Today, we received our third major snow storm of the winter season. Now, relative to other places, the amount of snow we are receiving is not a lot but for this region, getting 4-6 inches of snow is a major deal. Getting it more than once a season is a major deal compared to winters in the past 10 years or so.
Each of these storms do have their own personality. The first storm on December 18th brought a lot of snow and sleet on a Friday afternoon but on the following day, it was a bright sunny day. Perfect sledding conditions and the roads were decent to travel on. Cold temperatures for days afterward meant that the snow lasted for quite awhile. Last week’s storm brought a fair bit of snow but the intense cold meant that any melt off froze on the roads creating treacherous driving conditions for the whole weekend.
This storm is a mix of snow, sleet, rain and freezing rain. It is still ongoing so who knows what the evening will bring but I can assume that if the temperatures go down well below freezing, the roads will be ice rinks in the morning. Could expect a power outage too if the ice buildup is over 1/4 inch on the power lines and trees.
So we are getting a real winter here in North Carolina. For the past 5 years, if we got one day with significant snow, that was it for the season. Now, I am actually using the snow shovel I bought a few years back.
So the snow brings mixed feelings. It is great to see snow on the ground, to pack it into a snowball or build a snowman out of it. The kids loved sledding in it. Makes the time of the year feel like winter rather than a dreary late autumn day. But you do have to deal with the side effects: slippery roads, the shoveling of sidewalks and driveways. It is something that I have to deal with but at least we do not live in the mountains or further north where today’s storm may bring 10-20 inches of snow to Virginia and Maryland.
It feels like being home.