The Snow of 2008
December 11, 2008

On this day, south Louisiana, especially the north shore and Hammond area, had quite an unusual winter snow storm. Beginning about five in the morning, and for five continuous hours, the wind blew and snow fell across the area, turning our world into a winter wonderland.

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Snow piled onto tree branches that were unprepared to hold the weight of that much snow. If you stood outside while it was snowing, you could hear the branches cracking almost constantly. Oak and pine branches were broken everywhere.

Powerlines snapped, leaving most of the homes and businesses without power for days. Some people pulled out the generators again, but this time it was not for a hot-weather hurricane, but for a cold-weather snow storm! That was a first! People with fireplaces and a stockpile of firewood were fortunate enough to have heat in the midst of the severe cold.

Because it started so early in the morning, most people stayed home from work and school. That in itself was a blessing. Roads were eventually completely covered with snow, and bridges became icy and unsafe for people who are not used to driving in the snow. By the time it was over, the storm had dumped a total of eight inches of snow!

When the snowfall stopped, the snow began to fall from the trees immediately. By that afternoon, the branches had no more snow on them. The snow was also melting from underneath. 

December 12, 2008

 

 The next morning, the sun was shining, the snow was glistening in the sun, and there was still four to five inches of snow on the ground everywhere.