The small sleepy town that I grew up in, and the town my parents still reside, has been hit hard with winter storms this year. I often explain to people that although I grew up in Idaho, we were not usually buried in snow. Yes, it snowed every year, but it never lasted long – just the way you want snow, right? It’s fun to have a fresh white blanket on Christmas morning, and then two days later you’re over it.
My mom sent us a picture on Christmas Eve with their cars covered in a large amount of fresh snow. It looked dreamy – at least for Christmas eve. It looked as though they had met the annual average snowfall of 10″ in one shot! And then she sent more pictures a couple weeks later.
Unfortunately, the snow just kept coming. And coming. There was concern of the river flooding due to a large ice jam and warming temperatures. That fear was never realized as the ice jam broke and the temperatures stayed low. But the snow didn’t let up. The roads remained icy and school cancelled. Church cancelled. Day after day after day. The snow accumulation is more than the area has ever seen and many of the buildings have collapsed from the weight of the snow. Every day, the news reports school cancelled once again and more buildings that collapsed. It has been devastating to the entire valley.
Everyone is ready for some relief and hoping the rest of the winter comes in mild. To add to the current concerns of the situation – all that snow is going to melt and make for some serious flooding. In addition to my hometown, I’ve lived in eastern Idaho and Wisconsin where we experienced serious snow storms and never have I experienced snow as damaging as this. I think my parents may be ready for a visit to Arizona.
