Snowstorms of 2000
After two winters with no appreciable snowfall, we were hit with three snowstorms in a two-week stretch. The first snowfall of the year delivered six inches on Thursday. Schools were naturally closed, and by the afternoon the snow began to slow down. We took a walk for some winter fun. More snow was expected the following week.
On Monday forecasters predicted that the next storm, which was moving up the coast from the Carolinas, would reach us by Wednesday. We were both scheduled off from work on Tuesday (having worked the previous weekend), so we happened to be up late Monday night, when the weather service suddenly issued a winter storm warning for Tuesday, calling for 4 to 6 inches. The storm system was moving more rapidly than expected. Anyone who missed the late forecast was sure to be surprised Tuesday morning. At 5:30 AM, we awoke to near blizzard conditions with three inches of new snow already on the ground. By then the forecast had been revised to 6 to 12 inches.
We both knew what we had to do. Most people have liberal leave policies at work for snow days, but not us. Without waiting for an official call, we both got up, got dressed, and reported to work. At Broken Claw’s office, only four of the nine people scheduled to work were able to get in. Trailwalker’s initiative was appreciated as well, and she ended up working a double shift before she could be relieved. By midday, the forecast had been revised again, now calling for 12 to 20 inches! When it was all over, we had 15 inches of snow. The governor declared a state of emergency, which meant that the kids wouldn’t have to make up those school days. Then on Sunday, Superbowl Sunday, another storm came through. We got a few inches of snow, followed by some freezing rain that limited any further accumulation.
