A Gem In Time.

I live in Southern Alabama. By "southern," I mean only a 25-minute drive to the Florida border. My region is a "sub-tropical" zone, and we may see snowflakes once every five years, and that usually doesn't stick to the ground. Even a mild snowfall can shut everything down, as local governments don't invest in any snow or ice removal equipment beyond spreading sand on the bridges. So when the forecasts last week started hinting at a snow event, most of us shrugged and assumed it wouldn't happen. As the event drew closer, and the forecast models firmed up, it began to appear the Gulf South might actually get measurable snow starting Tuesday afternoon.
On Monday, the expected school and government closure notices were issued. Government offices told their workers to go home early on Tuesday. Social media was aflutter with people asking if certain grocery stores or Walmart would remain open. By Monday morning, the weathermen began to speak in terms of "historic." The forecast models began to move the dial from 1-3 inches to 2-5 inches of accumulation. This was going to happen; it was only a matter of how big and how widespread the winter storm would be.
By 11 a.m. on Tuesday, a thin wintery mix peppered the asphalt. The wind suddenly swirled out of the north with an unfamiliar icy bite. The thermometer began dropping at noon. I'd felt this kind of weather shift before, but in places like Omaha and Michigan, not Deep Dixie. We get hurricanes and heat waves, not blizzards. Yet, a blizzard is what we got.
The snow began in earnest about 1:30 p.m. It didn't stop until almost 9 p.m. Snowfall records were shattered across the entire length of the Gulf Coast, including where I live. I measured 9 inches at my house when all was said and done.
I wanted to hop in my truck and take photos all over my town. I knew that would be a bad idea. Roads quickly became treacherous and remain iced-over three days later. I settled for walking through the nearby neighborhoods and getting what shots I could. One set of images is primarily black and white and were taken during the storm, about 3 p.m. The other set was taken about 24 hours later and are in color.
We were fortunate. The ice storms missed us. The power didn't go out. I didn't have to drive in it. It's Thursday morning and I don't have to go into work. With all that said, a bit of magic came into our lives down here in the Wiregrass. I'm thankful for that magic, for the rare natural beauty and the few days my wife and I could spend together, alone, and in peace. The past few days were a gem in time.
The Wiregrass will likely never see this magnitude of snowfall in my lifetime. I felt it was important to capture it the best I could. For my northern friends who will look at the images and shrug and say "So what?", please try to keep in mind our perspective. Regardless, I hope you enjoy the images.