A Crisis of Snow

Well, it is official. Louisiana, Texas, Georgia, Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama have all gotten more snow this winter than we in Tidewater Virginia have seen in the past three years.

As a Mid-Atlantic state, Virginia suffers somewhat of an identity crisis. The northern reaches of our state, well under the influence of Washington and within sight of the Appalachian Mountains, feel a strong connection to the Northeast. They also see snow on a regular basis, which bolsters their affinity to all things North. In Tidewater Virginia, however, we border North Carolina. Although there are also Camden counties in New Jersey and Georgia, I believe the Camden county just south of the Virginia border in North Carolina is the setting of My Name Is Earl. In Tidewater Virginia, we have Pungo, a small region that loves big trucks, mudding, and the Confederate flag. We are a beach economy, and one of the most passionate issues is whether our big trucks should be allowed on the beach.

This doesn't sit well with many locals, who yearn to be North. They reenact Revolutionary War battles and overlook Civil War conflicts. They construct shopping centers with faux New England architectural facades. They cling to our wintry climate to connect with their New England brethren. They need snow. They have to have their fix of that cool white powder to feel Northern.

So we have Snow Hope indexes on the local news. We close schools in anticipation of snow. Our weather guy pins a snowflake to his lapel if there is a hint of snow in the five-day forecast. It kills us to know that there is snow on the ground right now in Jackson, MS. We cried when we saw a New Orleans streetcar rumbling through the snowy streets in December.

Please let it snow. We've sat through the sub-freezing temperatures patiently. We've put up with the 35-degree rain showers. Please, just an inch. Let us see white.