3 Odd Things Learned from a Snowstorm

I’m Canadian. I still remember my youthful excitement for impending snowstorms. We’d get up to 48” of the white stuff at a time. The Province where I grew up (NB) gets over 9 FT of snow each year. Now, living in North Carolina, we can only dream of a few flakes in the air.

I’m not sure why, but snowstorms have lost their fun. Listening to the TV forecasters, you’d think that a snowstorm is like an impending whitewash of doom.

This week much of the East Coast got snow. As a communications guy, here’s what I learned from the freakish forecasting that I’ve seen on TV.

1. Big events usually come with warning. Ever heard of a surprise snowstorm? We talk about them for several days before they “hit”. Do you have a “big event” coming? Now’s the time to do something in anticipation. Set goals, create a plan, get assistance if needed.
2. Big events require a plan. If a big event hits without proper planning, disaster strikes. What’s the proper way to plan? There’s the “usual” ways; but it’s fun to watch creative ways. Just make sure you plan properly.
3. Big events eventually stop. The worst US snowstorm was the Chicago Blizzard of ‘67. It set records for snowfall in a 24 hr period (24”).  But it stopped the next day. All big events eventually stop. Then you can learn from them. Was the preparation enough? Exceed goals? Are you prepared to “dig out” from the aftermath?

Yes, my excitement for a snowstorm has waned. I’ve become accustom to southern living I guess. And I also know that a bad storm can kill. But almost always, it’s because of lack of preparation and not recognizing the power of the moment.

Learn from that. Don’t let your next “big event” kill you. Planning for it will make it child’s play.