The year 2020 has certainly ended with an unexpected twist. I won’t dwell on the long list of things that happened throughout the year, and will focus on what happened this week instead. Of course, I’m doing it from home, as I can’t seem to figure out how to get out.
A vehicle remains under a pile of snow on North Avenue on Friday. (Photo by Wendy Post)
With 44-inches of snow measured, and to the best of my knowledge, area residents have been faced with a new challenge – where to put the snow.
On Wednesday, when the initial storm warning arrived, it was almost like crying wolf, with many figuring that the predictions would be wrong. But little to our surprise most woke to find snow blocking every access that would lead them outdoors.
In a photo on social media, and in the early morning hours on Thursday, a resident walked alone in downtown Owego and in the middle of the road – plowing along, buried up to their waist in snow. Another photo showed what appeared to be a wall of snow as a resident opened their back door for a glimpse.
Donna Day, who lives just over the border in Pennsylvania, recorded 44-inches of snow outside her door last Thursday. Newark Valley has New York’s record snowfall with the same amount, 44-inches. Provided photo.
County and Town offices began to close for the day on Thursday and Friday, and the Sheriff’s Department, urging travelers to stay home if possible, and alerting residents to the severity of the situation, issued a State of Emergency for the county.
Throughout the day on Thursday, cars that attempted to travel could be seen around the county – most in a snow bank or ditch. This was the case as well for those with snowplows; the extensive snowfall, which was four times as much as some areas around the state, and fell in less than 15 hours, left officials scrambling to deal with the snow’s removal. In fact by Friday morning some secondary roads were not accessible.
This car remains stranded at the end of George Street in Owego. (Photo by Wendy Post)
I honestly don’t remember a snowfall of this magnitude. Some recall snowstorms in the 90’s, and I recall the storms in the 70’s, and during my childhood. We would build forts and tunnels, and play in the snow for days.
With the pandemic going on, the storm made it simple to social distance. Maybe we’ll even see each other again – beyond the storm, beyond the pandemic.
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