Snow Storm on the East Coast Affects East Tennessee
The Night the Lights Went Out in Erwin, Tennessee
Saturday. Snow is not an uncommon occurrence in East Tennessee, but this snow came down hard and fast. The snow started around 3pm on Friday causing hazardous conditions for people trying to get home from work. It did not take long for the ground, trees, and roads to be covered with snow.
I live in an area that is surrounded by the Cherokee National Forest, so there are plenty of trees. As the snow fell and stuck to the power lines and the branches of the trees, you could see just how heavy this snow was. At this point, I knew it was going to be a rough night. The Erwin Police Department sent out e-mail alerts at approximately 5pm saying, "Please avoid all non-essential travel! Stay inside if you can , all streets are snow covered and there are multiple accidents, street crews are working but overwhelmed at this time."
At 6pm I watched 11 Connects, our local news, to see just how bad things were around our region, and what to expect as the night went on. I was amazed at all the closings and car accidents that were being reported. But when 11 Connects reported that the Johnson City Mall had closed at 6pm on the Friday night before Christmas, I knew things were really bad.
Me and my 2 daughters were home alone, so we started getting things ready just in case the power went out because of the snow storm. We had flashlights, candles, blankets, and took the time to plan out where we would sleep in the event that we were without power all night. At around 7pm the power went out for the first time and then came right back on. This happened off and on until around 10:30pm, when it was off for about an hour. It stayed on for approximately 15 minutes and then went out again.
The kids and I slept in 1 bed so that we could stay warm. We had dressed warmly and were using several blankets since the temperature outside was in the upper 20s. The cold wasn't too bad. The silence was the worst part, you could hear tree branches cracking and falling from the weight of the snow.
The power came back on around 3am, and has only went out one time since then. We ended up getting around 7 inches of snow. It is beautiful outside, but it's hard to enjoy it with another night of the unknown looming ahead. I can handle the snow as long as the power will stay on.
It is still snowing and is suppose to continue throughout the night. Erwin, Tennessee is still under a winter until midnight. So once again, I have my candles and flashlights ready just in case we need them again tonight.
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Published by Stacy Hensley
Stacy is a SAHM of 3 wonderful kids. 14 yr old twins (boy and girl) and a 7 yr old daughter. She writes about many different subjects, but she is often led to write about subjects that are important in her... View profile
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7 Comments
Post a CommentI with you...I can handle the snow as long as the power will stay on. Thanks for sharing.
Wow! I love the pic. Definately adds a visual aspect to your article. Try and stay warm!
Heavy, wet, snow can cause so much damage. Hope you stay warm and safe!
Oh my gosh, stay warm!!
I hope everything is ok with you and your family tonight. I used to live in Eastern Kentucky and I know that some of those snow storms can get pretty bad. Good luck and try to enjoy the snow!
It's still on so far, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed!
I love that sound of cracking branches in the middle of the night, though not enough to trade electrical power for it. I hope the power stays on for you tonight.