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An Editorial Opinion of The Lowndes Signal

On Sunday, the last remnants of snow from Winter Storm Enzo melted away. It is hard to imagine how the frozen precipitation survived five days in Alabama temperatures that topped out in the upper 50s by the weekend.

Our elders used to say that snowfall in Alabama lasting more than three days in the sunshine was a forecast of more cold weather, and possibly another snowstorm, coming soon. Such wisdom, while not entirely based on science, was born from careful observation, a marking down of “if, then” scenarios and a large dose of respect for what “the old folks” said.

All around Lowndes County, local residents shared their snow pictures with The Lowndes Signal. Some captured the first few flakes of snow on Tuesday, others the peak of snowfall. On Wednesday we welcomed snapshots of community members playing in the snow and on Saturday, were delighted by the images of snowmen still hanging around to provide a joyful reminder of our short-lived winter wonderland.

Saturday afternoon, in the bright, warm glow of a cloudless day, some shady hillsides were still covered in white. The phenomenon may have been a herald of the next snow possibility predicted to arrive in mid-February but was more likely the result of what scientists call a microclimate.

The climate condition known as a microclimate played a significant role in the long life of local snowmen. Often found in shaded areas or near bodies of water, a microclimate is a small area influenced by factors such as soil, vegetation and topography where conditions differ from the larger scale of weather conditions surrounding it.

We don’t see snow often. Some locals were delighted by it, especially the children who enjoyed the rare snow day holiday away from the classroom. Others, the ones faced with a commute to work or animals in need of tending, didn’t experience quite as much joy from the cold, wet storm and were glad to see its remnants finally melt away.

Either way, we are reminded of the many men and women who braved the “blizzard of 2025” to respond to multi-vehicle crashes, downed power poles and 18-wheelers stuck in the snow. We are entirely grateful to the law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, wrecker services, utility workers and others who were on duty during and after the storm.