I saw a fellow interviewed this morning who walked out to the highway and offered his home for folks to warm up and eat something. Glad to see the kindness people are offering.

Just can't even fathom that little skiff (to us) of snow paralyzing a city like that.
Everyone stay safe and warm.

Just in my county, Shelby County, there were 1500 children that spent the night at schools.

Looked out my dining room window, and the streets are wet from melting ice/snow. Refreeze tonight :o(

Just can't even fathom that little skiff (to us) of snow paralyzing a city like that.
Everyone stay safe and warm.

The acts of kindness have been wonderful....people opening their homes to stranded strangers, Krogers taking in people and feeding them meals, People passing out blankets, food and water.

Lots of ice here in NC Glenda. The storm was predicted to hit us and people were prepared, but travel is still a problem. The ice on the roads has melted a little today, but will freeze again tonight. Our office was closed today & I'm not sure it will be open tomorrow, especially for those of us who don't live in the city and have to commute over multiple bridges from another county.

It's not the snow, I think many people don't understand that. It was a massive sheeting of solid ice. Snow you can drive on. A solid sheet of ice will paralyze streets and hi ways. Especially in an area with hills and valleys. And not prepared for it since it was not forecast as a target area.
I lived in Denver we had many feet of snow but once you dig out you can drive. I lived in Oklahoma where we had some serious ice storms leaving several inches of solid ice on the road ways. There's nothing you can do on ice, you are at the mercy of the ice, and the terrain and other motorists trying to keep their vehicles out of the ditches and off the other cars. I have had to leave my car a few times at the bottom of the hill from my house and try to walk home on solid ice going uphill. It is a very scary and daunting task.
I learned to always have a big pair of men's heavy duty tube socks in the car. Put them on over your shoes and it provides some traction on the ice.

I feel so bad for those who got stuck in this horrible situation.

Thanks for the info raven!

Yep, that's exactly what we had/have.

Sheet of ice under the snow.

It's melted now and will refreeze tonight.

I have to get out, tomorrow, as I have things to do before Saturday. Like a mani/pedi, cash check, etc.

Black ice under a light layer of snow is deadly, Angelaid. What's amazing is that there hasn't been a large loss of life during all of that mess.

My sympathies for all who are living through this mess. That's what happens where I live. We so seldom get snow but when we do it's accompanied by black ice and a layer of ice on the roads.. Snow you can drive on, ice you can't. The rest of Canada laughs at us cause they don't get it.

CNN is giving major coverage to this and I understand it.

It is great to see when the best comes out in people!

We are used to dealing with snow and it usually isn't too much of an issue. Even ice is easier for us to live with. Our road departments can treat the highways before the storm even gets here..

...but sometimes Mother Nature can throw out more than anyone can deal with.

I remember DH parking his truck in front of our shop and it was a slight incline. He got out of his truck and the truck proceeded to slide away.... had to chain up after that.

We chain up (put chain sets on the tires) all our tractors, etc. when ice is predicted. We HAVE to have those ready to roll out of the sheds no later than 7 every morning - so they they are plugged in and have chains if there is going to be a lot of snow or ice.

Thanks for sharing that picture Glenda!

Do these problems happen in the south after such little snowfall because they don't salt the roads?

More northern places seem colder and snowier but their storms seem to cause less disruption. I'm completely ignorant about this, as a lifelong coastal West Coaster.

Good luck to everyone.

I love that picture Glenda. It really is so wonderful to hear of so many different people and businesses stepping up and helping where they can.

We get our fair share of snow and ice in south central PA. If you have 4 wheel drive you're pretty good to go as far as snow (unless of course you get 40" at one time like we did in 93') Ice is a whole different ball game. Luckily our state trucks are usually pretty good about getting treatment on the roads before it hits.....it's still no fun and very dangerous.

In areas where snow and or ice doesn't come..but once in a blue moon..it does seem pointless to be prepared with equipment and the cost of it sitting around for 10 years or more at a time, so I completely understand why these towns, counties and cities are "unprepared".

The upside to this weird "southern freeze" is that it's VERY temporary...and not likely to happen again for years and years and only lasts a few days!

Do they even sell chains in areas that were surprisingly hit? Lol... Probably not many places that keep them in stock..ever in the South.

I am always amazed that folks "have" to go somewhere. No travel when the conditions are so unsafe is worth it. Might not be comfortable to stay where you are for a night or two..but certainly is safer.

When our roads get un safe..we stay put..thankfully I live somewhere that occasionally get bad weather, so they are very prepared...sometimes overly cautious of late. But we just stay put until all the roads are clear.

I'm originally from an area that would get an occasional ice storm. I hated driving on it, chipping it off my windshield and chipping out my tires when they would freeze into the ice. Unfortunately, those kinds of areas don't have much equipment to deal with the ice and the roadways aren't built with the possibility of icing in mind so the occasional storm would basically paralyze transportation. I'm so happy to live in a temperate zone now.

We salt the roads here but if the system starts out as rainfall it dilates the salt and does very little to help and like. the others have said .its not so much the snow. In snow you can get traction. Its the ice under the snow, its the sleet mixed in with the snow and ice. Most places up North get large amounts of SNOW, not ice..Its a huge difference .

One thing all the northerners are forgetting (I was a northerner and spent over 7 years in Atlanta). There isn't the equipment to "salt the roads", "plow the streets", etc. Geez Louise - I 75 north of I 285 in Marietta is what - 8 lanes wide one way! Do you realize how many salt trucks it would take??!! North Georgia is very hilly too.

I do fault Atlanta and the surrounding areas on one thing - they had warning. Those schools should have been closed earlier (10:30 am) if not closed completely! Al Roker was pissed this morning when he said the governor and mayor said this caught them off guard. They had plenty of warning.

I can't imagine having a child of mine stranded in school overnight. Back at my school district in upstate New York, kids were stranded at school once in the early 80's. Now it's a "joke" to be Ichabod Craned - or closed on a forecast of bad weather. Better that than being unprepared or stranded or worse.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ichabod Craned

I lived the 1st 38 years of my life in NE OH. Snow and ice were a way of life in the winters. I've lived in the deep south for 25 years now. I am blessed.And will never live more than 30 miles north of I-10. But Atlanta and Houston (where I've lived)get those ice storms -- won't ever live their again. I'm feeling the pain of those people stranded . I have my own horror stories to tell. . .Everybody STAY safe! Be smart and be prepared.

The mayor of Atlanta had plenty of warning. They replayed the yesterday's weather forecast on the national news tonight. He should have turned on the TV. School should have been cancelled. It looked like a nightmare. Our schools here are cancelled at the drop of a hat, and we get much more weather events like that. In fact one day this week schools were closed because of the cold and delays the last two days.