Southern Ohio's idea of a 'SNOWSTORM'

[Peppergirl]

This will make you Northern Staters/Canadians laugh. This is a quote from the FRONT PAGE of the online edition of our local newspaper:

"CINCINNATI -- Hours before a significant winter storm was to hit the Tri-State, grocery stores fill with people stocking up on basic necessities.

After several false alarms, this latest storm appears to be the real deal. Three to six inches of snow is forecast to begin falling starting at midnight. The storm has shoppers preparing for the worst."




Yes, friends. This prediction of 3-6 inches of snow is somehow apparently akin to the apocalypse. The story goes on to talk about people jamming the grocery stores, stocking up for when they get 'stranded'.

Seriously, why do people do this? Even the worst snowstorm in this area, I wasn't 'house bound' for more than 3 days max. Why do people feel the need to stock up as if they're going to be stuck in their homes for a month?

I had the misfortune of attempting to run to Krogers on my lunch break, just to grab a 12 pack of soda and some milk, but only because I was out. Good god, those poor cashiers!! They had every register open and all lines were 7-10 people deep, at least.

I turned around and left, and went to my local convenience store and paid a premium, just to avoid the nonsense of the 'sky is falling' mentality at the grocery store.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

This will make you Northern Staters/Canadians laugh. This is a quote from the FRONT PAGE of the online edition of our local newspaper:

"CINCINNATI -- Hours before a significant winter storm was to hit the Tri-State, grocery stores fill with people stocking up on basic necessities.

After several false alarms, this latest storm appears to be the real deal. Three to six inches of snow is forecast to begin falling starting at midnight. The storm has shoppers preparing for the worst."

What a bunch of babies!

I'd love to see the folks mobbing the stores handle a Cheeselandialand winter, featuring frequent snowfalls, some dropping 12 to 18 inches of snow in a single go, followed by wind chills starting at -20 or so.

I bet it involves a lot of bread and milk. Also eggs. And fire.

[Peppergirl]

I know. I'd pay admission to see that, Irv.

My son's friend who works at Kroger just stopped by here to grab a game he had left.

He said they RAN OUT of eggs and the poor dairy manager was getting SCREAMED AT by customers, as if they were all going to die without their eggs.

[auntiem]

Doesn't Cincinnati own snowplows and plenty of them?
We are big babies like that here, but at least we have the excuse of not owning snowplows and conditions turning to black ice quickly.
My sister lives in Vermont so if I ever feel like bitching about the weater - I just call her and she'll set me straight in about two seconds.

[Peppergirl]

Doesn't Cincinnati own snowplows and plenty of them?
We are big babies like that here, but at least we have the excuse of not owning snowplows and conditions turning to black ice quickly.
My sister lives in Vermont so if I ever feel like bitching about the weater - I just call her and she'll set me straight in about two seconds.

Yes! Many, many snowplows. And salt-trucks.

Cincinnati is odd in that, although we get a fair amount of snow by Southern standards (we are just on the Ohio/Kentucky border), we simply.can't.deal. I've never been able to figure out why.

As evidenced by the 'OMG!!!!! 3-5 inches of snow! Eleventy!!!1111!!!' article in the paper.

[Voldine]

I live in Southern New England. Our winter is about as predictable as a schizophrenic politician with alzhiemers. (This is not a dig at anyone who suffers from any of those three conditions or combinations thereof!)

Nevertheless, I drive the full speed limit in a snowstorm because I know how to drive in one. I pass people on the highway doing 40 while I go at 60-65 MPH on my way to work, sliding maybe once if I tap the brakes too hard or hit a tiny patch of ice. I've driven in six inches of unplowed snow only to find that (place of employment withheld) was closed and nobody called me to let me know.

I will never understand the 'must buy everything' stockpile mentality. If the storm is bad enough you're going to LOSE POWER and all of that food will just go bad in your nonworking refrigeration unit unless you put it outside immediately.

If Rocks Fall and everyone dies, does that mean when Snow Falls everyone goes batshit insane?

[AnaKhouri]

I live just across the river from Cincinnati and while it seems to snow a lot to me (I originally come from just a little further south) it's never been dangerous or even particularly icy. Usually there is snow on the grass and none on the roads, thanks to the billion salt trucks that are always lurching around the highways (just ask the paint job on my poor car ).

[blas]

Irv is right. In fact, it's been warmer in certain arctic areas lately than it has been here. Take your pic, -30 degree wind chills for weeks on end, or foot after foot of snow.

What a bunch of wussies. Last month, it was snowing at least 3 days a week. Same thing last winter. And every time was at least 2-3 inches of snow. It just kept piling up and piling up.

[Chanlin]

IMO The only real danger about driving around the Cincinnati area when snow and ice are present is the fact that there are many many hills. Granted they aren't steep, but some people have driveways that clearly were not well planned out when considering the types of winters that typically hit the area.

But I agree, 3 to 6 inches is nothing. I've been visiting my Grandparents when similar storms have hit the area and they don't even bat an eye at such things.

For you Cincinnati dwellers who might be familiar with the area my Grandparents live in the Anderson township area.

[Iris Kojiro]

Yes! Many, many snowplows. And salt-trucks.

Cincinnati is odd in that, although we get a fair amount of snow by Southern standards (we are just on the Ohio/Kentucky border), we simply.can't.deal. I've never been able to figure out why.

As evidenced by the 'OMG!!!!! 3-5 inches of snow! Eleventy!!!1111!!!' article in the paper.

Speaking of snowplows and salt trucks, there was one storm that got so bad that the snowplows weren't even on the roads due to the horrible lack of visibility.

[Bandit]

I know the feeling.

I had the misfortune to drive through Cincinnati in a snowstorm in late 2007. The number of cars off the road was insane.

The kicker was one rocket scientist who tried to "snap" the driver's wiper blade to clear some ice off of it. Doing 50 mpg. On the interstate. The kicker was that he managed to pull the wiper blade RIGHT OFF the car.

Did he pull off at the next intersection to find a gas station or auto parts place? Nope. Just kept right on driving.

B

[Aramika]

This morning the weatherman said that there was a possibility of snowfall mixed with rain then turning to rain. I went to work this afternoon and it was PACKED! And this is Virginia! The area that I live hasn't had snowfall that accumulated more than 2 inches in at least 8 years! People are crazy to think that they could get snowed in here.

[Jules Of All Trades]

Peppergirl, your post cracked me up. I'm in Cincinnati too and have been watching the news on and off today. I grew up here so I'm used to the white death panic that everyone goes into when they hear that there's even a chance of snow.

My husband grew up in Montana and used to laugh at how insane it got here during the winter. Today he called me from his office and said "honey, it's supposed to snow...maybe you should go stock up on groceries and fill up your car with gas, and quick!" I thought to myself "Nooooooooo! They've gotten you too!"

Can you believe how many schools are closed tomorrow "just in case"? Fun stuff.

[VicSilver]

Peppergirl, your post cracked me up. I'm in Cincinnati too and have been watching the news on and off today. I grew up here so I'm used to the white death panic that everyone goes into when they hear that there's even a chance of snow.

Can you believe how many schools are closed tomorrow "just in case"? Fun stuff.

Things must've gotten worse since I lived there. Cincinnati is where I was born and raised, and most of the time, snow storms were met with an "Eh...we'll delay school for maybe an hour, but we have salt, and can still get you places!"

I live in Virginia Beach now. Last Monday, they were calling for 1-3 inches of accumulation. As of Sunday night (before the "storm" even started), local schools were already on a 1-2 hour delay.
Schools ALL OVER were closed the next day. Total accumulation?
Nothing. The storm never even hit us.

I'd prefer Cincinnati to this place when it comes to snow/ice/heck, even rain. It starts raining and suddenly everyone wants to leave work early due to all the accidents.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Can you believe how many schools are closed tomorrow "just in case"? Fun stuff.

Between the snow and the cold here, many school districts have already used up all their snow days.