Cate Casparius ’19

It’s a known fact that winters can be brutal in some parts of America but for those who can’t deal with the plummeting temperatures in these cold months, escape the chills to warmer weather found in the southern states of the country. However, nor’easter storm, Grayson, targeted not only the north east but the east coast.

According to constant updates on Weather.com, “Grayson was one of the heaviest one-day snowfalls on record in both Savannah, Georgia, and Charleston, South Carolina.”

Temperatures also dropped below 40 degrees in Florida and in Tallahassee, northern Florida, people experienced their first snowfall since 1989.

In an article written on The Washington Post, scientists blame climate change for the abnormal weather patterns in the East.

“Research by Diffenbaugh and his colleagues have suggested that at least one odd winter weather pattern affecting the United States of late is getting more common in a way that might be related to a changing climate,” the article suggested. They’re referring to this as the “North American winter temperature dipole”. This is a winter situation in which the Western regions of the United States up to the Rockies are warmer than normal while the Eastern region of the country is abnormally cold.

Will Rosenthal ’19 is studying climate change and its effects on the planet in a few classes. He mentioned that his “greatest fear of climate change is that it will disorient the way people live.”

In South Carolina, the state experienced its second snowfall of the season so far. “Charleston International Airport picked up 5.3 inches of snow Jan. 3, making it the third-heaviest one-day snowfall on record there,” according to Weather.com. Due to the inexperience of these weather conditions, there has been hundreds of crashes  on snow and ice covered roads reported and four people dead.

Current University of South Carolina student, Mikayla DiDonato ‘17 mentioned that the warm weather typically found in South Carolina was a persuading factor for her in choosing a college. “All of my school friends and I can still hardly believe that it’s snowing there, even after seeing photos,” DiDonato said. “It’s going to be weird going back to similar weather as home since I was so excited to go back to warmer temperature.”

States of emergency were also declared in North Carolina and Virginia due to the conditions from Grayson. Nicole Welch ‘17, current attendee at the University of North Carolina mentioned that weather wasn’t a deciding factor in her decision to attend UNC, however the fluctuation of temperatures is a hassle. “To be honest it’s kind of annoying. One day this fall It could’ve been 50 degrees and the next 90,” Welch said.

The inexperience of dealing with snow in North Carolina also came as a shock to Welch. “It’s funny because it snowed down there a few days before the first snowfall up here,” she mentioned. “The school didn’t cancel classes but sent out a ton of emails about how important it is to stay safe in these dangerous conditions and I couldn’t help but laugh because the snow was nothing compared to what we get up here.”