What's it like living in the SE?

[morgan98]

Yes, I agree that they don't have the resources here to deal with snow like they do up north. And yes, those extra days are built into the school calendar (they are up north too). But sorry, there is a bit of over reaction to the threat of weather here.

This is my 4th winter here and two days is about as far as I'd stretch it for the roads being bad after ice or snow. Typically they're fine within hours, mostly because it's normally warm enough here that the ground/roads don't get a hard freeze. Even when we got the worst-in-100+ years snow of 8" last winter, the roads were completely fine the day after. Which was perfect. Kids got to play, and then it all went away.

Yes, and schools around the metro are all closed tomorrow and government offices etc. It is almost like we want to create additional drama surrounding the Super Bowl!

I am from the lake effect snow belt of Northern Indiana/Southern Michigan originally and moved here almost 14 years ago at the age of 35, so I understand winter. But I also know that after the ice disaster of five or six years ago the school systems and the government are all scared of a repeat. Yes it is going to start to rain overnight into tomorrow morning and be well above freezing, it is even going to be sunny and above freezing tomorrow afternoon. But we are calling off school tomorrow due to the threat of refreeze that may happen tomorrow night at 7 or 8 pm. Seems that the bigger threat danger would really be Wednesday morning. And we may get a bit of something where we live (Kennesaw/NW Marietta) but I seriously doubt much is going to stick at my office downtown.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Good grief.....

 

[luvsJack]

Yes, I agree that they don't have the resources here to deal with snow like they do up north. And yes, those extra days are built into the school calendar (they are up north too). But sorry, there is a bit of over reaction to the threat of weather here.

This is my 4th winter here and two days is about as far as I'd stretch it for the roads being bad after ice or snow. Typically they're fine within hours, mostly because it's normally warm enough here that the ground/roads don't get a hard freeze. Even when we got the worst-in-100+ years snow of 8" last winter, the roads were completely fine the day after. Which was perfect. Kids got to play, and then it all went away.

I don't know, if I had thousands of kids that would potentially be on school buses when the bridges start to ice over, like the school superintendents do; I would take cancelling school very seriously. They do err on the side of caution and as a parent who had kids on those buses that didn't get off the bus until almost dark, I was very glad of it.

Sand is the best thing we have to put on the bridges and depending on when the rain starts and the freezing changes it, it becomes a slushy, slippery mess.

Starting late is always an option but not one they jump to. Parents have to work. They take the safety of kids who may have to be left alone so that they can catch the bus 3 hours later.

Our college president takes it serious too. We have student coming from well north of here. He takes their safety very much into consideration.

Its not an easy choice to close the schools and its not necessarily panic either.

 

[Cadiewampus]

Why’s that?

Just too densely populated for my taste. Also would take forever to get to work.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

I agree 100% with you. Lived in NE Ohio 30 years and it was 10+ too long.
Moved to KY and love it. If we move again it would be south, not north. Much more relaxed way of life here.
What's unique about this area is the diversity. Lexington is a great city, has all you need, things to do, etc. Head an hour east/south and it's like a whole different world. That's mountain living, sipping sweet tea on the front porch type place. We do have a Hazard, KY but the show was based in Georgia.

Unlike the rest of the SE, Kentucky is basketball. This is like campout for 3 days to get good tickets to a practice type thing. Football is catching up as UK decided to invest in the football program. Horses rule the area, and bourbon isn't far behind. Everyone is a UK fan outside of Louisville-it's something like I never saw in NE Ohio, it's a way of life here. Another thing is everyone in the SE roots for the SEC, even if their team lost. If I'm in Kentucky and they are out of the tournament, then we all root for whatever SEC team is left. We wore UK jerseys while in Alabama during a football game(UK wasn't playing Alabama). My Ohio family thought it was dangerous and we would get beat up(that was normal up there). Instead, we spent hours talking to folks with Alabama jerseys about how the football program is progressing and the upcoming basketball season. It was like an SEC family reunion.

You see everything at school, our son's school had redneck row in the back parking lot, it's where all the guys parked with their trucks. It was like a car show for high school kids during class. Hunting is huge, wild game dinners are popular(yuck). Culture drives things though. I hated my pickup, our son loves his. I hate hunting, he's gone in November for deer season(he's 19). I was raised in Ohio, he was raised in KY. Tattoos aren't that popular here, at least I don't think so. That's a northern transplant thing to me.

We moved from a town of 30,000 in NE Ohio to a town of 30,000 in Central KY, exactly 300 miles away, and it was total culture shock. Moving from Idaho to the SE will be the same. We visited the area we eventually moved to a few times to ensure it was a good fit for us-I'd strongly recommend the same. If you want rural, mountain areas, you have it. If you want big cities, they are available too. If you want the beach, there's a couple thousand miles of coast. One thing I will guess is that you will be sporting attire of the state school you move to within a year of relocating.

Isn't it interesting how 2 people can view a place so differently? I moved to Kentucky from North Alabama 15 years ago, and I think this state is awful. I live in Lexington and it may be the most boring city in existence. Bourbon, horses, basketball, and tobacco are all anyone cares about ( oh, and drugs. they love their drugs)

It is not southern at all, no southern hospitality, just a lot of rude people. Teh educational system is abysmal.We have one of the lowest high school graduation rates in the nation. I am miserable here and I can't wait to get out.

 

[Christine]

Yes, I agree that they don't have the resources here to deal with snow like they do up north. And yes, those extra days are built into the school calendar (they are up north too). But sorry, there is a bit of over reaction to the threat of weather here.

This is my 4th winter here and two days is about as far as I'd stretch it for the roads being bad after ice or snow. Typically they're fine within hours, mostly because it's normally warm enough here that the ground/roads don't get a hard freeze. Even when we got the worst-in-100+ years snow of 8" last winter, the roads were completely fine the day after. Which was perfect. Kids got to play, and then it all went away.

I'm not as far south as you but I agree that there is an overreaction to weather (I am in the DC area). I think it's fine when the schools closes even with a little "weather" on the ground, but they go too far. I'll have gotten back to work for 2 days with perfectly clear roads and they schools are still closed because it seems like there cannot be one patch of ice on a sidewalk or school driveway. I don't get it. I was born and raised in this area, including all my schooling and we rarely got the amount of days off as now. It's just incredible. Granted, we did sometimes have to walk to a bus stop and wear our boots and traipse through some not-perfect sidewalks. It seems like there's a lot of overkill but I guess they are now worried about lawsuits.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Isn't it interesting how 2 people can view a place so differently? I moved to Kentucky from North Alabama 15 years ago, and I think this state is awful. I live in Lexington and it may be the most boring city in existence. Bourbon, horses, basketball, and tobacco are all anyone cares about ( oh, and drugs. they love their drugs)

It is not southern at all, no southern hospitality, just a lot of rude people. Teh educational system is abysmal.We have one of the lowest high school graduation rates in the nation. I am miserable here and I can't wait to get out.

Oh definitely. Take any place and ask one person what they like best about it and some other person will cite that very thing as what they like LEAST.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Atlanta 'suburbs'... Really??? Hahahahaha!!!!
No 'suburbs' in that show.
This just shows how erroneous and screwed up some peoples knowledge or perceptions can be in the face of stereotypes and prejudices.

Actually street scenes depicting the county seat for Hazzard County were in fact shot in Covington, which is about 30 miles outside of downtown Atlanta. That is about the same distance as Acworth or Lawrenceville.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Had to laugh when you mentioned northern Minnesota We are going through a brutal cold spell. Tonite will be -27, tomorrow a high of -21 and that doesn't even count the wind chill. But these cold spells usually don't last more than a week. This one is going on 2 weeks and no end in sight.
I don't even want to think about how much our electric bill will be this time!

-27. Hbbbbbbb bb b b b b b b b b b b b.

 

[_19disnA]

In parts of the country where they don't often gets snow/ice storms, it makes sense to plan ahead and either cancel school/work ahead of time. In the north, they have the snow plows/salt and are equipped for such events which happen frequently. It doesn't make sense for cities in the south to spend on equipment they will only use once a year or some years not at all. I think it is wise for places like airport to cancel flights ahead of time to avoid stranding people at those hub cities.

 

[disneyseniors]

-27. Hbbbbbbb bb b b b b b b b b b b b.

I can't believe I'm writing this, but here it is: -26 with wind chill temperature of -55 to -60!!!!!!! Wow, that's cold even for Minnesotans
tomorrow is going to be worse, no kidding...…………..time to stay in and try to stay warm. Our electric bill is going to be close to$500.00 this time! Was close to that last month!
Why do we live here again??? Oh, wait, it's the kids and wonderful grandkids

 

[Klayfish]

In parts of the country where they don't often gets snow/ice storms, it makes sense to plan ahead and either cancel school/work ahead of time. In the north, they have the snow plows/salt and are equipped for such events which happen frequently. It doesn't make sense for cities in the south to spend on equipment they will only use once a year or some years not at all. I think it is wise for places like airport to cancel flights ahead of time to avoid stranding people at those hub cities.

No, it doesn't make sense to buy snow removal equipment...but as has been said the level of "caution" down here is flat out silly.

Schools were cancelled here in the Atlanta area because there was potential for a few flakes to fall today. No planned accumulations, just a brief snow squall. They were predicting it from about 10am to noon, with temps staying above freezing the entire time. No school. Here I sit at 1:30pm...a flake never fell, it rained. Now the sun is out. Sigh.... Wish they did that for school when I was a kid.

 

[morgan98]

No, it doesn't make sense to buy snow removal equipment...but as has been said the level of "caution" down here is flat out silly.

Schools were cancelled here in the Atlanta area because there was potential for a few flakes to fall today. No planned accumulations, just a brief snow squall. They were predicting it from about 10am to noon, with temps staying above freezing the entire time. No school. Here I sit at 1:30pm...a flake never fell, it rained. Now the sun is out. Sigh.... Wish they did that for school when I was a kid.

For the record, this was not a case of the weather or forecast changing. It was always hit or miss for snow this morning, it was always going to be above freezing during the rain and it was always supposed to be sunny this afternoon. I get that towards evening it will be at freezing or a bit below, but after the sun warms the ground and dries most everything, the ground is not going to freeze in five minutes as soon as it hits 32 degrees.

Maybe they should have cancelled after school activities to get everyone home before dark. But cancelling the whole day by mid-day yesterday was crazy.

I am waiting to see if there are delays or cancellations tomorrow in case their is a puddle that freezes overnight.

 

[luvsJack]

No, it doesn't make sense to buy snow removal equipment...but as has been said the level of "caution" down here is flat out silly.

Schools were cancelled here in the Atlanta area because there was potential for a few flakes to fall today. No planned accumulations, just a brief snow squall. They were predicting it from about 10am to noon, with temps staying above freezing the entire time. No school. Here I sit at 1:30pm...a flake never fell, it rained. Now the sun is out. Sigh.... Wish they did that for school when I was a kid.

Years ago they waited until the very last minute to decide to close. They wanted to see if the actual weather came. And you had superintendents making the decision at 5:30 or 6:00 am AFTER the bus routes had already started. So if your kid was the first one on the bus, there was ice on the roads and they waited till 30 minutes later to call it; how would you feel?

They aren’t worried about the middle of the day when the kids are school. It’s the times they are commuting to and from school.

We are home today too. But it was forecast for snow starting at like 4 am to 8 am. The cold air came after the rain had passed through. Should they have made the decision at 4 am? Or maybe at 8, once they got there? And this afternoon/evening they have to commute back home. Ground is wet and temps are expected to drop quick. Should they just take a chance of buses being on the road when the bridges start freezing?

I don’t know what they do in Georgia but here they meet with Emergency Management and they go by their suggestions. They don’t just make off the wall decisions. More goes into the decision than just how much snow falls or doesnt fall.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

No, it doesn't make sense to buy snow removal equipment...but as has been said the level of "caution" down here is flat out silly.

Schools were cancelled here in the Atlanta area because there was potential for a few flakes to fall today. No planned accumulations, just a brief snow squall. They were predicting it from about 10am to noon, with temps staying above freezing the entire time. No school. Here I sit at 1:30pm...a flake never fell, it rained. Now the sun is out. Sigh.... Wish they did that for school when I was a kid.

They do that in several places. But if you look back into the history of most of them, they got caught flat footed at one point in the past and have learned that discretion is the better part of valor when it comes to these things. It's a lot harder when you're in the transition zone between rain, ice, and snow as places in the south frequently are. Would you rather have some false shut downs when they weren't needed or would you rather kids and their families get caught out because the county got caught flat footed because they weren't cautious.

 

[morgan98]

They do that in several places. But if you look back into the history of most of them, they got caught flat footed at one point in the past and have learned that discretion is the better part of valor when it comes to these things. It's a lot harder when you're in the transition zone between rain, ice, and snow as places in the south frequently are. Would you rather have some false positives or would you rather kids and their families get caught out because the county got caught flat footed because they weren't cautious.

I am not trying to be argumentative, but there is cautious and then there is too extremely cautious in my opinion. Rain when it is 45 out is not going to freeze. This morning when I drove to work from north of Atlanta it was 49 degrees out. Then the sun was supposed to come out, then at dusk it should be around freezing. The forecast hasn't changed. People did not need to rush to the grocery store and barricade themselves in the house all day.

The problem is this happens often enough that it does get an eye roll. I was here during the 2014 storm and it was a huge, disaster, no doubt. But it really was a perfect storm that day. However, the timing of how all of that with down with the timing of when the snow started, when the temperatures dropped and how everyone left at once will probably not be replicated. It was sort of the perfect storm, so to speak. I guess the way to avoid that happening again is just to close everything if it is supposed to rain and it is below 45 out.

 

[Minnesota!]

Both my & DH's families are from the southeast & have lived here for multiple generations. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else!

My mom is from Alabama, & my dad is from Georgia. We live in southeast TN, right on the TN-GA line & kinda right smack dab in the middle of everything, about 2 1/2 hours from the Gatlinburg area, 2 hours from Knoxville, 2 1/2 hours from Nashville, 2 hours from Huntsville or Birmingham, & 2 1/2 hours from Atlanta. And 6 hours from the nearest beach... which is too far!! (I'm a beach girl!)

When it comes to geography, our mountains aren't as tall & craggy as the mountains in the West, but there are plenty of places for camping & hiking & boating - so many different outdoor opportunities! Our landscapes are a bit different & greener. And the horizons, perhaps, aren't as expansive as what you'll see in the West. Our spaces are, maybe, "closer" & not as wide, if that makes sense. But, here, you can find place like as diverse as Reelfoot Lake to the Smoky Mountains & lakes, rivers, forests, waterfalls, swamps, valleys, caverns & caves, bayous, meadows, etc.

I don't like tornadoes, &, seemingly, "tornado-alley" has moved a bit east. However, while we do have tornadoes, most of the time, they're aren't as large or as high on the F 1-5 scale as they are in the midwest. Where we live, the tornadoes & thunderstorms come up from Alabama, but they mostly (mostly!) fizzzle out before they get to our area. Where we are, we also often get the remnants of hurricanes that come up from the Gulf as tropical storms/depressions.

(As an aside, I don't know what it is, but people that live in our area actually joke about it - weather tends to happen all around us, but not to us. It's like we're in a bowl. For example, it will snow to our north, to our east, to our west, & to our south, but we'll get nothing.)

I love the South & would never want to move away. DD is currently attending a liberal arts college w/ students from all over, & I've (jokingly) told her, "Don't you dare find & fall in love w/ someone not from the South!" I know the South sometimes has a bad reputation - but that's just from people who don't get it. And no matter what people tell you, not every guy who lives in the South is an illiterate, tobacco-chewing, backwards "good 'ol boy" w/ a truck, a tattoo, & a gun. However, we do like our guns & the SEC! LOL! The SEC is more popular than the NFL & the NBA.

The humidity, the culture, the bugs, the myths, the food, the stories, the literature, the people, the music, the land... I love it all.

Winters are mild, & snow days are magical. Everyone gets excited at the possibility of snow! We have a possible snow day predicted for this coming Tuesday, & everyone is rushing to the store to get bread & milk & eggs! Spring comes early with an explosion of flowers & allergies & pollen. (And, in between winter & spring, are Dogwood Winter & Blackberry Winter.) Fall is pumpkin farms & football & wearing sweaters & boots even though you're sweating like a sinner in a church. And summer... summer is my favorite! The days are hot & & hazy & humid, & the cicadas are singing. The nights are sultry w/ the smell of night blossoms in the air & lightning bugs twinkling the sky.

There's a saying that goes, "North is a direction. The South is a place." And it's so true!

So much literature & music comes from the South, & there's a reason for that! And, yes, parts of our history are not pretty, but we have such a beautiful mix of cultures here... and it all combines into the mystique that is the South.

And the food! You won't find food any better than the South, & there has been a southern renaissance when it comes to food w/ a lot of up & coming & award-winning chefs & restaurants. Oh, & BBQ is a food - not grilling hamburgers & hot dogs on a grill outside on the patio.

And there are so many different museums & historical places to visit - perfect for a homeschooling family. There are also cultural centers w/ theatres & festivals. We homeschool as well, & there is a very active homeschooling community where live. In our area, there is a children's museum, an art museum, a zoo, & an aquarium, & all offer homeschool programs. Our 2 older children took art lessons at the art museum through its homeschooling program. TN, I think, is considered a mid-range state when it comes to homeschooling laws, but I've never had a problem. We are registered w/ an umbrella school. I don't have to notify the local school system or anything like that. DD graduated high school last year, scored high enough on her ACT for an academic scholarship, & had no problem being accepted into college. Older DS is a senior this year, also scored high enough on his ACT for an academic scholarship, & won't have any problem being accepted into college next fall.

While I really like the area where we live, we have family that live in the Biloxi, MS area, &, after visiting a few times, DH & I both discovered we absolutely love the LA/MS/AL Gulf Coast area & hope to move there eventually - DH just needs to find a job there! I adore New Orleans!

But I do think the Gulf Coast area is more humid than the Atlantic side of Florida.

That was beautifully written! I can feel the love for your location through this post! Thanks for sharing!

Moving to the south has never looked so good...as I (like disneyseniors), stare out at the bleak, grey skies of our -8 temp, -34 windchill day. I am over it. O V E R. 41 years of this ish and I am just DONE.

 

[Klayfish]

They do that in several places. But if you look back into the history of most of them, they got caught flat footed at one point in the past and have learned that discretion is the better part of valor when it comes to these things. It's a lot harder when you're in the transition zone between rain, ice, and snow as places in the south frequently are. Would you rather have some false shut downs when they weren't needed or would you rather kids and their families get caught out because the county got caught flat footed because they weren't cautious.

Yes, there was the "icemageddon" or whatever that happened here...once...5 years ago.

You can try to rationalize it, but having been born and raised in areas that get snow, the "think of the children" caution here is taken to an absurd extreme IMO. Yes, there is minimal snow removal equipment here. So if it's going to snow and stick more than a coating, stay home. But that almost never happens here. Closing due to a potential snow shower when the temps are above freezing is insane, IMO. They're still saying they will "monitor" to see what to do tomorrow. ???? It's sunny and 40 degrees outside right now.

EDIT: Sorry, to answer your question...no I don't want as many false shut downs. Yes, send them to school on a day like today.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

No, it doesn't make sense to buy snow removal equipment...but as has been said the level of "caution" down here is flat out silly.

Schools were cancelled here in the Atlanta area because there was potential for a few flakes to fall today. No planned accumulations, just a brief snow squall. They were predicting it from about 10am to noon, with temps staying above freezing the entire time. No school. Here I sit at 1:30pm...a flake never fell, it rained. Now the sun is out. Sigh.... Wish they did that for school when I was a kid.

Well, the issue, which I’m sure you’re aware of is that if it DOES hit, it has the potential to turn a 1-hour commute into an overnight stay in your car.

And because these things are such an infrequent occurrence, even “ridiculous over caution” is going to result in no more than a handful of lost school days per year.

 

[JaxDad]

Well, the issue, which I’m sure you’re aware of is that if it DOES hit, it has the potential to turn a 1-hour commute into an overnight stay in your car.

And because these things are such an infrequent occurrence, even “ridiculous over caution” is going to result in no more than a handful of lost school days per year.

Yep. And you have to consider the winter driving skills of the bus drivers AND the general commuting population. If just one bus full of kids slides into a ditch, and it is considered at all weather-related, they would be getting much worse criticism than they are now.