snow and the city

Before moving to Brooklyn, I had heard rumors about East Coast snowstorms and their ability to paralyze cities. Since arriving in January though, I've had incredible luck with the weather. There haven't been any storms of substance, there was no snow on the ground and the weather seemed to be trending toward spring. I pitied the friends and family I left behind, who have been stoically dealing with the ice storms, negative windchill and stinging, whipping snow characteristic of the upper Midwest. My down-filled winter coat and badass trapper hat lined with rabbit fur have sat sadly, neglected and unworn, in a cardboard box. To me, New York winter has been almost as pleasant as a tropical vacation - all that's missing are the mai tais.

Things changed. In the last 24 hours or so, New York received its biggest snowstorm of the winter. Some parts of the state saw 14 inches of snow since last night, the New York City public schools granted thousands of schoolchildren their first snow day in five years and some businesses with commuting employees stayed closed. People were all but hunkering down in their bomb shelters with cans of rationed peas. And I'll admit - I, too, was hesitant to venture outside. Until I saw the snow.

These were the treacherous conditions that warranted a city-wide snow day? The offending snow was light, fluffy and could be swept, rather than shoveled, off Brooklyn's brownstone stoops. I mean seriously: it was not even packing snow. What's the point of a snow day if you can't make a snow fort?

I had no choice but take on the demeanor of a world-weary, 80-year-old Wisconsinite. This is the cause of the city's mass shutdowns? Schools in my state essentially never cancel classes due to winter weather conditions, because bad weather is so common that nothing would ever get done. UW frequently doesn't even bother to shovel off its buildings' sidewalks and stairs! I've experienced my eyelids becoming literally frozen shut in negative temperatures. I walked to school barefoot, uphill both ways, in a raging blizzard, dammit!

But I digress. To be fair, I guess it makes sense that people in a city that rarely receives much snowfall would be unused to driving - or even walking - in snow. Snow days (especially Monday snow days) are unquestionably good for morale. And life as we knew it didn't completely pause: I was able to take a functioning train, with only one 20-minute delay, up to SoHo, where I went shopping in delightfully uncrowded shops. Score one for the girl willing to hit the stores in a midday snowstorm!

And finally, a confession: despite my 21 years' experience confidently trekking through the snow and ice of the Wisconsin tundra, I slipped while standing in the subway - in an extraordinarily embarrassing fashion, I might add - not once, but twice. Apparently no one, no matter their hardy background, is immune to the combined forces of water and gravity.