When I was in the 2nd grade, only 8 years old, we learned that our school was closing due to winter weather. At first I remember feeling relieved that we got to go home early for the day, but we were then informed that we might have to sleep at the school overnight. We were told that this was because the snow had shut down all of the roads, none of our parents could come and pick us up from school. I remember sitting in one of the classrooms as slowly students would start to leave with their parents while I wondered if my brother and I would be stuck there all day. Eventually we ended walking to another students home with him and his parents, but what I originally thought to be a shortened day of school turned into an extended one. What I didn't realize at the time was the level of impact that only a couple of inches of snow did to Atlanta.
Traffic on the Highways
On Wednesday January 28th, 2014, a winter storm in the form of a wedge front moved in towards Atlanta. The storm was met by dry pockets which caused precipitation. By the end of Wednesday, a record number of 2-4 inches of snow had fallen in Atlanta and 1/4 to 1/2 inches of ice had accumulated. Three highways, I-75, I-85 and I-285 had all shut down to the storm. One reporter described the snow turning highways into parking lots. People were stuck in traffic on the highways for 24 hours. And unlike my situation in which I was able to get home, many other kids needed to sleep overnight because their parents were stuck in traffic. In total throughout the whole effect of the winter storm, there were 13 deaths. It is believed that 2-6 of these deaths were in the Atlanta area.
In hindsight this storm proved how unprepared Atlanta was for severe winter weather. And even though it may seem laughable that 2 inches of snow could do something to a city from the perspective of people from the north, the consequences in Atlanta were severe from unprecedented weather.
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