We need a better way of dealing with winter weather. (Atlanta: 2014, apartment complex)

[demonta4]

We just can't keep closing our city every time there's a chance of snow ( or any form of cold). We're just making ourselves look bad, closing schools and colleges for little reason. If government officials actually understood weather forecasts (which are pretty clear) we wouldn't be panicking every time there's a chance of snow.

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by demonta4

We just can't keep closing our city every time there's a chance of snow ( or any form of cold). We're just making ourselves look bad, closing schools and colleges for little reason. If government officials actually understood weather forecasts (which are pretty clear) we wouldn't be panicking every time there's a chance of snow.

I guess that the powers-that-be are just damned if they do and damned if they don't.

After what happened in January 2014, where people were stuck and stranded out on the roads for the better part of 2 days, it is better for government officials to shut everything down and not have the winter weather materialize than it is for government officials to keep everything open, have the winter weather materialize and have everyone angry that they got stuck in traffic and stranded out on the roads for 5, 6, 12, 20 hours or more.

Given what could happen if winter weather forecasts are not taken seriously, its probably better to be safe than sorry.

[primaltech]

It doesn't really matter. Winter weather is going to go the way of the dinosaur in Atlanta. Maybe a few decades left until anything below 32 degrees will be a rarity.

When I was a kid it used to snow a few inches every year, maybe 2 or 3 times per winter. and that just seems to be getting rarer and rarer. Major snow storm, and all we got was a light dusting, with very little ice, and it all melted quickly of course.

[evannole]

Originally Posted by primaltech

It doesn't really matter. Winter weather is going to go the way of the dinosaur in Atlanta. Maybe a few decades left until anything below 32 degrees will be a rarity.

When I was a kid it used to snow a few inches every year, maybe 2 or 3 times per winter. and that just seems to be getting rarer and rarer. Major snow storm, and all we got was a light dusting, with very little ice, and it all melted quickly of course.

There, you're mistaken, I'm afraid. Climate change, with warmer oceans, is going to result in much more moisture and energy being put into the atmosphere, which will make extreme winter events more common and more severe. Despite warmer AVERAGE temperatures, we will still get occasional bursts of cold Arctic air, and when we do, it will combine with this additional energy and moisture to give us more significant events.

Moreover, even if substantial improvements are made to transit, it's going to take decades for that to happen, and traffic and overall congestion here isn't likely to change all that much even with significant transit investment. So, yes, we still need to plan for winter weather.

[primaltech]

I guess it will depend on whether temperatures will be cold enough for all the moisture to be anything other than rain.

[MattCW]

The global warming science-denying garbage aside, all they have to do is look at the forecast. The weather models are pretty darn good within 24 hours or so, and most places don't make decisions until well within 12 if not 6. The forecasts all basically said no significant accumulation, and temperatures above freezing until late. Now, I know, that isn't the case across the entire metro area, but each county and city and school system should be able to do the same. The state is a bit trickier since there are state-controlled offices from Macon to Dahlonega (as far out as you can get and still be "Metro Atlanta"), but surely, someone can look at a map of temperatures, overlay that on a map of state offices, and make sub-regional decisions appropriately.

[sedimenjerry]

It's all about cost-benefit. My apartment complex up here in has their own snowblowers, salt, Bobcat bulldozer, etc to deal with the snow. We've even gotten the heavy duty trucks to come up here for a once through to plow and salt. Here, it's just an investment you have to make. Even the university has its own plows. Back in Atlanta, it would a ridiculous waste of money to make the same purchases. But then you run the risk of not being ready when it does actually snow. It's a real delicate balance and in a tax averse area with tight budgets, it's hard to get it just right

[sedimenjerry]

Originally Posted by MattCW

but surely, someone can look at a map of temperatures, overlay that on a map of state offices, and make sub-regional decisions appropriately.

Shoot, I could've done this for my GIS end of semester project last semester. Hey, now I might be able to get a job after graduation...

[AnsleyPark]

I'd rather my children get a free day from school than to spend the night in the gym.

[Newsboy]

Originally Posted by primaltech

It doesn't really matter. Winter weather is going to go the way of the dinosaur in Atlanta. Maybe a few decades left until anything below 32 degrees will be a rarity.

When I was a kid it used to snow a few inches every year, maybe 2 or 3 times per winter. and that just seems to be getting rarer and rarer. Major snow storm, and all we got was a light dusting, with very little ice, and it all melted quickly of course.

Well ain't that fascinating? Cause I also grew up in Metro Atlanta, and when I was a kid we rarely if ever got snow. We had a major ice storm in 1973 but only an occasion snow the rest of that decade if I recall. The winter of 1981 was especially brutal with a major storm in January of that year which paralyzed the city. But the next biggest storm of any consequence (and the biggest snowfall on record) didn't come around until 12 years later -- in 1993.

I could go on -- but a look back at the history of winter weather in Atlanta shows that it occurs no more frequently or infrequently than it ever has. We get one major event about every 2 years with a sprinkling of scares in between.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Atlanta