Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

As all of us can attest to the fact that southwest Georgia has its share of wild weather, from hurricanes and tropical storms to tornadoes and floods to even snow. At times, there have been extreme temperatures ranging from a low of -17 degrees, which was recorded on January 27, 1940, to a high of 113 degrees which was recorded on May 17, 1978. I thought that today we could tackle the snow storms that have come down to our area. Since this means cold, we will need pecan pie and hot coffee as well as something to burn.

Here in the South, hurricanes are the devil that we know. At first warning, we have water stocked up for two weeks, batteries checked, flashlights for every room in the house and Moon Pies in the cupboard, plus a goodly supply of gas for the generator. For us, snow is a whole other animal. We do not like the mention of the s- word. It usually means slippery roads, logs in the fireplace, cold weather clothes like heavy coats and the dreaded heavy boots. To those who live up north, the word snow means something different. It means shoveling from dawn to dusk, putting snow tires and chains on vehicles, as well as cancelling any plans that involve driving.

Here in Southwest Georgia, our snow is along the side of the road and is caused by cotton blowing out of those big wagons that are transporting the white, fluffy stuff. However, up north, a snowfall is deceptively white and beautiful, for a very short period of time. Usually, by the next day, it is has become a disgusting shade of brown. The texture is like cold goo, which then turns into a coal black, slushy pile. All of this is caused by the sand and salt that is immediately applied to the falling snow and plowed to the side. It is not picturesque nor pretty, not to even mention what it does to your vehicle. Also, I can’t imagine anyone wanting to lie down and make a snow angel in it!

We also need to mention the low temperatures. I always hated the ritual of dressing up just to take out the garbage or get the mail. This brings about memories of dressing children for playing out of doors. It was like getting an astronaut ready for a blast off into space. You needed to have a vest, sweater, flannel shirt, earmuffs, mittens, which are much better than gloves in the cold weather, and an additional wool scarf to “mummy up” the bottom of the face. Next, comes the two pairs of socks, the outer of which is very thick and woolen. These fat feet then went into heavily lined boots that were specially insulated to keep your tootsies warm and sweaty.

All of this was not just for protection from the low temperatures. This mainly was because of the wind-chill. You could get frost bite in a matter of minutes on exposed skin, if you weren’t properly dressed. Also, you needed to keep moving so that your blood flow made it out to your appendages because frost bite usually starts with fingers, toes and the tip of your nose and earlobes. You had to watch out and if you should lose feeling in these areas, you needed to go to a warm place.

All of this brings up another difference, in regards to the temperature. For me, if it plummets lower than 70, I begin to look forward to the balmy days and if it is below 50 degrees, I want to hole up. I’ll turn on the television or get out that book I’ve been reading, wrap myself in my micro fiber blanket and land in my recliner. I really prefer that artificial chill brought on by the ice tinkling in my glass of tea. If it does get below 75, I will make a crock pot of chili.

However, even though we are in the Deep South, Decatur and Seminole Counties do not escape the wrath of winter all of the time. Available records reveal that in February and March, 1835, in Bainbridge, there were several snows, the heaviest being 8 inches deep! Similar snows followed in 1854, 1885, 1945, 1946, 1947 and on into more modern times.

As I was doing my research, I came across several stories about the snow in our area. The first one was on February 20, 1899. It told of a typical family that lived in a log house which had a fireplace constructed with a stick and dirt chimney.

Naturally, it being cold weather, they had a glowing fire in the fireplace. However, during the night the snowflakes began to fall, which gradually became much heavier and much thicker. Later, that snow began falling very hard. As the wind picked up and blew with very strong gusts, the snow started coming down the chimney and through the cracks in the house. The situation became so intense that the Daddy had to put out the fire. He then took the oil cloth off the kitchen table and covered the chimney to keep the snow out.

Meanwhile, the Momma put the children to bed and stacked all the quilts and bed covers the family owned on top of them. As she did this, she stuffed newspapers between the covers for this made a great insulator. I have heard from folks who had to keep warm in this way, that having all of these covers was so very heavy that they could not roll over. Once on your back, this is where you stayed. However, being protected in this way, everyone managed to stay toasty throughout that night.

When the family awoke the next morning, the snow was piled in drifts in their yard that were three to four feet deep. Sadly, most of their farm animals, including calves, sheep, goats, hogs, chickens and ducks were found lying in the snow, frozen.

The snowfall of 1899, brought about some other stories that were passed on by word of mouth by the older residents of the day. One recalled how Dr. Waddell, a pharmacist whose business was located on Water Street, took the wheels off his carriage and rode the children around town.

A more modern snowfall of measure occurred on February 12, 1958. Bainbridge and all of southwest Georgia became an overnight winter wonderland during this stormy night. The white stuff started to come down on Wednesday at 7:10 pm as a mixture of sleet and light snow flakes. As the night went on, the flakes grew heavier and wetter. This was about around 9:00 pm and the storm maintained a steady pace until 2:30 am on Thursday. The storm resulted in an accumulation of 2 inches.

When the residents awoke that morning, they were in awe at what they saw. Some said it was a, “rapture of whiteness such as the majority of the citizens had never seen before”.

Children as well as their parents rushed outside into the snowy yards and within seconds were building snowmen or throwing snowballs. Others were walking all around and were snapping pictures of this unusual site.

At noon on Friday, it was still so cold that in spite of the brilliant sun that had been shining all morning, snow could still be seen in many areas. This added immensely to the beauty of the Christmas card like mid-winter scene but did not warm your feet.

Friday, February 9, 1973, was when there was the next significant snowfall. It began after midnight and continued to around 11 am on Saturday. This storm brought an accumulation of 9 inches!

Residents became excited and everyone was in a festive mood. At Jake’s Pawn Shop, there was an ample supply of snow boots because he had ordered them during the snow storm of 1958. The ones that did not sell were put in storage. Now, these sold quickly to thankful customers.

A couple of families were the envy of the town since they had sleds. However, many were very inventive and slid down the snow-covered banks over at the by-pass on pieces of card board. Perhaps, parents had the best time because they were free to act like kids again.

The prize for the “Most Beautiful Show in the Snow”, went to the broad-leafed magnolia trees which put on a most stunning display with their shiny, brilliant, dark green leaves against the background of white.

Someone documented this in their diary: “At 8:15, Saturday morning, two sparrows were spotted walking across Willis Park into the shrubbery, their heads were bobbing and their short legs straining for speed. Their expressions seemed to say that they wanted to know who, exactly, was responsible for this condition!”

There were so many snow men that you could not even count them. Of course, everyone was claiming that theirs was the biggest. Snow fights were also popular as they were taking place throughout the town. Local gas stations turned out to be the most popular locations for these to take place.

However, there was an even more modern snow storm that occurred in 1993 which became known as the Great Blizzard of ‘93. It hit the southeast, then went up the entire eastern seaboard dragging with it, record breaking low temperatures, snow and howling, hurricane force winds. Some places called it the “Storm of the Century” and others called it the “Superstorm”.

An unknown fact about this blizzard is that, while it was howling around our house up north, we made the decision that the time had come for us to move to the South.

This Great Blizzard began in the mountains of New York and New England, early in the morning on March 12th. It then picked up intensity as it moved down through the Mid-Atlantic States and took its frustrations out on Washington DC. It buried the North Carolina Mountains in an unheard of 50 to 60 inches of snow and ice before moving into Georgia and putting Atlanta in the cross hairs. Television weather forecasters who predicted flurries and light accumulations had to eat crow, when an official 10 inches fell over this city making it look like a giant, cold marshmallow from outer space.

Panicked shoppers stripped supermarket shelves of milk and bread. The city’s hilly streets were like a car ride at the county fair, as drivers with no chains or snow tires hydroplaned and collided with each other in the snow, then advancing to sliding on black ice.

Travelers on the snowbound Interstate 75, between Atlanta and Chattanooga, Tennessee, abandoned their cars and took refuge, some for nearly a week in motels, churches, schools and also relied upon the kindness of strangers.

Atlanta and other Southern cities where average mid-March temperatures are in the 50s and 60s, and once or twice a year snow falls of an inch or less making, for a brief day off, became paralyzed by a foot deep snowfall accompanied by Artic cold.

Southward the storm continued on and went to dusting Macon, Augusta, Valdosta, Savannah’s picturesque squares and fountains as well as the gators in Okefenokee. Here in Bainbridge, dogwoods and azaleas, and camellias, seduced into bloom by balmy spring like temperatures before the storm, were cruelly ambushed. They became crusted with a light dusting of snow which was enough to hurt the blooms. Those who had left their sprinklers on during the night found that they had created a wondrous waterfall. The accumulation of an inch was enough to cause havoc on the roads for drivers unaccustomed to driving in this type of weather.

Even though Bainbridge had its share of the blizzard, luckily it was nothing compared to what some others received. And, when the storm blew itself out, refugees came out of hiding and swapped their war stories.

Since I have lived here, I have seen some snowflakes float through the air. However, one time, there was a light accumulation on our palm trees. Dale and I were in awe of this for it was something we hadn’t seen for years. Once, we actually went outside and took a boat ride to say that we had boated when there was snow on the ground!