We had our first snowfall of winter today. Being from Louisiana it's not a familiar site either to me or to many in Portland, as snow in Portland itself is rare (though it snows often just outside the city in the hills and mountains surrounding it). Being a snow amateur I have some amateur observations about the reactions those unfamiliar with snow have to it.
People here react hysterically, excitedly, with great anticipation when told that "snow is on the way". It mirrors how people on Louisiana react to news of an impending hurricane. In both cases there is both a practical dread of damage or inconvenience the storms may cause and a child-like desire to see what the snow or hurricane will do. They love and hate it. Wait, I thought passionate love and hate was only in romantic relationships... Anyway, it's the psychology of irrational reaction to an impending event whose effect is unknown.
When I was doing my usual morning grocery shopping trip yesterday I saw mobs of people excited, their eyes glowing widely with wonder, about the "big snow" they just knew was coming. Uh, problem is, the "big snow" was forecast to be nothing more than a trace or light dusting (In the end, it was a little more than that). The anticipated bigness grew from the citizens' wants, not from the meteorological science. It seemed that everyone in the grocery store bought supplies in a volume that they would never need (I saw one shopper buy three loves of bread), purchased I think as a kind of motivation for the snow to be as big as they wanted.
Hmmmm If we buy extra supplies the snow would not dare disappoint us by not showing up for the party. A local newscast report stated yesterday that sled sales had skyrocketed in hope that the snow would allow winter fun. Snow tire chain sales wee breaking record yesterday. You get the idea. We want to play kin snow and will do anything, including being irrational, to get it
Well, meteorologists and their TV stations also love to fan the flames of snow events because the ratings go up when people believe there could be snow and that they must be "ready" for it. In New Orleans, whenever a hurricane is even many days away TV stations there also practice the "scare them" method by broadcasting a every doom and gloom possibility that the hurricane might have if it happened to hit the city in the most unlikely scenario possible. I think TV weather casters love storms more than anyone.
Another thing that happens when it may snow, almost snows or snows is that people drive their automobiles as if they were racing to a hospital emergency room. There is a sense of urgency to their speeding in two opposite directions. First they drive recklessly because they are afraid they will miss the snow the so badly want to see. They want to make sure they are out of their cars when it comes. The other speedily , reckless snow drivers seem to be trying to get where they want to go before the snow impedes them. "I have to drive like a fool and put everyone's lives in danger so I won't put myself in danger by driving on top of a few drops of snow." It makes no sense.
So, If you happen to hear it's going to snow, I suggest you hop on a plane and rest a while in the tropics.
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