William Taylor is pictured clearing ice from the handicap ramp at the Breeze office on Hurricane Creek Road. The frozen deposit was considerably thicker than the icy film which coated area roads and caused the closure of schools.

Tuesday, January 31, was a snow day for Putnam County Schools. Putnam County was not the first county to declare that its schools would not be in session. More than 20 other Boards of Education announced closures prior to Putnam’s announcement.

Putnam’s declaration did not come until after traffic was shut down on U.S. 35 by an accident in the Tuppers Creek area. Putnam Emergency Services Director Mikyle White reported that his department was notified of 12 weather related accidents.

The reason for the accidents and Putnam’s school closure was freezing rain. Freezing rain occurs when below-freezing liquid droplets turn to ice upon contact with road surfaces.

Snowless snow days are not uncommon. This winter, however, is uncommon. Despite below zero mercury readings in the days before Christmas and times in which the rural areas were clothed in white for several days, there has not been a measurable accumulation of snow.

Snow fall measured 14 inches in January of 2022, followed by an additional inch in February. There may be a genuine snowy snow day before old man winter goes into hiding.