Let's Talk: When the Snow Storm Hits

                                 

We are now a week out from our lovely visitor Winter Storm Jonas. He was kind enough to drop all winter's snow on us all at once. Everyone has had a different experience and stories of their own relating to Jonas. 

For me, I was snowed in Friday to Monday, like many of you. I watched people slip and slide down the road, slide into ditches and burn the rubber on their tires on the hill, which seemed to turn into a mountain, to get in or out. 

But, situations, like Winter Storm Jonas, seem to always teach a lesson and have stories to come out of them that have an impact on how we respond to the next situation like it. 

Winter Storms of the Past 

At the beginning of this storm, several different people were telling me stories of snow storms past. The more notable storms were that of '78 and '93. I heard that the storm of '78 compared more to this one than the one of '93. In the storm of '78, I was told that it took residents at least a week to dig out. In both storms, power outages occurred. 

The notable storms, that I can remember, were Super Storm Sandy and the perpetual snow systems last year. Neither one, however, compare to what I have seen this year. In all my years of life, I have never seen so much snow at one time; two feet in my case. 

That much snow inevitably causes problems on several fronts. So, as the snow begins to melt away and we are able to once again get out and about, here are a few lessons I learned or was reminded of.

Do NOT Go Out 

Okay, so if we are gonna be honest, I did go out Friday. By the time I made it back home, the roads were treacherous. 

So, the moral of this point, do not go out unless you 100 percent have to. I recognize and understand that there are several different exceptions to this rule, but I am not going to list them all because that will take a lot of time and go down different avenues.

Like I said before, road conditions were awful. The roads were covered to where no markings could be seen, visibility was very low and the roads had become slick. People who didn't have vehicles or their vehicles were stranded were walking out in the streets causing potentially horrific situations. 

Honestly, if I had known the snow was going to fall two hours ahead of time and the amount of snow we had in short span of time, I would not have gone out. 

Be Prepared 

I think I learned this more while I was in my undergraduate career where I lived on-campus. I was not at home for my parents to take care of making sure I had enough food and ensuring that we had everything for our house should the power and heat go out. I was responsible for making sure I had enough food, water and warmth, such as extra blankets and warm clothes. They instructed me, of course, but I had to put forth effort to make sure I was prepared. 

So, as I have alluded to already, food and alternate heat source are the most important necessities. With storms like Jonas, we knew it was coming and we could prepare, but in some cases, a storm could sneak up on you and catch off guard. Do the best you can.  

What You Can Do When a Few Neighbors Help Out 

My two-foot of snow and a partially cleared driveway

My family and I have some great neighbors. On Saturday afternoon, after Jonas had decided to move on and quit dumping snow on us, we began to dig out and clear pathways for everybody to get their vehicles out. 

What a task this was. With just under two foot of snow, clearing it all took time and patience. The snow was heavy and had essentially to be cleared in layers, a little off the top until we made it to the concrete. 

With just under a dozen of us working to clear off our driveways and the first half of the street, the removal process took about three hours. We all helped each other the best we could. Some shoveled while others took a short break or shoveled while they put salt on the places already cleared. 

The teamwork was amazing, I am just thankful for neighbors who were just so willing to help out and make the process go a little faster. 

Have FUN! 

We had a ton of snow, duh, and with that much snow a lot of fun could happen. I saw pictures and posts of people building snowmen, attempting to build igloos and having snow ball fights. 

This much snow that quick can be stressful and frustrating, but the upside is that you can play in it with family and friends, ending that time with a cup of hot coco and some hot soup. 

What are some of your stories from Winter Storm Jonas?