JimT Posted January 20, 2005 Report Share Posted January 20, 2005 1" of snow did this? C'MON??????? We got 4" thru the night, and did not even have a school delay. Surprise snow stuns N. Carolina Thursday, January 20, 2005 Posted: 2:26 PM EST (1926 GMT) Trucks spread salt along slippery roads in Raleigh, North Carolina, Wednesday. YOUR E-MAIL ALERTS Winter Storm North Carolina Transportation or Create your own Manage alerts | What is this? RALEIGH, North Carolina (AP) -- A surprise 1-inch snow that turned to ice on frigid roads stunned North Carolina's capital, trapping motorists in epic traffic jams and stranding some 3,000 pupils overnight at schools. The governor urged people to stay home Thursday while crews clean things up. Highways were clogged with desperate drivers whose commutes Wednesday stretched to as long as eight hours. Law officers tallied about 1,000 accidents in the Raleigh-Durham area, but there were no reports of fatalities. "You'd move a little bit, then you sat ... then you moved a little bit, then you sat," said salesman Brian Baldelli, who took seven hours to go nine miles on one highway. Gov. Mike Easley declared a state of emergency, allowing him to open two state government buildings in downtown Raleigh as shelters. Department of Transportation crews "have been out all night scraping the roads and spreading salt, but their work is not yet complete," Easley said early Thursday. "If people can stay home, especially this morning, I am encouraging them to do so." Some 3,000 students spent the night at Wake County schools after bus operations were suspended and parents were unable to come get them. With Thursday classes canceled, school officials planned to have the stranded youngsters bused home during the morning. Such a mess from a mild snowfall stunned even the forecasters. "In the 24 years I've lived here, I have never encountered the traffic situation I saw today," WRAL-TV chief meteorologist Greg Fishel said. He apologized on the air for what the station's "embarrassing" forecast -- a few flurries. National Weather Service forecaster Brandon Locklear said very dry snow packed onto roads that were frigid after two days of below-freezing temperatures. "You had some melting from the compression of people driving on the roads, followed rapidly by refreezing," he said. Road crews were forced to try applying melting agents to jammed roads. Lisa Sun of Raleigh resigned herself to spending the night inside a 24-hour grocery store when police closed an ice-covered bridge, cutting her off from her home. She had already spent four hours covering a distance that usually takes half an hour and saw "a slew of accidents." Almost two dozen people at the grocery early Thursday, watching TV or sprawling on air mattresses. "They have food and a restroom," Sun said. "We're pretty happy." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fisherguy Posted January 20, 2005 Report Share Posted January 20, 2005 Re: Big Storm? Apparently those southern drivers aren't used to having to slow down when it is snowy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWSmith Posted January 20, 2005 Report Share Posted January 20, 2005 Re: Big Storm? Jim, We got 4-6 inches last night here in central New York. Dont know what all the fuss is about down there. I took the beagle out for his morning ritual on the mailbox post and REALLY wish I had changed out of my house slippers...Whoa Momma that snow is invigorating in the morning...before coffee and long pants Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSGB Posted January 20, 2005 Report Share Posted January 20, 2005 Re: Big Storm? If they even mention snow as a possibility in the forcast, then everything here will shut down. [ QUOTE ] Apparently those southern drivers aren't used to having to slow down when it is snowy. [/ QUOTE ] You're exactly right! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadHuntinPastor Posted January 20, 2005 Report Share Posted January 20, 2005 Re: Big Storm? Want some experience driving in the snow? Try driving through a couple feet of snow will heading up to Buffalo, NY from PA in a 3-banger Chevy Sprint. Nothing else will seem difficult after that!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun_300 Posted January 20, 2005 Report Share Posted January 20, 2005 Re: Big Storm? we got about 5 or 6 inches yesterday i am well used to driving in snow or freezing rain.... i am canadian!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TreeStandBowHunter Posted January 20, 2005 Report Share Posted January 20, 2005 Re: Big Storm? Yeah, I know. I was stationed down in NC and when I was there, it snowed at least once every year. Well, when it snowed, everybody had off because there were too many accident on the roadways because they didn't know how to drive in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted January 21, 2005 Report Share Posted January 21, 2005 Re: Big Storm? Funny. I was doing donuts in my brother's cul de sac with Siverado the other day. Just had to celebrate that 2" of snow packed down to ice. The kids loved it. I think southerners kind of panic when they get snow. They certainly aren't used to driving in it, that's for sure. I'm still amazed that they cancel school around here when we get 4". Back home in northern Ohio when I was growing, 8" sometimes didn't cancel school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SRA Posted January 21, 2005 Report Share Posted January 21, 2005 Re: Big Storm? i'll agree with ya.......1" C'MON!!!!!!!!!!! here in so. IN we get some snow (I wish more ) but for the most part things go on as normal.........over Christmas this year we did have 15"-20" .........shut things down for a bit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWSmith Posted January 21, 2005 Report Share Posted January 21, 2005 Re: Big Storm? This morning the thermometer says: -12*F Theres some reason that just sounds a little bit cool this morning. We are supposed to have a warm day though....4*F The trees have jackets and boots on today Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitetailkiller Posted January 21, 2005 Report Share Posted January 21, 2005 Re: Big Storm? my earlier years in mass i rode a ten speed bike in 7" of snow to go to work..... later years in mass i would drive my 79 dodge aspen to work in 10" of snow................... i move to maryland where they aren't used to lots of snow and school closes for a dusting..... i've missed more days of work because of snow since moving to maryland!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horst Posted January 21, 2005 Report Share Posted January 21, 2005 Re: Big Storm? An inch of snow LMAO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Schmeck Posted January 21, 2005 Report Share Posted January 21, 2005 Re: Big Storm? [ QUOTE ] Apparently those southern drivers aren't used to having to slow down when it is snowy. [/ QUOTE ] Unless you've experienced those fools driving in it first hand, you could never imagine what it's like. They are very scary! Not to mention that the road crews there are not equipped to deal with anything beyond 2 flakes on the roadway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanH Posted January 21, 2005 Report Share Posted January 21, 2005 Re: Big Storm? I want some snow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted January 21, 2005 Report Share Posted January 21, 2005 Re: Big Storm? Think I would rather drive on a 4 inch snow than the 1 inch snows or ice we get any day. Seems to me from my experience anyway, that a vehicle is easier to control with deeper snow than it is when a thin dusting that quickly gets packed is like a sheet of ice. Been warm here the past 2 days, reaching the 60's, but supposed to be winter here again tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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