Folks in Victoria, Texas, just off the Gulf Coast, weren't dreaming Saturday when they woke up to a white Christmas. They had one — the first in 86 years.
So far, so good, right?
They got a foot of snow! Holy Cow! That's a White Christmas.
Now, for the part that confused me.
quote: The last time Victoria saw a measurable amount of snow was 1973,
::gets out calculator:: 2004 - 1973 = 31
quote: when a tenth of an inch fell.
Ahh. Maybe a tenth of an inch isn't enough to qualify as a White Christmas.
quote: That's the same amount that fell on Christmas 1918, said Tony Merriman, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
'Scuse me? Wait, in 1918, 86 years ago, they had a tenth of an inch of snow. They are having their first White Christmas in 86 years. But, 31 years ago, they had the same amount of show that they had 86 years ago, but it wasn't a White Christmas?
Okay, yes, I realize that in 1973 the snow that fell must have fallen on a day other than Christmas. However, the way the article was written really makes you have to work to figure that out.
Or is it just me?
Here it is unedited.
quote:Town Sees 1st White Christmas in 86 Years
By The Associated Press
Folks in Victoria, Texas, just off the Gulf Coast, weren't dreaming Saturday when they woke up to a white Christmas. They had one — the first in 86 years.
Almost a foot of snow fell overnight to give Victoria a taste of what the country's midsection has been dealing with the past two days: winter weather.
An arctic front that swept through the Midwest hit Indiana and Kentucky particularly hard, bringing record snowfalls that snarled holiday travel and stopped last-minute Christmas shoppers in their tracks. More than a dozen traffic deaths and thousands of auto accidents have been blamed on the storm so far.
The last time Victoria saw a measurable amount of snow was 1973, when a tenth of an inch fell. That's the same amount that fell on Christmas 1918, said Tony Merriman, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service (news - web sites).
Okay, other than the fact that I'm nuts, that's really cool! They got a foot of snow for Christmas.
Well, I guess it's only cool if they wanted it. I'm sure there are going to be deaths, tons of accidents, ruined crops, ruined visiting plans, etc. But I just can't help grinning at the thought of the kids in that town outside making snowballs and snowmen for the first time in their lives. It's always fun to see someone whose never seen snow before experience it for the first time. The wonder is incredible.
Back when I was a Bible College intern, there was an exchange student from southern India - he had never seen snow either. You're entirely right to talk about the wonder. It was delightful.
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I believe that the last time they had any snow it was not on christmas. So it's been 31 years since they have had any snow and 86 since they've had any on Christmas.
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While going to Michigan Tech, I befriended a cool guy named Jim from Pakistan (well, his name wasn't ACTUALLY Jim, but i can barely pronounce, let alone SPELL, the real name)
One day we got decent snow, and he declared that it must be a horrible blizzard, when in fact it was just the big puffy snowflakes.
He was very confused when I began laughing cruelly.
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