ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, January 23, 1997 TAG: 9701230066
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
And really, we haven't been slammed with The Big One yet. Who knows? Maybe we'll be spared this year. It's more likely, though, that we're past due.
So, here are a few tips to help you survive on the days when the mercury in your thermometer goes south, and some facts to let you know that as bad as it might get this winter, chances are it's been worse.
You think you have troubles?
"All highways leading out of Roanoke were today blocked by snow drifts, fallen poles and wires.... Hundreds of people were stranded in automobiles along the highways in Southwest Virginia. Many sought shelter in filling stations ... others remained in cars. Many slept on floors."
So it went on March 7, 1932, following the worst snowstorm in the region in years.
For sheer spectacle, however, it couldn't top the day two years later when huge ice floes broke apart and went sailing down the New and Jackson rivers - swatting away low bridges and sloshing river water over farmland and roads.
Following is a list of some of the region's worst winter storms.
Jan. 27-28, 1792: This one is called the "Washington and Jefferson Snowstorm," because both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson recorded nearly 3 feet of snowfall on their respective estates. Washington said it was "the deepest snow which I suppose the oldest living ever remember to have seen in this country." There is no record of how much snow fell in the Roanoke Valley.
Dec. 16-17, 1890: A snowstorm dumped 36 inches on Roanoke, killing at least one person, collapsing wooden buildings and putting the brakes for a time on a local real estate boom. Although it's unofficial (official records were only kept beginning in 1901) the 1890 snowfall still stands as Roanoke's worst.
March 2-3, 1960: The fifth snowstorm to hit Roanoke in two weeks was the worst since 1890, leaving behind 17.4 inches of snow. Four television engineers were stranded near the TV transmitters on Poor Mountain.
Dec. 25-26, 1969: A winter storm made this Roanoke's snowiest Christmas on record, with 16.4 inches.
Jan. 19-20, 1979: Described as the region's worst ice storm, it felled trees and power lines and left more than 100,000 people without electricity.
Feb. 11-12, 1983: A storm dropped 18.6 inches of snow on Roanoke, making it at the time the city's heaviest officially documented snowfall.
Jan. 22 and 24-26, 1987: Two snowstorms hit the city - separated by only two days - leaving a combined 33 inches of snow on the ground.
March 12-13, 1993: The "storm of the century" is remembered for its ferocity as well as its 16-inch snowfall. Drifts of up to 10 feet blocked Interstate 77, and 1,900 travelers were stranded in Bland County. The LancerLot - then home to the Roanoke Valley's hockey team - partially collapsed.
January-March, 1994: Three ice storms in three months repeatedly froze the region to a stop. At one point 200,000 people were without electricity, while temperatures plunged to 6 below zero in Roanoke and an unofficial minus 40 in Highland County.
Jan 6-11, 1996: Probably the real storm of the century, this one buried Roanoke under 22.4 inches of snow over the weekend of Jan. 6-7. A follow-up storm dropped 3.5 more inches several days later. - KEVIN KITTREDGE
Survival tip No. 1: If you can't beat it, eat it!
Try this recipe for...
SNOW CREAM
A 15 oz. can of condensed milk or heavy cream (not half-and-half)
2 eggs (optional)
1 tsp. to 1 Tbsp. of vanilla extract
2 cups sugar
New-fallen snow
In a large bowl, mix cream, eggs, vanilla and sugar to taste. Scrape off the first inch or so of new-fallen snow. Combine with cream mixture until right texture and taste. Add food coloring, if desired. Eat immediately.
This childhood treat is largely a matter of taste. Half the fun is making it.
- WENDI RICHERT
Tips from Click and Clack
Why is a full gas tank helpful in winter? Because it helps keep air out of the tank, which cuts down on rust.
Click and Clack, otherwise known as Tom and Ray Magliozzi, also recommend these winter tips for your car:
Make sure your battery and charging system are up to snuff.
Check the cooling system and make sure you have the right type of antifreeze.
Make sure you have plenty of windshield washer.
If you plan to drive around in the snow, get four snow tires, whether you have front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive.
In your trunk, keep a snow shovel, ice scraper and a bag of kitty litter or sand (for traction).
Keep a blanket and some extra winter clothing in your trunk, too, just in case.
Want more information from Click and Clack? Visit Cartalk's site on the Internet at http://www.cartalk.com.
- MADELYN ROSENBERG
Snow cream and a movie!
As winter rolls on and the kids become restless, more harried parents are turning up at local video stores. According to Dennis Bowles of Roanoke's Blowout Video, "Oliver," "The Aristocrats," "Aladdin" and "Matilda" seem to be good picks for children.
Adults are renting "The Rock," "Mission Impossible," "Independence Day," and "The Nutty Professor," Bowles says. "People don't want the craziness of winter weather. ... They would much rather be inside enjoying an action film in a warm setting."
- RACHEL BRITTIN
Survival Tip No. 2: If it's Play Dough, eat it, too!
Snow cream doesn't turn you on? The try this recipe for...
EDIBLE PLAY DOUGH
An 18 oz jar of peanut butter
6 Tbsp. of honey
Nonfat dry milk*
Combine peanut butter with honey. Add nonfat dry milk (*or use milk and flour combined) until the dough is the right consistency. Optional: Add carob or cocoa for a chocolate flavor.
- KATE KHALILIAN, ROANOKE
A shovel, a sled and a bag of ice melt
To prepare for winter around your home, it's best to get routine maintenance done before the temperature drops, said Harry Higgs, manager of The Hardware Store in Pearisburg. "Too often people don't insulate their pipes, and in cold weather that can mean broken pipes and no water."
Three things no home should be without: "A snow shovel, a little bag of ice melt for the steps and a sled for the kids," Higgs said.
- MADELYN ROSENBERG
Skin tips
Cold winter air fails to hold the humidity and moisture that summer breezes do and therefore tends to cause dry skin. The folks at Oil of Olay offer these tips for winterizing your skin:
Use a humidifier, boil water or place pans of water on the radiator to increase the humidity in your home. House plants also add moisture to the air.
Drink more water to keep your body well-hydrated and to replace water that evaporates from your skin.
Cover up with a scarf and gloves.
Avoid licking your lips. Use a lip balm to seal in moisture.
During the day, use moisterizer with sunscreen. UV exposure can be magnified by the reflection of ice and snow. (Oil of Olay also recommends using a cream moisturizer at night.)
Bathe with a mesh sponge to increase exfoliation of dry skin. Experts recommend taking shorter showers - two to five minutes - as opposed to long soaks in the bath. When washing your hands, use tepid water: warmer or hot water can strip away natural oils and moisture from your skin.
- MADELYN ROSENBERG
The woolly worm predicts...
Every year, people try to read the signs to decide how long winter will last.
One of the most common critters to look to is the woolly worm or woolly bear, a caterpillar that is often brownish orange at either end, with a black band in the middle. (In its adult stage, it becomes the Isabella tiger moth.)
This year, "most people have said they're black at the start with a light middle and dark at the end," said Ray Smith, owner of Smith's Grocery and Hardware in Copper Hill. That would indicate a rough beginning, mild middle and rough end to winter, he said. "I just go by what my customers say."
Virginia Tech entomologist Eric Day said the woolly worms' markings tell more about the summer than the winter.
"The markings do change year to year," he said. "The black band can be wider or take up more of the insect's body the longer they feed. If they had a good summer, if they had a good feeding, they get a much longer or larger black area."
- MADELYN ROSENBERG
The winter blues
How can you beat winter gloom while waiting for spring? The answer may be all in your head.
"Some like the snow and others absolutely abhor it," said Paul J. Woods, a licensed psychologist at Roanoke's Institute for Rational Therapy and Behavioral Medicine. "It is all in the way you think about it. ... People tend to create depression based on their own opinions of cold weather."
Psychologist Randy Flory offers a few suggestions for warding off winter blues.
"Increasing exercise and healthy eating are sure ways to help divert depression," he said. "Some people even use their Nordic-Tracks in front of a solar light panel."
Researchers use the medical term "Seasonal Affective Disorder" to describe one type of winter depression caused by a decrease in sunlight, said Flory, a professor on sabbatical from Hollins College.
"SAD is associated with the lack of the neurological chemical serotonin which is significant in mental activity," he said. "People don't realize they are light deprived. ... Some actually find themselves wanting to go to places like food markets and stores where light is brighter."
Light therapy, which may involve sitting in front of special light panels for 30 minutes a day, has been around for a while, Flory said, "and it's a good way to relax your stresses and keep yourself from falling under winter's spell."
Missy Cramer, a Hollins student from New Jersey, said she combats depression by keeping herself extra busy during the winter.
"I find if I sit around or take a nap that I feel worse," she said.
- RACHEL BRITTIN
Sprains, breaks and bruises
Accidents caused by weather are commonplace during the winter, says Cathy Stump, an emergency room nurse at Carilion Community Hospital of Roanoke Valley.
"Most people have come in with sprains, breaks and bruises from falling on the ice," Stump said. "There [haven't] been many sledding related accidents yet ... only four or five."
Avoiding the risk of injuries isn't too difficult, Stump said. "Common sense, is all it takes. ... If a person must go out, you have to be careful and plan ahead. Re-evaluating your decision to go out if you don't need to is a good thing to think about."
- RACHEL BRITTIN
Emergency shopping list
Disaster-preparedness experts suggest you have a week's worth of food and beverages on hand in case a storm knocks out electricity and contaminates tap water.
Check your supply of propane or charcoal so that you can cook and boil water if the power goes out. Gas stoves, grills or camp stoves are also good heat-source alternatives, but also stock up on foods that don't need cooking.
Here are supplies to consider as you make your shopping list:
A can opener.
Bottled water: 1 gallon per person per day.
Milk - shelf-stable, powdered or evaporated.
Fruit and vegetable juices.
Instant coffee, tea, cocoa and soft-drink mixes.
Sugar.
Canned soups, vegetables, stews and chili.
Canned tuna, salmon, clams and other seafood.
Canned chicken, turkey and ham.
Canned beans (baked, red, black and cannellini).
Favorite canned fruits (choose juice- over syrup-packed).
Spaghetti sauce.
Peanut butter.
Jelly.
Cold cereals.
Instant oatmeal, grits, rice and potatoes.
Dried fruits.
Pasta.
Crackers and snack foods.
Breads and bagels.
Shelf-stable pudding and gelatin.
Ketchup, salsa and mustard.
Mojo, Worcestershire, soy and hot-pepper sauces.
Bouillon cubes or granules.
Salt and pepper.
Plastic garbage bags.
Disposable plates, cups, bowls and cutlery.
Paper towels.
- ALMENA HUGHES
LENGTH: Long : 287 lines ILLUSTRATION: GRAPHIC: color photo, color graphicsby CNB