I was born in Southern California, and I grew up in Mississippi. Other than the ten years I spent living in Illinois and Maryland, I’ve always experienced what the majority of the country terms mild winter weather. When I realized I was leaving Maryland to move back down South I looked into my shed for things I’d need to take with me, and I was more than a little joyful to leave my three large snow shovels behind. While sometimes I may long for a white Christmas, in my heart I’m a southern gal, and I’ll take a Mississippi winter any day.
Southerners, like most things, do winter a bit differently than everyone else. So here’s ten ways you know it’s winter in the south.
1. It’s not unusual for the temperature to be a high of 30 degrees on Tuesday, a high of 70 degrees on Wednesday, and a low of 17 degrees later that night.
2. No, we don’t know how to drive in snow, and we’re just fine with that.
3. Cause we’re making snowmen! They may have twigs and leaves hanging out of them cause it was just a dusting, but by golly, errybody gonna make a snowman. Then we’ll share a proud pic of it on Facebook.
4. Speaking of Facebook. It’s full of self-proclaimed meteorologists. Just in case you didn’t know about the severe winter weather advisory, just tune into Facebook.
5. Cause we’ll be freaking out. Yes, we freak out at the threat of a wintery mix. Most of us can remember what it’s like to go a week without power thanks to downed lines from an ice storm. So you really can’t blame us.
6. Just know we’ll run to the store, though, and buy the whole place. You can never have too much milk and bread, after all.
7. But we don’t forget the Eagle brand milk. Snow cream is a southern delicacy.
8. The fact is most everything closes in the case of inclement weather. Except Walmart and the local hospital, that is. The hospital gets the casualties from folks doing donuts in the Walmart parking lot.
9. Speaking of Walmart. In the south it’s common to see women there in boots in the summer, but also shopping in shorts and flip flops in the winter.
10. We will complain all summer long about how humid it is. We’ll beg for winter. But the second that temp drops below 50 we’re all screaming, “I am freezing to death.”
To death!
The only thing that probably gets us through the struggle that is cold (to us) weather is football! The majority of southerners will face the cruel elements head on to see their favorite college team play. Or a Christmas parade. We’ll pull out the scarves and toboggans for that too. But after football season ends you better believe we’re chomping at the bit for spring, and when it rolls around we’ll be singing her praises. Spring only plays second fiddle to the cherished weather that is fall. But that’s a pumpkin-spice-flavored blog for another day.
Ruthie says
Yep! That’s about right!
Dave Parsons says
Southern Georgia is just about the same as Mississippi! I like the cold better and wish it would stay around more! No sweat, no bugs and the grass doesn’t grow! But, this is home! Speaking of California, I loved the weather along the northern coast and the southern coast line was nice except for being too congested! I have to keep summer and winter clothes handy here in the winter! You just never know!