The Blizzard of 2009
During the winter season of 2009, the East Coast of the United States experienced a record-breaking snowfall. Up and down the coast, nearly twelve states received two feet of snow or more in one snow fall (Stark). On December, 18, 2009 a moist, low pressure system in the Gulf of Mexico began moving towards the east coast while high pressure kept to the north of the Mid-Atlantic. This caused snow to fall the evening of the 18th in the Mid-Atlantic. The snow continued throughout the following day. The blizzard strengthened while moving north resulting in heavier snowfall from Maryland to Maine. It covered the region in 16-22 inches of snow. This one snowfall roughly matched average annual snowfall totals of many major cities (Beaven). As a result of the blizzard of 2009, schooling and jobs, communities, and holidays throughout the eastern coast were affected in many ways.
For many, the blizzard of 2009 put life on pause. People were not able to get through the door to go to work or even let children continue with their schooling. With workers clearing the sidewalks, roadways, and highways while citizens weren’t allowed to venture out, plenty of days of school were canceled while employees of various job sites weren’t able to show up to work. Many communities went without power for days at a time making it unsafe also for businesses, schools and driving to occur. The Frederick County Public School’s policy states that when the roads aren’t safe for the children the, “Transportation Department may recommend to the superintendent of schools or designee that all schools dismiss early,” or be closed (Office of the Superintendent). Meaning if the roads, sidewalks, and parking lots aren’t cleared then no school for Frederick County Public Schools.
Unfortunately, during bad weather, such as the blizzard of 2009, accidents on the roadways and airline delays are to be expected throughout the communities. Virginia, alone, blamed the two feet of snow for at least five deaths, thousands of traffic accidents, closed roads and airports, deserted stores on the weekend, and power outages before Christmas (Stark). McKinsey Harris, a commuter from western Virginia to Washington, D.C; stated, “I’ve seen overturned cars, tractor trailers sliding off the road. I had no idea how to handle this weather and I have now been stuck in it for almost 24 hours” (Stark). After the storm moved out, unplowed roads with blowing snow continued to make driving very dangerous for the next couple of weeks. Police responded to more than 2,900 traffic accidents and disabled vehicles in Virginia, and nearly 1,000 drivers were stranded on multiple highways. Rescue workers were called to drive along side roads offering drivers/riders transportation to nearby shelters (Stark). Authorities throughout the Washington, D.C., Virginia and Maryland areas, ordered residents to stay home to give public crews a chance to plow roads and major highways for safety reasons. Many still ventured out into the wonderland causing more work for the workers; endangering themselves and others around them. Airports closed or delayed flights leaving many air travelers stranded and sleeping on terminal floors hoping for a flight. In a lot of cases, airlines could not promise everyone would be home on time for the holidays.
Due to the road way conditions and canceled/delayed flights, the 2009 holiday season was altered for many travelers either traveling to or trying to escape the east coast. Airports outside the storm zone were affected as badly as the airports within the zone. The many airports weren’t able to receive flights from or able to land in the east coast (Stark). The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey stated, “… about 1,200 flights were canceled Saturday and Sunday at the New York region’s three major airports” (Stark). Imagine how many flights were canceled throughout the entire country as well.
The blizzard of 2009 was just the starting point of the 2009-10 winter season for a lot of the United States. A couple months later another blizzard hit the East Coast adding to the piles of snow remaining from the previous blizzard in 2009. Yet again, the cycle of the blizzard effects started all over again. Schooling and jobs, communities and holidays were affected but the blizzard of 2009 will always be in the memories of many.
Work Cited:
Azpiri, John. "Blizzard 2009 Snow Totals: New England, DC, NY, NJ Snow Totals." NowPublic. NowPublic, 20 12 2009. Web. 19 Oct 2010. <http://www.nowpublic.com/environment/blizzard-2009-snow-totals-new-england-dc-ny-nj-snow-totals-2541969.html>.
Beaven, Colin. "Historic Mid-Atlantic Snowstorms and Placing the Blizzard of 2009 in Perspective." Colin Beaven (2009-10): n. pag. Web. 18 Oct 2010. <http://www.colinbeaven.com/Writing/More/Historic%20Snowstorms/Historic%20Snowstorms.html>.
“Office of the Superintendent.” "FCPS." FCPS. Frederick County Public Schools, 04 02 2009. Web. 27 Oct 2010. <http://apps.fcps.org/dept/legal/regulations.cfm?152910821132356427Nav=|&NodeID=367>.
Stark, Lisa, John Ryan, and Michael S. James. "Home for Christmas? Travel Still Snarled After Deadly Winter Storm." ABC News (2009): n. pag. Web. 19 Oct 2010. http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/Weather/blizzard-2009-travel-snarled-deadly-winter-storm/story?id=9384561&page=1>.
Nice topic, That was a pretty unforgettable winter.
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