Blog

Ten years ago, in the winter of 2014, Atlanta was the victim of what has now been dubbed the “snowpocalypse.” This was an extremely heavy and drastic snowstorm that fell over the city, starting on January 28^th specifically. The snowstorm came on heavily and quickly, leaving many who had been on the road in the afternoon trapped and stranded in their vehicles. It was an event that left significant trauma on the city and its residents, leaving people to still recover from the event ten years later. The day saw over 1,000 reported accidents, a state of emergency declaration, 2.6 inches of snowfall, and a full day of chaos.

Ten years later, the city and its residents reflect on the “snowmageddon.”

Some people have spoken about what the snowpocalypse experience was like. They discussed the memories they have of jagged lines of cars on the highways that had been abandoned by people fleeing to seek proper shelter. Also, they shared stories of how children were forced to spend the night at their school due to the weather.

Individuals also shared their own personal experience on the day of the storm. One local, Chris Dolce, said that he remembers the forecast and not thinking much about it because it suggested average numbers. He remembers that this was the case until the temperature remained below freezing, allowing the snow to build in ways it never did before in Atlanta. Another local, Jon Erdman, further discussed the freezing cold temperatures and how the climate created the perfect storm for a snowstorm. He went on to say that even though the 2.6 inches of snow seems minute, he strongly believes this is comparable to a blizzard happening in the Northeast; it was simply something the city was not prepared for.

People reported at least 6-hour lengths of time to travel ten miles on that day.

The storm was catastrophic to the city. There was around $10 million loss in value for property losses. This included damage to cars, pipes, houses, etc. Many have now learned to always be prepared for emergencies. Atlanta residents have come to accept that seemingly normal weather reports and forecasts may not equate to actually normal weather.