Is the news from the south serious? Are they really that weak to snow?

[Zontar]

I'd like to say that first off, I'm from Canada, and a few inches of snow is what we call a mild fall. There's a 7 month period of the year that snow will not be considered odd, and accumulated snow would be counted in feet if we used that instead of metric. That's just giving a bit of context when I say: What the hell Atlanta? 2 inches? Get that on a random day between January and March and we consider that a mild Tuesday.

Is this just the US media blowing it out of proportions or are people really acting like this for less snow then I'd bat an eyelash at?

 

[tippy2k2]

First, Minnesotan here. Hello there neighbor! I completely agree as today we had 6 inches and it's 2 degrees F (and that's warm compared to that stuff we had Monday when it was -40 w/windchill D

Atlanta had two things against it:

1. They're not used to snow. People drive on it and they panic when they slip a little bit. Minnesotan's know how to correct their driving habits and speed to adjust for it; Atlanta people don't.

2. Their government group cocked it up big time. From what I've seen on the news and whatnot, they HAD the equipment to deal with the snow but the government running the city completely and utterly screwed the pooch. They took far too long to react and everything snowballed (tee hee! Get it?) until what you saw on the news is what you get.

The main thing that irks me is that the Atlanta offices of my work close down while we still get to fight this crap. Just because we're used to it doesn't make driving in blizzards less dangerous...

 

[CrazyGirl17]

I'm from PA, and here we have had several inches of snow and the temperature is currently in the single digits (much to my dismay - I hate the cold). I can't help but think people down south are overreacting a bit. Yes, they're not used to it, but a bit of perspective wouldn't hurt.

 

[Orange12345]

it's a few reasons that compound

1. people in the south have VERY little experience driving in icy or snow conditions
2. they dont have winter tires
3. no snow plows, ice scrappers, salt trucks or any infrastructure of any kind for dealing with snow

All of these things together means that any ice on the roads is a very big problem and its why you see pictures with 10+ cars off the road

 

[kurokotetsu]

I'd like to say that first off, I'm from Canada, and a few inches of snow is what we call a mild fall. There's a 7 month period of the year that snow will not be considered odd, and accumulated snow would be counted in feet if we used that instead of metric. That's just giving a bit of context when I say: What the hell Atlanta? 2 inches? Get that on a random day between January and March and we consider that a mild Tuesday.

Is this just the US media blowing it out of proportions or are people really acting like this for less snow then I'd bat an eyelash at?

Look, it would be like you guys deaing with a 40°C summer. Not unheard of, but it still may cause problems. Most people aren't that prepared to deal with it, because it is a "freak" occurance. If most people for example don't have tire chains, it may cause problems (or if they don't know how to use them). Or if they don't have glycol for the airplanes, or not enough, it is alos a problem (especially when it is one of the largest airports in the country).

Yeah you have it worse, but so what? It may be blown, but it still isn't affecting you is it? Why the outrage?

 

[BeeGeenie]

Driving in snowy conditions is very different from what they're used to.

I suppose a comparison could be this:
What if all of the sudden everyone in Canada was told that they have to skateboard to work? Some people would be fine, but you'd have an awful lot of people falling all over themselves, and almost nobody would own the necessary equipment (pads, helmet, etc.)

So yeah, to them it does seem like a pretty big deal.

 

[Clowndoe]

Look, it would be like you guys dealing with a 40°C summer. Not unheard of, but it still may cause problems.

We do have air-conditioning here... but I know what you mean, I'm just being pedantic.

But yeah, the point is, here in Montreal, snow doesn't last 10 minutes before an armada of trucks comes in and sweeps it away, and during that time we have winter tires, too. Come to think of it, two inches of snow is the same as two feet when you're not supposed to have any.

 

[Zontar]

I'd like to say that first off, I'm from Canada, and a few inches of snow is what we call a mild fall. There's a 7 month period of the year that snow will not be considered odd, and accumulated snow would be counted in feet if we used that instead of metric. That's just giving a bit of context when I say: What the hell Atlanta? 2 inches? Get that on a random day between January and March and we consider that a mild Tuesday.

Is this just the US media blowing it out of proportions or are people really acting like this for less snow then I'd bat an eyelash at?

Look, it would be like you guys deaing with a 40°C summer. Not unheard of, but it still may cause problems. Most people aren't that prepared to deal with it, because it is a "freak" occurance. If most people for example don't have tire chains, it may cause problems (or if they don't know how to use them). Or if they don't have glycol for the airplanes, or not enough, it is alos a problem (especially when it is one of the largest airports in the country).

Yeah you have it worse, but so what? It may be blown, but it still isn't affecting you is it? Why the outrage?

I guess I see your point (though it's more confusion then outrage), though I don't recall many people using chain tires around here. Maybe once in a blue moon I'll see one.

 

[Atmos Duality]

Come to think of it, two inches of snow is the same as two feet when you're not supposed to have any.

In a way, the shallow snowfall can cause more damage than heavy snowfall. At least here in the states.
(that, and freezing rain)

People are more likely to stay indoors and not travel when 2 feet of snow falls compared to 2 inches, but it only takes ~1 inch of accumulation (depending on the ratio and "type") to cause problems with automotives that lack snow tires or chains.
To the point where we're changing some advisory guidelines if snowfall occurs during peak traffic hours.

But I've also endured two of the last three times freezing precipitation has made it to some of the southern states. I recall a journey via Amtrak from central Illinois to San Antonio Texas back in 2004, where freezing rain fell across the entirety of Arkansas (and to keep a long, ugly story short, they were not at all prepared to handle it).

(oh right, meteorologist from northern Illinois here. I'd like to formally "thank" Canada for exporting more arctic troughs than usual! It's made life...interesting this winter to say the least. Especially those FIVE CLIPPER SYSTEMS IN A ROW we had two weeks ago.)

 

[Elfgore]

When I saw that two inches of snow effectively shut down the city of Atlanta, I burst out laughing. I live in Ohio, so a winter without at least a foot of snow is abnormal. But the government really dropped the ball on this. They should have prepared more than they did.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

Look, it would be like you guys deaing with a 40°C summer. Not unheard of, but it still may cause problems.

But Canada does often get 40 Degree summers. I know I do in Ontario. Hot as balls summers, and balls shrivelingly cold winters.

 

[Shock and Awe]

Yep, people here freak out when it snows. Its like up north when it breaks 100 and everyone starts freaking out. We're the ones laughing then.

 

[kurokotetsu]

Look, it would be like you guys dealing with a 40°C summer. Not unheard of, but it still may cause problems.

We do have air-conditioning here... but I know what you mean, I'm just being pedantic.

But yeah, the point is, here in Montreal, snow doesn't last 10 minutes before an armada of trucks comes in and sweeps it away, and during that time we have winter tires, too. Come to think of it, two inches of snow is the same as two feet when you're not supposed to have any.

Indeed. And having AC ins't all that fundamental (I'm Mexican by the way and 40°C isnt uncommon and most people don't have AC in those places). For example there could be problems with dehydration with manual labor. Or heatstrokes with the elderly and children. Anyone that has to be outside for an extended period of time need to think differently than they usually do.

Which is the point, Having an extreme and unusual climate changes your way of life a bit, and if ill-prepared it can cause accidents and diminish the activity in the city. Here where I live a single cm of snow would completely paralize our city, because we in recent memory there has been only one day where snow was seen. It is as you said, two inches and be two feet if you aren't prepared.

[I guess I see your point (though it's more confusion then outrage), though I don't recall many people using chain tires around here. Maybe once in a blue moon I'll see one.

Well, or have winter tires. The point is that if they don't have the equipment or don't usually use them then you can hurt a place.

ALso consider this. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the busiest airport in the world. If Atlanta isn't used to snow, there you have a huge logistics problem. You need glycol for the wings, to clear the tracks and every other problem related to snow is indeed a huge deal. Think that over 260,000 passanger on average go through that place daily in over 2500 flights in average. Unusual conditions there can really affect a country.

Look, it would be like you guys deaing with a 40°C summer. Not unheard of, but it still may cause problems.

But Canada does often get 40 Degree summers. I know I do in Ontario. Hot as balls summers, and balls shrivelingly cold winters.

You get them. But they are unusual. From what I gather the average in most cities in summer is under 30°C. That means that there haven't been that many and that it may get some places unprepared.

 

[Sleepy Sol]

It's a rare occurence for most areas affected like this, so you can probably deduce that proper equipment to clean the roads of ice and snow is extremely uncommon. Which leads to...accidents, of course.

Same deal with people having experience driving on icy and snowy roads. To be fair, a lot of drivers could stand to be a lot safer, but since this is something most people in the south almost NEVER experience, I'm willing to be a little lenient.

Hell, the past two days were the first time I'd ever seen actual snow since I was a toddler.

 

[Weaver]

Look, it would be like you guys dealing with a 40°C summer. Not unheard of, but it still may cause problems.

We do have air-conditioning here... but I know what you mean, I'm just being pedantic.

But yeah, the point is, here in Montreal, snow doesn't last 10 minutes before an armada of trucks comes in and sweeps it away, and during that time we have winter tires, too. Come to think of it, two inches of snow is the same as two feet when you're not supposed to have any.

Really? In Ontario snow can last like a day or really until whenever what must be the snowplow guy finally gets around to plowing it. I live on a major intersection in a city of about 250,000 people as well.

Look, it would be like you guys deaing with a 40°C summer. Not unheard of, but it still may cause problems.

But Canada does often get 40 Degree summers. I know I do in Ontario. Hot as balls summers, and balls shrivelingly cold winters.

To be fair, they're usually more like 30 - 35
I remember them being cooler in the past as well.

OT: Do they not just have all season tires in Atlanta? I simply have all seasons and, while not as good as winter tires, they're alright. It is true you kind of have to learn how to drive while sliding all over the place though.

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

I'd like to say that first off, I'm from Canada, and a few inches of snow is what we call a mild fall. There's a 7 month period of the year that snow will not be considered odd, and accumulated snow would be counted in feet if we used that instead of metric. That's just giving a bit of context when I say: What the hell Atlanta? 2 inches? Get that on a random day between January and March and we consider that a mild Tuesday.

Is this just the US media blowing it out of proportions or are people really acting like this for less snow then I'd bat an eyelash at?

The south doesn't usually get snow. EVER. AT ALL.

This means that the city isn't equipped to deal with it at all. People don't own snow tires or chains because they've never needed them before in their entire lives. The city doesn't have any snow plows to get rid of the snow on the streets. People don't salt their driveways or roads because that's not a thing to them. So yeah, they're having problems with 2 inches of snow. Half the people in Atlanta probably have probably never worn more than 2 layers of clothing at once.

It's like if Canada was suddenly hit by a sandstorm. I'm sure that people in Dubai would be laughing their asses off at you because you don't know what to do with a sandstorm.

 

[Zontar]

It's like if Canada was suddenly hit by a sandstorm. I'm sure that people in Dubai would be laughing their asses off at you because you don't know what to do with a sandstorm.

I think a sandstorm is a bad example, given how similar a reaction both get for what one would think should be entirely different types of storms, but I see your point. I still find it funny though, that only 2 inches brought a city to a standstill. Even more funny then that time Toronto called in the military because of a storm (And boom, making fun of Toronto without mentioning the mayor!).

 

[Esotera]

I think it's also a lot easier to deal with a large amount of snow than just a couple of inches, as the heavier snowfall remains more powdery which can be cleared, whereas the small amount can turn into ice fast and is generally more dangerous. Or such is the logic the BBC gave for why the UK is always shut down by tiny amounts of snow. There's also the issue of preparedness - most states in the South will rarely get snow so investing in serious infrastructure to clear it is sort of a waste of money.

 

[Hazy992]

Come on that's not entirely fair, is it? The South aren't going to be used to or prepared for that amount of snow as they simply don't get it that often. You're holding up to an unfair standard.

If Canada

It's like if Canada was suddenly hit by a sandstorm. I'm sure that people in Dubai would be laughing their asses off at you because you don't know what to do with a sandstorm.

I was just about to say something similar. Couldn't agree more.

 

[putowtin]

Give em a chance guys, if you don't get any/ very little snow it can be overwhelming!

I remember last january here in the UK was terrible, we'd been forcast a little snow on something like the wednesday but got it on the tuesday.

I was in traffic when it started, and it came down really quickly, there was no prep, no grit down and most people over here don't bother with snow tires (unless your in Scotland) so it turned into a nightmare quickly. It took me 7 hours to go two miles!


At least your hearing positive stories coming from the south, people taking food out to those stuck on the worst hit roads, offering their homes to strangers and ferrying those who are worst hit to safety. KCCO!