Stop and Smell the People

Behind the scenes in a newsroom as the snowstorm approached…

We knew Wednesday it was going to snow Friday afternoon through to Saturday evening. Forecast models were showing anywhere from 4 inches to foot.  That’s a big deal. A foot of snow will shut down Western Virginia.

We have four excellent meteorologists at our station. Their leader is Robin Reed. A man with almost 30 years of experience here in Roanoke. He’s seen it all. Forecasted it all. When he says it’s going to be big, it’s going to be big. On Wednesday when he alerted us to the approaching snowstorm he wasn’t impressed. He spoke matter-of-factly.

Thursday at our afternoon meeting of reporters, photographers and producers, Robin walked in and sat down to brief us. He no longer looked “matter-of-fact.” He said the forecast models have suddenly changed. That a foot of snow was now the low estimate. We could get as much as two feet!

I sat back in my seat and took a deep breath. Reporters and photographers started taking mental stock of their winter gear… boots, long johns, thermal socks…. Producers realized the last Christmas shopping weekend was now last weekend. The weekend ahead was going to be spent here at the station.

My News Director reserved a block of hotel rooms at the Courtyard Marriott next to the station. She knew some of the staff wouldn’t get home once the snow started Friday. We would be stuck at the station for the duration. Our Internet guru (a woman with whom I attended middle school in Ohio long ago) broke out a cot in her office. I set up a cot in my office… mostly for the weather team. On Friday morning, I packed up Anna and the baby and shipped them off to Charlotte. The family Christmas Party was Saturday night. We had no idea if I would make it.

Friday the snow started at 2 PM and stuck to the roads immediately. By Midnight we had a half a foot. I wasn’t going to make it to Charlotte. By Saturday morning we had a foot and a half.

Our news team met the snowstorm head on…. We were the only media to find our way to the stranded motorists north of Roanoke in Rockbridge County on Interstate 81. Our video led the CBS network news. It was a huge story… nearly 1000 people literally trapped in their cars and trucks and running out of fuel… and heat. Many started walking through 2-feet of snow and freezing temperatures trying to find shelter. The other TV stations in town, and the newspaper, missed the most important story in the storm. We were all over it.

Huge kudos to the Emergency crews and volunteers from that area. They got everyone out of their cars and to safety. The interstate is another story. It is still littered with vehicles. Today there wad a 20-mile back up still.

The worst is over. Anna and Crowley will hopefully make it back to Roanoke today.

Next problem? I’m way behind on Christmas shopping. A warning to my family… pray I didn’t get your name in the gift exchange.

On the upside. We’ll have a white Christmas!

Joy… MR