting in. Luckily we circled back and slowly crept our way home. A friend of mine is stuck at work in Alabama, I can’t imagine how bad it is there.
Rachel W says
Oh man. What a fabulous post, Jennifer. Not much gets under my skin more than when northerners (especially ones who move south) make comments about this.
So glad you and your family are safe!!
Crystal W says
I live in Northeast Ohio right on the Lake Erie shoreline and we continually get inches upon inches of snow. Those who brag about being able to drive in 3 feet of snow are usually the ones I pass stuck on the sides of roads, flipped in medians, or causing large traffic accidents much like the pictures you posted. It scares me to drive with my girls because of these self assured drivers who think that 4×4 trucks will not slide on ice. They salt our roads fairly well but people also need to remember that salt does not work in the frigid temperatures our country has been experiencing. I just wanted to share that there are ignorant people even in the frozen tundra of Ohio. Happy to know you and your family are safe.
Lauren says
I’m in Southwest Ohio and I hate driving in snow too. If it weren’t for plows and salt, I would stay home! This is the coldest winter I can remember and we’ve had delays every day and closings left and right just because the cold temps. I think most people joke about it and don’t mean any harm…the root of it is jealousy! 😉 haha We just wish we didn’t have to deal with winter weather like this!
Bethany says
Yeah, people love to make fun of those in warm weather climates about this. I’m from Hawaii, so basically any snow at all is terrifying to me! My sister lives in Alabama and posted something on Facebook almost to this same effect. Stay safe!
Sonya says
I live in a state that gets snow. Grown up with it my whole life with the exception of two years, but it still scares the bejeezus out of me to drive in it. I hate snow and ice with a passion and we do have plows and salt to help. I hate that my husband travels and has had to drive on bad roads. Snow can make a mess but ice is always the worst. Doesn’t matter what you drive it won’t prevent you from sliding on ice and sometimes thats even when you’re super careful. It’s the other people on the roads that scare me the most. I know I’m in control but I don’t know about them. I feel for all of you and I while I’ve driven in some really bad winter weather praying we wouldn’t get in an accident, I’ve always made it to my destination. As soon as I saw what you were forecasted for and then saw it it was heartbreaking. There’s no control over it and that’s the hardest part. I’m the one who’s usually praying the entire drive and talking to my car knowing that we will make it but it’s not any less scary. I also keep telling my husband it’s time to move south, but way south. I could live forever without experiencing real snow again!
Brooke says
My heart goes out to you! We’re in Atlanta and I’m so sick of hearing about how “ridiculous” it is for only 2 inches of snow.
Mary Hunt says
Well said, We have the same who said “Oh, its just a little ice”. within an hour of lifting the curfew wreaks were happening everywhere.
Lauren says
I totally agree! And when we get snow it’s not necessarily the pretty, fluffy white stuff. We wound up getting sleet at our house last night and if someone had taken a picture it would’ve looked like pretty snow when in reality it’s little ice pebbles that freeze together to make sheets of sleet. It’s a dangerous situation and to laugh at it is really unbelievable. So glad you got home safely with your family. My dad’s 45 minute commute in Atlanta turned into 12 hours yesterday. I’ve never been so glad to get a text at 3AM!
Mandy says
Amen!! I know here in Chelsea, AL it was the exact same for us! In fact, I’m still housing a sweet little 6 year old (who just so happens to be best buddies with my 6 year old) because his parents STILL can’t get to him from 280 where they’re stranded. 🙁 People are so quick to judge and point fingers. But it’s been amazing to on the hand, be the hands and feet of Christ in such a scary situation! Praying that you are finally home with your sweet family tonight!!
Kate says
I used to be one of those jerky northerners until someone finally got in my face about the fact that there is no way to get salt on the roads! This is so scary and sad.
Brittany says
Prayers go out to all those who had a difficult time in the horrible weather. I’ve driven in feet of snow and very slick roads in Ohio but I’m always afraid and always super cautious. I would do anything to get to Hadley if the weather were that terrible. But just because I have experience doesn’t mean I’m good at driving in it or like driving in it. I do anything to avoid it! Like one of the comments above, the people I pass who are in the ditch are those who are not cautious and risk the lives of themselves and others. And when cities are not prepared it is scary. So happy you all are safe and praying for those still recovering.
Lauren says
Amen! I’m in the Charleston, SC area and they just don’t get it. When snow hits the southern coast, we are screwed! Everyone drives on a bridge (or 6) to get where they need to go (school, commute, etc). We don’t have Northern salt trucks and plows. We get ice and more ice and you better believe that we won’t let anyone drive across a 3 mile bridge in that! It’d be absolutely insane. So thank you for saying what we Southerners want to say when things like this happen!
Sass says
I work in Office Park on 280 and live in Homewood. I was fortunate as I had a very short commute when I left the office, and for me, our office sent us home in time. Most of my co-workers were not so lucky. I think what bothered me the most was the people saying we are stupid and just should “drive slow”. All it takes is one accident to mess things up for all the other cars behind. And as the roads continued to deteriorate, more and more accidents happened. I left for work that morning expecting a “light dusting” — that was not what we got. It has just been a terrible mess everywhere.
J says
Great post! You did, however forget about all the stranded patients that couldn’t go home after being released from the hospitals, all the Healthcare, EMS, Police and road workers that braved this freak snowstorm to get to work so that everyone could be properly taken care of. It’s definitely no fun to be stranded at work with no clean clothes, no sleep and still be expected to do your job during these times. Everyone pulled together and got each other through these past few days! The South and our people are Awesome!
Andie says
We were prepared here, as we got a ton of the precip too… but ours was just sleet/ice/freezing rain which was a MESS! I ALWAYS get annoyed with my northerner friends who poke fun at us… they don’t realize we are in NO WAY prepared for this and we don’t have any practice either!
I’m glad you made it home safe!!!