Wintry Mix

I’m still not sure if I enjoy the roller coaster that we all know as winter in the Atlanta metro area. One weekend, I’m out in shorts and then days later, I’m all worked-up over black ice. My nerves about black ice, snow and ice storms have never subsided all these years. In fact, my worries have grown worse through my experiences. 

Moving here from the north well over two decades ago, I was confident that I could handle these snow and ice events. It’s well-known that the metro area goes into a state of disarray when the worst winter weather visits. For several years, I was OK with the winter weather events until about 2005, I believe. It had been raining for a few days in early December, but on a Friday morning, the remaining water on the roads didn’t dry up in time for the morning commute. The area hit 32 degrees Fahrenheit around 5 a.m. The metro area typically receives ample (sometimes too much) warning about wintry mixes days before they’re supposed to occur – not on that morning. I took it nice and slow down to work as I heard several cars mixing it up around me. In my rear view mirror, I witnessed an SUV hit a black ice patch sending the auto into a massive highway retaining wall. Obviously, that Friday morning left an impression on me.

The weather prediction for Friday, January 18^th is another example of how forecasting is imprecise. The winter weather advisory was going on for what seemed like most of the week. Winter weather hit our neighboring states to the west of the Peach State so it was no wonder that our local meteorologists had their best intentions in mind. After all, they feel compelled to ultimately keep us safe and in most cases, the weather professionals accurately predict and warn the public. When it came to January, 18^th, the meteorologists were confessing that the chances of a Friday morning black ice event was hit or miss, but it left me with plenty of concern. After what I experienced over seven years ago and several ice events including a January 2000 ice storm nightmare, I’m always on alert.

Thankfully there was no huge event on that Friday morning, except for the rare patches that somehow caused at least one accident. Still, it is better to be safe than sorry. A handful of schools and businesses chose to delay their start times, rather than shut down for the entire day.

As of this writing, we have plenty of winter left with plenty of chances for more wintry weather events. Even with rain and colder temperatures, there is a silver lining to winter: more water for the metro to knock down the drought. 

Surviving the driving rain

 

It’s been a nerve-wracking week in Peachtree Corners. I’m not writing about the city council meetings and town-hall-style forums. I’m referring to the weather.

We basically received a 1-2 punch on Tuesday, July 10with two powerful storms. The first met us with the most destruction. The second storm arrived in the darkness hours later and poured salt in the first storm’s wounds.

But on early Tuesday evening, the thunderstorms wreaked havoc on thenew cityafter ravaging nearbySandy Springsand Dunwoody — flooding our roadways, downing trees and scattering debris all around us.

After experiencing too much of the typical May, June and July hot weather and drought-like conditions, the rain has been a nice, yet brief respite, but mini-monsoons are obviously not welcome anywhere.

I was caught in the bad weather while driving onGwinnettCounty’sMedlock Bridge Roadwhen Tuesday’s storm hit. Traffic lights were swaying, visibility was near zero and I felt like getting in a canoe to row home only a few miles away.

Indeed the rain is much-needed as we are told, but certainly not of the hazardous variety. We do not need the lightning. I’m not sure if it’s me, but I feel that the lightning has gotten more intense. A few reports have come out saying thatGwinnettCountyhas become a heat island which is conducive to intense cloud-to-ground lightning strikes. I became fearful of lightning when I was about 16 and saw it strike a neighbor’s utility lines behind their home. The lines exploded all over their roof. Luckily the sparks didn’t light the house afire. I have seen nearby strikes occur in recent years in Gwinnett, so I pretty much believe in that heat island theory.

It’s always sad to see more trees getting uprooted from these severe storms. The trees keep our buildings cool and give us some relief in these hot months, but it’s disconcerting to see how much damage the can inflict if they fall on our houses or cars. I love the remaining neighborhood trees which benefit us most of the time, but as the years have gone by, they become more worrisome.

As usual after these severe storms, there is massive clean up. No one knows that better than the folks in many of our subdivisions who no doubt have dialed up tree removal services after hours of no electricity. The tree removal folks are heroes as well as our emergency responders and power company workers who risk it all to get life back to normal.