Southern Snow

Friday February 12, 2010

I grew up in Memphis, Tennessee where (at least during my childhood) the term southern snow referred to year's cotton crop. During the baling and transport of the harvest many fluffy, white cotton bolls managed to escaped and fill the warm, blue, southern skies. Soft cotton spheres would be carried by the winds and collect in cotton drifts on the curbs. A child could construct a cottonman in bare feet and not worry about the creation melting. Snow was an unfamiliar weather condition which came rarely in my childhood.

Well obviously that was long ago and a much different world. Nowadays cotton is plastic wrapped so not to lose a single boll and the entire South seems to be blanketed in snow for long stretches during the winter. Every day a new snowfall record is reported. Take, for example, the Dallas-Ft.Worth area which reported 12.5" of snowfall in a 24 hour period from February 11-12th. This was the snowiest period of time in the area's recorded history.

All of this extreme weather makes it vital to learn some cold weather terms.
1. Frost/Freeze Warning-below freezing temperatures should be expected
2. Winter Weather Advisory-your area is likely to have snow, sleet, and
freezing rain. The roads may become hazardous.
3. Winter Storm Warning-All of the above weather conditions will happen.
Take precautions to prepare for them.
4. Blizzard Warning-Go to a safe shelter at once. The area will experience
snow accompanied by strong winds. These weather conditions will combine to
produce limited or no visibility, high snow drifts, and life-threatening
wind chill temperatures.

Additional evacuation information available at www.wineandchocolateplan.com