Snow in the South

Snow has been a hot topic of conversation in Charleston this week. Is it or isn't it? Will it or won't it?

I've heard the possibilities discussed in a million different ways and yet...no snow. In fact, no one even seems to be wearing coats. Now - it is cold. And people are clearly expecting snow on some level. But for some reason, coats seem to have disappeared in the south.

This is even more fascinating because about two months ago, when I was still wearing tank tops and shorts. People here began wearing uggs and north face jackets as if they were preparing for inevitable cold front. I was hot just looking at them. But now that it is actually cold, it's as if the entire population has changed their minds. Mother Nature called their bluff and they aren't having it. People are walking around in long sleeved tees and jeans while talking casually about the snow that may or may not ever arrive.

Very strange bunch these southerners.

Perhaps it's because they all keep their homes and offices at a temperate 75 degrees. They know that even if they're cold for a moment it won't last long.

Or maybe, like me at the moment, they just don't own winter jackets. Because although winter does come in the south. It doesn't stay long. And perhaps the vast majority of southerners prefer to just suffer through the two cold winter months and refuse to purchase a bulky winter coat that will take up a large portion of minimal downtown closet space. Or maybe they're all just nuts.


Can't wait to see what happens if it actually snows. Against my better judgment I'm going to go ahead and make a broad assumption and say that most Charleston residents don't have a whole lot of experience driving in the snow.

The bridges should be especially fun. For anyone that doesn't know. Downtown Charleston is a peninsula, so to get anywhere you have to use one of three very, very large bridges. I can only imagine the chaos that will ensue if any of those bridges becomes covered with snow and then thousands of terrified South Carolinians attempt to drive over it. Yikes.