People in northeastern Tennessee have a hard time coping when it comes to the cold and snow. In modern times, cold weather and snowy conditions are handled very differently than they were 15 years ago. I remember being a kid and school NEVER closed. In modern times, schools have changed and close more easily for bad weather.
A freezing cold morning recently in my TN home.
It Was 3 Degrees One Morning This Week!!!!
From my memory, I remember it being a rarity for the temperatures to go below 20 degrees in my hometown. My town is in this sheltered spot where all the surrounding towns get snow but we rarely get a shower of white. For it to be this cold is weird and difficult to cope with.
Homes, clothes, and our culture isn't use to dealing with such low temperatures. Because of the freezing weather, every day life is affected and the cold is forcing many people to slow down or put off daily activities.
Forgot my water bottle outside! Frozen solid.
15 Degrees or Below? Schools Canceled or Delayed
This week several of the area schools have had multiple days where they have closed due to the cold. We don't have any snow...just daily low temperatures around 17 to 20 degrees and nightly temperatures less than 10 degrees.
The schools that are closed are the more rural ones. I assume the schools don't want kids walking to school or waiting outside for the school bus in freezing temperatures. Parents might be having trouble with their cars or their own work delays because of the cold.
The city schools are on two-hour delays. By delaying the start of school, time can pass so the day can grow warmer as the sun rises. City schools rarely close but they do delay start times for inclement weather or extreme cold.
Right now, with the cold weather it isn't unusual to see students missing class. Even though there is no snow on the ground, the freezing temperatures are causing problems like parents having car trouble, students being unable to walk to school, and numerous other issues.
Frost on our deck rail.
My School Experiences Living In South Dakota
I lived in South Dakota for three years and it was such a fascinating experience to see how a culture where snow and low temperatures is the norm. I have very fond memories of bundling up in my thermal underclothes, warm clothes, and thermal coat and walking to school. We lived around 15 minutes from the university. I would walk to school in negative temperatures but I was toasty warm with all my thermal clothes on.
I remember going to school after blizzards and deep snowfall. In three years of knee deep snow and frigid cold temperatures school never closed. Weather often defines cultural practices and for me to experience South Dakota culture was incredibly fun and interesting.
South Dakota. The only pic I have of the roads with snow still on them after they've been plowed.
Tennessee Culture Isn't Use To Cold and Snow
In South Dakota they used sand on the roads to provide traction when it snowed. They plowed the roads but never plowed all the snow. There was always a layer of snow on the roads. In Tennessee they use salt to melt the snow. They plow all the snow off the roads. When we get a lot of snow the city often runs out of salt. The roads wind around the mountains with curves and narrow lanes. Snow and ice means extreme danger. Even though they salt the roads and plow, the roads are still often slick and dangerous.
We don't have stores that sell thermals like in South Dakota. In South Dakota we had an awesome store with a great winter clothes department. The thermal under shirts and pants were amazing! I could wear the underclothes under jeans and a simple long sleeve shirt and be toasty warm. The jackets they sold were very thin but they were insulated. I was surprised a simple, thin jacket kept me incredibly warm.
Here in my hometown they don't sell the same products. Sometimes you can find thermals at Walmart but they aren't as good a quality. The coats you see sold at thick and puffy. The products you can buy for clothes are designed for normal Tennessee winters....that means they aren't made for extreme cold.
Ice on the car hood.
Even My Limits Are Tested!!!
I love the cold but I'm having a hard time coping. Our house isn't made for the cold. It is old and drafty. We've been hunkering down in two rooms and have the doors sealed off with blankets to keep the heat concentrated into the living room and bedroom. I can't walk barefoot in the kitchen because the floor is so cold. I'll be glad when we get back into the 20s and 30s. I don't have any of my South Dakota coats or thermals anymore and I'm missing them dearly.
Photo credit: all photos are my own.