This is just a short note to let you know that I have not posted any articles to The Gate recently because I lost access to the Internet due to the winter storm which impacted the greater Atlanta metropolitan area.
I Finally Have Internet Access Again — and Photographs of Snow.
Being without Internet access was inconvenient at best; but being without electric power for 5.25 hours was somewhat surreal, as I have never been without power for that long — no matter where I lived. I have been quite fortunate, come to think of it…
…but during that time, I had no contact with the outside world — other than my mobile telephone. The roads were impassable; so I could not go anywhere. Equipment to clear accumulated snow in the greater Atlanta metropolitan area is not as plentiful as in regions located in the northern United States, as significant accumulation of snow is rare and not worth the cost.
I had everything I needed; so I did not need to go out — except to clear a path through the snow.
While I was outside, I felt more like I was somewhere in New England instead of in the southeastern United States — in a peaceful and serene winter wonderland.
I have experienced being without power for a significant length of time in other places, however — such as when I volunteered to assist in the cleanup of the Mississippi Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina devastated it back in 2005, as one example.
Other Effects of the Winter Storm in Atlanta
Tens of thousands of people remain without power, as at least six inches to up to a foot of snow had accumulated and blanketed northern Georgia — a rare event for this part of the United States which has not happened in decades. Some roads and highways remain closed due to icy conditions; and schools in many areas will be closed tomorrow, Monday, December 11, 2017.
At one point, as many as 150,000 people were without electrical power.
Many trees and branches had fallen from the weight of the snow; while others were severely bent out of shape.
One man died after being electrocuted by a downed power line.
Delta Air Lines alone had canceled almost 1,400 flights during the weekend, with some flights delayed today.
Summary
My experience obviously pales in comparison to other weather events which have occurred in 2017; but it is good to be back. I am thankful that the situation was not worse. Fortunately, I was not traveling to or from Atlanta at the time.
Now I will attempt to catch up on the news and get back to posting articles here at The Gate…
All photographs ©2017 by Brian Cohen.
