It’s Snowing!

All my life I’ve heard about the snow of 1940.  I can truthfully say that this was before my time. Apparently, there are still many Virginia folks around who remember this big snow because we are still being reminded of it.

I understand that 21.6 inches of the white stuff fell in Richmond in January of 1940. The weather forecast was for a heavy snow but no one could have predicted the outcome.  You see,  in 1940, radar, computers and the internet weren’t available for predictions of snow amounts.  Now, we hear the forecast from the west coast to the east coast and around the world with half-hour updates!

People in the Richmond area and other Virginia cities were stranded and the hotels were quickly filled.  Buses, cars, taxis, and streetcars were at a standstill.  It took many days for everything to get moving again.

From an old News Leader newspaper report, one Richmond, Virginia worn-out snow removal worker commented, “This is a clean snow; clean up to your neck.”

This past Monday reminded this reporter of the description of the snow forecast of 1940.  The temperature was in the 20’s on Monday, the skies were very overcast and the air felt dry; just right for snow.

This reporter has often heard that because of the “snow” word and the memories of folks, at the first mention of an impending snowstorm, the local supermarkets would be full of customers buying mostly milk and bread.

It happened that I was in the Keysville area for a class on Monday and got to see firsthand the parking lot full of cars and the busy shoppers at the local Food Lion. I just couldn’t believe my eyes!

I only thought I’d pick up a fresh loaf of bread.  I have never been in a crowd like that before a snow!  Most folks had bread, milk and sandwich meat in their carts as they lined up to check out.  Amazing!  It was the 1940 snow story all over again!

As I was standing in the express lane, apparently the snow began to fall outside because comments were heard all around, “Look, look, it’s snowing.”  It’s wonderful to see the smiles and to hear the excitement about snow.

Going back to history, it also seems that on Veteran’s Day, November 11, 1940 (called Armistice Day then) a blizzard hit Minnesota with a vengeance.  By the time that snow finished on November 12th, Minnesota had 16.7 to 26 inches of snow with 20ft. drifts!  1940 must have been the snow year!

Virginia had “missed the bullet” this year when it came to snow.  The storms went north of us, east of us, etc. but now we are getting our first snowfall of 2015.  As I write this column at 4 p.m. on Monday, “outside the snow is falling, the baby is a-crawling, and none’s on the way” – a parody from Loretta Lynn. (ha!)

Take care, stay in, stay warm, eat soup, read a good book and watch the snow.  It is beautiful!